Tag Archive for: Coworking

PLANNING FOR POWER IN NEW WORKPLACE DESIGN

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In 2018, work spaces are entirely different than even 10 years ago. The days of “traditional” work spaces are quickly on dwindling, let alone the days of the “cubicle farm.” So what designs do matter for work spaces in 2018?

OPEN FLOOR PLANS

Open Floor Plans have been around for years, but we’re starting to see an increase in the use of this concept, moving from private offices and cubicles.

You read that right. Not only do these spaces not need “open door policies,” there aren’t even doors to close. Open floor plan offices encourage collaboration, shared work spaces, and everything that comes with them.

Designing work spaces has changed from a layout having just a few spaces within office buildings that are open concept to nearly the entire space as open floor plan. While the C-Suite may still have doors to close, the rest of the building likely will be sharing desks, outlets, and screens.

HOTELING AS A WORK SPACE

Working doesn’t have to be done at an assigned seat to be productive anymore. In fact, many people that come to the office take part in a trend called “Hoteling” or “Hot Desking”.

Hoteling doesn’t mean that you live at a hotel or even work in a hotel, instead it refers to using a scheduling system to reserve a desk for the day or a few hours. Hot Desking is similar, but deals with unassigned seating by a first come, first served basis.

Each of these concepts is moving us away from having an assigned or static desk and moving to an environment where you sit where you feel you’ll get your best work done. Heads down work could be in a space with more barriers and a quieter environment, collaboration could happen when your team decides to sit together for a day or two.

This surge in providing unassigned workspaces is already changing the face of many offices and can be seen in the rise of Co-Working Spaces.

STANDING WORKSPACES

Standing work desks are more than just a passing fad. Their sudden rise in popularity is linked to more than just health benefits. From a facility point of view this is saving valuable real estate or even allowing new workspaces to be deployed within an existing footprint.

Standing desks increase collaboration, focus, and productivity. You may have heard the phrase “sitting is the new smoking,” but you may not be familiar with all of the benefits of standing.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOU?

As new workers arrive in the office we need the workspaces to meet their needs not just for doing a task, but also meeting their social needs.  That means that our workspaces are changing and how we design them up makes a difference. The goal of a great workspace design is to provide the tools that someone will need, so that all they need to do is sit down, plug in and get to work.

With every day and the improvement technology tools at work, the way we work changes. And when the way we work changes, workspace design needs to change too. How is it affecting you? Let us know in the comments of this blog.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COWORKING SPACES AND MAKERSPACES?

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Welcome to the wonderful world of being able to work wherever you want. Well, almost.

Coworking spaces and Makerspaces have been on the rise since the integration of technology into the workplace. While both spaces are slightly different and used for different types of work, they both help usher in a new era of developing the freedom to work away from your specific office.

Whether to make working while traveling easier or to give remote workers a home base (other than their dining room table), both spaces are unique in that they foster a work community outside of a company’s four walls.

COWORKING SPACES AND WHY THEY’RE IMPORTANT TRENDS FOR DESIGNERS AND MARKETERS

In 2005-era San Francisco, Brad Neuberg realized he could create his own coworkers. By attending networking events and slowly gathering a group of like-minded individuals, Brad discovered that all it took was a shared space and passion for people to connect. They didn’t need to be employed by the same company, and in fact they learned much more from each other than from their companies. And with this idea, coworking spaces were invented.

This incredible trend has continued (and swept the world with it) for 13 years now.

Coworking spaces have completely changed the way employers view the 9 to 5 landscape. Gone are the days having to sit in front of a screen for 8 hours a day in an office (heaven forbid in a cubicle…). This new style of space has created a new culture around working.

Designers focused on developing and improving coworking spaces can’t ignore the high level of technology integration. The ability to connect PC or Mac to any outlet and any other gadget is critical.

The importance of coworking spaces is just that – they allow collaboration and they work. It’s the seamless integrations that often make the space. Add in a banging modern facade and you have the total package in a coworking space.

MAKERSPACES AND WHY THEY’RE IMPORTANT FOR DESIGNERS AND MARKETERS

Makerspaces are directly engineered for prototypers. In fact, they might even be better known by their nickname: hackerspaces.

These spaces are an entirely new realm outside of coworking spaces. They’re developed in an effort to foster a community that likes to build, invent, create, and learn. Rather than creating a networking space that encourages like-minded computer dwellers to collaborate, Makerspaces encourage the handcrafted to gather together.

Typically outfitted with technology such as 3D printers, models, software, and other electronics that enhance crafting, Makerspaces are still a rare find. And their rarity makes them that much more marketable.

It’s ever-important for designers to keep in mind that while Makerspaces are still in their infancy, they will only explode from here. Discovering the right technology to integrate, layouts to develop, and freedom to collaborate through open floor plans are imperative.

Bob’s Brain is a dedicated service and guide for technical learning in power and data.

WE’RE THE ELECTRICAL EXPERTS, SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE.

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