Leading the space race

How should an office building be designed to meet tenants’ needs – and not only their current needs but those that could emerge in the next few years? This is a question that needs to be addressed by developers in the very first few days of work on their projects. The requirements stem from the shifting expectations of office employees and their increased mobility. There has recently been much talk about the Millennials (generation Y) and their expectations when it comes to working conditions. But to tailor a project well, you now need to factor in the so-called Z generation, which will start entering the market in around 5–10 years. Unsurprisingly, tenants are keen to keep their employees in any way possible – and this is putting pressure on developers, who as well as the office space itself are having to plan their buildings and the areas around them much more comprehensively. “A modern workstation is not just a place where you perform your daily duties. The growing range of new tasks requires offices to be able to support a variety of activities and that they can easily be adjusted for their users. Dividing the space into team work, focus and relaxation zones as well as the introduction of standing workstations are increasingly a necessity if you want to fight for the best employees on the market and win their loyalty,” believes Zuzanna Mikołajczyk, a member of the board of Mikomax Smart Office.

Space for leaders

The space in modern office buildings and the areas around them should facilitate this kind of approach and developers are aware of this. “We want to develop creative space. Poland’s office market has been changing. The demand for employees is different than it was three to five years ago. Office buildings are now beginning to resemble hotels, offering public areas where employees can meet. In Q22 we have a gym that is free-of-charge for the tenants, and they can also use the auditorium we have provided. Our aim is to facilitate people’s development and keep them in our buildings,” explains Nicklas Lindberg, the CEO of Echo Investment, speaking about the company’s flagship project. The company has recently been implementing its ‘space for leaders’ programme in its buildings. The idea is not just to create offices but also space for tenants to develop in. It wants ‘change leaders’ to choose its offices, while encouraging other users of its facilities to develop leadership qualities themselves. The creation of communal areas for employees, where they can meet, eat something or do some quiet work, is meant to help in this respect as well as improve the aesthetics of the office, thus improving the mood of the employees and enhancing their creativity. Characteristic signage systems in the corridors, street furniture and bicycle stations with repair points are also to be added to all the developer’s buildings. They are also to be equipped with cash machines, cafés, InPost delivery/collections points, electric car charging stations, animal feeders, car washes, smoking areas and defibrillators. This approach to offices was adopted during the construction of the Q22 skyscraper in Warsaw. “The building features the latest technology and cultural trends; it is also flexible in terms of the interior arrangement and has great service facilities: a five-storey car park, restaurants, a fitness club and conference rooms. It is our tallest, most technologically advanced and most prestigious project,” claims Nicklas Lindberg.

Interior design at a height

The building has attracted many tenants, with the largest of these being Deloitte. “The moving of our head office is not only a change of an address for us. We are focused on the needs of the people working for us, which is why we hope that our decision to change the philosophy behind how our premises functions will strengthen the communication between them, including inter-generational communication. In addition to that, it should foster more effective knowledge sharing. The new interior design allows us to see each other and talk to each other more often – and that itself strengthens the exchange of knowledge and experience,” explains Marek Metrycki, the president of Deloitte in Poland. “The change in the way the office functions is also noticeable to our clients. We have chosen an area with a fantastic view of Warsaw for a meeting room,” he adds.

In order to fulfil their employees’ and clients’ requirements, the premises occupied by Deloitte have been mostly arranged in line with ‘Activity Based Workplace’ principles. The office is divided into special zones designated for informal meetings, team work, creative work, project work and rest. “Around 80 pct of our employees are less than 35 years old – the so-called Millennials. We had no doubt that our new home should be designed for their lifestyle and expectations and thus maintain a healthy work/life balance for them. A more rigid, unchanging approach to office function does not help to foster creative or effective work,” points out Krzysztof Kwiecień, the HR director at Deloitte.

Brewery revolutions

The ‘space for leaders’ concept will also be implemented in one of the largest developments to be carried out so far by the developer – Browary Warszawskie, on the site the former Warsaw Brewery. “It will be a vibrant area where you will be able to live, work, shop and have fun. All these functions are to be developed in one place,” explains Nicklas Lindberg. The Warsaw Brewery, from its establishment in 1846, always attracted innovators and leaders – such as the eventual owners of the company: the families of Schiele and Haberbusch. It featured innovative technology, including steam engines and an almost laboratory-based approach to the production of the ‘amber nectar’. They also employed modern marketing tools, such as building the company’s brand. Finally, the owners of Browary Warszawskie were pioneers of what is nowadays known as corporate social responsibility: they were among the first in the country to introduce paid holidays, health care and company nursery schools, while all the employees of the company received decent, above-average salaries. The Schiele and Haberbusch families actively supported culture as patrons of the arts. “As in the past, the new Browary Warszawskie will be a ‘space for leaders’ – offering the best place to live and work, where such leaders of change will be able to develop their cultural, artistic, entertainment and culinary needs,” insists Nicklas Lindberg.

Echo Investment is the content partner for the Creative Environments section of the magazine