Space Solution

For most businesses, finding suitable office space in Christchurch is a real challenge at the moment. Available spaces are often not quite the right size, and rents are significantly more expensive than a year ago. Being efficient with space planning is now really important, as it impacts the amount of floor area needed as well as the construction cost. There are a few things you need to consider if you want to make the most of those precious square metres.

Firstly, think carefully about how many offices you really need as they are space hungry. The cost of dividing up a space into offices also has a knock on effect as it impacts the air conditioning and electrical costs. It’s not just the cost of the additional walls. Creating offices is often only used for hierarchy and has no practical reason.

Open plan supported by adjacent meeting rooms can be just as functional and significantly cheaper. However, you may need to change the way you work. Making meeting rooms places for noisy activities is the key. Savings can be then be put towards modular furniture which you can take with you should you relocate.

When the goal is flexibility, having meeting and break-out spaces connected with bi-folding doors is often a good idea. Being able to convert several small rooms into a large one can seem quite logical. However there is a sizable cost associated with acoustically rated folding door and wall systems. Before you decide that this is definitely what you need, think about how many times a month you will use the larger space. It may be cheaper to build a larger meeting room from day one.

Open plan improves collaboration and productivity. However it’s not suitable for every situation as some people need the privacy and security only an office can provide. Grouping teams into large office areas, like telephone sales, is a good compromise as it isolates noise yet retains the dynamic advantages of open plan design.

To make open plan areas pleasant spaces to work in, consideration needs to be made to the surfaces of walls and importantly ceilings. A significant amount of sound is reflected off the ceiling, so replacing ceiling tiles with ones that have good acoustic properties can make a real difference to noise levels. In smaller spaces the walls will also need some acoustic treatment.

The key in creating an efficient open plan space is to use a modular workstation system or at least furniture of a consist size. This will also allow greater flexibility for future changes. Separating team leaders or managers from pods of workstations is often enough to provide a sense of hierarchy and privacy.

Workstation screening systems will help define the various spaces and is an excellent way of managing power and computer cabling. Screens with soft surfaces integrated into them will help break up noise but won’t eliminate it completely. 1200mm is a ideal screen height as it allows for good visibility across the office but retains a degree of separation and privacy for each workstation.

Thinking ‘outside the box’ with how spaces can be used can have some surprising results. For example, combining tea-making facilities with a copy/printing space creates a zone that encourages staff interaction and an informal meeting area. It can also be space efficient and keeps noisy activities together.

If possible try to consolidate storage. Restricting personal storage eliminates duplication and saves space. Getting old files stored off site can free up space for more productive use. Be bold but be realistic. The paperless office is never paperless, but it can have less paper!

Lastly, don’t leave it too late to engage a professional Designer. They can provide valuable input at the early stages of a project, identifying options and potential issues before you sign a lease. Sharing your vision for what you want to achieve will ensure that the final result is one that you and your staff will be proud of.