Guest Blog: Trends in London Office Design

Trends in London Office Design – The London workplace market has roared out of recession and is exploding with rocking new inspirational ways to work which re-energises and refocus both traditional and contemporary brands.

The hottest trend is to reinvent the way we engage with the workplace, stripping away the tradition of an individual desk for everybody and creating fluid environments which are all about free engagement.

As a result, boxy meeting rooms have bitten the dust, as a more collaborative, individualist and social space is demanded. Inspiration is being driven through the workplace by the creation of contemporary spaces which address the need of the employee, their clients and their suppliers as their day progresses.

Open plan offices have made way for free-standing or acoustic pods, which are enclosed in vibrant fluorescent perspex, to create separate and eclectic features throughout the workspace. Such environments secure personal space that permits collaborative workgroups and inspirational brain storming in semi-enclosed war rooms to discuss and brainstorm.

Not only will free-standing pods push interior design inspiration to the extreme, they will also provide the perfect opportunity for the ‘mature talent’ to share their invaluable expertise and knowledge with junior members.

As employers take a more flexible approach to how people engage with the workspace, free-range thinking can now be achieved in unique areas such as, igloos, caves and phone booths. They recognise that the output of the individual is pre-eminently important versus their visibility.

The necessity of worker collaboration in fluid environments that are comfortable, engaging and provide a social context, has never been so reverent. This will be further nurtured in Cafe-style breakout meeting spaces, where team members are encouraged to snack on morning refreshments to kick-start their day.

As workspaces progress from the dull and functional, they now incorporate a heavy dose of colour and edgy graphics which scream the ‘Wow factor’, whilst making subtle references to the brand. Inspiring surroundings increase employee motivation and satisfaction by immersing workers in a creative, uplifting setting that meets their individual and collaborative needs.

As design schemes become more carefully composed, individualistic celebration and the importance of work and play, will see an increasing number of offices providing chill-out zones or areas to socialise. They too will be client considered, to impress new clients, retain existing clients and, most importantly, attract new talent.

As Generation X move in, so do their more informal approach to work, which are biting at the heals of traditional workplace values. Instead, they are happier to accept a simple chair, a place to open their laptop and a water machine.

Stationary furniture will also be a thing of the past, instead mobile furnishings will become commonplace, as they are moved to suit circumstance. Rolling stools, upholstered pedestals and perches will provide freedom and mobility, as will furniture that offers a more ergonomic perspective. Rows of desks will become redundant as fluidity and hot-desking become the norm.

Glass walls and vibrant screens will replace muted walls, and will be incorporated into the working environment as a productive tool to scribble to-do lists and collect inspirational keepsakes, which can then be rolled back to corresponding teams.

There will be little regard for storage options, as the idea of the paperless office is pushed to the fore. Sophisticated computer networks will take over the role of storage, making the grey filing cabinet surplus to requirements.

The London office market a blossoming world of creativity and edgy design which is leading the world in new thinking and ideas – watch this space.

Written by Chris Jenkins, Director of Workplace @ Peldon Rose

Author Biography

Chris is driven by a passion to create innovative workspaces that challenge everyday perceptions and pioneer new working practices. Over the past 25 years, his incredible talent and unrivalled creativity have seen him engage with vibrant brands such as Stella McCartney, Louis Vuitton and Google.

Not only the Director of Workplace at Peldon Rose, Chris is a passionate collector of 20th Century Contemporary Art, a property developer and cyclist. He also presents a weekend breakfast show where you can hear more of his interesting thoughts and insights.