What Makes an Office Space Creative?
The term “creative office space” is easily thrown around. What exactly is considered a creative office space? By definition, a creative office space is any office that falls outside of a traditional office (plenty of private offices on the perimeter and cubicles) layout. It is a thoughtfully designed space that invokes creativity, flexibility, and collaboration. Some key characteristics include:
1. Design & Construction:
Creative office spaces are usually built with a more open floor plan and fewer private offices. The open area utilizes bench style seating or has modern office furniture (i.e. standup desks). It typically has polished concrete or wood type flooring throughout. Other design features include open kitchen, exposed ceiling, and upgraded lighting.
2. Space Usage & Layout:
The modern workforce has transitioned from static to mobile. The rise of millennials and generation Z in the workplace has encouraged employers to have more flexible layouts. You will find that in creative offices there are moveable walls that can be expanded or contracted, rooms that can serve as team meeting areas or lounges, and reception areas that can turn into a bar/happy hour area. The creative office also evokes a feeling of comfort and ease that makes people want to come to the office.
3. Wellness
The modern workplace takes wellness more into consideration than traditional spaces. In a creative space, there is access to more natural light since the space is more open. Architects are designing plans that combine indoor and outdoor spaces. Examples of these are garage roll up doors to extend the office into an outdoor patio, a living wall with succulents in the reception area, rooftop decks, grass lawn areas with plenty of seating and work tables.
In addition to having a great place to work, another important purpose of having a creative office space is to recruit and retain talent. In this competitive work environment, the war for talent is fierce and the best and brightest want to work in creative spaces.
The role of creative office space also helps with employee engagement and increases employee satisfaction. If employees feel that they have control over where and how they work, they will feel empowered and engaged.
When creative office space is designed effectively, the social spaces within the office can bring the same vibe as a coffee shop or lounge while offering the support for employees to get the work done.
More and more landlords are building plug and play spec suites that are creative. These creative suites are in high demand, they lease quicker, and can command higher rental rates for Landlords.
Landlords are also taking into consideration building areas to accommodate a variety of creative requirements: such as “maker” studios for graphic 3D printing, sound proof rooms for podcasts and recording, or editing rooms for video content. These types of amenities are becoming part of the planning and design process in markets with creative tenants.
The modern creative office is truly becoming a place for people to live, work, and play.