skip to main |
skip to sidebar
by Matthew Bushey
The following article appeared in the 'Innovate' Business section of the Burlington Free Press on Thursday March 21, 2013. It is also available for viewing online.
Creative Corner: Not Behind Closed Doors
Designing for teamwork in the workplace
In today’s workplace, one of the biggest challenges we face is how to foster creative teamwork while allowing for privacy and concentration. Most office workers spend their time split between group meetings and individual tasks, so it is difficult to apply a one-size-fits-all solution and expect good results.
Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer recently announced plans to eliminate her company’s work-at-home policy, ordering everyone back to the office. In explaining the change, the company cited the need for greater communication and collaboration.
This rationale follows the general industry trend toward a more open and collaborative workplace. There is an increased recognition that the most creative problem-solving does not occur by an individual behind closed doors, but rather by a group effort of people putting their heads together.
Over the past few years the walls have been coming down, and more people are moving out of the private office into an open office setting. The problem here - and the reason many Yahoo employees had chosen to work from home – is that the visual distractions and noisy interruptions of the office prevent them from focusing on their work.
This is one of the biggest challenges we face with the design of the workplace: How to provide a comfortable balance between teamwork and individual privacy.
The first place we start is with the design and planning of the open office workstation. Repetitive rows of Dilbert-style cubicles do a poor job of providing privacy, and they are not conducive to group work. One solution is to break out of the box and think about alternative planning modules, or scatter workstations in a layout that gives each person a unique boundary and line of sight. The in-between spaces then become additional opportunities for impromptu collaboration, while promoting individuality.
Another method to support conflicting work styles is to provide a variety of spaces that people can use throughout the day as their needs change. Working in an open office is more accepted if other spaces are available for a private phone call or a quiet one-on-one meeting with a colleague. These are not scheduled rooms. They are free for anyone to use on a moment’s notice.
Finally, we look at the design of group spaces that maximize the benefits of working together. Often the most creative problem solving comes not from scheduled meetings but from spontaneous interactions among coworkers. Conference rooms are still necessary, but informal, social spaces are becoming more important. A cafeteria or lunchroom can double as a social meeting space, with furnishings and technology that can turn a casual encounter into a productive work session.
The move by Yahoo is a sign that companies are starting to rethink the role of the workplace. In this age of remote access and virtual meetings, the message is clear that face-to-face interaction is still valued for successful teamwork. Ultimately to be effective, our spaces need to be flexible and responsive to meet the needs of groups and individuals alike.
Matthew Bushey, AIA, LEED AP is a registered architect and the lead project manager for the Workplace Interiors Studio at TruexCullins Architecture and Interior Design. www.truexcullins.com
In the early 1970s, Rolf Kielman joined fellow classmate Terry Jacobs and designed a series of cutting-edge houses that utilized an air panel system for the collection of warm air and a rock box for thermal storage. The Sunpower homes, as they were called, adhered to the design principals of reduced size, improved thermal envelopes and effective siting and orientation. Four of these were built around Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.
It is now 40 years later, and Rolf’s portfolio of projects has steadily grown to include numerous energy-positive homes, hotels and resorts that are naturally wedded to their environment, and cultural and civic buildings that galvanize communities. His work includes creatively branded workspaces, custom designed furniture and architectural follies. His urban planning projects are instantly recognizable as some of our most notable public spaces.
Please join us on Friday September 21st to celebrate this 40 year span of impressive work by Rolf Kielman. We are hosting a reception from 5 to 8pm with an exhibit of his architecture in our office on Battery Street.
If you stopped by last week during the Art Hop, you were able to catch a sneak preview of the show. Throughout the exhibit, the thoughtful and artful communication of each design is clearly evident, from beautifully drawn sketches and original watercolors to handmade wood models, including some specifically commissioned for this event.
While we may marvel at his craft, anyone who knows Rolf can attest that his “living legacy” reaches beyond just the architectural work he produces. Much of his energy today directly touches people’s lives through his work with local community organizations such as the Committee on Temporary Shelter, the King Street Youth Center, the 52 Kids Foundation, the Howard Center, and many more.
Rolf continues to be a creative designer, inspiring leader and gracious mentor for all of us at TruexCullins. And next Friday we do hope you’ll join us to recognize his talents and celebrate his 40 years (and counting!) of architecture and craft.
TruexCullins is one of four firms invited by the American School of Paris (ASP) to participate in an international design competition.
In October, TruexCullins will travel to Paris, France to present their design. The TruexCullins team will comprise of Principal and Architect David Epstein, AIA LEED AP, Project Manager Diantha Korzun, AIA LEED AP and Pier Giovanni Spaziani, M.Arch.
“At TruexCullins, we are committed to creating healthy and productive environments,” imparts Epstein, “places that engage young people in 21st century learning.” Epstein has over 23 years of experience as a registered architect. He co-leads the Education Studio at TruexCullins, with a focus on K-12 and International Schools. Epstein has developed master plans and provided architectural services for schools in over 13 countries including: Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Romania, Russia, and Ethiopia.
Korzun served as the project manager on TruexCullins’ recently completed King Arthur Flour headquarters located in Norwich, Vermont. “We look forward to a vibrant competition,” she shares. “I am confident that our proposal will creatively address the client’s design needs.”
The mural has been going up on the side of the Banana Republic building, along the alley that connects the Mall block to the Marketplace Parking Garage.
The mural is a hyper-realistic drawing with a colorful cast of characters from Vermont past and present, including Grace Potter, Peter Clavelle, Miro Weinberger… and Bill Truex, the Vermont architect behind the creation of the Church Street marketplace.
You can read more about the 30th anniversary celebration from the press release on the Church Street Marketplace website, and in this article from Seven Days.
- follow us on twitter
- become a facebook fan