Welcome Back to Adaptable Work Spaces

Today is the first day that everyone is back in the Studio since March. Before we came back, we realized that we were all thinking about how offices will function in the age of COVID-19 and wanted to highlight some of the projects that we worked on that provided essential outdoor, alternative work stations to offices, or places of work. During quarantine, we saw an unprecedented amount of people using public space as refuge, an alternative to a gym, a safer place for socializing, and for just a change of scenery.

As offices begin to open, physical distancing rules will still apply and will likely be encouraged for the foreseeable future, which will require employees to spread out and the outdoor spaces provided as part of their place of work will allow the to do that. The projects highlighted below are built projects, which were designed and built before COVID-19, with one philosophy in mind; creating versatile outdoor spaces for work and play.

KCP&L Cedar Point Safety & Training Center – 2013
The KCP&L Cedar Point Safety & Training Center is a stand-alone office building used for new employee training. Landworks Studio made use of the grounds around the structure, adding solar panels and a wind turbine for alternative energy, outdoor lights, grills, picnic tables and benches to allow employees to use the outside space just as easily as the inside.

Cloverleaf Office Park – 2016
The Cloverleaf Office Park is a series of office buildings with shared green spaces. Due to the layout of the site, Landworks Studio designed a series of outdoor spaces with a variety of uses. There is a communal gathering place with a long curving bench, moveable chairs, a fire pit and grills to allow for office parties and food trucks.In addition, there are smaller gathering areas spread throughout the office park in the form of solar powered picnic tables used as work stations.

KCPP KC Campus for Animal Care – 2017
The Kansas City Pet Project Campus for Animal Care sits on a large piece of land. Landworks Studio designed a series of walking trails to wrap around the property and the pond that sits on it. Benches and picnic tables were placed in the main entrance, as well as the back entrance. There is also an interior courtyard with a stone seat wall and fire pit for entertaining and gatherings off the main entryway. The nature of work in this facility revolves more around walking animals than being able to work on a computer outside, but the space allows for comfortable use inside and out.

Charter Spectrum Building – 2019
The Charter Spectrum office building sits alone on the property with a small gathering space at the front entrance and a larger, more diverse space around the back of the building for employees. Landworks Studio designed the space to have picnic tables, benches and an outdoor grilling area surrounded by trees, providing shade. This allows the space to be flexible based on the need of who uses it, for either company grill-outs, lunch breaks, or working outside.

All of these outdoor amenities provide expanded work and lounge space for employees. These kinds of spaces and amenities will be essential for offices to succeed in the coming months with physical distancing. Landworks Studio is, and will continue to be, an advocate for properly planned outdoor spaces as the extension of indoor spaces. Studies have shown that employees are more productive and happier when they have access to green space. Landworks Studio continues to advocate and provide these important gathering places knowing that timeless outdoor spaces will always improve the lives of those who access them.