Lounges and work hubs
Sitting at the same desk for 8 hours straight is not exactly a good USP for attracting the talent you need. The option of changing workplaces depending on the task or meeting constellation is a way of enhancing creativity and inspiration.
Communicate and concentrate
Several larger workplaces, with many employees, see the value of informal spaces such as lounges, flexible workstations or work hubs. Encouraging movement, facilitating spontaneous meetings and information exchange are seen as means for helping to increase efficiency and productivity.
In these areas, there may be tables at standing height, small secluded cubicals or seating areas with electrical outlets for chargers, in other words, spaces for multiple uses. Lighting is especially important here, helping to clarify the intended uses of the different areas and create a variety of tones.
Work together
If the open space is to be used for smaller group projects or meetings, a suspended luminaire solution over the tables is a good choice. Location-oriented lighting helps to maintain focus and also lowers noise levels as people gather around the workspace. Although, as in the photo, there are several workspaces next to each other, suspended lighting over the table provides a concentrated sense of seclusion for those sitting there. Here we recommend, as with all other workspaces, 500 lx in order to maximize performance.
In my own world
If there is instead a need to step away from the group and focus specifically on a certain task, then the small secluded "rooms in the room" provide the opportunity for this. The quiet zones have dimmed lighting, adapted for individual discussions. They are ergonomically furnished with balanced lighting to meet the needs for concentration and privacy. The zones can be in the small cubicals or at the individual seating arrangements on the sofa – all with a directed light over the area, with the lighting solution helping to create a sense of calm and focus.
Recharge
If, on the other hand, the surface is to be used for gatherings, coffee breaks or relaxation, you can take a different approach to lighting. Recessed luminaires provide pleasant and subdued light, and a combination of suspended luminaires increases the variation in the light environment and contributes to spatiality. For those areas within the room where good visual communication is important, the standard states a cylindrical illuminance of at least 150 lx.
