4 / 4
Play is not
just for kids.
Active Design will continue
to provide a framework for
leveraging the workplace as key
contribute to the health and well
being of employees.
Incorporating ‘play’ into an office
space has shown to promote relaxation
and spur creativity among employees.
For many, play is considered as much
a part of being human as eating and
sleeping; some firms go so far as to
require it as part of their workday on a
regular basis. At Google’s Real Estate
and Workplace Services Headquarters
in Mountain View, employees, managers
included, hold regular ping-pong
tournaments, providing employees an
opportunity for exercise while
connecting with colleagues on a
different level.
Within many firms and industries,
‘work’ is considered a verb, not a
noun; however, it often still requires
us to be present in a physical office
space, working in front of a computer.
Providing employees with greater
control over their office workstations
can be a feature of both an ergonomics
program as well as active design.
Adjustable height sit-stand desks have
become the norm for most companies.
Some firms have taken things to a new
level, even employing ‘walking desks’.
As the Active Design movement
continues to gain momentum,
innovative start-ups are taking the
concept to new levels, challenging
the notions of what is possible within
an office work environment. Where
one firm might see an inconveniently
located interior column, another sees
a chance to climb!
Active Design, as a movement, is still
in its infancy. With the influx of health-
savvy millenials in the workplace and
the growth of health apps we do
everything from count calories,
measure steps and monitor heart rate,
the interest in creating truly ‘healthy’
workplaces will surely continue to
grow. In correlation, Active Design
will continue to provide a framework
for leveraging the workplace as key
contributor to the health and well
being of employees. The limits of what
are possible with office design and
the ability to use physical space to
positively impact human health are not
only being redefined, but revolutionized
– one office space at a time.
Sitting is the new smoking.
Taking active design to new heights.
The Occupier Edge | 11