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February 22, 2001

New workplace model: the old town square

By SHAWN RUSH
Space

Over the last several years, countless employees have plunged into the new economy looking for a friendlier and more satisfying workplace. Table hockey, foosball and pets at work were hallmarks of the new readiness to mix work and play.

Euro RsCG Tatham
The town square concept remains viable for even traditional business models. Chicago ad agency Euro RSCG Tatham combines a cafe, library and converence room in its floor plan.

These changes, along with coffee bars and casual Fridays, greeted the young, eager workforce as they performed jobs that they would never have had the chance to do in the old economy.

Workplace designs today are still evolving to meet the demands of companies and their employees. New technologies continue to change the way people interact and work.

The ability to retain and recruit the best employees is still the biggest challenge of most companies. Building company loyalty and a sense of community has become essential to the survival of companies in every industry, while finding ways to increase productivity without increasing spending is still the classic challenge. Successful office design today must reflect these needs.

The organization itself will have the greatest impact on the workplace in this “Next Economy.” Clients are demanding that their architects and consultants not only understand their evolving business strategies but also support the architecture of the organization in the implementation of their solutions for the workplace.

People talk more frequently with people outside of their organization rather than inside when it comes to seeking information and advice. This may be due to several factors. With increased responsibility in job functions and the lack of training and resources, many are afraid that asking coworkers for assistance may lead to a loss of respect. The increased use of e-mail may also be a factor. So much for non-disclosure agreements.

For the old “New Economy,” the universal-planning model made sense. This one-size-fits-all model promoted communication. People suddenly found themselves in an open, egalitarian working environment. Fewer private offices meant that communication happened everywhere – in elevators equipped with whiteboards, in corridors equipped with standing PC stations, and in any locale where food could be found. In the “Next Economy,” universal planning is no longer appropriate. Companies require a variety of spaces. Innovation is vital now, and the social friction that supports it is being directed to places where communication can be supported.

One constant between the two economies is the town square concept.

In the best planning scenarios, employees and departments are tied together by a town square. It becomes the heart of the company, a centralized location where everyone can come together as a community. The square’s multiple amenities promote spontaneous interaction and communication. Areas that bring people together such as mail and copy areas, food and beverage centers, and conference rooms are located off the town square and serve as a sort of marketplace.

Although the economy has changed, the town square concept is still a viable planning model, even for the most traditional business models. Space projects that illustrate this concept are Euro RSCG Tatham, Amazon.com, Renessen and Lucent Technologies.

We also are seeing “hedge-your-bets” solutions to new office design. The days of dramatic, sensational workplaces are over for all but a few advertising and PR-related firms. Most new companies want a combination of effective, productive, flexible and dynamic solutions.

In order to take advantage of advances in technology and the Internet, businesses are racing to create a more flexible organization that integrates these changes. Office work is intensive and mobility is key. Workspaces that are team-oriented, flexible and contain a variety of different places to work can be highly effective in today’s offices. Mobile technology, movable whiteboards, reconfigurable furniture, movable walls have been used to provide environments that can quickly change to support a variety of teaming needs in one space.

Examples of these environments include Upshot, Giant Step Productions, Go2Net and Microsoft.

We are now in a world of constant communication where the transmission of voice, data and imagery is defining the way we relate to one another. The rapid introduction of technologies to the workplace, both integrated and distributed, must parallel the organization. Having wired spaces in every area of the office and the ability to plug in technology anywhere is essential to keep up with the steady stream of communication and technology innovations.

To look at some of the new technology that will begin to transform the workplace, visit the following Web site, www.businessweek.com/reprints/00-10/dtoc.htm. Here you see some of the new products that will change your current thinking of space. Heating and cooling provided in clothing, controllable lighting from your chair and virtual desktops are all in the realm of possibilities in the workplace.

In the past, if you were working, you were in the office. In the present, you are the office and anywhere you are is your office.

What may be changing may not just be the workplace but also the worker themselves. I will miss the excitement of a year ago as employees screamed for more and more choices in their work environments. With massive cutbacks from employers like Amazon.com, AOL and JC Penney, companies will have to work even harder to convince their staff that theirs is a better place to work.

The “new economy” may be over but the individuals and the companies that it built will continue to drive change in the way we look at work and where it is performed.

Shawn Rush leads business direction and design at Space Seattle. Space is a workplace consultancy providing strategic design solutions to Global 1000 companies and startup businesses. The company has offices in New York, Newark, Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, Dallas, Atlanta, Washington D.C., Mexico, London, Amsterdam and Japan.


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