The next thing in creative office space is a little less openness, Hughes Marino CEO Jason Hughes tells us (snapped at that ancient example of open space, Machu Picchu, with Hughes Marino COO Shay Hughes, his wife). It’s becoming clear from a number of studies that completely open office space impairs employees’ ability to concentrate, Jason says. People resort to putting on headphones to shut off too much interaction. So a mix of public and private space is optimal.

Hughes Marino, an Irvine-based brokerage, recently completed its own creative office space concept at 2 Park Plaza, Suite 750, which reflects this kind of mix. It includes private offices along the exterior of the space, while the interior feels more like a home than a traditional office, Jason says, with the shared space variously designed as a living room, a family room, a kitchen and a dining room. Like a home, one of the office walls features framed photos of employees with their families.