Work’n Roll

What will the offices of the future look like? Furthermore, will we still be going to the office? While generalized teleworking seemed a remote possibility before the Covid-19 pandemic, it is nowadays massively widespread in companies. Even as the crisis is subsiding, the return to the previous situation seems unlikely. More probably, the alternation of teleworking and on site work will generalize. Henceforth, it becomes relevant to ponder: for what types of tasks will employees come to the office and what will they be exactly looking for there?

To answer these questions, the author recalls the history of the office space, from the first commercial counters to the development of the modern open-space areas. Starting with the different functions fulfilled by offices, he questions their current relevance, in light of the contemporary social and technological evolutions. At a time when most employees are equipped with mobile computers and high performance internet connections, when tools and work processes are largely dematerialized, the material functions of the office are reduced. By contrast, its cultural function is more important than ever. The experience of the recent lockdowns has shown how the feeling of belonging to the collective was valuable, and difficult to maintain remotely. Hence a prognosis: tomorrow, we will come to the office less to execute personal tasks and more to socialize and exchange. Hence the need to do some thinking about the space’s architecture and fittings…

In a last section that is more prospective, the author thus compares the points of view of business leaders, architects and office real-estate professionals. This book is a good way to start.