3 minute read
The Coming Trends
Julie Anderson, Director of Rap Interiors, considers what trends will be sweeping office spaces in 2021
As with anything else in design, there are always trends when it comes to fitting out office spaces. Moods change and businesses become infatuated with different ways of working and of boosting staff efficiency. 2020 saw offices across the UK and Ireland become empty or running at low capacity, the once exciting and collaborative workspaces becoming dormant and quiet.
This forced social experiment made people work from home and rely on technology, rather than face to face communication, to get work done and now the question remains; what will become of all the office space?
Despite expectations to the contrary, across many industries remote working has been a success, resulting in a culture shift that favours employee wellbeing and a better work/life balance. We expect to see office designs that lend themselves to this change.
Spaces are likely to be more agile in their design to give employees the freedom to choose how they want to work, with multiple work zones replacing seas of desks. An increase in flexible working will also see the introduction of technology to facilitate communication between those in the office and those at home.
There is confidence in the market; legal firm Hardwicke Chambers has already taken steps in creating an agile, pro-wellbeing workspace. The new office includes a flexible “hub” for people to enjoy, two roof terraces and state of the art IT to enable people to “plug in and play” in different areas of the office. Meanwhile Google has confirmed plans for a new, £1billion, 11-storey headquarters in Kings Cross.
Flexible Office Space on the Rise Continuing a growing trend, we also predict that we will see a rise in flexible office spaces. These are essentially prefitted “plug in and play” workspaces that are typically available on monthly rolling contracts. Flex offices often include stocked kitchenettes, trendy interiors and networking events, making them an attractive alternative to offices on a long-term lease.
With a renewed focus on staff wellbeing, we expect to see workplaces invest into the Hygge approach for working. Hygge is a Danish concept that “is about an atmosphere and an experience, rather than about things. A feeling of home … giving your responsible, stressed out achiever a break”. i
There are a few ways to support hygge in the work environment. Having a breakout room is important for employees to take a break and have the time to bond with their colleagues. This can encourage idea sharing and collaboration to create a sense of community, trust and support amongst the teams, as well recognition for individuals.
Providing staff the opportunity to personalise desk spaces with their own belongings transforms their working spaces into a sanctuary-like spot just for them. Another trend that is centred around employee wellbeing and meshes well with the Hygge concept, is biophilic design, or bringing the outdoors in (see page 36). This is done by using natural materials, increasing natural light, and of course, plants.
Many businesses aren’t in a position to have real plants under a maintenance contract and don’t want to go down the plastic plant route for aesthetic and sustainability reasons. It is in these circumstances that we can use a new option – preserved foliage from Innerspace Cheshire.
This is real preserved plant material that requires little maintenance but contains no plastic.
Walls of moss and easy to care for succulents are also proving a popular way to improve worker’s moods and productivity.
With an eye to the future, we also expect that businesses will continue to consider sustainability when it comes to office spaces, and there are some wonderful options available. Recycled materials being transformed into building materials and walls and design features made from recycled plastic have been some of the recent innovations, and we also know that fellow BITA members Go Green Office Solutions can talk to anyone looking for refurbished office furniture to cut down on their carbon footprint. Ethical design is also leading to a rise in the use of bamboo in furniture.
As you can probably tell, these 2021 trends fit very well together. The office spaces of the future are bright and airy, with natural materials and vibrancy from plants, with a feel of community and home and an eye on sustainability. That sounds like a nice and productive working environment to us!
