The appreciation for office design is subjective, and meeting the demands of each team member is a monumental challenge. Companies in various sectors may have distinct needs and preferences that necessitate a more specialised approach to creating their workspace, which is exacerbated by the reality that there is no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to office design. A tech firm, for example, may follow a different set of design norms as compared to a beauty and wellness firm. Despite the fact that these sectors are varied and incongruous, they all have one thing in common: They can all benefit from human-centric commercial interior designs.
Although the space restrictions, experiences, and purposes differ from project to project, the goals of a well-thought-out design should always be established by the people who will be utilising the space daily. According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, people have fundamental, psychological, and self-fulfilment needs that must be addressed in order to achieve happiness and fulfilment. How does commercial design help fulfil these needs? The idea is to design with the end-users in mind. Beyond aesthetics, interior designs for commercial spaces differ significantly from residential design and should incorporate space planning, awareness of human behaviour, brand identity, and the right design element. As a result, we will, in this article, discuss and explore the various approaches to workplace interior design and how they may differ across industries.
Approach #1: Interaction & Sensory Immersion
Focusing on offering users an immersive experience, this approach utilises crafting spaces that incorporate the brand’s various touchpoints that the employees and clients can interact with. The fundamental of the workspace form around graphics, visual storytelling, playful interactions, and textures. This form of approach is ideal for companies that value dynamism, creativity, and vibrancy. The office space can also function as a retail space or showroom.
Approach #2: Live-work Ambience
The combination of homely vibes in office designs is commonly known as resimercial design. This approach implements furnishing and layout designs of homes into commercial space. One way that most designers do when approaching from a resimercial design standpoint is incorporating flexible spaces, lounge seating, and soft lighting. In contrast to a typical office design, a resimercial design is created to feel more like home, which fosters a more productive and less stressful atmosphere. Resimercial designs are ideal for educational institutions or tech firms.
Approach #3: Asset Enhancement & Third Spaces
The pandemic has sped up the change in how individuals socialise, work, and live. One example of change in the workplace is the expectation of a flexible work model, in other words, a third space that offers employees the option to work in places other than their home or their office desk. The most crucial characteristic when adopting this form of approach is the inclusion of a functional yet comfortable working space away from the limitations of traditional desk space. An example of third spaces would be co-working zones.
Approach #4: Wellness & Playfulness
The rising trend among workplaces across industries is to focus on holistic wellness and mental health. Many companies allocate a certain amount of space in their office for fun elements such as pool tables, gaming devices, and all sorts of snacks. It is proven that such factors lead to an increase in happiness among employees, which results in increased positivity and better well-being and mental state. Another way to approach wellness and playfulness is the incorporation of colours and flexible spaces. Colour is powerful when used correctly. Design strategies which include flexible floorplans, unique furniture, and vibrant finishing can be implemented in the designing of commercial spaces.
Conclusion
These are some of the examples of various approaches that designers may take when designing your office space. However, it ultimately is dependent on your business’s identity, design objectives, and user experience. That way, you will not compromise on safety and functionality for aesthetics and brand identity.
If you are looking for an experienced commercial and office interior design firm, OSCA Asia is the place you might want to consider. Specialising in creating a space that reflects and enhance the company’s brand identity, our clientele has expanded across seven different countries. Visit https://www.osca.asia/portfolio to see some of our past works and find out how we can help recreate your dream office.