Ideas that can increase work output

Each commercial interior has an ambience which reflects the company's activities – sober for banks, elegant or sassy for fashion outlets and unpredictable for ad agencies. So, it is not surprising that a huge fresco greets you at the entrance of CSS & Grey. It exemplifies the interiors theme at the advertising agency, which as most ad agencies, gets away with a little bit more in terms of interiors than most offices.

"I like contrasts in all I do – warm colours against cool colours, work against leisure. I wanted to mark the entrance with a fresco representing the hard work of this creative agency, with themes about hard work and leisure chosen from great American painters of the 20th century," explains Joseph Skaff, architect at Josephskaff Architecture and Design, a Beirut-based firm which, along with Kinnarps, an interior design company in Dubai, designed the interiors for the advertising agency CSS & Grey.

Joseph's aim was to create a fresh, dynamic and motivating work environment for a young and highly creative advertising agency.
This was achieved by using pleasing, amusing, motivating, dynamic and cool shades on the blue and green range of the colour chart.
"Offices deserve colour schemes that will be of optimum help for their users. I wanted to avoid the depressing and institutional characters, using livelier colours in limited areas with related quiet tones for larger spaces.

"Work surfaces need to be in light tones to minimise contrast with task materials. Colours such as red, orange and black were restricted to walkthrough spaces such as the corridors, reception area and reception desk," says he.
His design aim? "I was looking for total transparency and open spaces, considering the dense use of space where more than 30 work stations were required with over six cabins and a general manager's office, all concentrated in a relatively restricted area of 600 square metres.

"Transparency was also needed to give a panoramic 270 degree view to everyone. This is democracy in space planning! I took permission from the leasers to install the front door of the agency in the main lobby directly opening into the elevator lobby". This makes it easy for first-time visitors while setting apart the agency's two entities: Mediacom and Grey ME," says Joseph.
Kristian Petersson, Dubai-based Kinnarps managing director, who worked together with Skaff and supervised the project, agrees wholeheartedly. "Where we are now is a creative place and the interiors were done to enhance this creativity. And transparency was very important to create space," says Petersson. The colours are based on a selection by Kinnarps, but Joseph was involved at every stage.

"We were there to supervise so that everything came together," adds Petersson. Colour is not a static thing, according to him. Gone are the days when the diktat stated that if your logo is red and blue, you have to have red and blue everywhere. "Yes, there could be accents of colour to enhance your corporate identity but what is more important is to create an environment with colours that stimulates people's performance," says he.

What about the furniture finishes in the office? "Light furniture finishes have a long-term soothing effect on people. We have used lots of beech in the common open areas and then cherry in the executive offices with metal accents.
"Grey comes through as the corporate identity – in the doors, frames, the leg frames, on sofas and so on," says Petersson.

As for wall finishes, nothing is static. "Everything is movement. Walls with lights falling on them and the way shadows are cast, creates a feeling of movement. This is a cost-effective way of doing something – rather than have just a flat surface." The plaster is roughly done on different walls in the office. The reception area has colours of strong red – the intention was to create a bit of
drama as well as contrasting white. There are different elevations in the reception for practicality and drama.

The awards display area in the corridor showcases their 'ability to win awards', according to Petersson. Wooden blinds in the creative and art directors' cabins match the furniture
as well as dress the windows. All the chairs in the office place great emphasis on ergonomics. "The human body is made for movement, it's not meant to be static. It is great to have
a chair that not just moves with you but also moves around with you," says he.

The rest of the office follows the open-office system where storage doubles as screens to demarcate and divide sections, apart from the regular desk dividers.
Meanwhile, what is happening in office design worldwide? Flexi options, what with organisations rapidly changing, growing or relocating. Technology is also shaping the way business is being conducted says Petersson. Fixed furniture is out. Furniture that has possibilities to grow with you or move with you and your needs is what works today.

What about lighting? Petersson feels that in a creative office, you can use a mix of daylight combined with different light fittings for different areas and find ways to save money for the client.
So how do you sum up good office design?" "You use the environment to reflect the culture of your company and imbed values in employees by creating an environment that enforces the values," says Petersson.