November 16, 2011
Putting collaboration to work
When put into practice, abstract principles really can become intriguing realities. Check out these four mini case studies, where real workplaces tackle barriers to collaboration head-on.
Investing in the ’hood
Friendly, easy-to-navigate neighborhoods were the design inspiration for Russell Investments (Seattle, Washington), a 200,000-square-foot, 900-employee firm that said good-bye to enclosed offices and hello to a more open plan. Management spearheaded the change, educating staff from the start on how the new design (based on collaboration, transparency, mobility, energy and innovation) would benefit their working lives. Now, comfy chairs, low tables and wireless access throughout encourage conversation and, ultimately, ingenuity. Says Alan Young, principal at NBBG and designer of the LEED Gold–certified center, “There is a palpable tempo and energy that is truly invigorating.”
Free-range employees
How’s this for unconventional? Each worker at the 1,000-employee, 430,000-square-foot BBC Media Centre (White City, England) has his or her own laptop, but no assigned desk. While this arrangement seems a sure fire way to get employees interacting more, the center’s true success lies in its bustling ground floor: A network of informal meeting spaces (ranging from comfortable living rooms to structured desking) is a hotbed of activity, and a model of how collaboration should look.
The law of collaboration
The hierarchical culture of a law firm is no small obstacle to creating a collaborative workplace. But that didn’t stop Seyfarth Shaw (Chicago, Illinois) from boldly shrinking and standardizing the size of attorneys’ offices—all are now 12.5’ x 12.5’, eliminating the concept of a “senior” office. To encourage productive interaction (something the legal field isn’t known for), attorneys’ offices were organized according to discipline, and dedicated social spaces were added throughout the building’s eight floors. Administrative staff are now clustered together, rather than posted outside individual offices, which is “more conducive to helping one another out.” Evidently, there’s no law against design innovation.
Uniting two solitudes
What makes most sense for science labs, segregation or integration? The Gordon Center for Integrative Science (University of Chicago), a seven-story, 427,000-square-foot interdisciplinary space, manages to strike a balance between the two. Modelled as scientific communities within a larger “city,” the center features open-plan laboratories and ample spaces that allow for informal socializing among the 800 scientists, researchers and students. Overall, the increased visibility of labs has stoked the fires of collaboration. As one enthusiastic employee points out, “Seeing somebody is a great boost to communication.”
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