Nussbaumer, Chapter 11

Fig.1- This office lobby adds the aspect of home feel
with the unique tile and colors. The warm lighting
also gives a comfortable feeling.

Nussbaumer's chapter 11 focuses on specifically, office design and how it impacts people within that working environment. It has been proven that today, people spend more time at work than they ever will at their home. This means the workplace must be a great experience, thus designers are trying to incorporate the cozy, warm home feel in the office (Fig.1).

Proxemics, ergomics, and diversity once again come into play. Corporations hire a multitude of a variety of different people meaning the workplace is a place of high diversity. Offices many have different races, genders, ages, and physical abilities working in their space. This means offices must be ADA compliant, this is code. A designer must once again, take all of these factors into account. Including spaces where privacy and collaboration can thrive is very important for a work place, and ergonomics is just as important, if not, more so. If there is poor ergonomics is a workspace, this means there could be physical damage to a person, which could ultimately lead to a lifetime of health issues. A place with good ergonomic design tries to achieve a space that creates an overall successful well-being for a person, physically, emotionally, and mentally (Fig. 2).

Fig. 2- These sit-to-stand desks
are creating an ergonomic workspace.
These desks allow employees to change
their posture when they want to. 

Fig. 3-This office combine natural light and
artificial light to keep up morale and
to create a positive response to the space.

It is also important to include options for different people in the workplace. This means different kinds of lighting, furniture, and layouts must be ultilized.
A measurable quantity of light, quality lighting, natural light, and lighting dedicated to specific uses/ locations are techniques that should be kept in mind when designing an office (Fig. 3). People will need different light at their desks than they will need at their conference tables. And as previously mentioned in the last blog, lighting deals with people's emotions. Natural light will help to keep employees' morale high. Appropriate lighting also improves productivity.

Fig. 4- These chairs' seats swivel so as to allow the user
to change posture when collaborating. 

Different layouts will allow people to focus and collaborate when needed. It will give the employees a sense of control, which must be somehow implied in a public space.
Different kinds of furniture incorporated allows for multiple positions to take place and is an ergonomic factor (Fig. 4 + 5). Changing postures constantly when a person is sitting for eight hours a day, overall improves health and lessens the impact of health risk (i.e. back problems).

Fig. 5- These ottomans allow a person to move a little when working.
This helps to keep the brain focusing while the body moves. 

Codes are also a way to keep safety consistent and present in the workplace. Certain offices may only allow certain kinds of furniture or layouts. An environmental defense fund office will most likely strive for clean materials when building and clean materials for furniture.

Fig. 6- This vertical green wall helps to add
a positive feeling because of the
connection to nature. The greenery also helps
to clean the office air. 

Sustainability is a factor more present than ever these days. People, especially offices, are becoming more concerned with their employees' health and their environment's health. Being sustainable is a great factor to incorporate in a design because people spend more time at work than their homes. Offices now may have a green roof, water collection/recycling system, solar panels, and/or clean materials. Materials with  no off-gassing or low VOCs are becoming more and more desirable, so as to maintain the health of their employees (Fig. 6).


Office design must provide an environment where employees are productive and guests are comfortable. People are spending more and more time at work and these hours will only increase with time.