As we continue with 2018, millennia’s will continue to influence the direction of office design as the stream in as new additions to your office! To get them to reach their full potential, your office space needs to be designed according to what drives them!
First of all, this generation wants a career that offers a sense of purpose and contributes to the greater good. Given this reality, workplace designers should consider how the workspace can embody these goals and how they can visually be represented in the space. And similarly to the importance of authenticity-centered design, a company’s commitment to their community and their contributions to society can be incorporated into branding.
This generation wants a career that offers a sense of purpose and contributes to the greater good. Given this reality, workplace designers should consider how the workspace can embody these goals and how they can visually be represented in the space.
Many of our clients are focused on millennial-friendly design, this includes interesting things like, incorporating a monumental stair at the office’s center, serving as a hub of energy for the space. Beyond its functionality and defining architecture, it encourages clients and employees to socialize and congregate on a tiered platform auditorium with bar-height seating. Ancillary spaces, include spaces like large break rooms overlooking a Lake, an upscale hospitality bar that serves beer and coffee, a game room, numerous open lounge areas, bicycle storage, showers, and quiet zones are scattered throughout the floor plan. The diverse settings for collaboration and privacy, coupled with mobile sit-stand desks and ceiling-mounted power sources distributed throughout, empower workers with autonomy and flexibility.
Wellness of tomorrow
Another important trend that continues to make waves : wellness. Certifications like LEED and the WELL Building Standard are not enough — designers must be deliberate in making astute observations about the space and how to best build a healthy, people-centric office. With studies that prove the psychological and physical benefits of exposure to nature, finding ways to connect to the outdoors is key. While working with a small technology startup, the client told us that their priority was that their employees would be happy in the workplace. We approach projects from a visceral mindset and make sure we get to know the employees of a company to understand their needs and create a stimulating design.
Some of our strategies include specifying products designed with natural materials, and designing to allow for ample daylight to penetrate an interior space.
Now this is not a fast growing trend in SA just yet, but it soon will be!
Even if companies do not have an extended budget to spend on these modifications, small up grades like colourful chairs to add a pop of colour in the office can be the first step!