FT NEWS

The post-Covid reality has gotten the New Delhi-based firm 42mm Architecture to think differently about the idea of an office space. They have come up with new concepts of co-working in a biophilic environment, while maintaining a safe distance that is the need of the hour.

The post-Covid world demands large open offices and many work stations parked together soon will be a thing of the past, as social distancing and reduced gatherings along with the recognition of effective remote working are becoming the norm. As a result, offices now tend to shrink in terms of physical space, housing fewer people at one point in time.

Henceforth, offices will transform into places where people will host meetings only when physical interactions are inevitable. People will now come to offices mostly when it is essential to interact with their team members, or clients, albeit, maintaining a safe distance. Hence, offices will now be equipped with multiple small meeting cabins with fewer workstations.

Therefore, 42mm has designed glass conference rooms to ensure seamless visual connectivity among the people while ensuring that the environments can be conditioned differently. The reception and waiting area are designed to ensure there is no congestion. The focus would be on creating extravagant cabins which are the owner’s den as the need for open work station areas would reduce drastically.

The interiors are designed in a biophilic framework to create a celebratory mood, bringing in nature – suspended planter beds and moss wall features are not just ornamental, but act as natural purifiers. Such a space is not only comfortable, but has also been proven to improve productivity. Materials like wood, concrete and metal are used in their natural form to demonstrate their inherent properties. A colour palette of muted and earthy tones of browns, greys and crimson red compliments the biophilic mood. So even as the concept of office spaces changes, they will become experiential work environments that can host multiple, yet controlled interactions.