Restoring Fun at the Office When the lines between work and play are blurred
Jazper-Tristan Arnett
Restoring Fun at the Office When the lines between work and play are blurred
Jazper-Tristan Arnett
Restoring Fun at the Office
Copyright © 2021 by Jazper-Tristan Arnett All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. Printed in the United States of America Arnett Publishing Ingram Hall 12149 8th Ave Ct S Parkland, WA 98444
preface This is a speculative design project assigned by my graphic design class where we chose a space to predict and redesign based on the future. I decided to speculate the office space 100 years from now. I was so dead set on office spaces because of a Ted Talk Ingrid Fetell Lee did years ago that talked about the aesthetics of joy and where to find it. Inspired by this, I wanted to change the way we look at the office space. Rather than having a gray and boring place that becomes counterproductive, why not create a space where creativity and our well being can prosper? So, with the abundance of research and inspiration from others who are also doing the same now, I pick up my roll of masking tape…
To those who have given up on this gray world. Together let’s paint this empty canvas with color.
contents
1
2
Research
colors
3
4
Biophilia
Extras
1 Created with Dream by Wombo“Interior Office”
Chapter 1 Introduction Buck Minister Fuller Primary Research Dream by Wombo
Introduction It is the year 2121 in America and the way we work has been redefined. No longer are we stuck in cubicle farms. Dreading every 9-5, we constantly are wishing to return home just to repeat the same cycle all over again the very next day. Where we destroy the boundaries between inside and outside. Al‐ lowing nature to thrive as we thrive in the same space. And finally embracing creativity by allowing color to sponta‐ neously cover our walls. An office space where the company truly values our individuality, well being, and overall health.
“You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.”
Buckminister Fuller
Primary Research On the right is my very first step into re‐ designing my own work space. I carefully and impulsively placed tape on the walls having no method or goal other than to make it spontaneously colorful. I started off with covering one brick with a random color of masking tape. I'll be honest, it first started to feel stupid and meaningless with just one brick covered. Even up to 10, 15, 20 bricks, I still was not sure if what I was doing was right. Despite my doubts, brick by brick, the wall started to become filled with color. Now, the wall has one big patch of random colors that fades away into the regular red brick. Even with the finished product, I still had my doubts until each and every new colleague of mine came in with bright eyes gazing upon the new colorful wall. With the overwhelming positive feedback from those who also worked in the same room, the wall is still covered with masking tape till this day.
My next project was to actually incorporate type somewhere in my work space. Here, I used the masking tape to paste on words on a white space on the walls. Where I placed it was underneath the windows, so that when people walked in, they are welcomed with a set of inspiring words that us as graphic designers do or intend to do. As you can see the words I made are: speculate, lead, inspire, design, innovate, create, and build. The “tapeography” was intended to inspire.
Just like the last project, my colleagues were amazed and super inspired. After working on these words for three days, them telling me their positive reactions have boosted my confidence in my work as well as my intent for future work spaces and offices. With this, I decided to end this project and conduct one final project for primary research.
My final project as my primary research in my work space was to add meaning to things as well as give more affirmations to my colleagues. I did this by simply writing on a piece of paper over a chair which happens to be right behind the colorful tape wall. The paper labeled the chair “THE AMAZING CHAIR” and thus who ever sits on the chair is amazing. Amazingly enough, this chair happens to be the all time most used chair in the room .
Dream by wombo
Throughout this book, you will see a set of images of futuristic and abstract of‐ fices and work spaces. All of these images are not created by me, but by an AI from a mobile application called Dream by Wombo. With the help of AI tech‐ nology, my vision (and my hope) of what future office spaces look like 100 years from now can easily turn into a reality. These images are created with me typing a set of words or phrases attached with a style of my choice that the app, Dream has available . Finally, the AI does the rest to create these colorful and vibrant images of future offices.
2 Created with Dream by Wombo“Biophilic Office Interior”
Chapter 2 Ingrid Fetell Lee Colors Meeting Room
“Color, in a very primal way, is a sign of life, a sign of energy. And the same is true of abundance. We evolved in a world where scarcity is dangerous, and abundance meant survival.”
Ingrid Fetell Lee
COLOR
Photo by Y
Photo by Vaidotas Darulis courtesy Behance
Yevhenii Avramenko courtesy Behance
We need to embrace color not only because it looks nice, but because it impacts our mood, well being, and even our own health. If color can drastically impact us, why not use color to our utmost benefit? These cubicle farms stripped of color and fun depletes us of our creativity, destroys our health, and overall just makes us not want to work.
Meeting Room
When considering color, I wanted it to inspire or even motivate people. So, why not place it in a place where people need it the most? Thus, the meeting room has become transformed not only in color, but the whole physical appearance too. Taking inspiration from none other than Greek theater architecture, the meeting space is re‐ designed as one itself. This half circle haves the speaker in the middle at the lowest level as the audience is sitting all around the them. To con‐ vey that the space is more fun, entertaining, and easygoing, color is spread all across the floors and seating for both the audience and speaker to see. For accessibility, rather than stair, there is a long ramp that leads to the bottom of the half circle and open spaces at the very top for those who are unable and/or do not want to sit at any time for the duration of the meeting.
3 Created with Dream by Wombo“Green Office Space”
Chapter 3 Biophilic design Office Space Lounge Area Conclusion
Biophilic Design
According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, biophilia is a desire or tendency to commune with nature. Biophilic design goes one step further and bring aspects of nature inside our own built spaces.
Photo by Omega Render courtesy Behance
With the impacts of climate change, we must grasp on and embrace nature. In addition, having nature, plants, and organic things actually improves our health. Knowing this, we can create an environment that adds to our health rather than destroying it. Let us fully incorporate nature in our own work spaces. A place to heal, be one with nature and prosper. Biophilic design is on the rise and I believe that now is the time to take it even one more step further.
Photo by Stuart Isett courtesy NBBJ
office Space
Here lies the individual office space. While con‐ sidering what others are already doing currently, the individual spaces takes account for those as well. Instead of blank, gray walls, the employee has a whole green wall to look at. From their side, the have access to their own window for both to look at as well as natural light exposure. From their other side, the desk in a way hugs around them giving them all the surface space they need to conduct their work.
Lounge Area
Next is the outer side of the lounging area. Here, the windows are extended as high as possible. To connect with nature even more, the benches as well as flooring are made out of wood. The cushions of the benches are the same color as the current plants outside to implicitly remove the barriers between inside and outside. Erasing the lines between industrial and natural. Allow‐ ing the employees to enjoy nature and heal.
Here is the area where the lounge area blends into the hallways of the office. The major‐ ity of the walls consist of leaves. Rather than staying in the individ‐ ual office, these green walls are almost used in all parts of the work space. When examin‐ ing the floor, the wood is given a spot of color at random throughout. With the spots of color on the floor, the yellow table in addition to the colorful, abstract chair blends into the space. As you can tell, biopilic design and the use of color has been merged into this last design of an office space.
Conclusion
We know that Amazon, Google, and Samsung are all incorporating color and biophilic design in their own office spaces, but it doesn’t have to be just them. All offices and work spaces should be using these same methods into their own environments. Color and nature should not be overlooked because at the end of the day, these two factors help motivate employees, get them more productive, and overall boost every‐ one’s health. Happy and healthy people who are willing to work will create a space that will yield a multitude of returns at the end of the day. Hopefully, all American Offices can adopt this.
4 Created with Dream by Wombo“Interior Office”
Chapter 4 Image Resources Colophon Bibliography
Image Resources Chapter 3 Brand new TELIA LITHUANIA Headquarters interior photoshoot. Designed by A2SM Architects, photography by Vaidotas Darulis https://www.behance.net/gallery/81144609/TELIA-Office-Interior-byA2SM OFFICE FOR SOCIALTECH by Yevhenii Avramenko https://www.behance.net/gallery/80562847/OFFICE-FOR-SOCIALTECH Chapter 4 Ford Project | Full CG by Omega Render https://www.behance.net/gallery/129969697/Ford-Project-Full-CG Amazon Spheres / NBBJ Stuart Isett https://www.archdaily.com/920029/amazon-spheres-nbbj/ 5d16116e284dd140020000ae-amazon-spheres-nbbj-
Colophon This book’s display type is called Cuina by Alejo Bergmann. This was chosen for the soft, yet playful appearance which I believe fully encapsulates the initial intent as well as purpose of this book. The body type is called Work Sans by Wei Huang. While also taking into consideration of being soft and rounded just as the chosen display type, the title of this type was very much so appropriate as this is a book about the future of offices and work spaces. It was an opportunity I could not let go of.
bibliography Tedx Talks. (2018, June 11). Where joy hides and how to find it | Ingrid Fetell Lee [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=A_u2WFTfbcg&t=339s Tedx Talks. (2012, September 10). World's Greatest Workplace: Vishen Lakhiani at TEDxAjman [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=jHLm5Lne3D0 Tedx Talks. (2015, May 26). Living Buildings for a Living Future | Jason McLennan | TEDxBend [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=gSMecC6pcGo Tedx Talks. (2012, August 29). Why Work Does not Happen at Work: Jason Fried at TEDxMidwest [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v= Tedx Talks. (2021, January 29).Biophilia, the future of architecture | Matthias Olt | TEDxSeattle [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v= Tedx Talks. (2017, January 10). Cubicles don't work. How architectural design affects your brain | Scott Wyatt | TEDxSeattle [Video]. Youtube.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFkJCpD0_V0 Tedx Talks. (2018, November 21). Places and Spaces and the Behavior They Create | Damaris Hollingsworth | TEDxMinneapolis [Video]. Youtube. https:/ /www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNSNyJBK0VY
Tedx Talks. (2019, February 6) Using biophilic design to heal body, mind, and soul [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=uAmbZCtNC9U Tedx Talks. (2014, January 16) Healing spaces - the science of place and well-being: Esther Sternberg at TEDxTucson 2013 [Video]. YouTube. https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zBOPRs1yRE Tedx Talks. (2016, June 30) Architecture and the Science of the Senses | Stefan Behling | TEDxGoodenoughCollege [Video]. YouTube. https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbfPWalO_ss Tedx Talks. (2017, July 17)Interior design is about more than wallpaper and bean bags | Phoebe Oldrey | TEDxRoyalTunbridgeWells [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2T9kjujUMhs TED (2016, October 26) Architecture that's built to heal | Michael Murphy [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvXZzKZ3JYQ Vox. (2017, October 4). Open offices are overrated [Video]. Youtube. https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=-p6WWRarjNs Wombo Studios Inc. (2021. Dream by WOMBO (1.1.3) [Mobile app]. WOMBO. https://www.wombo.art/