DESIGNING A DEEP FOCUS STUDIO: SUMMARY
We witness real-time the concept of office change. It’s not easy to adapt and every remote employee has his/her own challenges with that.
Top challenges of working from home
- Unstable Wi-Fi or internet access – Technical
- Maintaining and building working relationships with colleagues – Social
- Staying focused and avoiding distractions – Mental
- Feelings of loneliness or isolation – Social
- Keeping up with what others are working on – Social
The main challenges are “social”. People are social creatures and lack of face-to-face interaction results in feeling isolated and maintaining relationships with others. Among social challenges are technical and mental. While technical problems can be fixed relatively easily, mental ones need a more serious approach. In my quest for helping people to be the best they could in this new environment, I decided to focus on the problem of focus and distractibility.
“Difficulty staying focused and avoiding distractions was reported by 22% of global knowledge workers and was a top concern for both those with and without children.“, (team of Slack, October 7, 2020)
My task is to create a service or product that will improve people’s focus and concentration. I have the assumption that there is a need for a place, where people can work uninterrupted. This place is not home, neither it is in the office. Rather than asking when workers will return to the office, companies should be asking what the office of the future will look like. It’s time to focus on new solutions. I want to create an environment that improves not only productivity but also employee well-being.
As a summary of my research, below are the lists of things I want to see in this “work boxes”:
INTERIOR design
- Rooms painted in different colours:
- Blue and green (generating new ideas)
- Red ( attention to details)
- Toggle Dimmers (customers set their own level of lighting)
- Tall Ceiling (10 feet or taller)
- Large Window/Skylight (with a view on nature)
- Soundproof (all around)
- Heater & AC (to maintain a comfortable temperature and constant ventilation)
- Good Airflow (natural ventilation. allow access to operable windows)
- Materials and Surfaces (no plastic. natural materials)
- Live Plants
EQUIPMENT/FURNITURE
- Standup Desk
- Video Conferencing Equipment
- High Definition Camera
- Speakers
- Microphone
- Super Wide Curved Monitor (w/ ability to adjust the height if on standing)
- Large Whiteboard (digital or regular)
- Noise Canceling System (either headset or entire room)
Optically, surfaces in cool colours seem to recede, whereas warm colours, such as orange and red, appear to be closer. Walls rendered in cool colours make space feel like it’s expanding outward, while walls in warm hues can make the same space feel as if it were contracting. blue and green indicate that exposure to these hues also improves creative problem solving
BELLS AND WHISTLES
- Unlimited snacks (coffee, tea, etc.)
- Kitchen (fridge, microwaves) & Dining area
- 24/7 Secure Access
- Vintage Typewriter
- Every 90-minute optional Breaks. Yoga and Breathing exercises
- Discount for different anti-distraction apps to help people lock their focus (will come free with membership)
Location
Suburban areas of large cities. 30-40 minutes away from downtown. This is a distraction-free office as close as possible to your home, without actually being in your home. No commute. We are accessible and convenient. We are located in your neighbourhood.
College Towns. Especially around engineering/technical colleges. To provide students with a quiet space to study and take exams.