Some ways the office can suck (a little) less in 2023
Physical office space remains a part of the way many companies do business. What can or should the office look like going forward? After asking four office designers to offer a glimpse at what the workplace can be in 2023, we have one word for you: “WorkR
The year of the custom office
“I feel the usefulness of the office right now is in providing that protected space to dream big. In design the spaces need to be original thoughts themselves. They need to be sculpted around something about the occupant. This is going to be the year of the custom office—personalized to the degree that people feel, “This speaks to me. This is talking my language.” I think people will respond to that more readily than a themed environment.” —Primo Orpilla, Studio O+A
Wellness makeover
“While many organizations are downsizing office space, some are also reconfiguring for increased flexibility and higher performance. As the office footprint reduces, it is also undergoing a wellness makeover. Connections to nature, access to fresh air and daylight, [and] ease of user-operability are some of the basic universal principles supporting wellness in the workplace. Underutilized office buildings are being transformed to support myriad other uses such as life science, R&D, manufacturing, and even housing. The process of adaptive reuse has the potential to make downtown areas more multivalent, improving livability and reducing traffic.” —Wright Sherman, WRNS Studio
Enter the “WorkResort”
“We are designing a new office prototype that inspires hard work while respecting personality, and locations that put community ahead of egotism. We call it the ‘WorkResort.’ There are multiple options for working: ‘villas’ for brainstorming sessions, lounges and balconies promote impromptu exchanges, while meditation and activity spaces provide for physical and spiritual well-being. HWKN designed the ‘WorkResort’ for companies to attract top talent and inspire everyone to expand their minds, be original, and contribute mightily to the forward-thinking enterprises that employ them.—Matthias Hollwich, HWKN