From Millennials to Baby Boomers, Office design is about being user friendly and demographically agnostic.

Apart from the job description and work profile, workspace design has been voted to be one of the top factors to attract and retain the top talents in any company.

Thus, it is safe to say, office interiors has been and will definitely continue to play an integral role in creating a differential advantage to any corporate in future.

Having said that, the year 2018 has been all about creative, innovative workplace designs and space utilization. We believe this trend will continue in 2019 with special focus on employee and customer happiness.

And because, happy employees make happy customers and that translates into business success, functional yet efficient workplace designs is imperative and have been proven to impact the employee well-being in numerous ways:

• Higher adaptability to stress
• Improved efficiency & productivity
• Better concentration
• Lower absenteeism rates
• Overall happiness, bonding and creativity

 Design Trends in 2019

Employee-centric experience-driven space:

The trend highlights the importance of employee wellness and overall happiness.

Space optimization is done with the objective of community-building, boosting morale, and creating spaces that fits the employee’s work profile and working styles.

The aim is to accommodate Gen Z and experienced professionals with ease under one roof. The trend incorporates fun elements in workstation and will include features like:

• Meditation areas/massage chairs
• Yoga section/ workout room
• Walking trails
• Game rooms/ music rooms
• Cocktail bars/canteens/ espresso
• Active spaces
• Meeting areas / brainstorming areas

Co-working spaces:

Co-working is already booming in 2018 and will further evolve in 2019. The tech start-ups that function in co-working spaces work under one roof but operate independently.

However, the latest cohabitation space will motivate companies to share not just space but also the resources and talent for optimum utilization of space and resources.

The concept originated in the IT sector but has eventually gained acceptance in other businesses too.

The growing popularity of the gig economy has also contributed to the open work culture. The trend promises enhanced creativity, resource efficiency, collaboration, and flexibility. Here are the key features:

• Open space, transparent design
• Multi-use meeting areas
• Creative and technical workstations
• Mobile and compact furniture
• Biophilic or green designs with use of plants, greenery, sunlight et al.
• Coffee & espresso bars

Revamping the traditional workspaces:

Start-ups adapt easily to changing design trends.

However, traditional companies need to incorporate new design elements along with the existing ones and hence there is a need to revamp the traditional setup.

The new age designs must effortlessly balance the connection to its past with modern furniture and décor. It can be incorporated through:

• Texture balance & mix: antique with contemporary textures.
• Old-world craftsmanship
• Modern design accents
• Glass and Metals fusion
• Abstract designs
• Modern furniture and office equipment

Biophilic Design – Bringing Nature in:

Biophilic design that started as trend will now be a standard practice in the years to come with more innovation and creativity.

Companies are adding green walls, plants, flowers to their interiors and exterior designs.

Nature will be used as the basis of architectural framework and will be incorporated into the designs using textures, patterns, natural lights and live plants.

Here are the features of the biophilic design that is here to stay and grow:

• Living green walls like moss walls
• Indoor plants, air plants, ferns and more.
• Natural materials comprising of biomorphic forms & patterns such as wood, clay and stone
• Natural lighting setup
• High-quality ventilation and natural thermal space
• Abstract and geometric patterns

Workspace wellness

The fast paced, hectic lifestyle has been associated with numerous lifestyle diseases like diabetes, obesity, stress, anxiety and many more.

The biggest challenge for the companies today, is to adopt an employee-centric approach to enhance the employee wellness and improve the quality of life.

Here is how the workspace wellness will be incorporated into the office designs:

• Active furniture like electric sit stand desk, exercise balls,
• Remote working zones
• Leisure & relaxation space
• Access to nature, views, and daylight
• Indoor air quality
• Thermal comfort & temperature
• Noise control
• Exercise zone, walk areas, meditation room

To sum it up the design trends in 2019 is marching towards employee focused approach and the trend will continue to rise and shine in coming years too.

Another phenomenon which we can expect to gain momentum is the integration of technology into the workspace. It is too early to predict how it will be implemented but we are hopeful it will be innovative and responsive to the needs of the workforce. More on this in our future blogs, until then stay tuned and live well!