“From space to place” – from space to place: in these few, simple words lies the fundamental concept that aims to transform the environments of our daily lives into something more than simple containers of functions.
Space, by definition a three-dimensional void where the material components essential to our activities find their place, transforms into a place to be lived and shared, filled with emotions and feelings.
In this transformation from space to place, the contribution of the manufacturing industry dedicated to office furniture production becomes decisive, capable of providing the most suitable practical tools to shape work environments.
The Difference between Space and Place
The concept of space usually indicates an extension, in a vague and indeterminate sense, that does not present particular characterization due to human action. Space is objective, external to the experiential sphere of man.
Subjective, on the other hand, is the concept of place, which refers to a very specific area, organized and shaped by human will, by the lived experience of the individual who inhabits and characterizes it. Place, in practice, can be defined as a lived space, whose characteristics derive from the emotionality and experience of those who live it.
If space is an entity that can be thought of, through which one transits, to simply move from one part to another, place is made to be inhabited, lived, and in which one is not just passing through but stays, a place intimately linked to the memory and passion of those who have given it form.
For this reason, if space exists to be only crossed and measured, place, as it is interwoven with emotional relationships and stories of lived history, is loved, hated, used to welcome a friend or to build relationships, but, in any case, is felt as one’s own in the depths of the soul.
The Concept of from Space to Place in Office Furniture Production
The dynamics that govern the evolution of office work are increasingly based on the concepts of collaboration, flexibility, transparency, communication and empathy; concepts that cannot fail to impact the design of spaces intended to host work environments and their components, such as furniture and equipment.
The creation of an office, in the most modern sense of the term, must necessarily focus on the careful design of flexible and versatile spaces, capable of transforming into places where it is possible to stimulate creative and innovative processes.
The advent of Smart Working, consisting of an innovative and trending managerial philosophy that aims to provide workers with broad autonomy in choosing tools, schedules and spaces to use, like Remote Job, which is also spreading exponentially, requires the setup of work spaces, including home-based ones, that are equally flexible and eclectic.
In the face of such evident changes, which are moreover in continuous evolution, it is necessary to ask how it is possible to create workplaces that can stimulate the growth of shared and innovative ideas that lead to the maximization of results.
The challenge, therefore, consists in creating places that tell experiences, that foster empathy and collaboration even among subjects generally inclined toward individualism, that present in their conformation the same agility and flexibility of the work that takes place there, that are the material and tangible manifestation of the thought processes they will contain.
Office furniture production activity that manages to capture the current trend, that understands the scope of the new managerial philosophy and intercepts its needs, can only shape its products according to the most modern requirements, creating articles with high expressive capabilities and remarkable adaptability.
Interior Design at the Service of the Concept of “from Space to Place”
To give shape to a workplace that is not simply a well-defined and identified space, but rather a site that, in the evolution of the Smart Working concept can be anywhere, without any geographical constraints, tools are needed that can ensure structure and freedom at the same time.
Dividing the work environment by creating places intended for different experiences, such as meeting, communication, sharing, is a strategy that works. An environment dedicated to socialization, where various collaborators can meet, even casually, to exchange information and experiences, helps generate and increase the sense of belonging to the entire group.
A space intended for individual relaxation, when one needs a moment of tranquility, allows activities to be resumed with greater vigor, with considerable benefit for the entire structure. Presentations, training, concentration, data exchange, communication, collaboration: each of these activities corresponds to a place, evocative and functional, which collaborators can use according to their needs.
Office work, in fact, can and must be carried out with maximum autonomy, moving from time dedicated to concentration in solitude to that of team collaboration, from the moment of restorative rest to the unplanned exchange of ideas with colleagues.
Each of these needs must be taken into account by office furniture production that can be defined as attentive and capable of perceiving market demands. Interior design, in fact, today offers multiple furnishing solutions that take into account the characteristics and purposes of each place, divided according to the four major categories of concentration, communication, cooperation and contemplation.
These are solutions aimed at satisfying user needs in all work situations, capable of leading to the improvement of results through the enhancement of well-being and communication among colleagues and significantly improving the company climate.
Storage modules and screening panels, lightweight and versatile; multifunctional systems on wheels, which contain and screen at the same time; modular structures that grow and modify with the work environment; these are, among many others, the furnishing elements capable of transforming a space into a place, and then into many places, where empathy and productivity can finally work together to achieve maximum results.
