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HOW TO DESIGN YOUR OFFICE
The office , where we
spend the most significant portion of our working lives in our work places
, which is the reason that one should always be very careful about the
functionality décor of the working space. Our work space , where we
spend at least half our walking time , six days a week , is as important a
part of our lives as our homes. The working conditions and the environment
in the offices directly affect the way people interact with the family and
friends at the end of the day. These also have an influence on our
productivity , mental well-being and general health.
PLANNING THE OFFICE : To plan an office effectively , the
designer should have a thorough understanding of the functional and
aesthetic requirements of the client , followed by an in-depth evaluation
of the possibilities and constraints of the given space , including
columns , beams , existing plumbing and so on. An office should ideally
have enough space not merely to seat its employees , but to locate
ancillary and support services , from the stately boardroom to the humble
pantry , as well as for circulation between these areas , with adequate
access to stairs and fire escapes. When planning a given space , it is
important to conceive a long term master plan , keeping in mind planned
growth and future requirements , even if the intention is only to
implement part of the plan now and execute the rest as needs and funds
arise. The master plan would ensure that what is installed now will not
have to be dismantled or relocated when new developments take place. This
would help eliminate unnecessary wastage of material and labour .
THE RECEPTION AREA : It is the reception area that makes the
first impact on the visitor and which colors his expectation of the space
ahead. If the business of the company calls for continuous interaction
with guests who need to be suitably impressed , then it is important that
the reception area be adequately dressed.
- The reception can
be used to display the company’s product or operations with visuals
or models.
- Alternatively , paintings or aesthetic accessories in
the room can be chosen to reflect the company’s taste and style.
- The receptionist should have direct visual access to be able to
keep an eye on office comings and goings .
CONFERENCE
ROOM : Conference room is the central area of any office and can
give impressions to anyone new having meeting in that room
-
Conference should ideally be easily accessible from the entrance , so that
the visitors do not have to travel all over the office.
- The
facility of a nearby toilet will be an advantage for the same reason.
- The equipment necessary for presentations , such as a screen , TV
, video monitor , black board , flip chart etc , needs to be provided .
- The design should provide a calm , neutral background for visual
presentation and adequate lighting.
The furniture and ambience should
be designed so that the participants can communicate with each other
CEILINGS : It is well to remember that ceilings , like
any other surface , reflect light and sound , and contribute significantly
to the lighting and acoustic qualities of a space.
- Suspended
ceilings are available in different materials , and increasingly ,
acoustic tiles and panels are becoming standard , especially in open
offices and where no special ceiling treatment is required. Usually made
of non-combustible which prevents sound waves being reflected back into
the room.
- Holes for recessed lights can be cut out wherever
required.
- Plaster or gypsum board is harder and reflects more
sounds then it absorbs .
- Exposed structural ceiling are sometimes
used to create a hi-tech image , as a stylistic alternative to the typical
office interior.
LIGHTING : Good lighting is
crucial for effective work , besides which , lighting accounts for a
considerable part of the energy consumed in an office. Therefore , two
basic elements which the designer must keep in mind are the cost and the
efficiency of lighting . On the other hand , it is lighting which makes
design come alive and it should be exploited accordingly. It can create a
warm , inviting and dramatic interior , or result in a cold and monotonous
office.
- One effective use of the standard bulb is as a wall
wash , which tends to imbue the whole space with incandescence and makes
the room warm and friendly.
- Incandescent downlights , halogens
included , can complement fluorescents and can be used to highlight
specific objects , such as desks , plants , paintings , objects , etc.
- To reduce eye strain and fatigue , high contrasts should be
avoided . Use of job oriented , task lights can be practical , if
complemented by general lighting .
- Suspended or pendant lights can
serve a dual function in this regard , and while providing overall
illumination , can be lowered to concentrate on a given space.
- A
system of selective switching and operational control areawise , or where
possible even deskwise , can help restrict usage and operating costs of
lighting to only as and when required.
FLOORING :
Office flooring is subjected to more wear and tear than any other surface
in the room , and it is therefore imperative that it be hardy and
resilient.
- Flooring materials vary greatly . hard flooring ,
such as stone , granite , marble , kota , etc. Wood , cement , terrazzo ,
ceramic tiles , are usually noisier
- Soft coverings such as vinyl or
carpeting , but they are hardier.
- Choice of flooring material will
depend on the function of a given area and its requirements where
durability , appearance , cost and maintenance are concerned.
-
Flooring can be used as a design tool not only in an obvious choice of
material and color , but to demarcate departments , private/public areas
and circulation paths , by a selective use of different hues and surfaces.
STORAGE : While providing enough storage the
emphasis today should be on eliminating unnecessary garbage .
-
The basic storage units such as the cupboards , filing cabinets , drawer
unit , open shelf , are still as useful as ever , whether they are free
standing or built into walls , or used in lieu of the partitions to save
space.
- In addition we have certain new innovations such as filing
shelves which move on tracks , and which completely fill a given space.
- Furniture too can be designed to save space , using the space
above and below work tops..
PANTRY: For
offices that can afford the space , a clean well designed and pleasant
looking cafeteria or canteen will help employees relax.
-
Pantries should be designed to incorporate all the essentials , such as a
hot plate or gas burner with cylinder space below and a sink , a stainless
sink is hardy and easy to clean.
- A storage cupboard , shelves or
hooks can hold the cups and saucers , plates , cutlery , tea , coffee ,
sugar , etc. A small compact refrigerator is useful for storing milk ,
cold drinks , preserving food items , etc.
- A good garbage storage
system will help circumvent the inevitable mass of tea dregs , papers etc.
- Disposable plastic cups , plates , if economically viable can save
on maintenance and cleaning.
ESSENTIAL SERVICES :
coming to the toilets , which perhaps more than any other room , reveals
the true class of a company , its attitude to cleanliness and the activity
of its employees and visitors.
- Bathrooms don’t have to
be exotic , but they do have to be adequate in number for the staff
employed and they have to be clean.
- They should have tiled surface
, preferably in light plain shades which are not overpowering and which
cannot be scrubbed down easily.
- Separate toilets for men and women
are statutory to a given number of employees . The traps , the Indian and
the western WC with the urinals to accommodate all the users.
- If
ventilation is less than ideal , an exhaust or ceiling fan may help , for
there are few things as off-putting as a smelly toilet.
- Facilities
for dispensing toilet paper , towel , hand dryer etc , should be provided.
Thus , planning the ideal offices large and small , opulent and
spartan , the professionals can help make the complicated thing , simple
to understand and to work out
