13D — January 25 - February 7, 2019 — 2019 Forecast — M id A tlantic
Real Estate Journal
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O ffice D esign By Tracey Raimo, HF Planners, LLC Storage in the age of agile work spaces
T he debate is on. Open, Activity-Based work environments or tradi-
troduce centralized locker systems and cubbies to store personal belongings, which
in the same space. We versus me. Shared space. One should either commit to carrying a
dispersed throughout the space. For instance, bookcases can double as zone dividers,
tions are desirable. Product solutions are readily available from many furniture manu- facturers. We are on the precipice of a new office identity driven by a new generation in the digital age. Storage needs are chang- ing in kind. Take the time to discuss these needs in this area as a company and share this with the design team as part of your project planning. Plan for the future, no matter which side of the debate is more appealing. Tracey Raimo is an in- terior designer with HF Planners, LLC.
tional office spaces? Any online search will land you p a s s i o na t e a r g ume n t s f r om b o t h sides of the a i s l e . Li ke it or not, we
We are on the precipice of a new office identity driven by a new generation in the digital age. Storage needs are changing in kind. — Tracey Raimo
means less “stuff” entering the office in the first place. One goal of an agile office is the facilitation of a team environ- ment; a culture of collabora- tion rather than a cluster of individuals who happen to be
framed photo of their beloved ones wherever they go or leave it at home. Other solutions for the busi- ness include credenzas and shelving that are integrated into collaboration zones and
lateral file cabinets can be- come benching and architec- tural filing cabinets can serve as bases for counters. Mobile storage is also an attractive option in a more fluid design where furniture reconfigura-
Tracey Raimo
are in a time of change and activity-based plans are gain- ing traction for several reasons including increased productiv- ity and collaboration, overall employee wellness and lower real estate costs. As the defini- tion of office space and design evolves, so do our definitions of storage and the solutions avail- able. What requirements a company has in this area is an integral part of the discussion. As activity-based plans (ABP) become more prevalent, the need for on-site records management is waning. Digi- tal information allows em- ployees to securely access files from anywhere which means less in-house storage. New protocols for document reten- tion is emerging as an increas- ing number of companies are converting hard files to digital and employing electronic re- cords management systems including multi-cloud and flash storage. Some are opting for off-site storage spaces for legacy paper archives. Less space dedicated to storage allows for a denser employee population and therefore low- er real estate costs. In a traditional office en- vironment, employees come to work, sit at an assigned desk adorned with framed photos and other various personal touches. Personal effects are stored in a drawer or an overhead compartment. Files and working documents are stored in a cabinet at a dedicated work station. That is where the employee and their stay almost all day. The ABP model, allows for a new way to work. The employees come in, sit at a desk or a table (which may not be the same as the previous day), has a meeting with colleagues in a coffee-house type setting, duck into a focus room when extra attention or privacy is required. Employees are more active, as the name implies. But where do they keep their “stuff”? Activity-based plans in-
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