The first item on the agenda apparently is to design out desk farms, these are sterile environments particularly for an individual sitting on their own, so remove as many unused desks as practicable and replace with ‘employee-centric’ areas for staff to interact together, softer furnishing like couches or even beanbags to allow employees to choose where and when they work.   Being in the office together encourages collaboration and creativity and good design facilitates that with  desking clustered together and hard fitout areas with meeting rooms large and even very small called zoom rooms. Barryn thinks that new office layouts provide for up to 60% of the area being covered with different rooms and constructions as open areas for desks have compacted.  

A recent trip to Auckland and tour around with Ken Baer of Edge Interiors confirmed Aucklanders are really serious about 'ressimercial' as Ken calls this trend.  Zoom rooms and break-out or ‘brain-storm’ areas with soft seating and table tennis tables were must haves. One tenant we visited  showed they were going to the next level to encourage staff with lunch cooked and prepared by the boss! Venison burgers with a truffle dressing was on the menu I recall and the boss was having fun in her new fitted kitchen creating and providing for her team.

Office layouts must focus on the needs of the employees plus become attractive places to spend time. Domesticating or ressimercial mixes funky soft furnishings and some different sized partitioned meeting rooms to provide for quiet and are the tools for the new modern office.