Latin America. Moving some or all of your work out of the office has been an upward trend since the past two decades; the pandemic only accelerated a process that was already underway.
According to Social Geek, remote work in Latin America has grown in the digital age, with Brazil being the number one country to implement this way of working for more than two decades. Along these lines, the monograph 'Healthy spaces to live and work', by ESDESIGN Escuela Superior de Diseño de Barcelona reveals some trends in how families are adapting to these challenges.
"The work areas should enjoy the best available spatial conditions, but this is also the case for the rest of the dynamics of the home. Therefore, we find ourselves basically with two solutions: either the spaces are adaptable to perform different functions at different times and days of the week; or, if possible, we will designate a specific place -ideally a room-, an intimate and concentrated space, as a place of work," said Enzo Vignolo, ESEDSIGN professor and author of the monograph.
Likewise, the expert shares six recommendations to take into account if you want housing and work environments to serve as places of concentration, meeting, exchange, spaces to activate creativity, relaxation and even allow movement, leading to a versatility that incorporates a wide range of body and mental states to work.
1. Variability in workspaces: if we think about our home in relation to the possibilities of activity and movement it offers, we can determine in each area some key characteristics. Thus, it is essential to look outside for spaces for reading, studying, answering emails or carrying out specific work and even having meetings, all with the freedom offered by electronic devices. The use of terraces, balconies and roofs allow you to rest your eyes, change the thermal sensation and generate a feeling of variability. Places that have otherwise been highly revalued in the real estate market in this period.
2. Versatility, transformability and modulation: one of the keys to the versatile operation of the workspace is storage. For changes in the interior space to be feasible, you must have efficient storage furniture in relation to work. One option is to create effective storage drawers that organize and free up space to rearrange the furniture according to need. Light, efficient elements that are integrated into the aesthetics of the place generating a sense of order and with it visual rest.
3. Nomadic and adaptive furniture: a space can be much more dynamic, spacious and versatile thanks to transformable furniture, which facilitates very different functions in the same space. The great example is the sofa bed, which offers a new workplace by simply folding or folding. Luckily, transformable furniture is increasingly aesthetic and effective, since only if the transformations are simple and fast can they be really useful.
4. Postures, integral ergonomics: the human being is not designed to sit for a long time, and office work benefits from the variation of postures. The sofa (with the help of cushions that take care of the lumbar and cervical curve) can be a good place to read, the armchair to answer emails, the kitchen to review or plan (the height of the kitchen counters makes it easier for us to stand for some time, especially if we can place the computer at a height suitable for the eyes). The work in standing or in intermediate postures for some moments allows us variation and movement, decompress the legs and activate the circulation.
5. Environmental quality: it is optimal to work close to natural light, but you can also improve the environment by increasing the variation of the types of artificial lighting to create different light atmospheres according to the activity. Various configurations of lights, both operational and environment, work not only for different moods, but also for different activities, incorporating a sense of complexity and variation in the place where so many hours are spent. If the necessary resources are available, it is good to consider increasing the volume and quality of the air with options such as the extraction of false ceilings, as long as they do not affect thermal or acoustic conditions. A good volume of air will help in all cognitive processes.
6. Biophilic patterns: the incorporation of auditory, tactile and olfactory stimuli, subtle changes in temperature and relative humidity, variation in the intensity of light and shadow, awareness of seasonal and temporal natural processes, symbolic references of forms, organic textures and situations typical of the natural landscape such as shelter, surveillance and planning, mystery or risk, are some of the actions that are established to design harmonious, healthy interiors in connection with nature. It is proven that the incorporation of biophilic patterns in the interiors improves creativity and reasoning capacity, in addition to improving the feeling of well-being and with it health.
The meaning of these places was propitiated by the studies that praised the importance of increasing the well-being of workers and -with it- generating an increase in efficiency and, of course, profitability. This relationship between well-being and efficiency is the guide to make this reverse path that is that of power when working at home. In the maelstrom of quickly generating a workspace at home, possibly a reflection has been lacking to optimize the integration of this new dynamic.
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