Can workspaces be designed to encourage collaboration and social interaction between employees?

. —“The pandemic revealed the benefits of a zero commute and the ability to focus on concentrated tasks quietly. So the workplace must now be attractive enough to lure us to the collaborative activities that ultimately ensure business success. The workplace environment is an important opportunity for any organization to demonstrate their ethos to their team.

We often talk about workplace wellness, how can architectural choices support employee wellness at work?

“Do I feel locked in? Can I adjust the lighting over my desk? Can I open a window for a fresh breeze? Can I see the weather outside? Do I have some sensory connection with nature?

If the building staircase is pleasant and more convenient perhaps I will use it to climb two or three floors, bump into a colleague along the way and benefit from some gentle cardio.

Our mental health is improved by an environment made with beautiful materials.

How can you design buildings that take into account biodiversity and local ecosystems, should more green space be incorporated into the design?

“Our latest project in Cloche d’Or harvests building rainwater run-off to irrigate a lush green landscape. The garden has been specifically planned with plants that can thrive in such a situation, and will in turn incubate a more complex ecosystem of flora and fauna. This integrates the building systems naturally into a nature cycle.

The garden is designed to minimises the extent of hard mineral surfaces in favour of soft, permeable surfaces. This should help minimise the ‘heat island’ effect.”