Classic Vs Contemporary – What To Look For In Your Next Office

Posted on Jan 16 2020 - 7:25am by Editorial Staff

There are various reasons to consider a new office. Perhaps, as your workforce grows, space in your current office is increasingly at a premium. Alternatively, you might need to be closer to a thriving business hub, like a major city, where networking and making connections are both easier.

Whatever your own incentives for relocating, there’s the question of whether your choice of office architecture should be classic or modern. Whichever way you go, look for the following features…

Lots of light

When on a viewing of potentially your next office space, look closely at how much light is getting in. Are there windows that allow a lot of organic illumination to enter? If so, it’s a good sign – whether the windows are period features or more modern, like roof windows.

An article by the World Economic Forum lists natural daylight as one of several features that can assist workers in thinking, recalling, concentrating and performing more effectively.

Air of a high quality

Another of the previously-mentioned factors listed by the World Economic Forum is high air quality. As a general rule, the lower the carbon dioxide level, the more productive – and less prone to sickness – your staff can consequently be. That’s why opening up windows to trees can really help.

Those trees can swallow up more of the carbon dioxide for you, perhaps as part of a green space that, despite its traditional feel, reflects a particularly modern trend in workplaces. 

Features that are easy to adjust

Here, too, whether you categorise the features as “classic” or “contemporary” can ultimately be irrelevant. Traditional offices come with the likes of wooden desks and cabinetry, luxurious leather chairs and cosy carpeting, while modern furniture can be sleeker and more space-efficient.

However, in either case, it would be especially advantageous if the features were provided with the office space itself. That way, you could spare yourself the need to invest in such furniture separately.

More privacy, less “open plan”

In office design, the “open plan” trend has died out as its supposed benefits have become discredited. In 2018, a study backed by Harvard Business School revealed that such layouts led face-to-face interactions to fall by 70% as staff switched to digital communication, says TODAY.

This is where a more modern office, built or at least renovated after the open-plan approach became popular, could prove beneficial, allowing your staff to enjoy more privacy as they desire.

Classic on the outside, contemporary on the inside?

“Modern office spaces infuse bold, vibrant-coloured accessories with simple furnishings.” That’s the encouraging verdict of Inspirations & Celebrations, which nonetheless also enthuses that “traditional office designs create a warm, inviting space for you to task in.” Is there a way for you to combine elements of both modern and classic offices? Thankfully, yes. Renting a serviced office from BE Offices can enable you to do this, as the firm has poured modern amenities into heritage architecture. This includes a former bank on London’s Royal Exchange and a Gothic Victorian building in Manchester.

About the Author

Editorial Staff at I2Mag is a team of subject experts.