These 3 Trends Will Revolutionize Your Office Design

Let’s say that the average American spends 40 hours at work and about 7 hours a night sleeping; that means that 34% of waking hours are spent at work. With that in mind, office design and work space becomes very important. These 3 trends have been shown to improve team relations and increase creativity in the office environment.

 #1: Natural Light

According to a new study approved by Central Michigan University’s Institutional Review Board, natural elements and sunlight tend to increase employee mental health and work attitudes.  Natural exposure to sunlight decreased the levels of diastolic blood pressure, depression, anxiety and increase attention capacity. Direct sunlight exposure stimulates Vitamin D, which is vital to the immune system and helps in regulating the sleep-wake cycle.

By making sure the office design includes plenty of natural light, your employees will not only be more awake but they will be better engaged in the work place. The HBO Workspace in Seattle, designed by Rapt Studio, has taken this philosophy to heart by designing a 120,000-sf campus for HBO flooded with natural light via glass walls and large windows throughout the campus.

 #2: Plants

Courtesy of ESI Design. Photo Credit: Jeff Wolfram

Plants have been shown to relax humans. They naturally produce a calming stimulus just as snakes, spiders, and heights produce fear. One plant per three employees in the office has been shown to improve air quality with CO2 reduced by 50% and decreased levels of dust and bacteria in the air. Additionally, plants have been shown to reduce sickness and absence while increasing productivity and creativity.

A leader in this field of office lobby design and engaging interiors is ESI design. ESI Design is an experience design firm that transforms physical spaces using interactive technologies and social experience. They’ve worked on beautiful and successful projects such as Barclays Center, Ellis Island Immigration museums and even received a prestigious award for their work at Terrell Place in Washington D.C.

What makes Terrell Place so special is the integration of 1,700-square-feet of motion-activated LED display walls across the lobby. Motion sensors react with the movement of people and have three different modes: Season, Color play and Cityscape.The interactive screens show cherry blossom trees through multiple seasons. Adding a natural touch and variety to every corner of the entrance. Terrell Place balances this virtual experience with a healthy dose of plant life throughout the building. The different exposure to natural elements gives each employee positive calming stimuli when they enter the office and will help keep the employees engaged and subconsciously tuned in.

Courtesy of ESI Design. Photo Credit: Jeff Wolfram

 #3: Rooftops, Green Space, and Artwork

Bringing the outdoors into the office is now a major concern for companies looking to grow their internal culture. Many of the world’s business leaders, like Mark Zuckerberg, regularly schedule “walking meetings” outdoors to reset their focus. If it works for them, why not incorporate some of that into your office design?

One reason for Zuckerberg’s outdoor meetings may be that the elements can improve cognitive function just through the change of scenery. If you can’t get outdoors, use interior design to your advantage. Incorporate bold artwork and collaborative spaces, perhaps like Etsy’s office in Brooklyn. The 200,000-sf space incorporates a full outside courtyard and completed roof deck for when employees want to work in the fresh air. Recycled and re-used materials make up much of the artwork, offering a comfortable and engaging environment.

With so many new ways to pique the interest of employees, the influx of exciting office design is just getting started! For more updates on NYC’s office trends and more, follow Talisen on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube.