The rise of the ready-to-go workplace

Christhina Candido, an associate professor specialising in high performance workplaces at the University of Melbourne’s School of Design, says it’s critical that workplace design can respond to more than one way of working, especially when it comes to open-plan offices. 

“A lot of the issues that we find around open-plan offices in general is really coming from this misfit between how the space is designed, how people use it and the overarching intention between the way of working,” says Candido. 

“We all need to respect the needs of other people when we are working from open and shared space. And from a design perspective, the design needs to provide different spaces in an open-plan office that people can go to, to perform the task that they have at hand.”

After 10 years of analysing floor plans, Candido’s team has learnt that workplaces with “multi-zonal landscapes” delivered the highest performance outcomes.

The GPT Group’s latest offering, DesignSuites by GPT, is a collection of ready-to-go workplaces for lease in premium office buildings where the focus is on providing high-quality spaces that elevate productivity and promote collaboration.

GPT’s head of leasing for office, Stephen Nicol, says customers will find social spaces for stimulation breaks, quiet retreats for intense concentration, activity zones to encourage movement, and collaborative hubs to invigorate productivity.

For many workers, the ability to work from home has been a productivity-booster in itself, however Candido notes that there are always going to be occasions when teams need to be on site at the same time.

Nicol says GPT has designed “inspiring and highly desirable” workplaces that will promote a sense of community and encourage teamwork. 

“GPT has a long track-record of delivering space to accommodate modern ways of working, and we continually engage with our customers to understand their needs to evolve our products,” he says. “Our forward-thinking approach provides businesses with the luxury of choice when it comes to selecting their ideal workplace.”

GPT’s multifaceted approach aims to accommodate the full breadth of customer needs, from space on demand and fitted-out suites, to long-term, whole or multi-floor spaces for larger occupiers seeking exceptional building amenity. 

Environmental and social sustainability principles are also embedded across the DesignSuites portfolio to meet the expectations of customers.

“People are becoming more conscious of the environmental impacts of their actions and we are seeing this translate into their professional lives, meaning they have higher expectations of potential employers when it comes to environmental considerations, which includes the office they occupy,” Nicol says. 

The impacts of climate change have turned a spotlight on ESG (environmental, social and governance) – a set of standards for a company’s behaviour – and teams expect employers to use genuine sustainability practices through the construction and life-cycle of workplaces.

DesignSuites target a 6-Star Green Star Interiors Rating, certification of upfront embodied carbon-neutral through Climate Active and support a circular economy, repurposing furniture, light fittings and fixtures. DesignSuites are situated within GPT’s premium office portfolio, which operates carbon neutrally and runs on 100 per cent renewable electricity. 

Candido’s research also revealed that easy-to-use technology, an education program to enable workers to fully utilise the amenity on offer, and biophilic design were all key elements in high performance workplaces.

“These offices usually have biophilic design principles implemented, so really bringing in nature, allowing people to engage with nature in terms of greenery, but also natural textures like timber, access to daylight, maybe a semi-outdoor space,” she says. “Biophilic design increases satisfaction levels for sure.”

Nicol says DesignSuites are brimming with natural light, organic materials and indoor planting, all signatures of their progressive design approach.

“DesignSuites are places where comfort, health, productivity and accessibility are front of mind,” he says. “When this is a focus, performance increases.”