Our research suggests that the next generation of inclusive workplaces should enable six types of uses, designed for hyposensitive and hypersensitive users.
A Closer Look at the Six Space Types
A Closer Look at the Six Space Types
A Closer Look at the Six Space Types
1. Concentrating Space: Enabling people doing individual, focused work.
Concentrating space for hyposensitive people should be snug, with more personal boundaries, and designed to feel orderly with simple patterns, tactile elements, fidget furniture, and areas for doodling and drawing.
Space for hypersensitive people also should be snug. Designers should avoid busy patterns and bright colors and include nature sounds, strong acoustic controls and high-quality lighting.
2/7
A Closer Look at the Six Space Types
A Closer Look at the Six Space Types
2. Communing Space: Accommodating people doing everyday tasks.
Communing space for hyposensitive people should include saturated, contrasting colors, movement-oriented circulation paths, access to sensory stimulating spaces and the ability to self-select music.
Hypersensitive people prefer simple patterns, light colors, sound masking systems and the ability to control distractions.
2. Communing Space: Accommodating people doing everyday tasks.
Communing space for hyposensitive people should include saturated, contrasting colors, movement-oriented circulation paths, access to sensory stimulating spaces and the ability to self-select music.
Hypersensitive people prefer simple patterns, light colors, sound masking systems and the ability to control distractions.
3/7
A Closer Look at the Six Space Types
A Closer Look at the Six Space Types
3. Creating Space: Promoting creative thinking and brainstorming.
The ideal creating space for hyposensitive people includes open, airy areas, saturated colors, surfaces for doodling, and sensory-stimulating environments with fidget furniture and tactile elements.
Hypersensitive people prefer lower ceiling planes, warm colors, simple patterns, alcoves for reflection and sound masking systems.
4/7
A Closer Look at the Six Space Types
A Closer Look at the Six Space Types
4. Congregating Space: Encouraging people to meet and collaborate.
Congregating space for hyposensitive people should provide neutral colors, moderate background noise, organic patterns, surfaces for doodling and plenty of space to move around.
The best congregating space for hypersensitive people includes neutral colors, limited patterns, orderly spaces and rooms sized to allow for ample personal space.
4. Congregating Space: Encouraging people to meet and collaborate.
Congregating space for hyposensitive people should provide neutral colors, moderate background noise, organic patterns, surfaces for doodling and plenty of space to move around.
The best congregating space for hypersensitive people includes neutral colors, limited patterns, orderly spaces and rooms sized to allow for ample personal space.
5/7
A Closer Look at the Six Space Types
A Closer Look at the Six Space Types
5. Contemplating Space: Helping people refresh and be mindful.
Contemplating space for hyposensitive people should include options for individual or small group work, geometric patterns, color shades of blue and green, circulation paths that encourage natural collision points and active spaces with fidget furniture.
Effective contemplative space for hypersensitive employees includes individual areas and clear personal boundaries, dropped ceilings, the ability to control distractions, organic patterns and circulation paths that discourage lingering.
6/7
A Closer Look at the Six Space Types
A Closer Look at the Six Space Types
6. Socializing Space: Making social connections.
Socializing space for hyposensitive employees should feature warm, saturated colors, a variety of seating types, sensory stimulus via tactile elements and textures, and a moderate level of background noise.
Space for hypersensitive people should include warm and neutral colors, natural materials, limited patterns, controlled noise and access to spaces low-traffic areas.
6. Socializing Space: Making social connections.
Socializing space for hyposensitive employees should feature warm, saturated colors, a variety of seating types, sensory stimulus via tactile elements and textures, and a moderate level of background noise.
Space for hypersensitive people should include warm and neutral colors, natural materials, limited patterns, controlled noise and access to spaces low-traffic areas.
7/7
A Closer Look at the Six Space Types
A Closer Look at the Six Space Types
A Closer Look at the Six Space Types
Our research suggests that the next generation of inclusive workplaces should enable six types of uses, designed for hyposensitive and hypersensitive users.
1/7
A Closer Look at the Six Space Types
A Closer Look at the Six Space Types
1. Concentrating Space: Enabling people doing individual, focused work.
Concentrating space for hyposensitive people should be snug, with more personal boundaries, and designed to feel orderly with simple patterns, tactile elements, fidget furniture, and areas for doodling and drawing.
Space for hypersensitive people also should be snug. Designers should avoid busy patterns and bright colors and include nature sounds, strong acoustic controls and high-quality lighting.
2/7
A Closer Look at the Six Space Types
A Closer Look at the Six Space Types
2. Communing Space: Accommodating people doing everyday tasks.
Communing space for hyposensitive people should include saturated, contrasting colors, movement-oriented circulation paths, access to sensory stimulating spaces and the ability to self-select music.
Hypersensitive people prefer simple patterns, light colors, sound masking systems and the ability to control distractions.
2. Communing Space: Accommodating people doing everyday tasks.
Communing space for hyposensitive people should include saturated, contrasting colors, movement-oriented circulation paths, access to sensory stimulating spaces and the ability to self-select music.
Hypersensitive people prefer simple patterns, light colors, sound masking systems and the ability to control distractions.
3/7
A Closer Look at the Six Space Types
A Closer Look at the Six Space Types
3. Creating Space: Promoting creative thinking and brainstorming.
The ideal creating space for hyposensitive people includes open, airy areas, saturated colors, surfaces for doodling, and sensory-stimulating environments with fidget furniture and tactile elements.
Hypersensitive people prefer lower ceiling planes, warm colors, simple patterns, alcoves for reflection and sound masking systems.
4/7
A Closer Look at the Six Space Types
A Closer Look at the Six Space Types
4. Congregating Space: Encouraging people to meet and collaborate.
Congregating space for hyposensitive people should provide neutral colors, moderate background noise, organic patterns, surfaces for doodling and plenty of space to move around.
The best congregating space for hypersensitive people includes neutral colors, limited patterns, orderly spaces and rooms sized to allow for ample personal space.
4. Congregating Space: Encouraging people to meet and collaborate.
Congregating space for hyposensitive people should provide neutral colors, moderate background noise, organic patterns, surfaces for doodling and plenty of space to move around.
The best congregating space for hypersensitive people includes neutral colors, limited patterns, orderly spaces and rooms sized to allow for ample personal space.
5/7
A Closer Look at the Six Space Types
A Closer Look at the Six Space Types
5. Contemplating Space: Helping people refresh and be mindful.
Contemplating space for hyposensitive people should include options for individual or small group work, geometric patterns, color shades of blue and green, circulation paths that encourage natural collision points and active spaces with fidget furniture.
Effective contemplative space for hypersensitive employees includes individual areas and clear personal boundaries, dropped ceilings, the ability to control distractions, organic patterns and circulation paths that discourage lingering.
6/7
A Closer Look at the Six Space Types
A Closer Look at the Six Space Types
6. Socializing Space: Making social connections.
Socializing space for hyposensitive employees should feature warm, saturated colors, a variety of seating types, sensory stimulus via tactile elements and textures, and a moderate level of background noise.
Space for hypersensitive people should include warm and neutral colors, natural materials, limited patterns, controlled noise and access to spaces low-traffic areas.
6. Socializing Space: Making social connections.
Socializing space for hyposensitive employees should feature warm, saturated colors, a variety of seating types, sensory stimulus via tactile elements and textures, and a moderate level of background noise.
Space for hypersensitive people should include warm and neutral colors, natural materials, limited patterns, controlled noise and access to spaces low-traffic areas.
7/7