th e o ffi c e o f th e

FUTURE
O f f i c e S pa c e G e t s S q u e a k y G r e e n
Expect to see an outcropping of green office
complexes that produce more energy than they
consume with things like water-conserving plumb-
ing, insulating rooftop gardens and energy-gen-
erating solar panels. Companies may even have
the ability to harness wind power. Bike racks will
encourage cycling to work, and special parking
spots will be available for employees who drive
hybrid vehicles.

a n at u r a l b e a u t y
More natural materials like wood, stone and linen will
be used in offices, as well as natural looking, reflective
“spa colors” painted on walls. Eco-friendly products,
such as energy-efficient lighting and furniture composed
one-stop shopping
of recycled materials will become more prevalent. To
To reduce insurance costs, maximize natural light, expect more windows and
expect more on-site gyms and skylights, which may consist of specially treated glass
medical centers. At Cisco’s that reduces glare and heat in the summer and can be
corporate headquarters in opened to allow for more natural cooling.
San Jose, CA, there’s a child-
care center where parents
can check in on their kids
online. Expect
even more
amenities,
like on-site
dry cleaning
and oil
changing,
to save
time.

p l ay i n g i t s m a r t
Sensors or “motes” embedded in offices will monitor and
maintain conditions like temperature, humidity and light-
ing to respond to employees’ needs. A desk chair could
sense stress in your back and signal a back massage, for
example. Companies may use technology to make sure
power strips are turned off when they’re not
in use. Voice recognition with office equip-
ment will give workers further control
over the devices.

c o r p o r at e c a m o
To accommodate
changing needs, fur-
nishings will get more
flexible, with features
like casters for easy
rearranging or movable
walls that double as white
boards. Already, one Microsoft department sits on a
raised floor where power receptacles, network connections,
desks, even the floor tiles can be rearranged.

74 • august 200 7  w w w. h o w d e s i g n . c o m
 What will the design office of the future look like? From the compuTers
w e ’ ll u s e to th e n ew s pac es th at w i ll po p u p, H e re ’s a look at what the
future has in store for the design workforce. By Julie Sims • ILLUSTRATION BY BAS
pull up a chair
While workstations will
be smaller, employee
common areas, like
lunchrooms, will grow
larger and more inviting.
here’s looking at you
Conference rooms will be
in very accessible loca-
tions and will likely be
made of glass or other
translucent materials.
w w w. h o w d e s i g n . c o m 
remote control
Working in your PJs and
fuzzy slippers is a lot more
likely in the coming years,
as more and more employees
telecommute. In a survey
by specialized staffing firm
OfficeTeam for their Office
of the Future: 2020 research
project, 87% of executives
said they anticipate more
telecommuting in the coming
decade. They also found that
by 2020, there’ll be a 60%
increase in Americans over
the age of 65. But the 18-
to-44 demographic will only
grow by 4%, which means
that many of the aging folks
will postpone retirement and
continue working.
M a i n S t r e e t U S A A r r i v e s at t h e O f f i c e
Just as people congregate in a cozy kitchen during parties,
they gravitate toward appealing office spots, which can spark
brainstorming. As a result, firms are looking to create more of
these “comfort zones.” For example, at Google’s corporate head-
quarters in Mountain View, CA, workers’ desks are clustered
around “Main Street”—an open area that sees heavy traffic
and promotes collaboration. (Check out the Workspace column
on page 36 to see how a Seattle design firm has incorporated
this idea into their office layout already.)
H O W • 75
 I N S I D E THE OFFICE

no more fighting with better than ever combo me als

u n p l u gg e d
Workstations will go wire-
less, enabling telecommuters,
consultants and anyone else
to pop in temporarily for work
and leave a space ready for
the next person. Desks may
be equipped with built-in
chargers for cell phones,
BlackBerrys and other per-
sonal gadgets. Wires neces-
sary for computer equipment
may be tucked into overhead
trusses to save space.
your computer
According to the Office of
the Future: 2020 project, by
2009, your laptop will be able
to respond to voice, hand-
writing and optical input.
Programs will allow comput-
ers to adapt to individual
users’ work styles for person-
alized computing, as well as
automatically filter informa-
tion for users, and feature
self-healing software.
Computers will continue to “Smart” phones will
become faster and more pow- operate like a handheld
erful yet smaller, lighter and computer, storing thou-
less expensive. sands of contacts as well
as accessing the
internet. Other
devices will fol-
low this trend
of combining
multiple func-
tions into a
single, convenient
device.

le av e t he crys ta l pa pe rwe igh t s at h ome

Creatives often like to liven up workspaces with
engaging décor. In the future, however, make
sure your knick-knacks are easy to carry, since
“plug and play” offices—spaces set up so that any
employee can use them at any time—will become
more common, making them more like worksta-
tions than personalized offices.

get adjusted
Because so many offices will
be shared spaces, much of
the furniture and lighting will
be thoroughly adjustable.

76 • august 200 7  w w w. h o w d e s i g n . c o m
 c o r p o r at e c h at r oo m s
Being away from the office won’t be an excuse for missing a
meeting, as virtual get-togethers become more prevalent. Some
companies already hold meetings via Second Life, a 3D virtual
world of avatars (or online personas) created by members,
where they can showcase projects in a 3D format that
videoconferencing doesn’t allow. This virtual environment has
another benefit: It allows users to “see” and interact with one
another onscreen.

all eyes on you

Expect videoconferencing to
step up: Wall-sized screens
will project a 360-degree view
of videoconferencing partners,
simultaneously creating a
virtual environment of “being
there” and eliminating the
need for excess travel.

cubicle spr awl

Workspaces will
likely become smaller
as companies try
to reduce overhead
costs. There will be
fewer corner offices
and more democra-
tized space.

Work and life: more blending than bal ancing

With technology making it possible for employees to maintain
productivity everywhere they go and at any time, people will
be expected to exercise more control over when and how they
work. The not-so-good news? You may be putting in more time
than before: 42% of executives surveyed by OfficeTeam said
employees will be working longer hours in the next 10 to 15
years; only 9% anticipated spending fewer hours on the job.

Julie Sims is director of communications strategy for

The Creative Group, a specialized staffing service
placing creative professionals and HOW’s official
career partner. www.creativegroup.com

w w w. h o w d e s i g n . c o m  H O W • 77