My last Creative Spaces post featured 4th places those blended venues that are neither home nor office, but places where busy creative workers can alight to connect, exchange ideas, meet, and get some work done.
I made the point that most corporations have yet to adapt their work environments to the Creative Age. Whether they're developing a cutting-edge software program or spearheading the next big medical breakthrough, creative workers need peace and quiet and privacy, but they need social stimulation, and sometimes they just need to release their energy and recharge. Can you do that in a fish bowl-style cubicle? Drab furniture, white walls, no natural sunlight, and bland, boring spaces do little to ignite the imagination.
Here we highlight some of the brave new offices that do celebrate and enable creativity, through design, artwork, and architecture. These spaces aren't necessarily high style -- but all of them promote transparency, flexibility and cater to the new ways of working.
A successful workspace is one that keeps workers productive, inspired, and engaged. A little bit of fun doesn't hurt either. My colleague, Steven Pedigo and I have had the privilege of working with and touring some of the ones we feature here.