b'workspace featureWorking through itWith the way we work in a state of flux,three designers look at key trends shapingthe future of commercial office design.F or the better part of two years, we have seen nearly every industry grappling with an astounding pace of change. But with more people working from home than ever before, commercial office design is, without question, one of the most rapidly evolving project typologies around. top tip swathes of Baby Boomers reaching retirement age and only thepreventing them from getting their job done. Having the rightabove left: A custom mural Before the pandemic, companies were gaining awareness offirst of the Gen Z grads just beginning to enter the work world,spaceor enough of itto meet with teammates is importantby Aidan Turvey at the NZ the impact the design of their office environment has on employeeMillennials are now the demographic majority in most offices but so are distraction-free spaces to get tasks that require higherBus office was created with satisfaction, morale, productivity, loyalty and engagement withFor furniture that typicallyand its estimated that theyll account for three-quarters of alllevels of focus done. Resene paints and celebrates sees higher wear and tear,the many transportation their business. But there is nothing like being blindsided with asuch as reception desksworkers by 2025. The experience of designing hot desk style coworking officesoptions in Auckland. Design lockdown-imposed shift to different models of working to forceand kitchen and bathroomDifferentagedemographicsoftenhavedistinctiveforSpaces(www.spacesworks.com)KarangahapeRoadandby StudioPritchard, build by everyone to have a good long think about the benefits and flawscabinetry, use durableexpectations of their workplaces. Millennials and Gen Z haveCommercial Bay locations in Auckland has given interior designerSavory, image by David Straight.of workplaces as weve known them. Resene AquaLAQ. ThegrownupwithtechnologythatearliergenerationsdidntandSonia Prince insight into the need to cater to a range of workstyles. above right: Resene Space And with some countries, such as Iceland, challenging theResene AquaLAQ rangesocial media is central to their lives. This has had a major impactThe importance of providing a range of different spaces thatCadet makes a splash necessity of the five day nine-to-five work week that our societyincludes clear coat finishon how they work and what they want from their jobs, and there iscan be used for impromptu discussions and meetings cannotat the entrance to the has held an iron grip on since the industrial revolution, there areoptions in a range of glossa growing expectation that offices should be able to keep up withbeunderestimated,shesays.Whilemostmodernofficeoperations centre. Design plenty of indicators that the changes were seeing today are onlylevelsincluding a softtechnologicaladvances.Culturallyspeaking,manyMillennialsenvironments are relatively open plan, often there is still a lack ofby StudioPritchard, build by the beginning of a major overhaul. We look at the top trends thattouch finish. Specify anare also highly motivated by their peers so this majority stake inquieter thinking spaces, meeting areas or alternative team spaces.Savory, image by David Straight.are affecting the way we design workplaces as we move towardsabove: In the NZ Bus office, the space, colour use and furniture choices far exceed what most wouldEnvironmental Choicethe workforce will continue to drive design trends towards moreGenerally, it comes down to the overall footprint and whetherResenethe new normal. generally expect to find at the head office of a bus company, earning it the 2021 Resene Total Colourapproved system ofcollaborative spaces. there is enough extra space available to accommodate this. ButSpace CadetCommercial Interior Office Award. We were appointed to this project on 24 February 2020 and thereResene Resene AquaLAQ sealer,for an open plan office to function effectively, it is an absolute Age of majority was a strong sense that Covid-19 was starting to make a real impact on the other side of the world. AsEighth Sea Fog Resene colour coat and clear coat. Collaboration versus concentration must. I think designers in general are guilty of underestimating While some factors impacting office trends are more obvious,things developed, we very quickly found ourselves designing for a post-pandemic world, especially takingCutty Sark Regardless of their demographic, not all employees have the samethe need for those alternative spaces. And if the pandemic has into account the public-facing nature of NZ Bus, explains Clark Pritchard, who led the design. Back wall, there have also been subtle demographic shifts happening in thedoor and trim in Resene Cutty Sark and ceiling in Resene Eighth Sea Fog. Design by StudioPritchard, wants or needs from their office space; but broadly speaking, mosttaught me anything, a face-to-face discussion is far more time background that contextualise other changes were seeing. Withwww.studiopritchard.com, build by Savory, www.savory.co.nz, image by David Straight www.davidstraight.net. want to be as comfortable as possible with minimal roadblocksefficient than emailing back and forth.26 blackwhitemag.com blackwhitemag.com 27'