The lesson of Office Design course (Polidesign /Assufficio) becomes WOW! Jelly Session.

A lesson of the course of Office Design (2nd edition), organized by Polidesign-Politecnico di Milano in partnership with Assufficio, has turned into a special WOW! Jelly Session, at last Salone Ufficio, open to the public to reflect on emerging issues in the project of workplace.

Here are some of the main themes, that came out. First of all “productivity”of working space: that’s one of the overriding targets for the commissioners, and to succeed in this objective the satisfaction of the “knowledge workers” is basic, to help to the individual and general “happiness”, although there are no specific indicators on this theme. Everyone agrees on the diffused office trend and complementarity between other “different” workplaces and the office, which is necessary to be part of a community, and the consequent reconsideration of service-space alongside a more conventional layout, to meet new requirements. The usual reference to domesticity seems to be outdated and we should mainly refer the attainment of a general and individual feeling of wellbeing; that implies a thorough grasp of each individual and its needs, beyond clichés.

The menu of typological solutions can be wide, according to different jobs, commissions, brands. This study often led to a contamination with quite different typologies, from the theatre to leisure time space. Although innovation is often focused on some impact areas only, from the point of view of image, it should instead involve all space-function scopes in a global way. Even if the typological “archetypes” don’t meet the current scenario anymore, it’s often hard to give them up, but it’s clear that the concepts of Smart Office must enter the company and the manufacturers of furniture cannot go on selling objects, they have to be able to sell value added. The case studies presented by Facility Manager and Architect show that the crisis forces cost reduction and widespread work, and that requires to bring creative elements into the office design. Taking advantage of a Real Estate market offering efficient buildings also as far as space is concerned, that’s the perfect time to reconsider one’s offices and organizational procedures. If space and ways of working change, furniture must change, too: in order to deliver the workers from their static condition, less desks and more “objects” could do the trick: storage units, bookcases, low screens, hybrid components not binding us to the room, but complying with mobility and flexibility.

Text by Francesco Scullica (with Alice Conte).

Attended the WOW! Jelly Session #6:

Paolo Bulletti, Architetto;

Giorgio Dal Fabbro, Docente presso PoliDesign-Politecnico di Milano;

Alberto De Zan, Presidente Assufficio;

Pietro Fiorani, National General Services Manager presso Coca-Cola HBC Italia;

Silvia Mandrini, Architetto, tutor corso Office Design;
Paolo Mantero, Architetto;

Francesco Scullica, PoliDesign-Politecnico di Milano, coordinatore scientifico corso Office Design;
Giuseppe Segalla, Koinos Management;

Renata Sias, Direttore di WOW! Webmagazine;

Carnine Sommese, responsabile Progettazione Innovazione BNL Gruppo BNP Paribas;

Partecipanti corso Office Design

Barbara Basadelli Delegà, Facility manutenzione presso Gruppo Hera;

Marco Bedognetti, Designer Comunicazione e Immagine, Stelline – Gruppo Bancario Credito Valtellinese;

Alice Conte, Studentessa in Interior Design presso Politecnico di Milano;

Marianna Fantoni, Product designer;

Fabio Guffanti, Responsabile ufficio tecnico presso Sedus Stoll;

Micaela Mazzaglia, Interior designer presso DEGW Italia;

Victoria M. Kuschnig Interior designer;

Giovanni Senin , ufficio tecnico presso Unifor ;

Cristina Tommasone, Interior designer;

Luca Trippetti, Responsabile Assufficio;