Interior designers’ strategies for creating social office space

Journal Article (2023)
Author(s)

Susanne Colenberg (TU Delft - Codesigning Social Change)

Rianne Appel-Meulenbroek (Eindhoven University of Technology)

N.A. Herrera (TU Delft - Codesigning Social Change)

DV Keyson (TU Delft - Codesigning Social Change)

Research Group
Codesigning Social Change
Copyright
© 2023 S.E. Colenberg, Rianne Appel-Meulenbroek, N.A. Romero Herrera, D.V. Keyson
DOI related publication
https://doi.org/10.1080/00140139.2023.2270788
More Info
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Publication Year
2023
Language
English
Copyright
© 2023 S.E. Colenberg, Rianne Appel-Meulenbroek, N.A. Romero Herrera, D.V. Keyson
Research Group
Codesigning Social Change
Issue number
7
Volume number
67
Pages (from-to)
995-1007
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Abstract

The rise of remote working has highlighted the importance of office spaces that support employees’ social well-being. However, there is a lack of explicit knowledge on how to design such spaces. In order to address this gap, this study explored the strategies employed by practitioners in designing social office spaces. In-depth interviews with fifteen experienced interior designers were analysed using means-end chain theory. This revealed the designers’ common aim to encourage informal social interactions through creating attractive, spacious, recognisable, and spatially integrated breakout spaces. Additionally, communicating group identity, promoting visibility, and offering a cosy atmosphere aimed to foster a sense of connectedness among employees. These findings not only enable more deliberate design decisions but also serve as valuable insights for less experienced designers. Moreover, the framework of design components, affordances and design objectives that emerged from this study can enhance communication between designers and stakeholders involved in office projects.