Design
Why Bloomberg’s London office is in a class of its own
Against all expectation, the top award in British architecture, the RIBA Stirling Prize, has been given to an office block. But this Foster-designed workplace project defies the odds in so many ways
To appreciate its power, should we treat workspace design as a drug?
It is well known that some workers use drugs to enhance performance, but could workspace design itself be viewed as a pharmacological intervention to change behaviour? New research is heading that way
Can awe-inspiring design features really boost workplace performance?
Spectacular interior design elements were once seen as self-indulgent. Now there is scientific evidence to suggest that inducing a sense of awe can bring commercial benefits
Data to Design: the new information tools for designers
How can design studios leverage social data in the physical workplace? A new report by Humanyze and WORKTECH Academy outlines the importance of new sensor technologies in measuring collaboration in the office
Royal Society research: another nail in the coffin of open plan?
The received design wisdom on going open plan is that it improves face-to-face communication. Not so, according to a surprising new study from Harvard Business School
The choice of curves or straight lines is matter of science, not taste
New scientific research explains why curved lines might be more appropriate in some office environments while angular and rectilinear forms might work better in other situations
The Elemental Workplace argues for an end to complexity
A new book by London-based workplace change professional Neil Usher makes the case for simplicity over style in planning new people-centred offices
Sentient, hospitable and flat-age: the shift from open plan to open work
As a focus on human psychology and behaviour begins to dominate the workplace design discourse, a new report on the future office sets out the forces of change that will remodel workspace to allow people to work at their physical, mental and emotional best
