Reinventing Lobbies as Multi-Functional Spaces
Image Credit: TerraMai
Lobbies have traditionally been a waiting area; a place where people only really stop and spend time while they’re on their way to another location. Often, people might not even stop in the lobby at all and only pass through on their way into the office and again as they leave for the day. But what if your lobby could feel like a destination, not just a stopping point?
Over the past several years, there has been a trend in hotels around the idea of turning lobbies into multi-use areas that encourage people to stop, spend time, and socialize instead of having those areas go underutilized for much of the day. After all, real estate is expensive so it makes good sense to fully utilize as much space as possible. With how successful this idea has been in hotels, we love the idea of bringing the concept to offices.
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, many companies have already been rethinking the design of their lobbies and reception areas. Why not take this opportunity to also turn them into more functional spaces? Here are a few ideas to help you get started.
Image Credit: Huntsman
Open Up the Space
With many companies embracing open concepts for their offices, you may want to consider opening up the lobby as well to make the space feel more welcoming and flexible. If you like the idea of having some space definition in your lobby, there are styles of partitions that can add definition without making the space feel closed off.
Food & Drink Stations
People love having food and drinks available to them on demand. While many companies often offer visitors a cup of coffee or a bottle of water while they wait for their meetings, a snack and coffee station in the lobby also gives employees a good reason to visit the area and stick around for a little while and socialize with their colleagues.
Image Credit: Building Design & Construction
Charging Stations
With how important technology is to our day-to-day lives, we all inevitably need to let our phones and other mobile devices recharge. Adding a charging station to your lobby not only gives visitors a chance to charge their devices while they wait for their meetings, it could be a destination for employees to visit throughout the day. Being able to visit a charging station gives people a reason to get up during the day and get a change of scenery by working someplace other than their desk for a little while.
Flexible Furniture for Collaboration
Multi-functional lobbies can really blur the lines between traditional office lounges and reception areas, becoming an extension of the main office area. While people stop to charge their devices, they may want to take the opportunity to work on projects with colleagues. Or they may even choose to meet in the lobby over other collaborative spaces in the office. Consider adding furniture that will make it easy for people to comfortably collaborate with each other, like tables for laptops and lightweight seating that can easily be moved around as needed, just as you would in other spaces intended for collaboration.
Think About Visitor & Employee Needs
Are there any features you could add to your lobby that would help make life a little bit easier for your employees and visitors? For example, do you have a lot of employees who like to ride their bikes to work? If so, perhaps they’d appreciate a bike storage area in the lobby so that their bikes will be secure and protected from the elements while they’re busy working. Thinking outside of the box for some unique lobby features can be a very effective way to make a strong impression on visitors and employees alike.
Get Help Redesigning Your Lobby
If it’s time to give your lobby a new look, Premier Construction & Design can help. Take a look through our portfolio to see examples of lobbies our team has worked on for companies in the Metro Detroit area. When you’re ready to get started, contact us so that our team can learn more about your project.
