| Just imagine: you walk into an office building and see clean lines, functional desks, and a color palette ranging from light to dark gray. For decades, the work environment has been designed with a traditional focus on efficiency. But is an office nothing more than a place to produce? Isn't it a place where employees feel at home? Why, then, let the human scale be lost amidst the suspended ceilings? How can we prevent creating a 'one-size-fits-all' approach for the average employee that, in practice, does not exist?
Femke ter Meulen explores how the female intuition for atmosphere, tactile materials, and connection elevates well-being to a higher level. We often see that standard interiors miss the mark because the need for security and softness is lacking. By means of trials and errors and with a bold mix of color, tranquility, and craftsmanship, she points out how to remove the 'noise' from the design. In an ideal world, an office is product-free and purely conceptual, a neutral source of inspiration for the future. In that case, staying practical is key. Femke ter Meulen shares hands-on advice on the best available solutions today. Think of custom work that seamlessly fits the space, from a unique coffee bar to acoustic solutions that really work. Ultimately, it is about a design that suits the individual employee and works for the organization. An office should not be a place where employees have to be, but an environment that provides energy and where they enjoy coming together. Visitors who have attended this lecture will discover how a different perspective on interior design helps to sustainably engage and retain employees. |
