Challenge owner
PLH Architects
BLOXHUB Program
Urban Partnerships
Activity
Ideation Workshop
Completed
2020
Quotes
“Bloxhub looks to be a fantastic project that deserves a much wider audience!”
Paulette Christophersen
Partner and expert in workplace design, PLH Architects
How should we organize our workplaces in the future; at home, in the corporate workplace and in-between?
COVID-19 has set in motion a fundamental transformation of society – not least the way we work. But how should we organize our workplaces in the future; at home and in the corporate workplace and in-between? How do we meet the many different needs among employees and employers and how do we ensure a sense of belonging and affiliation?
The complexity of the matter is not to be underestimated, as the COVID-19 stories from Studio O + A, BatesSmart, MMoser and GoSpace testify; there is no ”one size fits all”.
“Companies will have to strengthen their ethos and define brand promises that respond to human values. This will be reflected in the way that spaces are designed. It will probably lead to a stratification of the types of space that a company uses as work- spaces, and a cultural change in the kind of activities defined as work.”
Workshop participant: Enlai Hooi
Head of Innovation, Schmidt Hammer Lassen
The challenge
Through an Urban Partnerships workshop, BLOXHUB matched PLH Architects with carefully selected companies and research institutions to unfold and condense their three challenges into five different solutions concepts. The three challenges were:
- Which design ideas for the home office can contribute to an inclusive concept in relation to diversity, flexibility, privacy and ergonomic standards?
- How can we conceptualize, utilize and develop the physical environments outside of our homes and the office to implement a more flexible workplace close to our local neighborhoods?
- What impact will working from home, beyond one day per week, have on companies’ physical space, and how can it adapt to support culture, identity and future work processes?
Outcome
Commercial opportunity
The workshop exposed ample opportunity to develop new ideas, products and services related to architecture, interiors, furniture, industrial design, technology, branding, HR, behaviour and experience – just to name a few.
Innovation capacity
The 3 challenges were unfolded and condensed into 5 different solution concepts:
- Home office – The full package
- Redesign the HQ – Value-based design & architecture
- The digital twin – connecting the third place
- A sense of belonging
- The ultra flexible office ”studio”
Business network
Participating organizations: Copenhagen Windows, Danske Bank, FB Gruppen, Future Navigator, IT Univer- sity of Copenhagen, Joes & Cos, Leo Pharma, Lolle & Nielsen Inventions, Paustian erhverv, PLH Arkitekter, Proptech Denmark, RITA Arch, Rum & Adfærd, Schmidt Hammer Lassen, Schneider Electric , Stadil Advice, TDC NET, Together Architecture, UbiqiSense
The journey onwards
Torben Klitgaard, CEO, BLOXHUB and Paulette Christophersen, Partner, PLH Arkitekter, were invited to Future Cities Canada’s virtual program, #UnexpectedSolutions to share their solutions to solving problems within the unique context of the Danish workplace – one that goes beyond productivity and places high value on connection, balance and fulfilment.
