The modern office in times of ‘working from home’ In a time when digitalisation has made it possible to do your job from anywhere, the interior architects at Scenario strive to make offices in line with the changing needs and the modern way of working – tailor-made for their clients’ needs and preferences. By Synne Johnsson | Photos: Scenario v/ Gatis Rozenfelds
For 35 years, Scenario has been helping clients design the optimal office, with a focus on giving the employees more options of where to work by including allocated areas for concentration and teamwork, lounge seating, drop-down places as well as traditional computer desks. “There are pretty big changes happening in the way we work, which is very exciting to be a part of,” partner and interior architect, Annethe Thorsrud, says. “We are focusing on a functionality-driven work space, which means that we base the design, layout and facilities on the functions 122 | Issue 129 | October 2019
and activities the client needs and uses. For example, an accounting firm may need something completely different than a graphic design firm.” To the architects at Scenario, one of the most important things in a functionalitydriven workspace is choice, and they put the opportunity for people to choose where and how to work high on the agenda. Most employees have a variety of different tasks to complete during one workday, and Scenario believes that the time when a desk, a chair and a computer could fulfil all of those needs is gone.
Everyone has a different and unique way of working, and Scenario wants to embrace these differences, creating an environment where the choice lies in the hands of the employees. “If the choices are available, it’s up to the employee to choose the best work space for the task ahead,” interior architect Kristine Aassved Storeide says. “If the person next to you is talking too loudly on the phone, it’s easy to move to a different workspace that supports you better. The employees have been given back the freedom to choose when and where, but also given the responsibility to organise the best possible workday for themselves.” Scenario offers not one particular design style, but a focus on creating a unique, personal signature look and feel for the