hospitality_designing a better third place

7/30/2019 Hospitality_designing a Better Third Place

1/10

Designing a better

third placeSometimes you just need to get away.

360.steelcase.com

February 09 e-zine


2/10

Separate from our first place (home) and

second place (office), such coffee shops,

libraries, pubs, parks and other great

good places are informal, safe, public

places where people gather to soak in

the atmosphere and mingle with others.

But this Starbucks, like any third place,

has problems as a workplace. The cof-

fees great and the ambiance is a re-

freshing break from the office, but this is

no place for serious work. Theres little

privacy for information on flat screens or

in printed material. Holding a con-

versation is a public event, and the

amount of space to work in is limited, at

best. Theres a reason its a third place,

after all.

A better place for work, with its own

welcoming ambiance, sits less than a

hundred yards away at 12 East Ohio. Its

called Workspring, and its specifically

designed for knowledge work away from

the office. With different workspaces for

one or two workers or as many as 25, it

offers all the tools and support we expect

from a well-considered, thoughtful office,

plus many of the comforts of home.

People look for the right blend of

privacy and isolation thats needed to get

work done, but at the same time we want

to feel connected to the greater whole.Third places lack territorial privacy, visual

privacy, and acoustical privacy, and the

tools that collaborative work requires.

Workspring is something like a two-

point-five space: a place for work that

combines both community spaces and

private work studios. Its in the middle of

a great urban neighborhood, yet it also

At the corner of Ohio and State streets in downtown Chicago,

a short walk from the famous Magnificent Mile, a cozy Starbucks

store beckons. People sit at tables enjoying Americanos, wireless

access, and all the accoutrementsof what social scientists call a

third place, a term coined by

sociologist Ray Oldenburg.

Like walking into the kitchen of

someones home, the senses are

aroused at the Workspring entry. Youcan smell the food, hear music and

the buzz of conversation, and see

spaces you want to explore.

has a quiet courtyard right outside. Its

the best of both worlds, says Frank

Graziano, designer for WorkSpace

Futures at Steelcase, and part of a

venture team that developed Workspring.

Mark Greiner, senior Steelcase vice presi-

dent and executive sponsor of the

Workspring venture, says the space is

designed to fully integrate architecture,

furniture, and technology to support collab-

orative, generative work and it shows.Everything has a purpose, a story.Everything is intentional. Its obvious why

you can display technology easily, why

theres a caf here, why theres a long space

along the windows with pairs of chairs for

conversations. People get the space right

away. We dont have to tell them.

A mix of open and private spaces

Worksprings 4,500 square feet are divid-

ed about equally between private

studios and communal spaces. The fivestudios range from 190 to 660 sq. ft.,

sized for groups of 2 to 6 and up to 25.

Inside are mobile tables at seated or

ezine 2


3/10

standing height, ergonomic chairs, a

built-in tool center with markers, sticky

notes and other supplies, digital and

analog content capture and display

tools, and wireless access. The studio

furniture and tools easily reconfigure to

the needs of the moment.

Communal spaces begin at the Work-

spring entry. A long, L-shaped couch

and a pair of cubes topped with drawing

paper sit opposite the caf and a stand-

ing height peninsula. A few steps further,

a standing height round table anchors

the start of a curved wall that bridges the

cafe and the walkway to all the studios.

The forum is a space with standing

height tables and stools, and a curated

selection of books and periodicals thatrepresent Steelcases brand beliefs,

much as a home library expresses what

the owner feels. Its a place to have

coffee while waiting for colleagues, hold

a small meeting, or look over something

from the library.

From here youre drawn to the oasis, a

long space that extends north and south

along the five studios. Standing height

and seated chairs and tables welcome

up to four people at different furniture

settings along a wall with several sets ofFrench doors that overlook the court-

yard. People walk through here and say,

Okay, I get it. This is a great place to

walk over when I need to take a call, I

can look through the window out over

the courtyard, its a space with a visual

break from the studio and the meeting,

says Greiner.

You can check your email anywhere. Thats not about the work experience, notes Mark Greiner, senior

vice president of the venture team who developed Workspring. Theres more immersion in group work, a

greater need to share information. The work is multidisciplinary, the problems are tougher, the stakes

higher. How do you bring people from different areas together to work effectively? We know how to do that,

what the space needs to do, what tools to provide.

The round table and ten stools are a

favorite casual meeting place says

designer Frank Graziano, here talking

with Tara Kennedy of StudioLab in

Chicago, who created Worksprings

visual and verbal identity. This table

anchors the cafe and welcoming zone,

says Graziano. Its a popular spot for

casual meetings, a group collaboration,

or a breakout session. Theres always

room for one more at a round table.

ezine 3


4/10


5/10

Some people might look at all the com-

munal space here and wonder why we

didnt build more rentable rooms, says

Graziano, but these spaces serve an

important purpose: theyre a front porchfor each of the studios, places where

small groups can collaborate, spaces

where all of those important side conver-

sations and spontaneous meetings take

place. These interstitial spaces are an

extension of the studio-based activities.

The feel of the space straddles the line

between home and work. We hear Zen-

like a lot, and its a good way to put it. We

want to provide a safe haven for great

work to be done, says Laate Olukotun,

part of the Workspring venture team.

Getting the group together

Workspring was designed as an alterna-

tive not only to public third places, but

also to traditional offsite meeting facili-

ties at hotels and conference centers.

Rick VanGelderen, principal of InterAc-

tive Studio, who designed the Work-

spring space along with Graziano, recalls

a meeting many can relate to.

We were working on a project in San

Antonio. The architect was in Los

Angeles, the food service consultant was

in Minneapolis, and we were in Michigan.

We had to get together, and everyone

could get direct to Chicago, but where

do we meet? At the airport? The hotel?

We ended up at a hotel with a board-

room-like place in a convenient location

but not the right kind of facility.

We couldnt get in early because the

room was booked for a breakfast until

nine oclock. The space was typical

hotel-conference room dcor with drap-

eries all over the place. We wanted to

project things so we had to wait for

someone to bring in the equipment,

which was very expensive. The whole

setting was cumbersome, a distraction,

and a deterrent to good collaboration.

We only had four hours together. We got

a lot done, but how much more could we

have gotten done without all those

issues and distractions? I know the ex-

perience would have been much richer in

a better space.

VanGelderen says video conference calls

and internet-based meetings are effective,

sometimes. But theres no replacing eye-to-eye. If you need or expect innovation

to happen, you need a high-touch

experience. Go to a place where theyve

got the tools and the knowledge and the

places that will enable that to happen.

Youve got to bring the knowledge and

the people, but the place should help

the process.

We have a very critical eye. The space is very

well thoughtout. It got rave reviews.

ezine 5


6/10

Building on the past

Two workspaces Graziano and Van-

Gelderen worked on in the past helpedinform the Workspring space. ArenaStation was a kind of early version ofWorkspring for our own employees, atwo-floor space with meeting rooms andopen spaces in a renovated factory

building in downtown Grand Rapids,Michigan says Graziano. Too muchopen space, it turned out. Theworkspaces were designed in the early90s just as knowledge work was evolv-ing from individual work to more of agroup process. As a result, ArenaStations more enclosed spaces werepreferred by small groups over the larger,more open spaces that were similar to anopen coffee shop.

Even in short term situations, peopleseek privacy. Its human nature. Groupsexpect a certain amount of enclosure,too, notes Graziano. The Arena Stationexperience informed the design of theSteelcase University Learning Center inGrand Rapids, a space that presagedWorkspring. An old factory space wasreborn as a state-of-the-art educational

facility with formal and informal learningspaces, including classrooms, breakoutand touchdown spaces, a caf, and anoutdoor courtyard.

The Learning Center is reserved foremployees and invited guests. Sinceopening in 2000, its garnered ravereviews from visiting architects, design-

ers, educators, and business executivesinterested in workspaces that fosterlearning, collaboration, and innovation.

Workspring builds on the shoulders ofArena Station and the Learning Center,and more than ten years of researchweve done on environments for cross-functional teams, collaboration, prob-lem-solving, and knowledge sharing,says Graziano. Its a way to put into play

that knowledge, this time as a privilegedthird place that any business can use.

Looking for the singular experience

As work has become more team-orient-ed and collaborative, worker expecta-tions for the places they work have alsochanged. The nonprofit International

Association of Conference Centers says

when it comes to offsite work locations,more people today consciously seek togather experiences; its central to theirnotion of quality of life. As a result,people want singular experiences, andfacilities that deliver those can actuallyhelp attendees retain more of what theysaw and heard from an in-personmeeting; it engages all the senses tcreate distinct memories.

Workspring responds to this gestaltwith its walk-friendly north side Chicagolocation, outdoor courtyard, customizedservices such as healthy meals andsnacks and the daily newspaper and afull time staff that works to make sureevery Workspring guest gets the mostout of their workspace.

The attention to detail is stunning: studios,for example, have four different light

The Steelcase University Learning Center presaged Workspring. Formal and informal learning spaces,

breakout rooms, communal spaces, a caf and a courtyard, are integral components of both projects.

ezine 6


7/10


8/10

levels, from arrival and presentationmodes to full on or a soft, warm glowfrom fixtures mounted along room perim-eters. Artwork, flowers, and background

music pervade the space.

Visitors tell us Workspring feels like aspa. Weve had people come to workhere and not want to leave, says CourtneyWilliams, head of sales and marketingfor Workspring.

The space is wonderful, says CarolynMiller, principal at Interior Architects,Chicago. The firm used Workspring for astaff holiday party and she also attendeda book signing here. We were looking

for something a little different, instead ofa restaurant. The space is great and itcan be used for many things. We have avery critical eye. The space is very well

thought-out. It got rave reviews.

CEOs for Cities, an organization of cityleaders from across the U.S., recentlybooked Workspring for conferencebreakout sessions, informal meetings,and a formal board meeting. Breakoutsranged from seven to ten people. Thenatural light and the courtyard made for

a refreshing breakout space, says Re-becca Eggleston, program director forcreative cities. We had a board meetingin one of the studios. It was more private

and that was necessary for boarddiscussions. We also had an informal,open discussion in the entry area. Thatfacilitated a more relaxed and informaldialogue. So the spaces worked well fordifferent reasons.

Another group of business executivesbased in Deerfield, a Chicago suburb,

Technology at Workspring is advanced but appropriate. Teleconferencing,

sharing information from multiple computers, and wireless access, are all made

easy. But analog tools, such as acres of white board space, are also available.

ezine 8


9/10

recently held their annual departmentreview at Workspring. The last part of theday was set aside to visit some down-town attractions. You know youre in agreat neighborhood when someone asksfor a restaurant recommendation, andyou have a plethora to choose from thatare within walking distance, says FaithHurley, who provides guest services.

Place matters to knowledge work

Pricing for Workspring is set at $140 perperson per session, with studio space,shared spaces, food and beverages,tech services, and office supplies includ-ed. Discounts are available for week-long sessions and other packages.Bundled pricing appeals to businessprofessionals especially in uncertaineconomic times because there are nohidden costs and the participants canfocus on a productive work session.Workspring can be booked as early as

7:30 AM until 10:30 PM, weekdays.

How can you measure the value of aWorkspring engagement? The qualitative

nature of knowledge work makes it diffi-cult to apply a pure return on investment(ROI) model. More professionals areusing a return on objectives (ROO)approach to measure results against the

business objectives of a work session.

In the end, location matters to knowl-edge work. A generic location will pro-

duce generic results. Thoughtful physicasurroundings, seamless technology, theability to easily share and capture infor-mation and ideas, private and openspaces, and gracious service centered

on supporting the work process, canmake all the difference.

People will continue to work in coffeeshops and other places, but this is an-other choice, a different space that canhelp change perceptions, says Graziano.And if youre really looking to worktogether, to co-create and innovate, youneed a place you can call your own andget messy.

More Workspring locations are planned,says Greiner. Its a continuous learningexperience, reinventing the experiencefor people in the space. Its not like aproduct that you can design and engi-neer and than repeatedly manufacture.We have to improve each and every dayto attract people back.

We were looking for something a little different,instead of a restaurant. The space is great and it

can be used for many things. We have a very

critical eye. The space is very well thoughtout.

It got rave reviews.

ezine 9

hospitality_designing a better third place

Documents