UPFRONT Seven
7
ways to delineate workspace
Finding new ways to ensure that workers can be productive without sitting side-by-side has become a massive challenge for designers. With these hybrid workplace models rapidly becoming the norm, our friends at IVC Commercial present seven smart ways to define and delineate the open plan workplace.
1
2
3
14 | Mix 209 February 2021
Flooring
As any designer worth their salt knows, the floor has a huge impact on the visual perception of a space, so breaking it up can be a great way to create clear activity areas and help workplaces stay agile. Mixing between carpet tiles and luxury vinyl tiles is one way, but shape can also be used really effectively. Geometric forms can be used to mark areas with pattern, while also helping to finetune the feel of the space. Hexagons are a prime example of this, bringing a strong natural influence – beehives, snowflakes etc – connecting areas through colony-like formations of wood and stone effects, as can be seen in Studio Moods’ bespoke modular vinyl collection.
Pods
If the pandemic has taught us anything about collaboration, it is that the virtual world isn’t without its drawbacks. Another Teams meeting anyone? The office is expected to become a place where collaboration is a priority. With project teams completing tasks remotely and gathering together with more intent, this shift will see an explosion of pod-like formations breaking up open plan spaces. Pods are a great way for project teams to come together in relative isolation and, as a bonus, they can double-up as private working spaces.
High back furniture
With working from home forcing many workers to feel isolated and anxious, the last thing they need is an office that makes them feel the same. But they also want to feel they can work in safety should they not be comfortable in a more formalised seating environment. High-back furniture – sofas in café-style booths – can be used to provide a sense of ‘open solace’. In these settings, workers still feel they are in a shared and populated space, yet alone enough to feel safe and confident.
