‘The workplace become

Canadian Philippe Paré has spent 18 years with Gensler and earned a reputation among clients and peers for creating inspiring workspaces that foster interaction and excitement. Will those aspects still be crucial in tomorrow’s offices? And with the rise of remote working, how can organizations navigate the HQ’s shifting role? The principal and managing director at Gensler France shares his thoughts.

Words Riya Patel

Illustration Simon Flöter

What’s been the most important development in the work sector in the past year?

PHILIPPE PARÉ: A strong sense of empathy towards workplace users. Making sure we create workplaces that workers are excited to go back to, that make them feel refreshed, well and reconnected to the mission and values of the organization to which they belong. This is manifesting in some exciting microarchitecture developments. More than ever before, there’s this idea of using furniture to create and define different environments and support people’s various needs – think kits of parts and flexible furniture solutions. Previously everything was built-in and permanent. Now it’s much more agile.

Does this align with what you encountered when judging the FRAME Awards?

The projects that sparked a lot of discussion shared a restrained approach. There was an emphasis on economy of means and doing a lot with very little – repurposing materials found on site, for example, or having one product or material perform multiple functions. But yes, other projects that stood out did have a more empathetic point of view towards users. A deliberate concern to provide a diversity of work settings and typologies, giving users the ability to choose what best suits them and the task at hand. Incorporating a lot of biophilia, natural materials, access to the outdoors and natural light.