Meet 2023 Next Work Environment Competition honorable mentions in the Hybrid Work Environment category, NELSON Worldwide and their Sinch submission.
We connected with NELSON Worldwide to see how their submission has evolved since entering the competition:
NELSON: Adaptation is key when designing the evolving workplace. Designing spaces with flexibility and adaptability is essential to limit construction related changes in the future. Throughout the design process we targeted specific desk-sharing ratios to support the projected hybrid needs of the client. These ratios changed due to a change in policy of dedicating some desks and offices and because of an uptick in daily attendance. Since the office is doing what we planned and magnetizing employees back, we realized the third spaces, like café tables and booth seating, become even more valuable to the experience of the space. We could see these work lounge spaces become larger or even more varied to offer tailored experiences to each person who decides to return to the office.
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Check out the slideshow and summary of the submission below:
Sinch’s new office in Chicago welcomes employees and visitors alike to experience a range of spaces dedicated to comfort, community, and concentration, championing a hybrid model that reflects the future of work.
Dominated by bold yellows, warm-toned greens and grays, as well as oak and layered metal, the Sinch office embodies the theme of circularity, a comforting and human shape. The overall office design avoids harsh angles, conveying the essence of comfort and ease. Creating a familiar home-away-from-home atmosphere through materials, furniture, and lighting, the space reflects wellness and meaningful connection as the driving force behind the new human-centered office design. The Sinch office prioritizes the demands of the post-pandemic office and attracts employees and guests to “climb out of their computer screen” to see and be seen.
Strategically broken down into departmental neighborhoods, the floor plan is equipped with a wide array of phone rooms, conference spaces and adjacent offices for convenience, while supporting their new flexible working strategy. Four open collaboration zones, designed by Four Four Design, are located throughout the office to embody a unique sense of place. Each one of the zones has its own look and feel that coordinate with the architectural finishes and Sinch graphics.
Similarly to working from home, the office design reflects a variety of workspaces including sofas, banquettes, islands, and traditional workstations to accommodate a need for focused work. Work spaces are not assigned, allowing employees to choose their own adventure, of sorts, and pick the space type that best supports their tasks or needs that day. One design highlight of the new office is the casual game room that employees utilize in place of a traditional conference room. The space opens up to a greater collaborative zone and the main employee entrance via large, glass pivot doors. This allows more flexibility and a wider array of uses for this space, along with creating an inviting entry experience for teammates.
As a technology company that delivers unified and personalized experiences for their customers to communicate quickly and efficiently, it was understood early on that hybrid communications not only worked for their product, but also for the company itself. By prioritizing the demands of the hybrid workspace, the design team created an office that easily adapts to changing workstyles and evolving technology. Designed to accommodate in-office and remote employees, the technology within the office seamlessly allows for equity of presence between employees that are physically in the office and ones that are not. Additionally, reservable desks allow for employees to choose where and when they work in the office, allowing for a more fluid work day.
By embracing a blend of comfort and innovation, Sinch’s new Chicago office serves as a testament to the future of work, fostering meaningful connections and empowering employees to choose their ideal workspace, whether in-office or remote.
Special thanks to our 2023 Innovative Brand Partners:
Special thanks to our 2023 Market Partners:
