CONNECTION PRECEDES PRODUCTIVITY AT THIS USER-CENTRIC TURIN OFFICE
2022.05.30
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Location｜Metropolitan City of Turin, Italy
Design｜Balance Architettura
Construction｜FC general contractor, LAB10100.
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For cosmetics and clothes distributor IDT Brands Distribution, the return to the office has seen with it an emphasis on social places within the work environment.
Key features
A formerly industrial building in Turin, Italy, has been moulded into a bright, biophilic headquarters for IDT Brands Distribution, a distributor of clothes and cosmetics. Designed by Balance Architettura, the transformation is part of a general effort to redevelop the office spaces in the block to become a ‘Digital Hub’ dedicated to Turin’s e-commerce industry. The firm’s main focus was to create effective communal areas and meeting spaces to allow connection and collaboration among employees.
A spacious reception area provides ample opportunity for serendipitous encounters among colleagues. Windows and skylights are repeatedly present through the space, ensuring plenty of natural light. Lofted ceilings, birch wood, glass and plenty of plant life are gently complemented by mint green walls and accents and lend the space a light and airy feel. Dedicated workspaces have been divided by teams and are demarcated by neon signs. Glass and wood panels separate each workspace to provide focus while still maintaining connection to the greater office.
Frame’s take
Even as many have returned to the office – at least in part – in the wake of the pandemic, feelings of workplace loneliness persist. CNBC reports that 72 per cent of global workers feel lonely at least once a month and 55 per cent feel lonely at least once a week. While remote work may have had obvious repercussions on workers’ level and quality of social interaction, the presence of this phenomena has continued despite ventures back to in-person work. To combat this, employers have emphasized social work environments that foster wellbeing. ‘To attract workers back to the office, post-pandemic workplaces are replacing the usual rows of desks with unprogrammed open space to create more opportunities for interaction,’ we wrote about how workplace design can mitigate employee loneliness.
‘Even more in the post-pandemic period, the ecological values and the wellbeing of people in a shared space, have become an essential element to the office created for those who prefer to work in person,’ the studio describes. The intentional inclusion and emphasis of social spaces and human-centric design are just some of the ways workplaces like IDT Brands Distribution are taking to make offices more attractive and give precedence to wellbeing.
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▪ Source: FRAME｜https://www.frameweb.com/article/connection-precedes-productivity-at-this-user-centric-turin-office?fbclid=IwAR2Grjam6kKbjAHkWrdQLg_okapmYBldWU5yiPDWzKzqn0T_ylcZMyFG8fY
▪ Words: KAYLA DOWLING
▪ Images Credit: © Balance Architettura
