Spec Finish

FOCUS FEATURE www.thefis.org 13 members in a recent roundtable hosted by ClarksLegal was that it is too early to fully appreciate how far things will go – beyond the logistical considerations the cost of relocating is significant and is something a business would plan some years in advance for, rather than in a knee-jerk response to the pandemic. The need for a hive Brian Stromquist of Gensler said: “This concept of community is helpful to keep in mind as we begin to imagine what it will be like to re-occupy the workplace following this pandemic. For years we’ve talked about “neighbourhoods” in our open office workplace designs as a way to section off expansive floor plans and encourage collaboration. These were behavioural incubators as well, born from the idea that if employees or teams felt like they owned a portion of the workplace, that sense of ownership and pride-of-place would result in cleaner, higher-functioning work environments.” Whilst working from home is clearly proven to work for some, there is a united view that there will still be a need to create a ‘hive’, where people can communicate and collaborate. This will be essential when considering how we adapt space, even if concentrated work activity continues through home working. Planning an effective space Ultimately people need space to concentrate, communicate and collaborate and the modern office will need to reflect the differing needs of these functions. Frank Lloyd Wright, the American architect, did much to recognise that a well-planned office would be organised and space efficient, and generally a better environment to work in, which meant that the company would attract the right calibre of staff who could work more effectively and would be better motivated to carry out their tasks. Things have moved on a long way from the first installation of systems desking and relocatable partitions at the Johnson Wax building, but the principles have by and large remained the same: 1. Understand the needs of the individual, and their relationship within the organisation. 2. Provide the optimum environment for that individual to thrive in a team and carry out the task. 3. Include provision for longer term requirements. Beyond contactless receptions, new meeting spaces, opportunities for flexible solutions such as relocatable partitions, operable walls and pods, how to provide effective shielding around desk areas and break up vast open plan areas ( see our article on partitions ), areas such as kitchens and toilets will require close attention. Hot desking will be less common as we start appreciating the risk of spreading germs and viruses and consider resilience within our business. Towers with lifts could become unattractive, staircases more significant and effective use of outdoor space and natural ventilation will help to significantly enhance the effectiveness of a workspace (and rentable value should tenancy levels drop, and the market become more competitive). Sustainability and indoor air quality The growing importance of sustainability in longer term investment decisions flagged in a recent British Council for Offices event – corporate social responsibility and a growing awareness amongst building users and particularly the younger generation is likely to see this trend continue. AdrianDobson, ExecutiveDirector of Professional Services at RIBA, recently drewattention to this in the RIBA journal, where he stated that the need to take amore holistic approach in our choice of buildingmaterials had never beenmore apparent, andwe need to build on this positive. “The importance of that holistic approach is thrown into sharp relief now,” he said, adding that the current “unnatural pause” should give everyone in our industry the chance to take stock. “Let’smake a conscious effort to change attitudes, to changewhat drives and informs the design of buildings and our choice of materials to create amore sustainable future,” he said. Thisextends toagrowingunderstandingof the importanceof air quality.There is sure tobe agreater interest in thestandardsunderpinned by theWell BuildingCertificationScheme whereaheavy focuson indoor air quality throughmaterial selectionandventilation areprized. Sensors andappswill allowstaff toaccess andmonitor data in real time to understandhowhealthy theworkplace is. Biophiliatooistakingonrenewedimportance asemployeesmakegreater connections between their environment and their health. Not onlyhaveplantsbeenamorepopular interior décor trend, but theyhavealsobeen proven tohelp improve indoor air quality. For proof of this, thereare fewhigher authorities thatTheNational Aeronautics andSpace Administration (NASA)who in researchingways toclean theair in spacestations, discovered that inaddition toabsorbingcarbondioxide and releasingoxygen throughphotosynthesis, certaincommon indoor plantsprovideanatural wayof removingvolatileorganicpollutants (benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene were tested). Aswemove into this newworld of balancing the needs of business, people and real-estate with the newconcerns about health, the challenge of creatingworkspaces that function for all has never been greater, but wewon’t go far wrong if we develop our spaces sensitively around the needs and priorities of our people and engage our people in the process and invest in quality flexible spaces. Common indoor plants provide a natural way of removing volatile organic pollutant Photo: RAP Interiors