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Workplace Design >>
Design for success
_for business, performance and well-being
Unconscious influence: The physical surroundings affect us unconsciously, substantially influencing our emotions, sense of well-being, mood, energy level and motivation. Important factors that can have a significant effect on the business and the individuals’ everyday life.
Wellness should be the top priority in any workplace design to ensure employee satisfaction and improve work productivity. At a minimum, wellness requires providing access to natural light (Link to daylight text) and ways to socialise and be active within the office space.
People-centric design: A well-designed workplace is about creating people-centric, sustainable spaces that encourage collaboration, community, and creativity. Whether through bold design choices, innovative materials, or a focus on wellness and well-being, the goal is to create spaces supporting human potential and driving business success.
People are at the heart of any office design. Creating human-centred spaces means considering the different ways people work and interact and their individual needs and preferences. Whether the interior design is about biophilic design, ergonomics or flexible room types adapted to various tasks and functions, the goal should always be to create environments that support people's well-being and productivity and actively work to prevent burnout and other work-related injuries.
Company brand and identity: Everything communicates, as do our physical surroundings. The workplace design should promote and communicate the company's identity, brand and values. The physical surroundings affect everyone unconsciously and will impact the perception of customers, collaboration partners, and employees.
Hybrid working: The past few years, with a global pandemic, increasing energy prices etc., have challenged and forced a change in working habits and routines. It has created awareness and given attention to the time and resources we spend commuting between home and work.
Many have learned that physical presence at work is not necessary every day for getting work done, which has nourished the individual's focus on personal choices and priorities. However, the preferred working patterns of individuals must be balanced with the organisations’ goals and needs, and physical meeting at work is essential for company culture and cohesion.
The modern office - a commute-worthy destination: The time is gone for offices to be just a place to sit and get work done. The office needs to be a prioritised commute-worthy destination. A place that staff wishes to go. A site that offers a range of amenities and experiences that goes beyond the traditional desk and chair. Additional offerings like social areas and events, tech-enabled collaboration spaces and wellness facilities.
Culture-encouraging spaces: The design of the workplace must encourage collaboration, culture and community. This means the workplace design must encourage interaction and support social relationships between employees, not just at the coffee machine. The goal is to create an environment that supports teamwork and promotes a sense of community and belonging in the workplace.
Daylight Design >>
Daylight, indoor environment and health
_daylight is a natural resource with the potential to improve the quality of your indoor life at home and at work.
It is of great importance for our health and well-being that the buildings and spaces where we spend much of our time are designed with regard to our biological needs. We have adapted to life indoors, but our genetic code is still defined for life outdoors. Sick Building Syndrome, winter depression, asthma and allergies are symptoms associated with indoor climate quality.
We typically assess the indoor environment based on the experience of heat, cold, smell, noise, darkness, flickering lights and other factors. But in terms of health, it is not only the human senses that are involved but the whole body and its systems.
Indoor environmental stressors that can cause discomfort and adverse health effects include both environmental and psychosocial factors, such as work conditions and personal relationships. But the most significant impact on our health from the indoor environment comes from the availability and quality of daylight and fresh air.
Sunlight is a natural anti-depressant that helps us synchronise with the natural rhythm of life. Direct sunlight and high levels of daylight exposure effectively prevent winter depressions.
Daylight has been used for centuries as the primary light source in interiors and has been an integral part of architecture for as long as buildings have existed. It can replace electric light during the daytime, reduce energy consumption for lighting and contribute to heating, making it an important parameter for an energy-efficient design. In addition, recent research has shown that daylight provides several health and comfort benefits, making it a crucial element for the building's occupants.
Daylight design parameters:
Daylight consists of both direct sunlight, diffused skylight and light reflected from the ground and surrounding elements
Room/space functionality and purpose
Surfaces and materials
Functionality and orientation
Orientation and building site characteristics
Facade and roof characteristics
Size and placement of windows and openings
Glazing and shading systems
Geometry and reflectance of interior surfaces
Visual comfort, reflection and glare
Visual needs
Need for both light and darkness
Thermal comfort, heat gain
Seasonal changes
A good daylight design ensures adequate light during daytime
Etc.
The Importance of
Daylight in buildings
In Scandinavia, we spend around 90% of our life indoors, in buildings that account for close to 40% of the total energy consumption. The indoor living conditions in these buildings, primarily our homes and workplaces, affect our well-being, health, comfort and general satisfaction with life. A lack of daylight can make us feel down, fatigued, depressed and anxious.
It is scientifically proven that natural lighting helps people become happier, calm, healthy, and more productive. In addition, using this sustainable light source in lighting design reduces the need for artificial light and energy consumption.
Exposure to natural light helps our bodies produce Vitamin D, improves our circadian rhythms and sleep patterns, helps us to focus, enables us to get more done, and even makes us happier. Ensuring we get enough of this vital resource is critical to our physical and psychological well-being.
One of the great benefits of natural light is that it makes us more productive. There are strong links between the benefits of natural light exposure and our overall productivity. Particularly in the workplace, natural light has been linked to improved focus, efficiency, and less illness. Research indicates that the benefits of daylight exposure at work are numerous, including everything from improved morale to an increased ability to remember.
One of the most significant factors directly related to our productivity is our sleep quality – and plenty of evidence shows that if we sleep better, we work better. Natural light, as it happens, is also a significant factor in this.
Natural light isn’t just good for us – it’s good for our buildings too. With intelligent design, you can not only light your building with daylight but also heat your home using natural sunlight.
Natural light even has the potential to keep homes and buildings clean and mildew free. Mould thrives in the dark, and ensuring the property is exposed to plenty of sunlight can help prevent the spores from taking hold.
Using natural light as the primary light source in your home or commercial property will not only save you money on your electricity bills but will also enable you to reap the benefits natural light has on the building and its occupant's health.
In short, daylight is essential because:
Health and Well-being: Exposure to natural daylight is essential for our health and well-being. It helps regulate our sleep-wake cycle, improves our mood, and can even reduce the risk of depression.
Energy Efficiency: Natural daylight can provide a significant source of free lighting, reducing the need for artificial lighting and thus, reducing energy consumption and costs.
Productivity: Studies have shown that access to natural daylight can significantly improve productivity, learning, and creativity in the workplace or educational settings.
Aesthetics: Natural daylight can enhance the aesthetics of a building by creating a sense of openness, brightness, and connection to the outdoors, which can also improve the occupants' satisfaction.
Sustainability: Incorporating natural daylight into a building's design can reduce the building's carbon footprint, as it reduces the need for artificial lighting, which is often powered by non-renewable energy sources.
