SPACE PLANNING FOR COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS

 SPACE PLANNING FOR COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS

The main purpose of an office building is to support its occupants in performing their tasks and

activities, preferably at minimum cost and to maximum satisfaction. Alongside this functional

purpose, office buildings have an important social and symbolic function. The design and

layout of spaces can, for example, encourage interaction or stimulate creativity. Furthermore,

the physical office can convey a strong cultural message to employees and visitors about the

organisation's identity or brand.

well-designed workplace can be a powerful tool to improve both employee productivity and

employee well being. This can lead to a more inspired and motivated workforce.

Office interior design is as vital whether the office is at your home or in a commercial building.

In either of the cases, a proper planning is necessary to get the best results. An ideal office is

one which has all the comfort, safety and functionality along with eye catching environment.

When you step into a professional workspace, you immediately notice not just the employees

but their surroundings. Choosing the right office decor doesn’t just make things "look nice"---

it can positively affect visitors’ opinions of a company. It can also affect employee productivity

and even employee health.

According to a survey “the finest and the best performing companies provide workspace that

support the four working forms that of learning, focusing, collaborating and socialising”. So

when you are planning to do corporate office interiors, plan for all four modes for a better

design.

SPACE PLANNING FOR OFFICE INTERIORS: OBJECTIVE

The office space planning and design of a workspace can be critical to each employee’s

productivity. The design of the workplace should align with the organization’s culture. Before

starting your office interior design project, it is important to evaluate certain criteria before

making any important decisions. The overall design and space planning of the office space

should keep employees in mind and be flexible enough to adapt to business changes.

Areas of consideration include department interaction, seating arrangements, furniture

requirements, access, operational requirements, lighting elements (this includes both natural

lighting and artificial lighting), technical requirements, office orientations, and of course;

timescale and budget.

The main objective of office space are as follows

1. Enhances productivity

2. Reduce cost

3. Increase flexibility

4. Encourage interaction

5. Support cultural change

6. Stimulate creativity

7. Attract and retain staff

8. Express the brand

9. Reduce environmental impact

ESSENTIAL PRINCIPLES OF OFFICE LAYOUT:

1. Office executives can make a major contribution to operating efficiency. Of much help

may be more detailed statements of layout principles; these sum up the experiences of

many firms and provide specific guides for the layout planner. The chief value of such

a statement of principles lies in its use as a checklist in connection with an actual

situation.

2. A statement of selected principles follows:

3. Work should flow continuously forward, as nearly as possible in a straight line.

4. Departments and’ divisions which have similar and related functions should be placed

near each other to reduce travel time.

5. Central service groups, such as stenographic pools, file rooms, and data-processing

units should be conveniently located near the departments and the employees who use

them.

6. Furniture and equipment should be arranged in straight line symmetry, with any angular

placement of desks and chairs reserved for supervisory personnel.

7. Space allowances should be adequate for work needs and employee comfort,

8. Furniture and equipment of uniform size make for greater flexibility and more uniform

appearance.

9. Aisles should be wide enough so that persons walking will not brush against the desks

of employees. There should be an unobstructed aisle from the desk area to the drinking

fountain, rest rooms, etc. Clear access to exits and fire escapes should be provided for

safety reasons.

10. Employees ordinarily should face in the same direction, with supervisors placed to the

rear of work groups.

11. Desks should be arranged so that no employee is compelled to face an objectionable

light source. Where possible, illumination should, strike the employee’s work area from

above and’ slightly behind, the employee.

12. Units which utilize, noisy equipment, such as data- processing machines, may need to

be partitioned off to avoid disturbing other units.

13. Employees whose work requires close concentration may justify partial or full-length

partitions.

14. Units which have much contact with the public should be so located as to be easily

accessible to the public without disturbing other departments.

15. Large, rectangular blocks of space facilitate work flow and provide greater flexibility.

16. Keep from public view departments in which work is necessarily untidy.

17. Provide suitable light and air conditioning for all employees.

18. Locate necessary private offices where they interfere least.

19. Consider personnel and equipment ‘needs, both present and future.

By 

Ms.M.Darneshree

Assistant Professor