The Future of Work/Learning Spaces
corporate America is attempting to
create more innovation by bringing
employees back to home base. AV tech-
nology implementation is the way for
companies striving to make the office
‘the place to be,’ in part by improving
user experiences.”
Such environments can empower
employees to work in ways that match
their individual strengths. Technolo-
study found that open-plan offices can
hurt productivity because workers feel
they lack privacy — being able to hear
everyone all the time tends to be either
distracting or cause enough to stop
talking altogether and actually decrease
collaboration.
Audiovisual solutions can play a
critical role turning the modern, open
workspace into a productive space. or on-display — helps complete the
cognitive circuit and creates a peace-
ful environment that reduces the
distractions of an open office.
At other companies, the AV ex-
perience starts where people often
get their first impression: the lobby.
Lobby experiences can help energize
employees and engage visitors. Take,
for example, eBay’s Main Street loca-
AV ecosystems, such as Plantronics’
Habitat Soundscaping, combine audio
and video components — as well as
non-technical physical elements — to
create offices that are more condu-
cive to collaboration. Imagine video
displays that appear to be windows or
skylights, sounds of nature — specifi-
cally flowing water — playing through
hidden speakers, and soothingly lit,
modular waterfalls. Plantronics has
reimagined its own Santa Cruz, Calif.,
offices with its technology to create an
integrated experience. It’s not just the
sound of water that employees find
calming; actually seeing water — live tion in Silicon Valley, created by ESI
Design, built by AV integrator Diver-
sified, and brought to life with content
imagined by multimedia studio Float4.
Upon entering the lobby, employ-
ees, partners, and visitors are immedi-
ately greeted by technology that tells
the company’s story. Custom-fabricated
LED columns and interactive touch-
screens display content that intermin-
gles with the environment. The lobby’s
centerpiece is a 15-foot videowall
where employees and visitors can tap
product icons to see how many sold
recently on eBay.
“Main Street has infused so much
Photo Courtesy of Michael Firsich Photography
gy-rich, multipurpose spaces can also
breathe new life into stagnant practices
and foster more efficient workflows.
With the growing demand for flexi-
ble AV in the workplace comes the need
for flexible office designs. Research by
design and architecture firm Gensler
shows that “coworking has become an
essential element to navigating constant
change. In 2005, tech workplaces dedi-
cated 89 percent of space to individual
desks. Today it’s 25 percent, and by
2025, individual desks may not exist.”
These open, collaborative work-
spaces have their upside, but they also
present challenges. A recent Harvard
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