For a very long time the office was the centre of most business operations, a key piece of commercial architecture. As a result, companies had to focus on desk space and capacity. There was a huge shift during the pandemic though, and even with return to office mandates becoming more common, remote and hybrid working is here to stay. In fact, many people won’t even apply for jobs now if they are 100% office based. So what does that mean for offices today? What should be the priorities to get the most from them?

A hub of activity

The crucial thing is to think about what an office actually means for a business today. It’s a place for specific moments. People working from home do the majority of their work here. They then go to the office for specific things like meetings, training, or collaboration. So, the office needs to facilitate these things. The design should allow face to face interactions rather than sticking to the old, out of date cubicle layout. In fact, you probably don’t need as many permanent desks as before.

Ideally, office designs today should create a destination. It should be more than just a boring, drab building. Instead, it should be a space to inspire, showcase the culture, and improve performance. Many businesses have concerns about how much work people actually do when working from home. But if the office design is strong and boosts productivity, this can have a positive impact outside the walls too.

Support

Easily the most important priority with a modern office, and other types of commercial architecture too, is to ensure it gives people the support they need. Working from home is convenient, but it can open the door for isolation and issues if there are problems. The office should be the solution. It must be somewhere staff can get assistance and ask questions, face to face with colleagues.

Community

The best approach is to think of the office as a community. What do communities need to thrive? As well as quality homes, they need a massive array of different amenities such as public space, spaces for hobbies and play, places to exercise, and more. Modern offices should have a lot of this too. It should make it easy for people to come together. Plus, if you provide additional amenities, it makes the office more than just a place to work. As a result, people will be more excited to go.

A new take

An interesting thing a number of businesses are doing is moving away from the idea of a massive HQ. Instead, it can be more effective and cheaper to have a series of smaller offices in various locations. It increases accessibility. In addition, it allows the business to choose the flexibility of short term leases.

Take the right approach with offices and commercial architecture

The best thing to do if you’re looking at offices, or commercial architecture in general, is to take the time to consider why you need specific space. Then, you can think about how you will use it to determine if you actually do need as much as you think. Plan for the current and future needs of the business.

Coffey Architects can provide innovative designs and solutions if you need some help with offices or other commercial properties. We understand that the requirements and priorities today are much different. So, we can include any kind of spaces in the designs. Even more importantly, we can think about ways to achieve a lovely community feel, including spaces for spontaneous interactions.

If you’d like some help creating incredible commercial architecture, including offices, contact us today. We’ve got an exceptional eye for detail and working with clients to ensure buildings promote wellbeing and productivity.