The ‘hotelisation’ of office spaces
Wurriki Nyal Civic Precinct has impressive sustainability credentials, achieving a 6-Star Green Star rating, a 6-Star NABERS Energy, 4.5-Star NABERS Water (whole building) and 6-Star NABERS Waste (whole building) rating.
Completed in 2022, the Wurriki Nyal Civic Precinct (Geelong, VIC, AU) is a purpose built commercial hub with state-of-the-art environmental features, with the facility supporting community wellbeing, growth and sustainable development.
Wurriki Nyal Civic Precinct’s carpet choice delivers both premium aesthetics and function.
The material choice for Wurriki Nyal Civic Precinct incorporates biophilic design principles to create a welcoming and calming environment.
Modern workplaces such as Wurriki Nyal Civic Precinct, are more sympathetic to the needs of individual employees — the design of which accommodates a wider spectrum of needs.
Different flooring colourways have been applied at Wurriki Nyal Civic Precinct helping to delineate space and create variation whilst maintaining a consistent design language.
The Wurriki Nyal Civic Precinct by Cox Architecture is exemplary of modern attitudes towards workplace design, encompassing a comfort-focussed, more hotel-like aesthetic.
The Lichen Collection’s organic motifs and colour palette bring a sense of wellbeing into workplaces.
Stemming from biophilic design principles, Lichen Community carpet tiles create a calm relaxing environment.
Post-pandemic, workplaces are focusing on generating wellbeing through attractive and comfortable design and nature-centric biophilic design principles, leading to the incorporation of amenities and aesthetics more typically found in hotels.
Despite the years of disruption brought on by the global pandemic, many organisations are proving that there are multiple different perspectives on how workplaces will be used in the present and the future. Some companies are requiring their workers to return to the office, while others are luring them back with better perks and benefits, and more are switching to a hybrid work environment.
Global research by Benefex in 2022 found that 77% of workers say their expectations have risen since the pandemic. According to the report, there was a significant increase in employee expectations from workers below 40 years old, particularly in relation to workplace wellbeing, flexibility and benefits. The findings also highlight the most important factors for people choosing a new employer, with the environment (92%), wellbeing (92%) and benefits (90%) at the top of list.
So what is changing, exactly?
Traditional office setups such as hot-desking and open-plan layouts that once dominated the pre-pandemic era are now considered outdated. To attract a younger generation of workers in a competitive job market, organisations need to offer workspaces that are more attractive and comfortable, with a wider range of amenities.
Dubbed the “hotelisation” of the workplace by designers, this new emerging style is focused on the experience of the end user, bringing many of the amenities found in hotels — and the home — into the workplace. Elements such as natural light, nature, furnishing with upholstery, and other materials that are not typical in an office environment, are commonplace in hotelscapes.
Where does biophilic design fit in?
Offices are increasingly adopting biophilic design concepts as the workplace evolves and a more human-centric approach to office design takes hold. Biophilic design aims to enhance humankind’s innate biological connection with nature, bringing natural elements into interior spaces and mimicking natural patterns.
Its intention is to improve the quality of life of employees, improve sustainability outcomes, increase productivity and create workspaces that support social and communal wellbeing. The benefits of biophilic design are well documented. In a study by the University of Exeter, the Identity Realisation research group found that the mere presence of plants in an office can increase wellbeing, creativity, and workplace productivity.
Meet Lichen, a biophilic-inspired carpet tile collection.
Representing one of the largest surface areas in any commercial establishment, flooring is a practical design tool to create a connection with nature and the outdoors. Available from GH Commercial, Lichen is a modular carpet collection by the Mohawk Group brand that connects us to a more restorative future.
The popular stone texture is joined by a new bark texture in this updated version of the classic Lichen collection, which serves as ground textures for the many-hued lichens that naturally grow next to one another. Lichen Community is manufactured in Australia, to release the company’s commitment to local and responsible manufacturing practices.
Inspired by expansive communities of lichens that grow together on bark and rock formations, playing a regenerative role in our ecosystems, Lichen Community has been designed to provide a refined solution for creating collaborative environments, bringing people together. “Just as lichens grow in communities with multiple varieties in the same biome, we humans thrive together in work or play.”
To view the full Lichen Community collection from GH Commercial click here.
This content has been created with support from GH Commercial. ArchitectureNow works with a range of partners in the A&D supply sector to create and/or source appropriate content for this website and Architecture NZ magazine.
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