Technology in contemporary office design
It’s plain to see that technology, especially artificial intelligence, is advancing at a rapid rate, but how is it impacting office design? Today, we’re exploring the ways in which technology and AI are influencing contemporary office design, and how both employers and designers can use it to their advantage in 2024 and beyond.
Space optimisation
Technology can be implemented at the earliest stages of design, aiding the space planning process by analysing how an existing office is being used. Sensors and smart technology can be used to monitor how employees are using their space, collecting data on how many meeting rooms get used and at what times, if there are spaces staff gravitate to the most or spaces that aren’t being used at all. Areas that aren’t being utilised can then be repurposed to better suit the needs of the business, which not only results in a bespoke, optimised space plan, but can also reduce the energy previously being wasted through heating and lighting empty rooms. AI can be a great assistance here by analysing and reporting the huge amount of data received during this process, making it a more efficient option for designers.
AI and Virtual Reality
Virtual reality can be used in Cat A spaces to sell the future Cat B space before any construction gets underway. By creating VR visualisations of Cat B designs, prospective tenants can immerse themselves in their future space, get a better understanding of how the design will appear and function in real life, and explore how different furniture options or finishes would look – making the design process even more engaging and memorable. This is also an environmentally conscious practice, allowing customers to try out multiple designs, materials, and furnishings without any product waste.
Designers can also use AI to suggest optimal layouts according to people flow, sun position and workspace requirements on any given day, as well as specific scenarios that a company might need to consider. What if the business grows three-fold in a year? What if our clients want us on site every Tuesday? What if we hold a monthly group hug? AI can then generate test fits and virtual reality simulations of the office layout – and umpteen future adaptations – before construction begins.
One thing that AI can’t encapsulate is an individual designer’s creativity, emotions, and life experiences, so it’s down to the designer to guide AI with detailed prompts. With the right key words and level of detail, designers can use AI programmes to generate hundreds of 2D or 3D visuals that will continue to get better in quality as the technology advances. Although these might not be the final visuals that designers end up working with, they can be used to create a wider range of ideas that designers can pull from to create bespoke designs, or to further develop the design concept with the customer. The more advanced AI becomes, the stronger tool it becomes within architectural and interior design – we can only imagine the possibilities that could become a reality in the near future, considering the leaps and bounds AI has advanced by in just the last 5 years.
Green technology
As well as aiding the creative process, specialised AI and green technology has been developed to guide environmentally conscious office design and help companies reach their carbon or sustainability goals. Intelligent carbon reduction tools such as CarboniCa allow project teams and clients to track and visualise the carbon footprint of a building throughout its entire lifecycle, including embodied and operational carbon. Developed by Morgan Sindall Construction, CarboniCa highlights elements of a building that will result in higher carbon emissions and can suggest alternative materials to reduce carbon emissions during the design and construction phase. This allows project teams and customers to make data-driven, responsible decisions, creating carbon savings for customers and construction companies alike.
Incorporating AI into designs can also contribute to a company’s continued sustainability efforts once moved into their new space. By monitoring the use of different meeting rooms and areas of the office, AI can optimise heating and air-conditioning in different rooms depending on occupancy, local weather and usage patterns, reducing energy waste. Similarly, this can be used with lighting, where systems can adjust brightness depending on the level of natural light, automatically turn off lights when rooms aren’t in use, and predict when different light settings are needed according to previous activity. Why illuminate the whole building on an almost-empty Friday? As AI in buildings will be lowering operational energy, spaces are able to operate both efficiently and sustainably. As well as being environmentally conscious, these AI systems can be of great use when considering wellbeing and neurodiversity, as employees are able to tailor their user experience to their personal needs and preferences. Other touches such as smart waste-sorting bins can also improve recycling processes by accurately sorting waste and reducing cross contamination.
Foresight and flexibility
Last but not least, prioritising AI within office design allows for continuous improvement and futureproofing. Intelligent tech can provide a constant cost analysis of office usage – staff movement, weekly activity, and seasonal trends, for example – and look at these in relation to energy consumption, market forecasts and supplier quotes, identifying both cost-saving opportunities and ways to adapt the space for now and projected growth.
AI can also predict when office facilities need an update or maintenance check and schedule these tasks accordingly. Similarly, AI programmes can oversee inventory management, monitoring office supplies and predicting usage to minimise over-ordering and reduce waste. In terms of security, AI can use biometrics to control both physical and data access. It could even use voice and face recognition to monitor the emotional health and wellbeing of staff, and potentially adjust environmental factors to boost mood and productivity.
For many companies, the office space has languished for decades beyond its shelf life, failing to attract the talented people who are seeking out the smart office. The next generation of workers expect AI in the workplace; they’ve never known life without high-speed wi-fi and the comforts of instant tech. What’s more, they’ve graduated from universities that set the facilities bar extremely high, and a basic office won’t stand a chance against prospective competitors. It’s for this reason that AI and the latest tech should not be underestimated by employers, especially when it comes to attracting and retaining the next generation of talented workers.
The future office is here
Ultimately, advanced technology and AI is not just a nice-to-have. For employers wanting to stay competitive, it’s a must-do-soon to stand any chance in attaining and retaining the best talent, in addition to maintaining an optimised, flexible, and sustainable office space for years to come. For designers, it’s a tool not to be overlooked, enhancing every stage of the design process from space planning to concept design, to making environmentally conscious, data-driven decisions that reduce the industry’s carbon emissions one project at a time.
