The office building design world is just as trend-driven as home design. Your staff or tenants need a functional, beautiful, stress-reducing space to work. If you’ll have customers in the space, the design also needs to reflect your brand and make customers feel welcome. As office work changes, so does what we demand from our workspaces. Here are the office building design trends you should consider before you finalize your remodeling plans.

Greater Privacy

Open floor plans have been popular in offices for some time now. However, with more people working from home, more of the space in an office is about collaboration. You come into the office to have conversations in small teams. You also need to have video chats with remote employees. Both needs require a space with a bit more privacy, so as not to disturb others. Privacy booths and more conference spaces and more enclosed spaces are all trending.

Air Quality Issues

Organizations are putting more of an emphasis on the air quality issues that happen in offices. Just like the switch to natural light, you can expect this change to dramatically improve comfort in your building and fulfill tenant’s needs. It is important to have a well-planned HVAC system that can properly ventilate, humidify or dehumidify, and remove pollutants from the air. Investing in an air purifier is a smart option.

Mid-Century Modern

We’ve discussed the structure and functional qualities of office buildings, but what about the style? Lately, the trend has been to return to mid-century modern. Offices from this time period focused on comfort and relaxation, just what our remote employees and customers need to be tempted into the office. Like previous popular styles, mid-century modern focuses on neutrals and clean lines, but also adds in highly functional and comfortable, with a mix of materials.

Touchless Technology

Tenants certainly don’t want to return to the midcentury in terms of convenience and technology. The pandemic has driven a desire for touchless technology wherever possible. Automatic doors, touchless access control systems, touchless faucets and other fixtures, are all great options to include in your office renovation. These features help make the space more hygienic and increase convenience for staff, customers and other guests.

Soundproofing

Having peace and quiet while you’re on a video call is important, which is one reason that office design trends are focusing on adding soundproofing elements and designing workspaces so that they interfere with one another as little as possible. Another reason to add soundproofing is the trend of adding more residential-style features to office spaces that encourage casual collaboration. You want people to be able to enjoy the lounge area without disturbing those who are working.

Color from the ‘70s

Not the furniture style or layout, but just the colors from the 1970s are making a comeback. These colors are much brighter and more intense than you’d use in a minimalist space. Consider a dark burgundy, deep yellow, deep navy blue and even softer baby blues and coral pinks.