Dating back since the days of the caveman, a view that provided an optimal span of one’s territory was coveted. A cave that provided a protected area/dwelling, the 'refuge', that when it opened upon a vast field or plain provided ‘prospect.’ The added dimension of vertical height for one’s refuge provided the ideal visual advantage as well. Thousands of years later, the cherished ‘cave’, a place to call home, has not moved far past the primary wish of the early rent seeker, the Neanderthal. Magnificent castles, shadowing a mere natural cave in cost and constructed with expansive views extending beyond castles have given way to battles won and lost. The notion of seeing it all and owning it all at the same time was as coveted as the modest cave openings that prospect out over vast landscapes. The idea of the cherished long view, especially when the view offered the end result of a water panoramic magnified the desire of the ownership x10. Case in point, the highly priced summer homes along the beach front where city dwellers escape to on the weekend.
When we reflect upon stunning residences, buildings and spaces, it is not always the interior space within that captures our collective passion, it is the space beyond. Yet, as space has become a commodity, a luxury feature in design and certainly more over within today’s workplace/office. Today’s ‘assigned’ office work space is smaller than ever. On an average, desk work areas are mere 48” in length verses the generous 68” of only five to ten years back, resulting in a submergence of the ‘open plan’ concept. The open plan boosts great lines of white upon white desking space planning solutions however can over expose the office worker under adopted office 'speak' phrasing such of ‘collaboration’, communication and ‘teaming’ so that the illusion of more space may be perceived and reached. In instances of a trading desk, an open desking configuration is desired and meaningful. The question of the 'open plan layout' and its validity is still being questioned, validated and revised as work spaces continue to shrink. Offices require designers today to anticipate flexible and transient furnishings for potential office relocations, a reality of today's economy and anxiety over 'fixed' drywall offices. As a result, the open plan has seemed like the logical solution but...
The issue below arises when you are seated on a run with your back to the window and only a view of a co-worker less than 18 inches away for 9-10 hours a day to focus on-not to mention your lunch eaten on the same shared surface. Personalizing of one's space is more and more routinely discouraged. Overhead storage and ample file systems within reach are also less specified as paper-less technology is the new norm. Image below: http://money.usnews.com/money/business-economy/slideshows/the-office-of-the-future/2
Till such time of final consensus, there is some management that have become advocates of the open plan and feel that the open plan encourages dialog verses emailing to co-workers only 4 feet away & that if there is a more open visibility it will support accountability in addition to team building. In the meantime, companies are doing their best to adjust staff to the open plan concept. Sensory concerns due to noise issues, lack of privacy and missed work days as a result of increased germs spread across minimal desk height partitions are real issues that are being noted.
NeoCon 2013 and other recognized design industry conventions are debuting solutions to quite the 'exposed feeling' both mentally and physically on today’s staff by innovating and suggesting random access to be designed in more and more for non-assigned-work stations featuring full height felt partitions and other highly acoustical textile options for staff to refuge to when the need arise. Creative use of felted, wool and hung acoustical solutions is also emerging in innovative formed use which I recently took note of at the May 2013 ICFF show in NYC. A combination of solutions such as break-out areas, high backed common sofa concepts and desking systems seems to be emerging based on need for balance not extremes. Savvy potential staff today see beyond the toys, perks and lures of the video-game based offices. Free bagels every 100 feet will not replace the sense of self of belonging that a well-balanced work space can offer a new hire and retain then longterm.
Recognizing how much time office workers at at their desks has also spurred a re-design of the physicality of the space. Every inch is now being considered. Speaking about her design, Athanasia said: “The main concept was to comment the fact that our lives are shrinking in order to fit into the confined space of our office. Eventually I realized that each civilization may have a very different perception of things depending on its social context. For example this desk could be used for a siesta or for a few hours of sleeping at night between deadlines.” Source: http://inhabitat.com/studio-nls-transforming-1-6-sm-of-life-desk-turns-into-a-compact-bedroom/
"As technology has changed through the years, our postures at work have migrated from sitting upright with perfect posture to slouching and stretching and crouching. Research has found that changing postures frequently throughout the day can help to avoid work related injuries and the potential for long term harm. In addition, different types of work require different postures. This becomes a problem when office seating cannot adapt to the changes our bodies require. Enter Steelcase‘s Gesture Chair. Steelcase did research in 11 countries and discovered nine new postures people are adapting to use due to the new technologies people are using to do their work." Source: http://www.buyphillips.com/blog/Index.php/ http://news.infurma.es/furniture-2/steelcase-launches-gesture-designed-in-response-to-the-new-changing-postures-in-the-workplace/6377
The Draw – primarily used while reading on a Tablet, this posture requires a chair with excellent back support including the head and neck.
The Multi-Device – when you are working on your laptop and your phone. This posture needs good support for the arms.
The Text – when you’re sitting, but working from your phone rather than PC.
The Cocoon – researchers found this posture more often used by women. The knees are pulled up and the device is used close to the body.
The Swipe – with the device flat on the desktop, the user is leaned over to access the content.
The Smart Lean – used most often during meetings, the user is able to use his or her device while keeping the content private from other in the room.
The Trance – leaning into your work, this posture also requires support for the arms.
The Take It In – the posture has evolved due to the large monitors now found in offices
The Strunch – a cross between a stretch and a hunch. When people get tired, they push the computer away from the body and push their hips back, stretching the back but creating a scrunched neck, which requires using a free hand to support the chin.
The notion of opening up the office beyond the 1980’s and 90’s 'cubes' was and is needed a breath-ability factor welcomed in addition to LEED solutions accounted for offering greener compassion in the high rise. As seating is being re-designed beyond initial ergonomics awareness, more than ever an emphasis on good over-all office design is emerging which will positively effects the psyche and productivity of the worker. The open plan by default, has removed the sense of cloistered ‘refuge’ and without at least a prospect/view to offset a run of extensive shared surfaces, the landscape quickly resembles the 1900’s open plan office where waves of desks were aligned offering little for the employee to reflect on or be motivated by.
Robert Propst who famously wrote ’The office a facility based on change’ advocated for the 3-panel system, not a completely open and not completely closed off work space. Propst's work and findings was based on extensive research reacting to the expansive desk layout 'open plan.' Perhaps we should consider what Propst’s research yielded more than forty years ago, that It does not take much to offset the predictable monotony of ‘open-space planning’ just a little creativity and consideration of the worker, their task and basic needs. Furthermore, creativity is gained and a more content worker. If the open plan is the only option, provide public-shared framed views (as designed in below) is critical especially on business floors where drywall has been replaced by long shared runs of desk surfaces that house multiple staff grouped together. Referencing what the caveman coveted 18,000 years ago… that a sense of refuge and prospect is critical verses simply over exposing or closing in the employee as in the 80's. A healthy and balanced workplace of furniture design options and shared meaningful views will yield a healthy, balanced earning sheet for all despite how desks are ganged, grouped, raised, lowered, linear or curvilinear.
The fast paced 24/7 world in which we live- has spurred a new incentive in design. Designers are purposefully slowing down to invest in re-thinking the actual office location, design layout/furniture and re-use of materials with a growing sensitivity to the office worker & environment they inhabit 9 hours plus a day. Experimentation of desk materials and design may not be always practical nor yield mass production results as of yet, but there is an emergence of effort being made to re-consider how people function best esp. given assigned tasks in a designated locale.
Below-An open desk system that offers an unique solution.
The urban landscape of the office is changing and adapting through furniture modifications and consideration to benefit all that work within-whether it be an open, closed and mixed plan layout. In the interim, one can consider the refuge to prospect or prospect to refuge feature of their personal space at home and the importance of having both experiences to achieve a visual balance that will positively enhance their work experience and outcome. http://www.nhit-shis.org/wp-content/uploads/homedesign/2011/11/shoreham-house-working-desk-with-open-space-view.jpg