One trend that has gripped office design in recent years is the ‘industrial’ style.
A simple style, industrial offices have been popular with huge companies like Twitter and Google in the past, and remains in vogue.
Borne out of warehouse and industrial site conversions, this style is trademarked by plenty of concrete, brick, metal and exposed piping.
This style originally took off due to the fact that empty warehouses and industrial sites were cheap to purchase or rent, and easy to convert.
Décor in an industrial style office is minimal, and due to the nature of the original building, this type of office design tends to be open plan.
For those considering going ‘industrial’, here are some positives and negatives.
The Positives
Light
Industrial office design can mean plenty of natural light.
The original buildings tend to have high, broad windows and the larger space and high ceilings help to maintain a bright space.
More natural light is better for your workers, so this is a tick for industrial office design.
It’s Modern
Often found in leading cities like New York and London, the industrial style of office design appeals to modern taste.
Popular with notable tech companies, this type of design can impress your workers and attract new talent, as well as make a good impression on customers.
Minimal
The minimal nature of an industrial space can mean a financial saving.
A simple design also means renovation and maintenance is headache free.
Functional
As it’s generally open plan, an industrial space can be more functional.
It’s easier for your staff to move about and communicate with each other, which promotes collaboration and creativity.
This type of office design is adaptable, in that you can easily adjust desk/furniture arrangements.
The Negatives
Not So Comfortable
Concrete and metal isn’t exactly the most comforting mix.
A space like this can be more difficult to keep warm during the colder months, due to the nature of the materials present (concrete, brick, metal).
A draft can carry easily across an open space, and cold concrete under foot certainly doesn’t help!
Can Be Dull (colour-wise)
There’s no rule that stipulates that industrial style office spaces have to be standard black, grey and white.
Unfortunately though, many are, due to the natural colours of the accentuated concrete, brick, wood or metal.
Loud
As a result of the open plan setting, sound can easily carry across this kind of office space.
This can result in distracted workers, and therefore a reduction in the quality and efficiency of their work.
Concrete, brick and metal floors and walls deflect sound, exacerbating the problem.
We currently offer FREE office space plans.
Click this link to find out more.