The offices of the future
A few weeks ago we reviewed the first part of the report The New Habitat, prepared by Ape Group. In this first installment, the trends point towards the creation of flexible, multi-purpose and multi-generational spaces, which accommodate the needs of all age groups. Now we will look at two more trends: open spaces and sensitive spaces.
work abroad
New offices are being redesigned to include more features that encourage workers to move away from their desks and go outside. This trend already began in the residential sector, and as often happens, everything that applies to domestic environments ends up in work environments.
It is estimated that the world market for outdoor furniture grow by 6% to reach $29.300 billion by 2023. According to designers, developers and owners, the option of work abroad stands as an emerging trend that could change the face of workplaces for years to come.
The outdoor spaces are now redesigned to house the tasks that employees would do inside, so they must be optimized for both moments of productivity as for other relaxation. The exteriors thus become one more extension of the Office. The green areas will be another attraction to attract employees back to the office, since these types of spaces that connect with the nature not only offer a respite from the cramped interior spaces, but also enhance the mental and physical health of the people who inhabit them.
Meanwhile, the terraces and roofs They will be transformed, adding infrastructures that integrate the new trends and concepts regarding work, such as pergolas and zoned patios that integrate tasks and work meetings, whether formal or informal.
Offices in the middle of nature
El home office and hybrid work have inspired companies to move their offices abroad, to the point of relocating them from large cities and setting them up in immersive spaces in the middle of nature or more leisurely rural areas.
The concept of zoning semi-open spaces Through the strategic use of furniture and decoration, it is also transferred to the exterior, with defined areas and functions that allow semi-private meetings and concentration spaces.
Responsive workspaces
The pandemic has had a lasting impact on employee awareness of the health and well-being in the workplace. There is growing concern about mental health, which for a long time was relegated to the workplace.
When thinking about the future office, the normal thing is to imagine a space in tune with the people who inhabit it. A workspace that is able to control the sugar levels in blood and the heart rate to detect signs of hunger and exhaustion, or that oxygen and perfectly cool the air around the desk to counter any chance of afternoon slump.
It sounds like science fiction, but the reality is that some workspaces already have these features. By 2025, the workplace will be a intuitive environment and human-oriented, powered by intelligent AI systems that optimize performance of workers, sharpen their concentration and meet their demands, making them feel healthier, cared for and with more energy at the end of the working day than at the beginning.
smart furniture
Office projects are already underway with systems that calculate heart rate and variability when finger is placed on a blood volume flow sensor. have also been designed Desktops who control the amount of time that is spent sitting down and notifies the user when it is time to get up and stretch their legs.
You can also activate a Alarma de monóxido de carbono which informs users of the air quality in the room and when it is time to let in some fresh air. Offices that use biosignal sensors built-in sensors that record heart rate and facial expressions to autonomously regulate the lighting, projection and sound depending on the user's activities and physiology.
personalized offices
Whereas before the offices were passive and hostile places that forced workers to adapt to fit in, tomorrow's workplace will work backwards. will adapt to needs of its occupants and will be designed and built to incorporate thousands of sensors that interact with workers' wearable devices and smartphones. The result will be totally personalized spaces, They form bubbles with all the custom variables around each worker.
In the future, people will be increasingly aware of the extent to which their work space can affect to their way of thinking, feeling and behaving, with a direct effect on how well or poorly they work.
Report The New Habitat, Promoted by Ape Grupo and carried out with the consulting firm Futurea, and in collaboration with Casa Decor, the General Council of Official Colleges of Decorators and Interior Designers, the College of Interior Designers of the Valencian Community, the Fundació del Disseny of the Valencian Community and Strabe.
