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Resurfacing from the suspended state of digital work life at the home office, we find ourselves with an opportunity to better address the needs of an increasingly nomadic workforce.
For many of us, work has become something we can do from anywhere – a lobby, desk share, in transit or while juggling errands at home. Therefore, it might be worth asking: What is the home office unable to offer us – and how do we create workplaces that compel us to return to the office?
Turning the question on its head, we might ask ourselves what kind of meetings we’d like to see after two years of seeing our colleagues from neck and up. How can we facilitate these to create an office that truly speaks to our needs?
DIVERSIFYING THE SCENE
The diversity of tasks we now perform throughout the day begs an equally wide range of milieus, from quiet places for working in solitude or intimate collaboration to bustling spaces to brainstorm, perform and connect.
By embracing our differences – we all create differently, after all – we can devise an agile workplace with many in mind.
Considering a range of situations is essential; reclined, seated or standing, formal or informal, quick or extended period of use. These elements all play into setting a dynamic scene where we work and gather, says Jill.
If the home office has taught us something, it is the need for a change of scenery and of course, places to more freely create and meet. Take cue from hospitality to make spaces that poignantly invite social interaction – in the form of a low-seated lounge for casual team briefings, a community table for lunch or a deskshare with adaptable options that speak to the user’s aesthetics and personal needs.
Work is no longer a place you simply go to, but rather an experience to seek in both the office and at home.
A SENSE OF HOME AT WORK
At its very core, hospitality implies an inherent warmth and a welcoming sensation. As we have grown accustomed to the comforts of home, we look to bring a residential feel into our workplace.
It’s all about creating an inviting atmosphere through warmer materiality, color, tactility, textiles and natural elements such as greenery and cut flowers. Together these add something unexpected and evocative to an interior, intuitively bridging the gap between the home and the office, says Jill.
Embracing rounded shapes and upholstered seats softens the interior, while enhancing comfort and underscoring a sense of home. Naturally, all of these elements also allow a brand or company to more holistically express their identity throughout a space.
Striking statement pieces such as the sculptural Fiber Armchair or Ridge Vase add character and richness to an interior. For example, oversized pendants can become a guiding element in larger spaces, bringing intimacy and harmony to a setting. Arrange them in clusters for an eclectic look or in linear formations for a more formal expression.
BUSTLING SOCIAL FOCAL POINTS
Hospitality in the office is about creating places around which we revolve, the “sugarcubes'' we are drawn to, places of convergence and where we want to spend time.
Touchdown spaces with flexible and mobile seating such as the Echo Pouf allow people to easily create their own scene, while the flexibility of the Linear System allows for people to both meet in teams and withdraw to do concentrated work on their own.
Areas welcoming multiple ways of use, seated or standing, alone or together, make for a more dynamic workplace. These engage and enable us to create more intimate settings in a larger space, making a distinct mark on our immediate environment.
Today, we no longer merely eat in the office canteens – they have become an arena for informal meetings where we socialize with colleagues, says Jill.
In the often generic setting of a canteen, I think playful lighting and accessories can create a more personal feel, combining function with strong aesthetic qualities, says Jill.
Atmosphere and comfort are key when we set the scene for a morning meeting or lunch, from the embrace of an upholstered chair to functional and informal benches.
Muuto’s extensive collection of furniture, accessories and lighting allows one to create flexible, contemporary spaces with a distinctive sense of homeliness, be it quiet and touchdown spaces or agile places for co-working and desk sharing.
