In a few short years, new office space in Philadelphia has gone from ordinary to cutting edge, and there's more to come. That's why we're excited to present Philadelphia's Office Revolution event tomorrow (Feb. 11) at the Rittenhouse.
University Place Associates founder Scott Mazo, who will be a speaker, tells us that cutting-edge office space design isn't so much any specific design style or idea, but emanates from one central concept or principle. "It's how to facilitate and maximize collaboration between people," he says. "So many fun and neat examples of designers' creativity are bringing this principle to light, and shaking up the thinking."
Benjamin's Desk chief design officer Adam Glaser, who will also be a speaker, tells us the definition of "cutting edge" shared space is changing. (Adam's standing in the back of an example of shared space.) "Remember that co-working spaces started as a boutique industry, something of an outlier in the real estate world," he says.
Today, universities, corporations and traditionally non-entrepreneurial industries are starting to see co-working as a potential catalyst to their future growth and success." In five years, he predicts, there'll be millions of SF of shared space, mostly in settings that don't even know they need it yet.
Jacobs national director-workplace strategies Amy Manley (right) another of our speakers, tells us organizations are striving to create a community these days. "Interconnected social networks are the new collaboration," she says. "A workplace must be a magnet that draws people together. In a time when most interactions are digital because of the mobile, global nature of work, people truly value face-to face engagement."
Amy adds that amenities are changing and also reflect our digital culture—she's seeing more “guru bars” for tech support and “social media spaces" where communication teams and employees can follow the latest Tweet or monitor the company’s social media trends. "A workplace is more than the physical space—it's people, their well-being and their connection to the organization."
Come hear more about the office space revolution at Philadelphia's Office Revolution tomorrow (Feb. 11) beginning at 7:30am at the Rittenhouse Hotel. Sign up here.
