How the spaces we work in can keep us focused on what really matters

 Take a moment and picture your place of work in your mind’s eye (or if you’re currently meant to be working, this may be easier for you!). 

Does the space you occupy say anything about the work that happens within it? If it does say something, what impression does it make you think of?

In the day-to-day bustle of work, It is easy for us to lose ourselves in the details and minutiae of our jobs, and more often than not this can end up being reflected in our offices, desks and meeting rooms. The danger here however, is that we disconnect from the impact and differences we are striving to actually make.

But what if the very space you worked in, or relaxed in when you took a break, actively encouraged you to sit up for a moment and consider the bigger picture?

This is what BINOM Architects have succeeded in doing with their idyllic office-scape in the centre of the London branch of Green Network; an Italian green energy company.

‘Energy’ is many things, but tangible is not one of them, we are surrounded by electricity everyday and yet it is silent, invisible and insulated from touch (probably a good thing). Other forms of energy, whether gases or liquids are so industrialised that they are typically isolated and distanced from our existence, behind safety fences and in pipes underneath our feet. 

So how do you encourage people working in the Energy industry to connect with the impact of their work? In Binom’s case, they opted to instal Human-powered pedal energy generators throughout a beautifully considered office-scape that when used, channel electricity to wall mounted light fittings. The entire setting is lit by warm, inviting PET Lamps from our Chile collection, adding to the playful atmosphere. It’s simple, tangible and allows those who work there to give thought to the nature of their work (and stretch their legs in the process!)