Offices are strategic investments for contemporary companies. They have a direct influence on the companies’ development and efficiency, helping them attract and keep talented and engaged employees, who make up their most precious capital. It is therefore becoming a priority to answer the question: how can you create an optimal office space that would support your company and help it make use of its full potential? Enter Nowy Styl Group, with its professional support in the form of the Office Inspiration Centre. The Centre, which has been built in Cracow, is a unique place designed for holding meetings and inspiring discussions with specialists, as well as presenting modern furniture solutions in interesting arrangements.
People, process, place
Employees’ awareness of what a modern, comfortable and healthy office should look like is growing. As research shows, three out of four candidates want to see their future office before they make a decision about signing a job contract. Are the workstations they’ll be working at ergonomic? Does the work environment offer good acoustic conditions? Are employees able to find the time to relax or have a peaceful conversation? Care for the office space is equivalent to care for employees, so companies fighting for talent cannot be indifferent to the importance of the first impression their office interiors make on candidates. The optimal arrangement of an office that motivates employees and encourages them to perform professional tasks efficiently, day after day, is even more valuable. According to research, employee satisfaction depends up to 24% on their workplace.
Nowy Styl Group supports companies from around the world, international corporations, architects and many other partners in arranging office spaces. It not only offers comprehensive space arrangement services, but it also has a team of experts who examine work environments and employees’ needs, advising companies on how to design an optimal, “tailor-made” office. The company presents its knowledge and experience at the Office Inspiration Centre, which is located in Cracow.
“The erection of the Office Inspiration Centre marks another stage of our continuous development ” says Adam Krzanowski, President of Nowy Styl Group. “We would like to inspire and educate our visitors. Our experts are pleased to tell you about social trends that influence trends in designing offices, innovative technologies used in the building and its interiors, or varied and functional spaces furnished with our products.”
In harmony with nature: Bronowice Park and biophilic design
The Office Inspiration Centre combines timelessness and simplicity with the existing trend in designing interiors. Architects Marek Dunikowski and Jarosław Kutniowski from the Cracow design studio DDJM created a concept that uses the available space to its full potential; the biggest advantage of the space was the surrounding greenery – especially the beautiful old trees, which were part of the former Fischer-Benis court and park complex.
“The main part of the composition is the building – loggia. It is complemented with a colonnade that leads between trees, from the building to the symbolic open gazebo. All elements of the concept constitute a coherent spatial arrangement, which allows for enjoying the garden when working in the office “ explain the architects.
The building looks unique and elegant, thanks to the simple and regular columnar construction, made of prefabricated white concrete, against a background of walls, which are made of dark wood and surrounded with lush greenery.
The building interiors, designed by Nowy Styl Group’s designers Joanna Zapała and Sebastian Wiśniewski, contrast with the classic character of the building exterior.
The most dominant arrangement style of the interiors is biophilic design; its characteristic features are green plants – carefully chosen species (dracaena, Kentia and Areca palms, monstera) put in pots and arranged in the form of vertical gardens ‒ and glazings that ensure access to daylight. Aware of the influence lighting exerts on employees’ productivity (for 77% of the surveyed people it is the most important efficiency factor), Nowy Styl Group has applied luminaries that offer the possibility to control the colour temperature, from warm through neutral to blue. The luminaries automatically adjust the colour of the light to parameters of the natural light at the brightest time of the day.
An office which affects all senses
” We wanted to use all means available to create a place where everyone would feel good – a place where people would experience with all their senses. We decorated walls with greenery, so that nature could accompany us all year round. We also chose warm colours, as well as textures and accessories inspired by the home office design trend, to create a home-like atmosphere ” say the designers.
In addition to the tangible stimuli that affect sight and touch, the designers also considered visitors’ and employees’ other senses. In the air you can experience the scent of 100% natural oil combined with the aroma of white tea that has energising citrus notes, which is distributed through the ventilation system. The whole experience is complemented with relaxing music in the background and the taste of Italian coffee.
Functions of the space
The building consists of three storeys that have introduced a natural space division, sectioning off zones with different functions:
- Level 0 – MEET&GREET AREA ‒ with the principle that it takes only 7 seconds to make the best first impression, level 0 has been arranged as a classic welcome zone combined with a meeting zone for holding informal meetings (that take place in a specially designed bar over a cup of coffee) and formal meetings held in conference rooms. Each of the sectioned-off spaces has a unique character resulting from the ideal arrangement of furniture and accessories. The biggest meeting room, which has a capacity of 120 people, is for holding training courses, lectures and workshops for architects, entrepreneurs, property and office managers, as well as HR specialists.
- Level +1 – OFFICE AREA ‒ a model office inspired by the Activity Based Working concept and Nowy Styl Group’s own research findings and experience. The main aim was to design a diverse and easily adaptable space that would support employees in their everyday work. The office area was divided into zones for performing different tasks – communication, concentration, administration and relaxation zones. It features open space areas arranged in a user-friendly home office design style; beautiful managerial offices with lots of colours; isolated workstations for undisturbed work and a canteen with a… swing. In the offices there are also some interesting designer elements. Nowy Styl Group’s award-winning products (e.g. Tapa pouffes designed by Przemysław Mac Stopa, the Play&Work and Levitate systems designed by WertelOberfell studio) are complemented with sophisticated details: Tafla mirrors designed by Oskar Zięta or the Equilibra lamp designed by Aquaform and Piotr Jagiełłowicz Design studio.
- Level -1 – WORKSHOP AREA – a zone for testing products and holding workshops focused on ergonomic solutions. In the area covering 500 m2 there are many chair, seat, cabinet and desk models, including height-adjustable ones, which visitors can try. They can also test different technical solutions and choose those that suit them best. This is where Nowy Styl Group’s application #OfficeVR, which allows visitors to experience the company’s solutions in a virtual office, has been installed.
As the building’s name suggests, the Office Inspiration Centre has been designed as a space for inspiration. Nowy Styl Group invites architects, interior designers, entrepreneurs and everyone else who wants to gain knowledge and get ideas about the arrangement of office spaces to visit the Centre. You can do this by appointment; find more information at http://oic-pl.nowystylgroup.com/.
Technical information about the Office Inspiration Centre:
- The building is a square of 30 m x 30 m;
- The floor space covers 1,325 m2;
- The building facade consists of a structure made of pine wood; glazings covering a surface of 474 m2; and facade claddings made of recycled materials and Ayous and Okume trees from the Republic of the Congo;
- The suspended ceilings have good acoustic properties; their core is made of wool manufactured from recycled glass (70%) and natural binding of plant origin;
- The building installations (electrical installations, lighting, HVAC installations and audio-video systems) are integrated together by the BMS system, which ensures effective and almost staff-free management.