When it comes to keeping employees happy and productive, corporate giants like Google are leading the way, with innovative spaces, chill out areas and game zones.
In fact, in the last five years more and more companies have decided to re-design their entire work areas to create environments that facilitate and promote creative thinking, motivate staff and stir those creative juices!
The most successful businesses are those that provide spaces where staff can get together, relax, share ideas and challenge the norm. Gone are the days of drab offices and minimal lighting, as more and more employers realise the benefits of providing work areas conducive to creativity and productive interaction.
With this in mind, designers are creating highly functional and unique workspaces to maximise employee potential and performance. Here are three such examples of innovative office designs:
1. Yegin Industries, bounce, dribble and dunk their way to success
Yegin Industries’ floor was designed to help the salesmen slam dunk their way to success!
Yegin Industries, based in Vietnam, wanted to incorporate a sporting theme into the very fabric of their brand new office facility.
To achieve this, the sports ball manufacturer sourced a selection of high performance resin solutions from Flowcrete to create an innovative and striking floor finish – including their very own basketball court in the show room!
The playful design showcases the company’s ‘Work hard – Play hard’ ethos. Flowsport and Deckshield UV Linemarker were applied in an array of bright colours and clear patterns; perfect for the gym room that employees could enjoy during working hours.
2. Skype Palo Alto Bring the Outdoors In
Design Blitz created a green, calm and engaging space for its employees.
Designed by San Francisco architectural firm, Design Blitz, the Skype Palo Alto ticks all the boxes for a work-friendly space that encourages interaction and spontaneity. The aim of the project was to create a world-class workspace that would transform 54,000 square feet of existing office into a highly functional but also creative work area.
Design Blitz took a ‘biophilic’ approach to achieve this, creating several green areas to effectively bring the outdoor environment into the office space. Removable stone seats and portable whiteboards were provided to encourage employee interaction and enable them to capture and share ideas as they occurred. Workstations were located around the perimeter of the building to take advantage of low noise levels and natural light, whilst the boardroom exterior was built using flavouring sticks, taken from local, Californian wine barrels.
3. Cunningham Group Uplift the Human Experience
Sustainability’s the word at the Cunningham Group’s uplifting office.
In order to strengthen their commitment to sustainability, Cunningham Group designed their new Californian office to meet the standards needed to earn a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold Certification.
Their company statement, ‘We exist to uplift the human experience’ embodies their passion for design and their desire to promote creative thinking in the workplace.
In order to create an eco-friendly space where employees can gather and share ideas, designers sourced sustainable materials, such as repurposed shipping containers, wooden décor and green areas. Additionally, the office incorporates several sustainable features, including a series of ventilation systems to circulate fresh air, an indoor garden and an outside vegetable patch.
What office designs would you like to see in your workplace? Share your ideas and comment below!
