The composition of the premises of the office building. Office building construction project

Of all the types of structures today, perhaps, it is the office building that is undergoing the greatest changes. Thanks to modern information and communication technologies, the office is no longer rigidly tied to place and time. A person works where there is a connection to a computer network.

Despite this, the office will not lose its significance. On the contrary, in the conditions of virtuality, direct communication between people and a single center for the entire organization are becoming more important than ever. Traveling around the world, the company's employees use the central office as a kind of headquarters that maintains the necessary sense of community.

Information is the most important resource of our time. The task of designing offices is to ensure the processes of processing and transmitting information with optimal environmental conditions.

BENE is one of the leading European manufacturers of office furniture and partitions with offices in most European capitals and headquarters in Austria, in Waidhofen on the Ybbs River. The company has existed for over 200 years. The production of office furniture began in 1951, and since then BENE has repeatedly demonstrated the success of its systematic approach to office planning, taking an active part in shaping the working environment with its products and innovative ideas. One of the company's areas of activity is providing advisory services to building owners and investors in the planning, implementation and management of office buildings.

BENE has been offering its services in Russia for over 10 years, gaining valuable experience in the Russian market. In this article, we have tried to familiarize architects, designers and company administrators with a set of issues that have to be faced when designing offices.

We hope that the experience we offer will be useful to all those who solve problems related to office equipment, whether it be new construction or redevelopment of an existing premises.

2. Building an office space

The 19th century was the era of the emergence of many new types of structures. One of them was an office building. At the end of the century, in the conditions of North America, in contrast to Europe, a skyscraper arose, which for more than half a century remained - and for some still remains - the most perfect type office building... Despite the fact that the skyscraper is very efficient in terms of the use of space, it turned out to be quite "inhuman" in terms of the environment as a whole. The skyscraper has been replaced by a business center that combines the efficiency of a multi-storey business building with the benefits of a consumer-oriented shopping complex. Another trend has been the relocation of companies to the suburbs, which has led to the emergence of "business parks" - complexes of skillfully designed low-rise buildings surrounded by attractive landscapes and connected by expressways to the city and the airport.

The modern development of information technologies radically changes the idea of ​​working in the office, which then affects the office building itself. In the 1980s, the main problem was the obsolescence of certain types of buildings. Much more important now is the growing inconsistency with modern processes of the standard eight-hour workday and all associated labor relations patterns, location of factories and organization of access to them that have shaped our cities for hundreds of years.

Major trends

What are the main principles governing appearance office? While aesthetic considerations are an integral part of any design, beauty may not be the main determining factor in the design of a workspace. The office is intended for certain processes, and if they cannot be fully implemented, such a project cannot be considered successful - no matter how wonderful it may seem.

No one doubts that in design industrial building a specialist technologist must be involved. The production process implies an optimal technological organization, and a good industrial building is always oriented towards this process. The best modern office buildings follow the same principle, treating office work as a specific process with its own stringent technological requirements.

Space

Office work can be broadly divided into two categories: concentration and communication. The main challenge in office design is finding a balance between these two activities that would best suit a particular company. Legal firms have different requirements than trading companies, banks differ in this sense from design bureaus.

The best solution for focused work would be a separate office, while open space is more suitable for communication. From the interaction of these extremes, the floor plan is formed. Major of possible solutions- a closed corridor type office, a single common space and a combined office.

At one end of the range is a traditional office, made up of separate rooms along a corridor. This is a traditional office layout that creates an atmosphere of privacy and tranquility. In such conditions, it is almost impossible to implement collective work, communication between employees is difficult, and the use of space is ineffective. This solution is suitable for companies divided into departments with a small number of people. Communication between them is limited - isolation is more important. While in general this organization of work is a thing of the past, there are and will continue to exist processes that require this degree of privacy.

There are two types of cabinet-type offices. The first type includes offices for one or two people. In Western Europe, this scheme was common until the 1970s. It is characterized by maximum privacy, clear spatial organization, static impression, impossibility of teamwork and lack of flexibility. The second type includes offices, consisting of larger rooms, designed to accommodate three or more people. This creates a certain spirit of collectivism, which, however, only applies to a small group of people. At the same time, problems may arise in relations with other departments of the company. This type of office was popular in Europe in the 70s, during the early computerization era. It is characterized by a relative seclusion, a static impression, weak team spirit and limited flexibility.

At the other end of the range is the office, which is made up of enormous spaces designed to accommodate a large number of of people. The space is limited only by the outer walls. Workplaces are separated from each other by low furniture partitions. This scheme was the result of the high cost of office space and the need for frequent redevelopment. Buildings of this type are generally large in width and simple in outline to maximize efficiency. They provide high degree flexibility and transparency. At the same time, there are disadvantages such as poor sound and visual isolation of workplaces. This type is suitable mainly for fast growing organizations and large corporations. In Western Europe, such offices were used in the 1980s, before the widespread use of personal computers. This office is characterized by high team spirit, lack of privacy, flexible layout and dynamic impression.

A type of open space is a group office. In it, the common space is divided by low partitions into separate zones. Such division of space is encouraged by employees. Intense communication is only possible within small groups. Common areas are offered for exchange of information. The sense of belonging to the team is reinforced. The space is used with maximum efficiency and flexibility. The disadvantage is the lack of sound insulation.

Involvement of users in the process of designing an office in Austria, Germany, Holland and the Scandinavian countries, where the location of the workplace by the window is almost an inalienable right of the employee, greatly influenced not only the interior, but also the volumetric solution of buildings. These buildings are characterized by narrower and more complex building plans, high quality space and many public areas.

As the name suggests, the combined office combines the advantages of the two previous planning solutions. Individual and group rooms are separated by transparent partitions from the central areas intended for general use. Thus, the contradiction between the desire to concentrate and the need for communication is smoothed out. In Western Europe, such offices have been popular since the early 1990s. They promote the development of collectivism, provide good flexibility and isolation of workplaces, express the dynamism and clarity of spatial organization.

Human

An office is an artificial environment where people spend more than half of their conscious life. Therefore, it is impossible to overestimate the importance of the humanity of this space.

While some companies are still determined to save on office space, more and more people are realizing that the environment has a profound effect on productivity. The pleasure of work and the ergonomics of the equipment are thus becoming the main conditions for the protection of health in the workplace. In a broad sense, the ergonomics of the office is built from various elements - from a comfortable keyboard to measures to control air purity. The layout of the premises is also of great importance.

Psychologists note that “each person's idea of ​​his value for the company depends equally on the remuneration received from an anonymous cashier, and on the ability to influence environment(in the broadest sense). ”This need can be met, in particular, with the help of multifunctional and movable furniture, as well as with the help of flexible spatial solutions.

Equipment

The influence of office equipment on the configuration of workplaces will be discussed in an article devoted to office furniture. Here we restrict ourselves to discussing the importance of technical means for defining an office plan.

Once office buildings were not very different from residential ones, and office equipment was limited to a typewriter and a telephone. With the development of information technology, not only the range of office equipment has increased, but also problems have arisen related to the installation of electrical wiring, an increase in the thermal load on the premises, the need to zone air conditioning systems. The spatial solution of the office is greatly influenced by the chosen wiring diagram for electricity and computer network. In order to hide the wires, it is enough to separate them inside the plasterboard partition. However, the wires require access, which is why solutions such as wall ducts arise. Placing wires in walls or wall boxes is possible in traditional cabinet-type offices or as part of a combined wiring system.

Image

Visual demonstration of corporate philosophy, values ​​and objectives becomes one of the factors that determine the success of an organization. A company's image is shaped by its history, founders, products, services, and social culture.

The space that we create around us, in one way or another, then influences our perception of the company's philosophy. The ideology of the company successfully expressed in spatial forms leads to a stronger emotional rapprochement with employees and visitors, makes it memorable. It is extremely important that those people who spend half of their lives in the office identify with the company, its direction of activities and its goals, and feel at home in the workplace.

This goal is achieved not only by artistic means, but also by all the factors that make up an integral office environment.

The influence on the culture of the corporation of partitions as the main formative means is often underestimated. Blank walls, both brick and plasterboard, glass partitions and dividing screens, which affect the transparency of rooms, have a tremendous impact on corporate culture, ease of communication, work processes, and the atmosphere in the office.

3. Office layout

A successful office space project largely depends on a well-written design assignment. Among other things, this task determines the composition of the premises. What are the characteristic areas of a modern office?

First of all, these are such traditional premises as the actual workspaces, the entrance lobby, meeting rooms and service premises.

The spatial solution of working areas depends on the corporate culture of the company, on its organizational structure and the capabilities of a particular building. The factors influencing the adoption of a particular scheme are considered in the article devoted to the trends in the formation of office space. When planning, we advise you not to adhere to any once and for all chosen scheme, but to be creative in solving the questions posed by a specific situation. As a result of this approach, spaces are born that resemble in their diversity the urban fabric, where there are streets and quarters, squares and parks.

The drive to increase efficiency in the use of space and the development of new working methods have led to the emergence of new work areas in the office. According to statistics, up to 40% of the personnel of many companies are out of the office at the same time. This is especially true for companies operating in the service sector. According to research carried out by our company in conjunction with Fraunhofer IDA, office workers of one industrial company spend an average of 40% of their working time at their workplace. Thus, planning an office based on the total number of employees can lead to inefficient use of space.

Is there a solution to this problem in turn? use of one workplace by several employees according to a pre-set schedule. An alternative solution is the allocation of a special area with workplaces, which are equipped with all the necessary technical means. Any free space at the moment is provided to an employee of the company upon request. At the same time, the capabilities of modern telephone equipment allow each person to keep his personal telephone number. All documents and office supplies are stored in mobile lockers, parked in a designated area.

For people who are almost constantly out of the office and nevertheless need to be able to connect to the internal network and exchange information with colleagues, special zones are provided, located closer to the entrance group and equipped with several small workstations with electrical and power outlets.

New methods of work are aimed at the collective solution of the assigned tasks by creating temporary working groups working on a specific project. These activities involve alternating discussion, presentation and focused work. The use of mobile pieces of furniture makes it easy to achieve the desired flexibility.

Designers always pay close attention to the so-called representative zones - reception, meeting rooms, offices of managers of different levels. This is especially true for companies with a pronounced hierarchy. Modern tendencies in organization management view the leader as the leader of a team of professionals united by one goal. This approach, in stark contrast to the traditional idea of ​​the boss being separated from his subordinates by various barriers, is reflected in the office layout and interior decoration. Separated closed spaces with simple work areas and the luxury of presidential offices are gradually giving way to transparent, energetic spaces with functional and thoughtful interior elements. The door of the manager's office is always open for employees, and his table can simultaneously serve as a negotiating table.

When designing the entrance area of ​​the company, it is necessary to solve the following issues:

• Does the company have a distinct personality?
• How strongly should this individuality and corporate culture be expressed in spatial forms?
• Is the company turned outward, or rather inward, how many visitors do it have?

When solving these representational tasks, one should not forget about the convenience of people working or visiting this area. Usually there is a waiting area, a wardrobe for employees and customers. A useful addition can be the information desk, equipped with a computer, which provides customers with the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the structure and activities of the company.

The latest research shows that the proportion of premises and areas for meetings and negotiations is constantly increasing, and their area may increase by 2005 to 30% of total area office. In Europe, rank-and-file employees spend approximately 25%, middle managers 50%, and executives top level even 75% of the working time in negotiations and seminars. This is due to the importance that information exchange has for decision-making. Communication and training are becoming the most important types of office activities and, accordingly, require thoughtful planning and technical solutions.

Traditional meeting rooms are complemented by multifunctional convertible rooms for conferences, seminars and trainings. All of these rooms are equipped with equipment such as slide and overhead projectors, flip charts and interactive whiteboards, multimedia projectors, plasma screens, graphic walls, audio systems and video conferencing facilities.

An interesting fact is that 80% of all innovations in offices are aimed at ensuring direct communication between people. To do this, you can use not only meeting rooms, but also separate islands located next to workplaces. To make communication more dynamic, high tables are used, at which the interlocutors talk while standing.

For informal communication with clients, there is a "coffee shop" zone - something in between a cafe and an office, where you can discuss joint plans over a cup of tea. In contrast to the pantry, intended for catering to the company's employees, the "coffee" is located in the immediate vicinity of the work areas and is equipped with an automatic machine for making coffee and other drinks.

A modern office is a complex structure that requires a lot of technical equipment to keep it running. Some of this equipment, such as a computer and a telephone, is located directly on the desktop. Others — a printer, copier, and fax — must be nearby and serve a specific workgroup. The third - a telephone exchange and a server - ensures the life of the entire company and requires a separate room for itself.

For the location of office equipment directly in the workroom, it is recommended to arrange special islands enclosed by furniture partitions with acoustic panels that dampen the sound of operating equipment.

Despite the computerization of office work, many companies retain a significant amount of paper records. For this: special zones are provided, and sometimes separate rooms. For more efficient use of the space allocated for archival storage, a system of cabinets is proposed, consisting of sliding elements that can be easily moved along rails. If the weight of one section exceeds a certain norm, the cabinet is supplied with a special drive. With fewer passes required, efficiency increases by 30%.

The relative position of all office areas is determined each time based on the functional relationships between the individual components and the size of each company. The fact that for a large organization occupying several floors will be of fundamental importance may not be essential for a small office, and vice versa, some things are solved much easier in a large company, when it is possible to organize clearly defined functional areas than for an office. consisting of twenty people, which must be placed in a small room. Functional connections can be in the nature of the need for personal communication between employees, the use of common resources, the need to control the activities of subordinates, the transfer of documents. The location of the premises is also influenced by the attitude of work processes to factors such as noise, number of visitors, availability. By weighing the importance of all indicators and analyzing the specific planning situation, a solution is achieved that best suits the customer's requirements.

Presentation equipment

Slide and overhead projectors are the traditional means of obtaining large format images. The former are designed for projection from photographic film, the latter - from A4 transparent film. These are inexpensive devices that allow you to successfully conduct various presentations and seminars. Flip charts and whiteboards are used for joint discussions and trainings. A marker board is a white magnetic board for writing with special markers, the surface of which can be easily cleaned from written with a special dry cleaner. A flip chart is a board on a stand equipped with a special bar for attaching a large notebook (90 x 65 cm) or a standard A2 poster. These solutions can be separate elements, or they can be combined into systems in the form of a cabinet with doors. The central part of such a cabinet can serve as a whiteboard and be equipped with a retractable projection screen. Side flaps - flip chart and additional marker board. It is also possible to place all these elements on a rail system, which will allow you to very quickly organize the wall surface for a specific task.

Multimedia projectors allow you to display graphic information received from a computer, VCR, camcorder or DVD player on a large screen. Resolution and brightness are important characteristics of these devices. More expensive models provide good quality images even in a non-shaded room, which is very important when conducting seminars. A further increase in brightness is achieved by using a screen with a special surface. The projectors can be placed on a special console extending from the suspended ceiling, or on an equipped mobile stand.

An interesting solution based on a multimedia projector is a rear projection system, which allows you to be directly in front of the screen without shading it. Such a system consists of a transmissive screen, behind which there is a small dark room in which the projector is installed. The image is projected onto the screen using a system of mirrors.

If there is no need to get a very large image, and the room does not allow for convenient placement of projection equipment, plasma panels are used to present video material, which can be mounted directly on the wall. Graphic walls - large screens, consisting of several blocks, combined into a single projection system using special equipment and software. This solution allows displaying information from various sources on the screen, which may include computers, video playback devices, television reception systems, video monitoring, etc. The distance between adjacent blocks is less than a millimeter, and the depth of the entire system is from 600 to 900 mm.

A convenient device that allows you to treat the projection screen like a whiteboard, while memorizing the necessary stages of work, are interactive whiteboards. They are available in two types - for direct and rear projection. In addition to a high-quality image, high-quality sound is necessary for the successful communication of information. In most cases, there is a need to amplify speech during a speech. Professional acoustic systems for meeting rooms, conferences, etc. solve not only this problem, but also provide the ability to record and reproduce sound, and can also compensate for the lack of acoustics of the room itself.

COMPACT OFFICE® ICONS

A comprehensive system of graphic symbols for functional recognition that allows quick decisions and targeted actions. This special structured naming system illustrates the purpose of work and other areas of the office in clear and understandable ways. These 27 icons correspond to three main sections:

COMOFFICE- Communication between people and the presentation of the corporate culture of the company are of paramount importance.
COMOFFICE includes all representative and public areas. COMOFFICE zones require ever larger areas.

BACK OFFICE- Classic work areas of the company, as well as new areas such as Desk Sharing, Call center and Hotelling.

SUPPORT TOOLS- Central technical areas serving the entire company.

4. Office equipment standards

Design process

Designing an office environment is a multi-faceted process. It includes both the design of the whole building and the allocation of a specific workplace to a specific employee. Due to the technological complexity of today's world, one architect or designer is no longer able to be a specialist in all areas of office space equipment. Many people of various professions are involved in the process of its creation, and the outcome depends on how clearly each of them understands the merits of a quality office. The goal of each of them is to create optimal conditions for the functioning of the company during the entire period of use of the office space.

The design process is always a search for balance between the individual components. On the one hand, these are the customer's requirements for the area of ​​premises, standards of workplaces, the organization of storage of documents, the administrative structure of the company and its technical support. On the other hand, there is a completely definite shape of the building, planning grid, floor area and their number. In addition, there are aesthetic considerations that are very important for the entire design process, but which we do not undertake to consider here, since the main purpose of this guide is to provide a view of the office from the point of view of its functionality. And of course, when making any decision, an important issue is the cost, which consists of the cost of construction and further operating costs.

An office is a complex system in which each element affects the efficiency of a company. Each customer has its own administrative structure, policies and other ideological characteristics that affect work processes. The task of the designer is to find in each case the most suitable solution, without exceeding a certain budget. At the macro level, this is solved by analyzing the customer's requirements, his organizational structure, functional relationships and developing the optimal planning solution... At the micro level - by designing ergonomic workplaces, selecting high-quality finishes and comfortable equipment, and creating a humane environment.

Systems approach

After solving general zoning issues and determining functional links, the designer needs to decide what finishes to use for different surfaces of the premises, what to install engineering equipment, how to provide protection from the sun. Modern market offers such a wide range of materials and equipment that it is often difficult to make a choice. What should be the criteria for making the right choice? BENE believes that the most correct approach is a professional one. We call professional a systematic approach based on knowledge. The key question is how well the project fits its purpose. If an office is not properly lit, sound absorption is insufficient, and workplaces are inconvenient, it clearly does not meet the requirements for an office, no matter how beautifully decorated it may be.

From a design point of view, an office is not a work of art, but rather a tool that allows a company to carry out its activities. The decisions that are made at the design stage will have an impact on the entire future life of the space. This is why a balanced, judicious choice of elements of the work environment is so important. The modern office has become such a complex object that its technical aspects need the attention of a specialist as much as the aesthetic ones need the participation of an architect or designer.

Five categories

Based on the foregoing, we have developed a classification of office space based on the functionality of its components. Each element in the higher category is functionally richer than its counterpart in the lower category. This division also reflects the economic side: the more opportunities the solutions provide, the more expensive they are initially.

Our goal was to help the architect and the client make the right choice of materials and equipment in order to achieve a balance between the functionality of the various components and the construction costs.

Almost the basis of the structure of any modern office is a solution to the layout of a computer network. Different companies can use modern information technologies to varying degrees, but hardly any office can do without a computer today. Walls are another factor that influences the functionality of an office: their correct positioning and use affects the efficiency of the company. Other elements of the office are the ceiling, floor and sun protection. All of them, when chosen correctly, provide balanced functionality of the office space.

The proposed classification reflects the functional content of each component, not the quality of materials or construction work (which of course also affects the cost). We understand this functionality as the number of functions provided by a given element.

Take a wall for example. Its main purpose is to divide the space into rooms and serve as a support for attachments. These are the functions of a traditional brick wall. The plasterboard partition is more functional because it not only solves the two previous tasks, but can also serve as a place for electrical wiring. The next level is the modular partition, which, in addition to the mentioned functions, allows flexible use of space due to the ease of assembly and disassembly. By adding glazing to the modular partition, we further enrich its functionality, since now it not only divides zones, but also provides visual communication between rooms, facilitating spontaneous communication. Other elements of the office environment are organized in the same way.

Therefore, when working on a design, it is recommended to combine elements from adjacent categories rather than randomly selecting them. This avoids a situation where, say, excellent lighting equipment gets along in an office with a primitive electrical wiring solution. Such decisions can be justified from an aesthetic point of view, but by no means from a functional point of view. The balance of the components ensures efficient use of the office, while a lower standard of one element with a higher standard of another, chosen for purely aesthetic reasons, reduces overall efficiency.

Benefits of standardization

The Encyclopedia Britannica defines standardization as follows: "A standard is a reference against which objects or actions can be compared. In industry, standardization is the development and application of standards that allow the widespread production of individual components that can be easily combined with other components. Standardization enables clear interaction between industry and suppliers. raw materials, relatively low costs, production based on interchangeable parts. "

In construction, there are many internal standards that govern the relationship between all participants in the process. In most cases, they are not obvious to the end user.

Real estate companies develop their own property valuation standards to organize information about the office building market. The buildings are divided into categories - classes "A", "B" and "C". Class A buildings are the most prestigious, most comfortable and located in the best locations. The quality of the C-class buildings is noticeably lower, while the B-class buildings are in the middle between them in terms of both quality and price. This system of categories is based on the location of the office building, the quality of the project, the services offered, and the terms of lease or ownership. Such a system rather reflects economic indicators office space, rather than its functional characteristics.

In the proposed classification, important, from our point of view, is the visibility of the display of information, which allows the customer to quickly assess the quality of a particular solution.

I basic

II economical

III standard

IV improved

V modern

5. Laying of electrical networks

The basis of the layout of a modern office is the layout of computer, telephone and power networks. Each workplace has a telephone and a computer, which means that each location must be connected to electricity, a telephone line and - if there is a computer network - a network cable. There are several ways to lay electrical networks.

Wall boxes

The easiest and cheapest way is to lay all cables in special channels along the surface of the walls. To do this, you can use large-capacity aluminum, steel or plastic boxes or smaller thick PVC boxes. These channels can be placed at countertop level or, to make them less visible, at floor level. Another way to hide the boxes is to include them in the design of the heating radiator cladding, if such is provided for by the project.

These solutions are quite effective, especially if the room is not very wide and the workplaces are located against the wall. They can also be used in wider rooms in combination with modular and furniture (low) partitions, in which cables are laid from the wall ducts to the workplaces in the middle of the room. In addition, with this type of wiring, a certain degree of flexibility is possible in the movement of workplaces along the wall. This scheme is also successfully used in low-rise rooms, for which every centimeter of ceiling height is important.

However, if an office is to be designed as an open space with limited use of furniture partitions, or walkways are envisioned around workplaces, then wall boxes are not suitable.

Floor

The floor presents several options for laying electrical wiring.

The traditional way is to lay cables in boxes that are installed in the floor at the same time as it is laid. Metal boxes are installed on the floor slab in accordance with the project, after which the screed is laid. All sockets are located in special boxes recessed into the floor, also placed in accordance with the workplace layout plan. The lids of these boxes are finished with the same material as the rest of the floor and are practically invisible. The capacity of these boxes depends on their size. A medium-sized box can usually accommodate four modules, each of which is either one electrical outlet or dual computer (telephone). To increase capacity, posts are sometimes used that rise above the floor and provide the ability to accommodate a much larger number of outlets. With this solution, it becomes possible to design very wide rooms, but it rigidly fixes the arrangement of furniture and aisles. Depending on the type of boxes used and their location, the redevelopment of the premises is associated with a greater or lesser degree of disruption to the work of the office. Providing additional outlet boxes for possible future needs is not an easy and cheap task.

An alternative solution is a double floor device, in the voids of which all the wiring is carried out. It consists of supporting elements on which panels of non-combustible materials are laid. A screed is placed on top of the slabs. This floor is used where there are increased requirements. fire safety.

A more technologically advanced is a removable floor, or raised floor. It consists of height-adjustable metal studs in 600mm increments that support the floor panels. Depending on the purpose of the room, these panels are made of various materials. Mainly chipboard is used, lined with metal on both sides, but there are also metal panels with perforation - for large server rooms, or made of non-combustible materials. Usually the flooring is laid directly on the slabs of such a floor, but it can also be part of the structure of the slab itself. As in the previous case, almost the entire floor surface can be used for cable routing. The advantage of this system is easy access to any point under the floor: just lift the corresponding panel. In addition, the space under the floor can be higher, so that not only complex computer cable systems can be routed there, but also pipes and even air ducts. Because of this, such floors are most often installed in buildings with a large height between floors (otherwise the "clean" height of the room may be too low). The sockets in such a floor are placed according to the same principle as in the previous solutions, but thanks to the interchangeability of the plates, the room can be easily and quickly replanned. The surface of the floor slab does not require special preparation, because all irregularities are compensated for by the support posts.

An interesting solution called "Intercell" is offered by the Interface company. The metal plates are not supported on racks, but on support elements made of galvanized steel, spaced at 125 mm intervals for more even load distribution. Another advantage is the low height of such a system - 60 or 90 mm, which is especially important for rooms with low ceilings. However, this solution requires leveling the surface of the floor slab as it does not involve height adjustment.

Another way to use the floor for electrical wiring is with floor boxes. They can be quite large and located along the outer wall, or very low profile and be located anywhere. Although they are produced with a minimum height and special section, their location in busy aisles is dangerous.

Ceiling

The space between the false ceiling and the floor slab is used to accommodate air ducts, various pipes and lighting system wiring. However, it is usually half empty and can be used for network wiring as well. Electrical, computer and telephone sockets are located in vertical "masts", which can accommodate up to twenty different sockets. These "masts" can be installed anywhere and are fairly easy to carry. Be that as it may, the forest from such "masts" is not the best decoration for the interior, regardless of their shape and color.

6. Office partitions

Partitions are vertical enclosing structures that divide the interior of a building into rooms and communication areas, such as corridors. Partitions that carry the load from the roof or floor are called load-bearing, and those that stand freely are non-load-bearing. Partitions are the architect's main tool for creating a spatial solution for an office. They also have a tremendous impact on the functioning of office space.

DESIGN

Load-bearing partitions

Load-bearing partitions are built from bricks, blocks or in-situ concrete traditional methods... Their advantage is high fire safety and sound insulating ability. However, these are permanent partitions, which sometimes do not allow flexible use of space. This is especially felt when adapting an old building for an office building.

That is why the principle of "shell and core" has become widespread in the construction of modern office buildings, the essence of which is to provide the tenant with a space free from partitions between the outer wall and the inner core of vertical communications shafts. This principle, however, imposes certain requirements on the interaction between the depth of a building, the location of vertical communications, the presence of an atrium, the nature of the building's outer contour and the pitch and size of windows. The imbalance of these indicators leads to highly inefficient, inconvenient to use office space.

Load-bearing partitions

Non-bearing partitions are divided into stone, frame and demountable (modular). In Russia, frame partitions are most often found.

A typical office framed partition consists of metal racks lined on both sides with plasterboard sheets. The space between the sheets can be filled in different ways to give the partition certain properties. They are easy to manufacture, lightweight, changeable within certain limits, and can be faced in different ways. They are less expensive than modular and comply with Russian requirements fire safety.

A collapsible, or modular, partition consists of light elements and can be disassembled and moved to another place without any damage to the structures and decoration of the premises. These partitions, as a rule, have their own lining, which does not require additional finishing, but only needs periodic cleaning, like all surfaces of the room. Modular partitions are usually erected between the clean floor and the false ceiling. This means that if it is necessary to improve the sound insulation of the premises, additional measures should be taken, for example, installing a plasterboard partition in the ceiling space through which sound can easily propagate.

These partitions are very technological and justify the initial costs for long-term use. When designing a building using collapsible partitions, one should strive for 2-3 standard sizes for maximum flexibility. Since all elements are manufactured with millimeter accuracy, which has not yet been achieved under conditions construction site, in the places adjacent to the permanent structures of the building, additional modules are usually provided, with which you can easily compensate for surface irregularities, deviations from the vertical, non-compliance with design dimensions, etc. It often happens that the designer insists on the absence of any additional elements. In such cases, the builders are required to perform the work with the highest precision, since even a deviation of 5 mm from the vertical makes an unpleasant impression.

One of the varieties of modular partitions are sliding, or transformable, partitions, which are designed to frequently change the layout of a room, such as meeting rooms or multi-functional halls.

There are many design solutions for sliding partitions. When choosing a particular partition, some of their features should be taken into account. In all cases, it is necessary to provide for areas for placing modules in a folded state. It can be just an additional width of the room or a special niche, even the ceiling space is sometimes used for this purpose. One type of partition requires a guide rail in the floor, which can be aesthetically and functionally unacceptable. There is also a solution where the partition is suspended from the top rail to maintain the continuity of the floor surface. However, such a solution is more expensive due to the appearance of complex junction points that provide the required level of sound insulation.

FUNCTION

We propose to distinguish between corridor and interoffice partitions. They have a different purpose, and, accordingly, a different design solution is possible.

Corridor partition

As the name suggests, corridor partitions separate rooms from the main communications in the building. Traditionally, a stone or framed partition is erected, resulting in a long, dull corridor illuminated by artificial light. In the best case, there is a window at the end of such a corridor, and somewhere else there is a transparent door of an illuminated staircase. This solution gives the impression of a static, bureaucratic environment. To liven up the space, measures such as "borrowed light" are sometimes used: glazing of the upper section of the walls, the use of doors with glazed glass or side glass inserts. While these measures provide a small amount of natural light to enter the corridor, they do not achieve the main goal of energizing the entire floor space. This goal can only be achieved by using fully glazed partitions.

The importance of natural light for humans is that, unlike the always identical artificial light, it constantly changes, thereby stimulating various functions of the human body. Even more important is the visual connection with the outside world. Most of us will prefer a window seat - whether on a plane, train, or office. The problem of "walled up" corridors is not so much the lack of daylight, but rather the anonymity of the space and the lack of information about the environment.

Transparent partitions have a big impact on the efficiency of the office, stimulating activity, collaboration and interaction, not to mention the design challenges they solve.

Office partition

This term refers to partitions that separate adjacent office premises. They are also often stone or frame. Despite the fact that the service life of the "shell" of the building (i.e., structures and external walls) is 50-75 years, the internal "filling", including the decoration of premises, partitions, ceilings and lighting (that is, everything that, in fact, and adapts the building to the needs of a particular organization), usually changes every 5-7 years. Minor rework can happen even more frequently.

A modern office must take this into account. This flexibility is well provided by the modular partitions described above. Their main advantage is the speed with which you can change the layout of the office without disrupting its work. To increase the specified flexibility, special rails should be provided in the ceiling, which are located in accordance with the step of the windows. Then, when moving the partition, the ceiling remains intact. All engineering communications should also provide for such a modular structure of space.

Further expanding the capabilities of the office partition - a multifunctional wall. It is a system of modular partitions with holes and rails that allow you to install interchangeable elements in the right place: shelves, monitor brackets, electrical outlets, etc. Electrical wiring can run inside the partition. Such a solution ensures the most efficient use of space, provides a person with the opportunity to create an individual atmosphere of the workplace, and, in combination with a mobile table, allows a variety of room layouts.

7. Floor coverings

Of all surfaces in any building, the floor is subject to the most wear and tear. We walk on the floor, we put furniture and equipment on the floor, we drop things on the floor and spill liquids. Quality flooring should be judged on the basis of its long-term use.

Office flooring can be roughly divided into two types - hard and soft. Hard surfaces include stone, parquet and linoleum. To soft - carpet and carpet tiles. Since it is a very important task for office workspaces to combat noise, it is carpets that are most widely used.

CLASSIFICATION

Stone materials

Although stone materials provide architects and designers with ample opportunities to create interesting solutions, their scope of use in offices is limited. They are found in areas such as lobbies, reception areas, corridors, and toilets. Although the stone is impervious to moisture and is easy to clean, its surface requires special care, as it can be scratched and also reacts to various substances such as salt.

Parquet

This type of coating is used mainly in residential buildings. Parquet is more durable than linoleum or carpet, it has high aesthetic, hygienic, heat and sound insulation properties. However, parquet is not recommended for office use for two reasons.

Firstly, the sound absorption coefficient of parquet is insufficient for office work areas. Secondly, although wood as a material is durable, the surface of the parquet must be periodically sanded and varnished. Otherwise, in especially busy places, the parquet will quickly lose its attractiveness. These works cannot be carried out without disrupting the normal functioning of the office. Therefore, parquet can be found either in offices converted from residential premises, or in especially prestigious areas, where it is necessary to impress, and at the same time, the load on the floor is low.

Natural linoleum

Linoleum is a natural material made from a pressed mass consisting of oxidized linseed oil, resin, cork or wood flour and pigments, applied to a jute fabric base. Natural linoleum is a durable eco-friendly material with excellent hygienic and antistatic properties.

Like stone, linoleum is a waterproof material. It is delivered mainly in rolls, which somewhat limits its decorative possibilities. However, an experienced craftsman can cut a pattern into the canvas when laying.

In order for linoleum to retain its appearance for a long time, it should be coated once or twice a year with a special compound that repels dirt and polished, which is almost impossible in a working office.

PVC-based commercial coatings

In Russia, the word "linoleum" is often referred to as PVC-based floor coverings. This leads to some confusion. Linoleum is a natural material, while PVC-based coatings are artificial. This circumstance has its advantages and disadvantages.

There are two types of PVC coverings. Homogeneous coatings consist of a layer of durable and elastic polyvinyl chloride with a thickness of 1.5-2.0 mm. It is a very durable material that can withstand high loads from the movement of people.

Heterogeneous coatings consist of a base - vinyl or polyester, a reinforcing fiberglass liner and a decorative outer layer of polyvinyl chloride. The total thickness is 2-3.5 mm.

PVC flooring is more durable than any other office flooring and comes in a wide variety of colors and patterns. Like natural linoleum, they have good hygienic and antistatic properties. A common disadvantage of these coatings is the lack of sound absorption.

Carpets

The words "carpet" and "carpeting" are often used interchangeably, although they mean different things. Whereas the carpet is attached to the base and usually occupies the entire surface of the floor, the carpet is much smaller and lies loose.

Carpet has several advantages over hard flooring. It dampens the noise in the room well. Thanks to its elasticity, the carpet reduces the load that our joints and spine take when walking. It is impossible to slip on the carpet. Carpet maintenance is ultimately easier and cheaper than comparable hard floors that require regular surface treatment. No other floor covering can be compared to carpet in terms of a variety of color, composition and texture solutions. The use of carpet in the interior always increases the prestige of the room.

Carpets are usually supplied in rolls or in the form of 50x50 cm carpet tiles. Both types of carpet are very decorative and can be used in both work and representative office spaces. Modern office carpets are hygienic and antistatic, while newer materials such as selenium can even be damp cleaned.

Carpet tiles

Modular carpet tiles are usually 50x50 cm and have a special bitumen or PVC backing reinforced with fiberglass. The modularity principle has several important advantages.

Worn or accidentally damaged tiles can be easily replaced without affecting the rest of the floor, whereas a normal floor would have to be replaced entirely.

Experts point out that only about 20% of the flooring wears out faster than the other 80%. Savings are also expressed in the fact that when laying tiles, only 2-5% of the material is wasted, while when laying a roll, this figure reaches 10-30%.

Carpet tiles are easy to remove and move to a new building. They are much easier to transport, store and stack than roll covers. If a demountable floor is used for cable routing, carpet tiles are the only possible solution.

How to make the right choice

The choice of carpet should be started with a study of the room in which it is supposed to be used, in accordance with the following criteria: what is the purpose of the room, what is the expected life of the covering, whether a raised floor will be installed, what type of furniture will be used, etc. Then the operational loads on the pavement are estimated. How intense and what kind of traffic will be in the area, the type, amount and likelihood of accidental damage, the expected maintenance schedule, the exposure of the carpet to intense sunlight.

After the above assessment of the office environment, it is already possible to determine how each element of the carpet will affect the preservation of its appearance. The influence of such components as color, pattern and texture, pile density and thread twist, base material is taken into account. This analysis can be quite difficult, so here are just some general recommendations. Based on the conditions of preserving the appearance in the busiest places, a multi-color coating of medium tones with an irregular pattern should be used. Pile should be chosen looped or mixed with a predominance of looped. A carpet with a denser and higher pile and with a strongly twisted thread retains its texture longer.

Fiber type

The most important indicator of a carpet is the type of fiber. Fiber is natural and synthetic.

Wool is a natural and therefore expensive material. Poor quality woolen fiber wears out rather quickly. The high quality wool cover is very beautiful and has excellent fire retardant properties. However, it builds up static stress and, compared to synthetic materials, is less durable, more susceptible to dirt, moths and mold.

Polypropylene is widely used as a pile material due to its low cost. However, it is significantly inferior to other materials in terms of performance. Although this material has excellent antistatic properties and resistance to dirt, its low strength and flammability make it undesirable for the office.

Nylon is considered the best material for carpet fiber. It has the highest strength, it retains its appearance for a long time, it is easy to clean and it is not flammable. The best type of nylon synthetic fiber is Antron®, a fiber developed by DuPont with improved resistance to dirt and deformation and anti-static protection.

Performance tests

Keep in mind that cheap and expensive carpets can look equally attractive in a store. To ensure that the selected coating meets the requirements, you need to be sure that the coating has successfully passed tests such as the pile adhesion strength test, delamination test, texture retention test, static test, stain resistance test, as well as fire safety and hygiene.

8. Ceilings

While ceilings are the longest continuous surface in most interiors, they are often overlooked by designers in the sense that different service elements are inconsistent. As a result, often forms, especially in public and office interiors, an awkward mass of lamps, ventilation grilles and so on that are not linked to each other.

Since the ceilings in modern offices are quite low, rough texture or overly bright colors can be overwhelming; hence the popularity of the sleek white ceiling. However, it is very important for such a ceiling to remain exactly smooth - to be a flat surface without spots, irregularities and random changes in height. The white ceiling also reflects light and adds integrity to the room.

Plastered floor

The simplest ceiling is the plastered bottom surface of the floor slab. This solution is most commonly used in residential buildings. We can see this type of ceiling in offices converted from residential premises, or where a designer solves a certain artistic problem. However, we must not forget that only overhead equipment can be installed on such a ceiling, which entails the appearance of electrical wiring on the surface. This solution is also not flexible at all and does not solve the problem of noise suppression.

Suspended ceiling

The standard office ceiling is suspended. It can be defined as a ceiling attached to a framing suspended under a slab, creating an empty space between the two surfaces. This space is used for all the necessary communications and installation of lamps. The basic requirements for suspended ceilings are as follows:

• They should be easy to install, maintain, maintain and clean.
• They should provide access to the ceiling space for maintenance of the suspension system, utilities and built-in lamps.
• They must provide the required level of sound and thermal insulation.
• They must provide the required level of sound absorption.
• They must comply with fire regulations.
• It is desirable that they be based on a planning module.

There are several methods for classifying suspended ceilings. They can be distinguished by functional features such as illuminated ceilings and acoustic ceilings, materials as well as construction.

Design

By constructive decision differentiate between seamless, modular and decorative, or open, ceilings.

Seamless ceilings create a smooth surface that is outwardly indistinguishable from a conventional ceiling. Basically, these ceilings are mounted from plasterboard sheets. This is a beautiful solution that allows for such design moves as reflected light and illumination. However, with regard to the possible rearrangement of equipment, this solution is by no means flexible, moreover, it requires the device of hatches to access the ceiling space. If the engineering communications project is not coordinated enough with the architectural solution, these hatches can appear in the most unexpected places, which produces an undesirable effect. This type of ceiling is used in areas where flexible use of space is not required.

Open ceilings consist of an open suspended frame to which the luminaires can be mounted at any height. This is usually a non-standard solution, in contrast to seamless and modular ceilings. In order to meet the acoustic requirements of an office space, a sufficient number of sound-absorbing elements must be provided in such a system.

Modular ceilings are the most common type of suspended ceiling. They consist of a suspended lattice frame to which modular elements are attached. These elements can be in the form of tiles, cassettes, panels, slats, made of various materials. The wireframe grid can be hidden or, conversely, highlighted. Various engineering equipment is solved on the basis of a single module. All elements of the system are interchangeable, which provides the greatest flexibility. The modular ceiling system is very easy to install and operate.

Materials (edit)

For the manufacture of modular suspended ceilings, gypsum, mineral fiber, fiberglass or metal are used.

Gypsum is a traditional material for suspended ceilings and is distinguished by its exceptional whiteness and high hygienic properties.

Mineral fiber- natural material. The main advantage of mineral fiber panels is their fire safety. They also have high vapor permeability and good acoustic performance.

Fiberglass is the equivalent of mineral. A special feature of fiberglass panels is the ability to produce bent elements, which allows you to create embossed ceilings.

Metal panels made of steel or aluminum with a wide variety of finishes and / or perforations. They can be supplemented with mineral or fiberglass liners to enhance their acoustic and fire protection properties. The metal panels are very beautiful, hygienic and durable.

Function

There are several types of functional ceilings. In addition to ceilings for common areas, acoustic and cooling ceilings are of particular interest to designers.

In acoustic ceilings, sound insulation is achieved due to the thickness of the material used and its density, and high sound absorption is achieved due to the porous or uneven surface. Thus, the best acoustic performance is achieved by mineral or fiberglass panels with a special surface or perforated metal panels with mineral wool inserts.

Chilled ceilings appeared relatively recently, but managed to gain significant popularity in Europe. This is partly due to the tendency to design buildings that save energy costs. Air cooling occurs due to the installation of pipes in the ceiling panels through which a cooling liquid - water - circulates. For this, metal panels, or mineral fiber panels are used. The effect of this solution is comparable to a traditional refrigeration system with lower installation and maintenance costs. In addition, it is very comfortable, since there are no unwanted drafts and cooling is carried out evenly over the entire area of ​​the room.

9. Lighting

When working in an office, a person receives 80% of information through the organs of vision. Consequently, lighting has a tremendous impact on the character of an office space, both in terms of both function and beauty.

Functionality

The main task of the lighting system is to create ideal conditions for vision in which a wide variety of processes can be performed most efficiently. Office lighting should provide easy and accurate recognition of the smallest details of the image, whether on paper or on a screen.

For office work, not only a sufficient level of illumination is important, but also the color of the light flux corresponding to certain tasks. The work area should be well-planned, taking into account the location of lights and windows, in order to prevent annoying factors such as glare, glare and shading. For example, spotlights are not recommended to be placed directly above the work area.

Lighting options:

1 - Direct light
2 - Reflected light
3 - Combined lighting
4 - Soft light

It's hard to imagine a modern workplace without a monitor. However, the monitor screen is very prone to glare. Glare can be caused by bright light fixtures, highly illuminated surfaces, or poorly positioned windows. The increasingly popular flat panel monitors are tilted and easily adjustable by the user. This circumstance must be taken into account when solving lighting issues.

Flexibility

Lighting should serve people, not vice versa. Lighting should take into account changes in the work process and the situation in the room. It should be easy to manage, understandable and suitable for a variety of tasks. In short, it must be mutable.

One of the modern tendencies in the organization of work in the office is the alternate use of one workplace by several employees or the provision of any free space to an employee at any time. The lighting must provide this flexibility and be controlled directly by the user.

Health

Light has a decisive influence on how people feel in the workplace. The optimal distribution of light in the room and the lighting system that makes it easy to adjust the light throughout the day will ensure the employee's well-being.

Glare and glare are detrimental to human health, especially when working in front of a monitor. Sufficiently bright, but pleasant and non-irritating light and balanced lighting conditions throughout the room do not cause eye strain and increase efficiency.

Atmosphere

The intense activity of the control room, the welcoming atmosphere of the secretariat, the creative mood in the workplace - all this can be created with the help of light. The lighting technology used must necessarily correspond to the purpose of the room.

A window provides people with a connection to the outside world, but light passing through it may appear too bright or cause glare. Blinds can serve as protection. In order to make a harmonious impression, artificial light must mix with daylight and complement it.

The location of the luminaires in the room leads to the appearance of areas of different illumination, which can be used for spatial delimitation of the room, emphasizing its various zones.

Lighting schemes

There are two fundamentally different ways to illuminate a workplace: direct and indirect light. Taking into account the combination of these two principles, four options for lighting an office space are possible.

In the first case, the light is directed directly to the workplace. The advantage of a well-lit work surface is at odds with insufficient illumination of the entire room and the appearance of deep shadows.

In the second method of lighting, the light reaches the workplace, having previously reflected from the ceiling and walls. The pleasant impression of a brightly lit room can be significantly weakened by a blurry perception of space.

Combination lighting with different ratios of direct and indirect light combines the advantages of the two previous methods. This solution provides efficient illumination of the workplace and a favorable light environment in the room.

The concept of soft light approaches the properties of daylight. It is soft and visually pleasing lighting. The light source becomes an important element of the interior.

Improvements to basic lighting schemes

The lighting schemes listed above can be improved in several ways. Firstly, it is the use of local lighting fixtures, which gives an individual character to the workplace. Secondly, it is the creation of light accents that highlight certain elements and emphasize the prestige of the interior. Wall lighting is also used, which improves the perception of space, especially in open plan environments.

Lighting efficiency can be improved in several ways. One of them is the use of a technical solution that takes into account the fast pace of development of a modern office. In order to provide a person with the ability to quickly adjust the light for a specific task, lighting must be easily controlled.

You can regulate, firstly, the amount of light. This is achieved by decreasing the brightness. Secondly, you can change the ratio of the components of direct and reflected light or choose between these two solutions. Exists modern systems lighting controls that not only embody the concept of balanced light, but also control the sun protection devices and control the room temperature. Such a computer-controlled system can reduce energy consumption by 75% and provide easy redevelopment of premises, control over the operation of the lighting system, and also reduce running costs.

10. Ergonomic chairs

More and more people are now working in the office, and the share of hard manual labor is constantly decreasing. It would seem that the consequence of this process should be an improvement in the physical condition of people. However, various studies show that office workers have a number of occupational diseases, chief among which is back pain.

Correct sitting position

Improper sitting position is one of the most common causes of complaints of back and lower back pain. An office worker spends over 80,000 hours of his life at his desk. However, many people sit with their backs hunched over. Although this position is easy to maintain for a very long time due to minimal muscle tension, this position is the most damaging to the body. The load, which the muscles cannot perceive, is transferred directly to the spine.

As a result of this stress, caused by too long sitting in the wrong posture, pressure is created on the intervertebral discs and the supply of blood to the muscles is difficult. In addition, the entire metabolism can be disrupted in general, causing circulatory disorders, difficulty in the gastrointestinal tract, and insufficient blood supply to the legs.

In light of all these facts, it becomes clear that one of the main topics related to health protection in the workplace is to view sedentary work as an active activity and the work chair as a tool.

The ability to maintain correct posture for a long time without any support is primarily a question of the general physical condition of a person. Thus, helping a person maintain a straight back position (even if against his habits) is the main task of an ergonomic chair.

In a seated position with a straight back, the spine takes on a double "S" shape, ensuring correct posture. The pelvis is tilted slightly forward, supporting the lower spine. Thus, an optimal weight distribution is maintained at the transition from the sacrum to the lumbar spine. Due to the tilted position of the pelvis, the chest is automatically lifted, making breathing easier. In the middle section, the spine is slightly stretched; the load on the intervertebral discs is evenly distributed. The support of the pelvis and the lumbar spine allows you to maintain the correct position of the back even with poorly trained muscles.

Ergonomic chair details

The foundations of workplace health are based on the recognition that improper sitting posture is detrimental to work performance and can even cause serious health damage.

Seat

Correct sitting posture assumes an anatomically shaped seat in which the person can sit deeply enough and which provides adequate support. Together with the back of the chair, the seat must support the pelvis in the correct position, automatically eliminating hunched posture. The front of the seat must be rounded and properly padded to avoid pinching the blood vessels in the legs. The upholstery should not be too thick. It must also allow air and steam to pass through.

Seat height

The height depends on the height of the work surface. If the latter is rigidly secured and not adjustable (standard height 720 mm), the height of the seat should be such that the shoulders are relaxed in the sitting position and the forearms form a horizontal line with the table surface. To prevent muscle tension in the arms, the angle between the shoulder and forearm should be at least 90 degrees. The leg bend angle should also be 90-100 degrees. For people of short stature, it is recommended to use a footrest, so as not to create tension in the muscles.

Footrest

There should be enough room on the stand to accommodate the feet of both feet; the height and inclination of the stand must be adjustable. Its purpose is to relieve muscle tension and prevent over-stretching of the legs.

Back

The shape of the back should ensure the correct curvature of the spine. The upper edge of the back should reach the shoulder blades and the base should support the spine in the lumbar region. The back should be able to tilt back, providing a certain resistance corresponding to the weight of the person, and trying to return to its original position.

Head position

When the back is in the correct position, the head is tilted slightly forward. Paper stands and monitors should be adjusted for this head position. Vision, therefore, should be directed slightly downward, at an angle of about 20 degrees.

Legroom

It is important to have adequate legroom under the table. Items that reduce this space must be removed as they lead to poor posture and inconvenience.

Sit dynamically

Maintaining an upright seated position is important for even weight distribution, but by itself is not the solution to all the problems associated with prolonged sitting. A person lacks movement, since it is not sitting itself that is harmful, but the immobility caused by it.

There is a very simple explanation for the natural human need for movement: only a constant alternation of tense and relaxed states ensures the correct metabolism and full nutrition of the muscles and intervertebral discs. Thus, it is clear that the work chair must provide not only correct posture, but also the satisfaction of the need for movement.

The principle of "sitting dynamically" can be formulated as follows: ensuring freedom of movement with adequate support and minimal furniture adjustment. The main difference between an ergonomic chair is a biosynchronous mechanism, thanks to which the back and seat of the chair automatically follow the movements of the seated person like a "second skin".

Seating comfort is often associated with thick, soft seat upholstery. In fact, it does not provide adequate support and contributes to the development of incorrect posture.

It is possible to correct the incorrect posture only if the chair imperceptibly forces the person to take the correct position. A good office chair should combine comfort and proper fit with thin and resilient seat and back upholstery, breathable fabrics, and ergonomic design.

11. Office furniture

Office furniture is one of the most important components of any office space. It can complement the overall design solution of the office, and if it is not chosen well, the furniture can ruin the impression of any interior, no matter how beautiful. In a modern office, furniture is not so much an element of the furnishings as it is a tool that serves to efficiently work for a company. All criteria for durability, functionality, flexibility and aesthetics apply to furniture as much, if not more, than to partitions, floor coverings, ceilings and lighting technology.

Workplaces

The main items of office furniture are a table, a desk chair and a wardrobe. These basic elements have undergone a number of significant changes over the past half century, associated with the improvement of office equipment, information and communication technologies and the emergence of new organizational structures.

In the 1950s, typewriters were still a rarity in Europe, and they were used in turns. A separate table was intended for this. Since the mid-1950s, typewriters have become cheaper, more affordable, and more common. Thus, the process of creating jobs, consisting of several zones, began. Until then, the employee needed a mostly rectangular table for working with papers. With the proliferation of typewriters, the table has been complemented by a side table (usually of a lower height) designed to work on this new equipment.

With the increasing importance of meetings and discussions, the desktop is further expanded with the addition of segments for communication. In the late 70s, computer terminals appeared in offices. This allowed the countertops to be installed at the same height. At the same time, it became necessary to lay electrical wires in furniture. The furniture industry is starting to attach great importance to ergonomic issues, which include workplace design, office planning, lighting, ergonomic chairs, etc.

In the 1980s, typewriters were still used alongside computer terminals. Hardware parts such as pull-out keyboard stands, sliding tabletops (allowing access to wiring), tabletop shelves, and protective screens have emerged.

In the 1990s, personal computers finally dominate the workplace. Now, thanks to advances in IT technologies, new opportunities have become available. Widespread use of laptop computers, flat screens, mobile phones, wireless communications are transforming both workplaces and offices in general. The general trend is to move towards small, mobile desktops that can easily adjust in terms of location and height. Such a table is complemented by a variety of movable elements - bedside tables, wardrobes, meeting tables.

A wide variety of modern forms of work organization requires adaptable furniture solutions based on a modular principle. Informal bargaining, teamwork, job sequencing - all these require new types of furniture.

Whereas previously office work was somewhat limited by the capabilities of existing furniture, in today's dynamic office furniture must adapt to workflows. To create a healthier office environment, elements such as height-adjustable desks are used, which provide a change of position during work, partitions with attachments, movable and stationary furniture elements that provide versatility.

Arrangement of furniture

As with office planning, furniture placement should balance the two main types of office activities - concentration and communication. The traditional "face-to-face" or "T" arrangement of tables is very convenient for communication, but lacks visual and sound isolation. In 1998, BENE proposed a back-to-back (U) arrangement of desktops that is best suited for focused work and compared the two with the Frauenhofer-Institute for Industrial Engineering. The results showed that no more than 50% of respondents find the T-shape comfortable, and almost the same number of them believe that the U-shape has significantly greater advantages. With a back-to-back arrangement between workstations, using a conference table or low cabinets, you can create communication zones.

Another factor that determines the arrangement of furniture is the position of the table relative to the window; Firstly, it is of great importance in the case when the main work takes place using a computer monitor. To prevent glare on the monitor, its plane should be perpendicular to the window surface. Secondly, most people value the proximity of their workplace to the window for two reasons: the emergence of a "safe flank" that no one can claim, and contact with the outside world.

Psychologically, people prefer to keep the entire room in which they are in sight in order to quickly receive information about those entering the room. At the same time, it should be borne in mind that this can serve as an additional distraction.

Every modern workplace should have an area dedicated to face-to-face communication. These areas should be clearly defined. Ideally, it should be possible to negotiate not only while sitting, but also standing.

The "face-to-wall" positioning of the workplace is often a source of protest. However, this position can be very convenient with a functional (with the help of attachments) and beautiful (with the help of an interesting finish) solution of the wall itself and while providing an additional view (L-shaped workstation).

12. Transparency: The 21st Century Office

The new, transparent world of the office is a space of community, an area of ​​high energy, a place of exciting work and a changing scene.

In the age of globalization, it is required to quickly process complex information and quickly summarize. Permeability, transparency is becoming one of the foundations of an effective organization. It becomes an adversarial factor, an integral part of the corporate culture, also expressed in architecture and the choice of a room layout system. Instant eye contact is possible in a transparent office. As they work, individual employees feel the heartbeat of the entire company. They feel privileged to work and communicate in a well-planned and well-organized environment. They are aware of what is happening, but at the same time they can focus on their work.

A transparent office is a living space. Information flows faster, a person feels immersed in this flow, in the life of the company. At the same time, transparent partitions do not exclude the possibility of retirement: people see each other, feel the presence of each other, but using the partition as a filter, they can decide for themselves whether someone should hear them and whether they should hear others. Also, nobody is bothered by other people's phone calls. All people have a different need for communication.

In those offices where partitions created using modern technologies ensure transparency, people can define their own boundaries. They become directors of their own communication script. The office turns into a stage flooded with light, an arena of energetic action for the open exchange of information, the rapid implementation of ideas and proposals. In such a workspace, the network of human communications is woven with a much higher quality than in offices with a strictly drawn plan, where employees can barely see each other and work in isolation. Everyone knows how much energy is wasted in such offices due to the lack of transparency.

In offices organized with glass partitions, which allow flexible use of space, the structure of the company is very clearly visible. These days, when motivating employees, the concepts of awareness, transparency and involvement are becoming fundamental. Hierarchies become horizontal, barriers are no longer needed between "top" and "bottom", the main thing is teamwork, work on projects, in which teams with variable composition take part. Employees are becoming more and more responsible. They organize their lives and theirs. working space extremely independent, guided by individual communication needs.

Unlike a traditional static office, where people hardly see each other, and meetings are rarely spontaneous, a transparent office is a real place of communication. Here colleagues meet to tell each other about what is happening in the world and in their work. Teams are being formed. Team members who mostly work outside the office can also get involved in the spirit of the company here. The transparent office is their "base": they can have a cup of espresso in the office bar and chat about current projects, thus stay in touch and feel the pulse of the company.

In transparent offices, dead zones take on life. Central spaces and aisles, like a market square, turn into a place of unexpected meetings: "Hello! How are you? How was the presentation? Will you come in? Let's talk about work. We will definitely continue yesterday's conversation! Well, bye."

Thus, the very meaning of the office is changing. The place where a person spent years just for the sake of earning money now becomes a platform for new life and new experience. Transparency energizes rooms with positive energy. In open, permeable rooms, we feel how other workers "sound": modern management philosophy is increasingly comparing the new culture of work with creativity, improvisation (for example, in jazz).

The boss's office often stands out little. It is open and available to everyone. The former "symbols of power" have lost their meaning. In the world of the modern office, the signs of occupation are becoming more subtle and individualized. A lively mind and initiative of ordinary team members are more important than a rank in the "table of ranks". The boss is no longer the "overseer", he is the person who manages the creative potential of the company.

The world of the office becomes a shared, interactive space; transparency is becoming an integral part of corporate culture, assessed both externally and internally.

From an external point of view, when working with clients, the transparency of the space demonstrates openness, dynamism and enlightenment. On the inside, when the office is perceived as a zone of positive energy, job satisfaction and productivity increase at least in proportion to the decrease in sick leave. Employers cite 20 to 30 percent time savings and are enthusiastic about motivated, outgoing teams of employees who are driving significant productivity gains. Business creativity has never been more important than it is now. The motto of the future is "communicate, renew, create". The increasing importance is attached to such qualities as emotionality, creativity, ability to communicate. The concept of space is changing accordingly. On the one hand, the office should be the focal point of a pulsating life; on the other, the workroom should be a calm haven in the stormy sea of ​​digital communications. Therefore, the transparent layout of the office of the future is carefully differentiated and includes protected areas for humans. Only transparent partitions make this duality possible. They do not confront us with the choice of "communication or isolation", making both states possible.

Thus, the main cultural principle of our time is being implemented - the principle of complexity. When different realities and different speeds exist side by side, their areas of contact become hot spots. For office work, this means following the rhythm of life and not missing out on the rush of information. Only complex knowledge can be truly fruitful. Complexity means a balance between communication and concentration, interaction and solitude.

Everyone needs both proximity and remoteness, since a person is both an individual person and a member of a team with a single goal. To preserve one's individuality and at the same time open up to others - this seemingly paradoxical postulate is the main difference between the new, permeable office. Transparency thus becomes the ultimate expression of cultural transformation.

There are rooms that radiate strength and energy, but there are also those that dull and suppress. A well thought out office architecture makes this distinction tangible. She offers a new space solution.

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For all organizations, the question arises of building their own office, in which, in fact, all the labor activities of the team will take place. In addition, the office is the face of the company, an indicator of its reliability, and therefore attractiveness for the company's clients.

Location is important for office buildings. They should be located within cities and preferably as close to the business center as possible. They need easy access via transport links.

Such buildings allow carrying out any types of business-related activities on their territory, and they are necessary for such organizations as:

• Those working in the banking sector;
• Insurance agencies;
• Trade representations;
• High-tech enterprises;
• Firms providing information and technical support;
• Construction and installation organizations;
• Brokerage offices;
• Real estate firms - realtors;
• Head offices of medical enterprises.

and many others.

For normal commercial activities as part of the structure, a sectional division of premises should be planned:

• Conference - halls and meeting rooms.
• Executive offices.
• Workrooms, classrooms and offices.
• Libraries.
• Archives.
• Rooms with computers, computer centers, copy rooms, rooms with printing equipment.
• Lobby.
• Change houses.
• Public catering area (canteen, cafe, buffet).
• Medical care.
• Sanitary and hygienic facilities.
• Premises of technical areas: switchboard, boiler rooms, generator rooms and others.

The main construction and installation requirements for office buildings are indicated by SNiP 31-05-2002, 31-06-2009 and SP 118.13330.2012. They mainly relate to the height of the ceilings and the size of the premises:

• The height of the working rooms is not less than 3 meters
• Corridor height 2.4 meters
• The width of corridors up to 10 meters is 1.2 meters, over 10 meters - 1.5 meters, if the corridor is used as a waiting area, its width must be at least 2.4 meters.

The ventilation system is also important for office buildings, especially for rooms with computers and an air conditioning system for working rooms. Naturally, it is necessary to take measures to heat the entire complex of the structure.

Naturally, it is imperative to comply with fire safety requirements and the rules for installing and connecting electrical equipment.

General construction plan.

On the plot under construction, a place for parking is required. Also, next to the building, a small park is being set up using landscape design technologies for the rest of office workers.

Outside, the building is lined with granite tiles or sandwich panels to match the surrounding structures and the overall urban design, with texture and color most suitable for the location.

A simple rectangular structure with a two-slope roof. The installation of the case is made easy strip foundation, which is reinforced in the places of the support beams (every 5-6 meters). The structure of the structure is made using the LSTK technology (light steel thin-walled structures), which implies a profiled metal frame, sheathed with sandwich panels or profiled sheets. Due to its simplicity, it allows construction to be carried out as quickly as possible (no more than 5 months, "turnkey", as agreed with the contractor), at any time of the year and very economically. With all this, the service life of such structures is very long and they are distinguished by good reliability.

Access to and from the building is represented by an entrance group - two hinged doors based on an aluminum frame with installed single-chamber double-glazed windows. The lobby entrance is mounted in a painted opening made of aluminum profiles. The group is 3 meters wide and 2.2 meters high. Also, according to the design documentation, the structure provides for evacuation exits in the amount of 3 pieces. They are metal profiles sheathed with iron sheets, installed in the opening also from a metal profile. All entrance and escape doors are installed on three hinges. Above all of them, from the street, a protective canopy is mounted, covered with a roofing profiled sheet.

Inside, the building is divided into functional rooms by means of walls assembled on a light profile, filled with glass or mineral wool slabs and sheathed with gypsum plasterboards. On top of which, for decorative functions, either wooden panels, or tiles, or glass wallpaper for painting (depending on the type of room) are applied.

On each floor, it is planned to install two latrines, for men and women. The floors and walls in them are covered with light-colored ceramite - granite tiles to protect against moisture.

• The ceiling throughout the building is suspended, of the Armstrong type, which in turn makes it possible to hide engineering systems in its space.
• The floor of the corridors and common passages, for ease of maintenance and cleaning, is assembled from large tiles. The floors in the other, not listed, rooms are provided with a wear-resistant coating.
• Fire safety of the building is ensured by fire alarms and equipped fire shields on each floor. Also, in all rooms there are attachment points and manual fire extinguishers themselves.
• To control the condition of the building, a video surveillance system and a control system for the construction systems of KAIS are used.
• Doors between rooms and exits to the corridor are made of wood - frame, with insulation and sheathing with thin sheets of fiberboard.
• In all work areas project documentation daylight sources are provided, while LED lamps are used in technical rooms.
• Window openings and the windows themselves are made using PVC technology, with installed double-glazed windows. The height of the window openings is 2 meters, the width is 1.8 meters. On the ground floor, the window panels are protected from burglary by hinged bars. Each window provides for the installation of a hinge mechanism to open them in two positions, to be able to conduct ventilation in a natural way.

Summary table of the cost of structures without the cost of installation:

Office building project for 640 m2

• Territory for an office center (m2): 1000
• Building area (m2): 640
• Building length of structure (m): 18
• Width of construction (m): 36
• Support column spacing (m): 6
• Structural volume of the building (m3): 3072
• Floors: 1

Cost estimate (rub):

• Structural frame of the building: 1931676
• Sandwich panel set: 2367706
• Foundation construction: 1030320
• Reinforced concrete floor (120mm): 1879200
• Building kit assembly: 1681119
• Engineering Communication:
• Plumbing: 25000
• Sewerage: 15000
• Heating: 23000
• Ventilation: 150,000
• Fire safety system: 22000
• Standby diesel generator: 90,000
• Furniture: 1250000
• Office equipment: 2,200,000
• Other: 15,000

The building is located on the territory of the old city, in the business center. All engineering communications are connected to the main city networks.

To ensure the uninterrupted operation of the emergency systems of the building, a 15 kWh gas generator is installed in a modular design next to the building.

Nearby access to public transport stops and direct access to city roads.

Office building project for 900 m2

• Built-up area (m2): 1200
• Building area (m2): 900
• Construction length of the structure (m): 15
• Height to bottom of roof (m): 4.8
• Height to roof ridge (m): 5.2
• Support column spacing (m): 5
• Structural volume of the building (m3): 4320
• Floors in Building: 2

Cost estimate (rub):

• Structures supporting the structure: 2611772
• Plating kits: 3626058
• Base: 715500
• Reinforced concrete floor (120mm): 2610000
• Building assembly: 2442896
• Water supply: 29000
• Waste water discharge system: 18500
• Heating system: 150,000
• Active ventilation: 210,000
• Fire extinguishing system: 24000
• Reserve gasoline generator: 110,000
• Furniture: 1800000
• Office equipment: 2,500,000
• Other: 20,000

Construction is carried out in the area of ​​urban new buildings. Water supply and sewerage are connected to the city's main networks. Heating is done by our own steam boiler system powered by the city gas main.

The federal highway is in direct reach of motor transport.

The backup power supply system is represented by a 20 kWh diesel electric generator.

Office building project for 2,160 m2

• Center area (m2): 1500
• Building area (m2): 2160
• Building length of structure (m): 24
• Width of structure (m): 30
• Height to bottom of roof (m): 4.8
• Height to roof ridge (m): 5.2
• Support column spacing (m): 4
• Construction volume of the building (m3): 10368
• Floors in Building: 3

Cost estimate (rub):

• Construction base: 6642342
• Sandwich paneling: 7456914
• Hull base works: 1144800
• Concrete floor: 6,264,000
• Mounting: 5506857
• Water: 40,000
• Septic tanks: 50,000
• Space heating: 180,000
• Ventilation system: 245000
• Fire protection system: 50,000
• Electric standby generator: 120,000
• Furniture: 3 million
• Office equipment: 3 million
• Other: 50 thousand

What processes should take place in the workspace of the company for its effective functioning? First of all, it is necessary that ordinary employees perform their tasks. Representation is another important aspect.

Do not forget that for a group of people to work normally, they must be provided with the opportunity to fulfill their basic needs. Usually it is impossible to do without a group of utility rooms. Warehouses, archives, server room - it is not easy to establish a normal work process without them.

Working space

A separate seat at the table should be provided for each of the employees. According to the current building codes, one person with a computer has an area of ​​at least 4.5 m2. Thus, most of the office of a large company is usually occupied by the working area.

Representative functions

The office of the company should make a favorable impression on suppliers, potential customers, business partners. Therefore, the place designated for meeting them plays an important role. It can be meeting rooms, a meeting room, a manager's office, a hall. The interior of these parts of the office is usually especially elaborate.

Auxiliary premises

It is necessary to somehow solve the needs of the company's employees in matters of hygiene, the opportunity to have a snack and a little rest. The obligatory elements of the office should be a kitchen and bathrooms.

The recreation area is not always present in modern companies. This is often saved. However, recent studies have shown that its presence has a positive effect on employee productivity.

Ways to organize your workspace

As mentioned above, most of the office space is eaten up by business space. From the point of view of planning, it can be solved in different ways. The most common option is open-plan offices, also called open-space.

They traditionally compete with buildings resembling honeycombs, where each department has its own office. In government institutions, this approach prevails.

Pros of an open plan

Among the undoubted advantages of open-space is the ease of communication during the work process. It is believed that in such an environment it is easier for employees to negotiate, and this has a positive effect on the quality of the final product. However, the validity of this opinion raises doubts among many.

In fact, there are two characteristics of an open plan layout that make it particularly attractive to employers. The first is the ease of control. When all employees are constantly in sight, it becomes much more difficult for them to shirk from work.

Secondly, open-space allows organizing workplaces for more people with a smaller area. Office partitions take up a lot of space. Hence, an open floor plan is more economical. In any case, at the design and construction stage.

Cons of open-space

The complete absence of personal boundaries, the constant hustle and bustle are factors that reduce labor productivity. Studies have shown that in such an environment, it drops by 15%.

Partially the depressing effect of an open workspace on the psyche can be compensated by the arrangement of recreation areas. In the photo of the office layouts designed by the world's leading designers, you can see the nooks scattered everywhere, soft lounge areas that add variety to the monotonous and strict business environment.

Another way to reduce the degree of tension is to use elements of eco-style, which implies the use of natural materials, vegetation, as part of the visual design. It is believed that such an environment is perceived by people as more natural.

Another significant disadvantage of open space is the absence of barriers to the spread of diseases transmitted by airborne droplets.

Office layout of the office: the pros and cons

At the moment, having your own office is perceived as evidence of high status, almost a luxury. This allows you to form inside the conditions suitable for you, contributing to the most efficient work. Personal accounts also have a minus - the difficulty of communicating with other employees of the company.

A completely different situation is presented by a space consisting of a group of individual offices for each department. Thus, the possibility of effective interaction within the department is achieved. In addition, it is relatively easy to achieve an acceptable work environment.

There are only two drawbacks to such a planning structure. The first one has already been mentioned earlier. It lies in the fact that the organization of separate offices reduces the usable area.

The second is that firms tend to evolve and change over time. The number and composition of departments is being transformed. And the layout that in the beginning best suited the organization and contributed to its effectiveness turns out to be inconvenient over time.

Search for alternatives

The honeycomb structure of endless isolated cabinets and open-space represent two extremes. In real life, a combination in one proportion or another of these two types of space organization is often used. In other words, a mixed office layout is a solution that allows you to use the best features of both options, while minimizing their disadvantages.

Some departments are isolated, others are united if the specifics of internal production processes allow it. In this case, the thinnest or glass partitions are used. Recently, more and more often in offices you can see mobile transformable walls, which are easy to install and just as easy to remove.

Basic rules for organizing the planning space of the office

The question of what the working area should be is complex and controversial. Different companies answer it differently. That is why developers often prefer to completely leave the solution to this problem in the hands of the company.

And this is the reason why a free office layout is so popular at the moment - that is, a vast territory without partitions, where only the position of bathrooms and vertical communications is rigidly fixed. Otherwise, the owner of the company is free to decide how to organize the layout.

In this case, one should not forget about several basic principles of shaping the interior of this type of premises. First, the overall size and configuration of the area to be developed, as a rule, does not allow all rooms to have natural light.

It is important that workspaces have them, whether they are offices or an open-plan area. But for meeting rooms, bathrooms, kitchens, meeting rooms, archives, this is not necessary.

Secondly, bright color accents in the place intended for work are not always appropriate. They can be an additional annoying factor.

However, large halls without accents in design also have a depressing effect on the psyche, they seem monotonous. Here you need to somehow find the edge, introducing the color very carefully. This can and should be done in meeting rooms, lounge areas, lobby.

Office layout photo

In our country, almost one third of the population is engaged in office work. At the same time, not all Russian citizens know that the employer is obliged to ensure the minimum level of mandatory requirements for the employee's workplace.

There is even a special area for 1 person in the office, spelled out in the current legislation. According to the portal http://aero-city.com/rent/, based on the established rules for the design of premises and sanitary standards, a workplace in any office must meet the following parameters:

1. An office employee, whose work involves the use of a personal computer with a modern monitor, is provided with a workplace area of ​​at least 4.5 sq. M. At the same time, the presence of additional equipment that consumes electricity and emits electromagnetic waves requires the mandatory provision of a separate area. We are talking about a printer, a second monitor and other office equipment.
2. A workplace using a computer with an outdated monitor must allocate at least 6 sq. M. When working on it for less than 4 hours, the specified area may be reduced to 4.5 sq. M. The presence of auxiliary office equipment also requires additional space.
3. An area of ​​4 sq.m. should be allocated for each employee in the office space, not counting the computer-equipped workplace.
4. For employees of the design office, the employer is obliged to allocate more than 6 square meters. in the office space.
5. If the employee has a disability, he is entitled to from 5.65 sq.m. If the employee uses a wheelchair, then the indicated figure rises to 7.65 sq. M.

The current norm of the area for 1 person in the office, spelled out above, applies exclusively to the workplace. For this reason, it does not include aisles between placed tables, areas of the room occupied by furniture or equipment.

• the distance between the tables of two employees is 2 meters;
• distance between monitors - 1.2 meters;
• placement of monitors - at an angle to window openings;
• office windows - face north or northeast;
• the presence of high loads on the nervous system - the presence of partitions between workplaces of 1.5-2 meters is mandatory.

Thus, area of ​​one workplace of a personal computer user - 4.5 sq. m.

Taking into account the norms of the area for one employee in the office, and you need to do the layout of the premises and the arrangement of tables.