Saturday, September 20, 2008

Contemporary Office Design Made Simple

By Bob Johnson


The notion of office design is a comparatively new one. Since the beginning of "the working day" and "the office", little consideration has been focused on the way an office was designed. If any layout was considered, it was mostly limited to the aesthetic appeal of an workplace and this has, regrettably, remained the common assumption when a company considers an office refurbishment. Whilst visual aesthetics remain an integral part of office design, modern companies now view office design representing the much wider idea of space management. Cutting-edge office refurbishment not only produces a visually beautiful interior, it also attempts to create an efficient and useable working space.

Office design is necessary for a plethora of reasons, for both employees and the business as a whole. For the business, excellent office refurbishment offers the chance to create a place of business that announces a strong corporate identity. It is here that visual aesthetics reach their most paramount purpose as they work to demonstrate to a visiting customer about the business, what it values, what its priorities are and what it thinks of itself. First impressions matter and the visual appeal of the area that customers see first is particularly important.

For employees, too, excellent office refurbishment is especially important. Visually, a well-planned office will raise employees morale. An workplace should be an inspirational place to work and not just a "working space". Just as for customers, usingoffice refurbishment to brand an office with a strong corporate identity can encourage a positive work culture and encourage employees to work in a way appropriate to the values of the business.

Modern office refurbishment also has a more practical purpose as it takes into account how an office space will work and uses that information to design a practical and useful workspace. It should also include elements that will aim to support employees with special needs, such as employees with disabilities. In this regard, office design works harmoniously with workplace health and safety in order to construct a cohesive, practical and enjoyable environment for all employees.

It is important to realize that office design is an ongoing practicality, rather than a one-off design event. The office refurbishment must keep pace with the demands usual in a working space, where how an office is used is always changing. New workplace and safety laws must also be met. Finally, the evolving nature of a company's brand and corporate identity is an extra reason why it's vital to keep office design modern.

There are two options when contemplating office design software: whether it will be a new fit-out or whether it will be an office refurbishment. A new fit-out should be evaluated for current premises, as well as new ones, as it lets a business the unique opportunity to create a customized design that works in conjunction with a corporation's workplace requirements. The second alternative is an office refurbishment, which is an excellent alternative if the basic structure of the space is still adequate for employees requirements and allows the chance to update and modernize cost-effectively.

There are several aspects to think about in an office refurbishment. Priority should be given to thinking about how a office will be used. What are the traffic flows in the office? Where should meeting areas be situated? What are the unique requirements of employees who may have special needs? All of these questions must be met by the office design if a office is to work practically. Additionally, thought should be given to the storage requirements of an office, what equipment will be used and where it should be placed, where the power and data points are (or should be), what kind of light sources are in the office and where they are coming from and any sound or sound-proofing requirements. Visually, thought should be given to color schemes, logos and finishes that work together to build a pleasing effect that reinforces the corporate brand and identity.

When contemplating how to create and execute your office refurbishment, a business can hire a specialist design business. There are many corporations that concentrate on office design and a business can use this expertise to create a tailored plan with a minimum of worry. An alternative option is to use office design software. This is an option that has only become available to the general public relatively recently. It has the potential to let a business to economically redesign or refurbish their working place. Whichever option is chosen, however, it should be the option that will meet a businesses design aims within budget.

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