10B — July 31 - August 13, 2015 — Owners, Developers & Managers — M id A tlantic
Real Estate Journal
www.marejournal.com
A rchitects & E ngineers By Benedict Dubbs, AIA LEED AP, Murray Associates Architects, P.C. Redefined workspaces - It ain’t your father’s office anymore
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less technology and they are seeking employment with companies that have incor- porated this philosophy into their work environments. Employment, productivity, satisfaction and overall well- being are all influenced by the modern work environ- ment. Amenities such as on- campus health clinics, fitness centers, health-conscious food venues, dry-cleaning, and daycare are just a few of the programs and services provided by many progres- sive corporations. The world economic down-
oday’s workplace is being redefined due to: a depressed world
moved to the center of build- ings, letting natural light penetrate deep into the space to transform the workplace environment. The increased awareness of “green” design princi- ples positively impacts the environmental quality of contemporary work spaces. The exchange of ideas, and gathering large amounts of data at an ever-growing pace, is the focus of many contemporary office workers. While there are still numer- ous tasks which are primar- ily “head down,” industry
leaders such as Google make use of entire lengths of walls as brainstorming canvases, which can be photographed and emailed to colleagues around the world. This morn- ing’s idea becomes this after- noon’s new policy, product or service. Modern corporations must compete on the global stage for the best and brightest new employees, while maintain- ing the intellectual capital of their senior workers. Today’s graduates from top universi- ties are already acclimated to new digital, fast-paced wire-
turn has refocused corpora- tions’ attention on their real estate portfolios. Industry leaders are evaluating op- tions to maximize the us- age of every square foot of interior and exterior spaces throughout their campuses. Today’s modern workspace is a mix of high-walled execu- tive offices, managers’ offices, workstations, call centers, intern workspaces, hotel- ing spaces, breakout rooms, conference rooms, private rooms, mothers’ rooms, and a variety of other teaming areas. These almost limitless variety of work, private, and collaborative spaces require more square footage per em- ployee. But due to new ways to stay connected, employees moving within buildings, and working outside of corporate facilities; companies can reduce their overall square footage without minimizing employees work area. This streamlines operational costs and maintains a competitive advantage. Today’s “office” will con- tinue to change due to Cloud Computing as tablet PCs or iPads are utilized better and employees will be increas- ingly working from home or other satellite locations. They will only use the of- fice as a “touching down” environment for face-to face meetings, training and other requiring personal interac- tions. The authors of the book Corporate Agility predict that workers will spend 30 percent of their time in a va- riety of “third places” (small facilities for everything from meetings to copying), 40 percent of their time in their corporate facility, and 30 percent in home offices. It is staggering to think of the vast changes that have occurred since our father’s generation first began work- ing in an office environment. But while we cannot predict future configurations of of- fice buildings, one can only speculate about what might lie ahead for future workers. We know that these spaces must continue to change if we are to recruit new talent, retain existing experienced workers, and reap the ben- efits of new technologies. Benedict Dubbs, AIA LEED AP is principal of Murray Associates Archi- tects P.C. n
economy, ex- tended em- ployment of baby boom- ers, prefer- ences of the X a n d Y generations, longer work- days, and
Benedict Dubbs
technology. Gone, for the most part, are high walls that formed an impenetrable perimeter for office workers. Today most offices have been
Re-Inventing Yesterdays Office
COLLABORATIVE SPACES
MURRAY ASSOCIATES ARCHITECTS, P. C. 80 years of providing spaces where people feel comfortable and special, enhancing their experience, productivity and overall wellbeing.
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• Interior Fit-Outs • Space Planning • Renovations • Adaptive Re-Use • Full Architectural Services
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