AVS. Arkitektúr verktækni skipulag - 01.03.2003, Blaðsíða 18

Dóra Hansen and Heiða Elín Jóhannsdóttir interior designers
Dynamic work envi-
ronment
„New Work - New
ways of thinking “
Somehow the technology and free-
dom that goes with the Internet,
wireless connections and increased
freedom in business not been fully
reflected in the work environment of
ordinary offices and companies.
Many people are afraid of taking
down office walls, to reorganise
and change the way they work.
Stubbornness often prevents devel-
opment in the workplace but at the
same time, these individuals are
supposed to be members of a
team that supports the company or
the institution. The interior designer
analyses the company and its activ-
ities in order to come up with a
suitable proposal, and it is impor-
tant to interview representatives of
all groups to try to understand the
processes of the company before
the design is started. It is also
worth bearing in mind that the
desirable workstation of each indi-
vidual is where he or she prefers to
work. This can be in the car, out in
the garden, in a hotel room or at a
writing desk in a particular place.
The new office „New York” uses the
floor area in a different way.
Common use of workstations is
here to stay, where employees can
work where they want to as long as
there is an Internet connection.
Offices that are empty for days are
a thing of the past. No real walls
are between workstations. Borders
are symbolic or a matter of feeling.
Group work and cooperation are all
important. Furniture is smaller but
more numerous. It is shared and
can easily be rearranged or
grouped together and stored in a
corner. The furniture has to be
ergonomic in a wide sense, light,
easily movable, adjustable, stack-
able and multi functional. It should
be possible torearrange the layout
of the office at a short notice, from
creating a group work setting or a
quiet work environment. At the
same time, as private areas are
reduced common areas are
increased where it is possible to
meet, rest one’s mind and body or
get refreshments, read magazines
or make a private phone call. There
are many important aspects of
open office design which
have to be carefully thought out in
connection with planning and work
ecology, such as ventilation, light-
ing, sound and climate. This solu-
tion is appropriate in many
instances but requires a change of
attitude from both employers and
employees. This new approach
emphasises the abilities and
employee know-how, not the
importance of the size one’s office
or desk. Large one-person work-
stations and closed offices are not
necessary but are neither outdated.
The suitability of open or closed
space depends on the nature of
the activity and it should be a deci-
sion taken in cooperation with
employers and employee.
The new office should facilitate all
this. In a modern organization, the
individual does not shut himself off
because the flow of information and
cooperation is becoming increas-
ingly important. This new way of
thinking is apparent in many
instances in society. This is appar-
ent in flexible schools, where the
teacher has different work stations
for the pupíls both for individuals
and groups, computer work, writing
on paper, and working with video,
among other activities. The banking
system has probably changed the
most during the last few years, and
there the walls have come down in
more ways than one. The office of
interior architects oneA have in their
design of three branches of the
bank SPRON tried to mirror this
new approach in interior design
and planning. The visual walls have
been torn down and all planning
has taken this into account.
Customer service is all-important,
the service representative is visible
and all activities are transparent
and not as overpowering as they
used to be.
A lot is produced of furniture where
work-ecology is the main aim. The
key word is „diversity.” You should
be able to change position, stand,
sit and walk as you wish. Diversity
has many aspects and is not only a
question of work positions. It can
add diversity to meet with you co-
workers for 5 minutes - or throw a
few balls. Diversity can also be a
part of the design. A living and well-
designed environment is encourag-
ing and delightful.
All formalities are disappearing.
Sitting positions that were consid-
ered inappropriate a few years ago
are sensible today. You are now
free to sit backwards on your chair,
on the arms, with feet on the table.
If you like, you can have a swing in
the office. Would it not be nice to
sit in a swing in a small meeting
and swing backwards and forward
as in the old days. When meetings
are scheduled in future, there will
be an invitation to a get-together or
„lets swing together”. ■
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