Buildings Magazine

Conference rooms can’t fit all collaboration eeds. A truly flexible office will offer a variety of places for colleagues to catch up and cooperate on projects. An existing office could become a small collaborative area with just a few tweaks, suggests Bar- bara Savage, Senior Associate for Stantec, an international design company.

“It’s really important to give people the flexibility to get up from their desks and work in a different environment so they’re not in the same spot all day,” Savage explains. “If you can give them options, especially options with natural light and different types of seating, it’s an

Energetic Interiors

that Don’t Break the Bank

Dated design and dark, stuffy workplaces aren’t just uncomfortable to work in – they may be driving people away. Today’s knowledge workers expect welcoming work environments that encourage creativity, not stifle it.

“The millennial generation is not used to sitting at a desk for eight hours a day, five days a week. They want the ability to move around between various environments in the workplace so they can conduct their work and also relax,” says John P. Yodzis, President and COO of DOW Electronics, which recently revamped its space to replace tall 1990s-style cubicles with low-profile workstations and contemporary collaboration rooms.

“We’ve done a really good job of keeping it fun while still maintaining a business environment.”
Defining that balance in your own office requires due diligence with anyone who works there, adds Todd
Haywood, Director of Facilities, Security and Business Continuity Management at Motorists Insurance Company,
which recently renovated the third floor of its Columbus, OH, facility. “Find out how they’re going to work and
what their needs are, then find the most economical means of putting that together. Make sure once that
group moves into the space, they’re comfortable and have everything they need to do their job properly.”

Ready to re-energize your office? See how renovation projects revitalized these four space types.

Maximize Flexibility

in Collaborative Spaces

easy way to bring some changes to offices without a
big budget.”
If you’re revamping collaborative spaces, make sure
they fit employees’ needs by considering these tips.

■ Durable materials are important for spaces that will
be used throughout the day, says David Chason,
Partner of commercial design firm AEI U.S. Studio.

■ Vary sizes and furnishings for meeting spaces. More options fit more needs.

■ Location is crucial. Collaborative spaces should be close to individual work areas so colleagues can duck in quickly and easily, but not so close that collaborators disrupt people who are engaged in focus work.