Appointed by SPIE to design an office space where entire departments, which at the time were working remotely would feel welcome and maximise productivity. To accomplish this under a short timescale with budget conscious design choices, we created an open plan space with zoned off areas to divide the office into their various departments. This also included breakout areas to offer cross departmental collaboration and provide the capability for ‘surge’ working.

Due to the open plan nature of the design, privacy was an important consideration especially when needed for important calls and meetings. As a result of this the inclusion of pod spaces was provided. The use of pods was specified for the flexibility to adjust the office when needed which was a key deliverable for the project.

Outside of the design being focused on improving staff well-being and team spirit, modifications were made to address the potential impact to services as well as the visitor experience when entering the office.

The design also provides better access for directors to staff and vice-versa fostering collaboration at all levels within the office. This provides an inclusive work environment where no level of employees is excluded from the collaborative environment.