WORKPLACE DESIGN - GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT
Along with the great current drivers of wellbeing, biophilia and agile working, there are some real basics to get right when you design a new workspace. For anyone commissioning a workspace for the first time and feeling overwhelmed by information and statistics, here’s our guide to the basics:
1 Get the brief right
It’s never a case of simply going with what you’re given. You have to take time to dig deep, read between the lines and absorb the nuances of what you’re being asked, as well as testing to see if there’s a difference between what a client thinks they want and what they really want. Without this, achieved through workshops, digging out hidden values and clear responses-to-brief, a well-thought out and holistic project simply won’t result.
2 Ensure great flow
A good brief will lead to a great flow as the natural next step towards a successful outcome. Flow is about spatial constraints and realities, as well as understanding a company’s values and ambitions and the psychology of those who will use the space. There’s a way to order and position things so that moving within the overall space and between individual zones is completely effortless and instinctual. It’s the kind of thing that should feel so natural that, as a user, you wouldn’t ever even think about it.
3 Create human-centric design
Humans are emotional beings and form memories from experiences, so a well-designed environment has to embed and encourage positive and uplifting emotions and avoid generating negative ones, such as stress, boredom and frustration. This is often about creating zones that not only allow for quiet work, for formal and informal meetings and for social, gathering moments in the workday, but also about designing for different personality types, especially introverts and extroverts - an area of workspace design that is still evolving and which needs to evolve further still.
4. Utilise mood-affecting palettes
Colour, texture, shape and light are the elements of a design scheme that people often think ARE the full design, because they’re tangible and on the surface, but which can only achieve their full potential if all the invisible, frustration-avoiding elements are right first! These are also the areas – in addition to planting, temperature and acoustic control - where companies can really show their individuality and designers can really show their expertise and their flair. For those working in the space, these are also the elements that really permeate, because they affect the senses directly.
5. Remember that the devil is in the detail – in a good way
It’s a phrase that’s often used but is equally often under-applied. The robustness, flexibility and long-term functionality of a scheme is really what separates the good from the bad. Amazing details are also a great way of adding a project’s defining edge, via stylish and witty details that continually surprise and delight.