Why would you go to a physical workplace at all?

That is the key question behind this proposal, that was awarded an honorable mention prize, in a conceptual design competition challenging entrants to radically rethink the office environment .

The concept of time plays a key role in our solutions. Cloudspeed versus focus and concentration; meetings versus silence. It is our hypothesis is that loose, cloudy work organizations that the office environments are becoming do require a physical counter part. One that is very tangible, tactile and slow once you are there. A place that offers various, opposing, qualities that you do not have at home or elswhere in the city: organize these well and a succesful office will be the result.

The future workplace is not one idea and one space: it is an accumulation of ideas and types ; an array of functional, architectural and urban spaces and concepts. As in the situation of the city outside it has to perform many and often opposing functions: the village square; the food court in the mall; the open space in the forest; the zen and focus moment.

To make it sustainable, this office knows where you are and knows when you can be expected. It will prepare itself for you. Through the alignment of electronic agendas, statistical patterns and GPS tracking the office will be able to anticipate the required spaces, temperatures etc. per day and hour. Office areas that are not needed simply turn themselves 'off'.

Status: Competition Entry
Location: Tampere, Finland
Additional Credits: Paul van den Bergh, architect, designer