Third Places Attract Innovation

Third Spaces are generally characterized as warm and inviting places where individuals find a comfortable place to work or mingle with others with similar interests. We know these in our everyday life as cafés, coffee houses, boutique hotel lobbies, and art galleries. These are spaces that inspire us to think outside the daily grind and relax into an experience.

As workplaces seek to attract and retain the best and brightest talent, companies are looking for innovative ways to differentiate their work environments. Office design remains at the forefront by focusing on an increased understanding of the demographics and values of employees.

What we are learning about the return to work is that deconstructed spaces are very important in the workplace. Evidence suggests that Third Spaces are especially important for community building because they level the playing field of interaction between people. In the workplace, this translates to people from different departments with different methods of processing information sharing how their individual roles ultimately connect for corporate gain through a sense of community.

Deconstructing conventional office design eludes the formality of traditional meeting rooms and creates a variety of areas where employees connect on different levels:

• Design for intentional encounters suited for innovative conversation
• Lounge areas + designated collaboration zones throughout the office landscape
• Rethink how your teams meet, collaborate, and establish camaraderie
• Open up courtyards, patios, and decks for flexible working
• Incorporate quiet zones + privacy spaces throughout the office space

Flexible Work Environments

The work environment of 2050 will look vastly different than it does today. Remote work has given employees options to eliminate the hours spent in traffic and long commutes that drain enthusiasm. Flexible work environments vastly improve productivity and morale. Remote work and the traditional office will continue to evolve with scheduled in-office time for co-workers to come together as a team. But the hierarchy will shift to one of trust and support.

Knowing that our future workplaces present a greater emphasis on virtual communication, workplace designers are striving to create physical spaces with charisma that encourage innovation, stimulate face-to-face interaction and speak to our innate need for human connection.

Make your office design a point of connection on every level. Strive for resimercial environments that bridge the comforts of home with work-life where teams can collaborate, socialize, and be themselves. Engaging workplaces will look and function more like the places we seek in our time off with integrative connection points and collaboration zones that allow for more relaxed interaction with their colleagues. Designing the kind of space that attracts (and retains) employees means creating an office that draws those employees back into the office while enjoying the benefits of:

• Improved work-life balance
• Increased creativity + innovative thinking
• Pride of place
• Enhanced employee satisfaction
• Increased productivity

Quite literally, a charismatic workplace is where employees who might otherwise work remotely from home or in a coffee shop, choose to come and spend their day. Coworking companies like WeWork took this concept to a high art form by creating Third Spaces integrated into the community in which they live. Their designers research the demographics and engage the area’s lifestyle in the design process. It has been highly successful around the world!

Designing For Connection

How can workplace designers create a workplace that captivates employees? They must encapsulate a FEELING! The space should make people feel good. The most effective Third Spaces take cues from hotels, lounges, restaurants, and spas – places people generally associate with relaxation, refreshment, and socializing. Encouraging a different frame of mind, one more conducive to creative ideas and new connections. Third Place design echoes many of the elements of hospitality:

• Textured materials that feel luxurious
• Warm ambient lighting
• Built-in amenities such as food and beverages
• Light-filled rooms that provide vibrance
• Fresh colors and great views

The WeWork Design Experience

The theory behind Third Spaces has become big business for the coworking industry. By implementing distinctive, recognizable design elements across your business environment, you can achieve a similar feeling in your workspace. A consistent aesthetic reinforces a global brand identity. Find strategic moments to inject customized immersive experiences and moments of surprise, making each space feel individualized:

• Maintain local history with the interior and exterior architecture of the location/community
• Seek key emotional connections with your brand through your design
• Create a destination experience by using design, art, and lighting
• Design with intention via furniture, custom built-ins, lighting
• Build community through art to give identity to the workplace
• Partner with local artists + culture to connect historical elements
• Pay attention to the impact of lighting on an individual’s performance, health, and well-being

Summary

The GEN Z employees coming into the workforce represent a generation that grew up with social media. They are adept at collaborating virtually, but there’s still a strong desire to build face-to-face relationships, mentorship, and cultivate in-person connections. Creating an open dialog remains important for teams to collaborate and innovate to keep your business in forward momentum.

Fostering this deeper sense of community will reward your efforts with the resilience and stamina needed to stay current. Our design team and project management specialists are ready to partner with you for a future-forward office design that will propel your team’s initiatives for 2023 and beyond.

2 Southbank. Photography by Tom Ross

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