Forget the office as a cold row of desks under fluorescent lights. Your employee no longer comes to the office simply to be ‘present’. For that, the kitchen table at home is often more comfortable. The battle for talent is won by companies that turn their office into a destination. By that, we mean a destination that is different from your home or your work: the ‘Third Place’. The third place in your life where you spend a lot of time and where you truly feel comfortable.
But how do you transform a business environment into a space with the atmosphere of a coffee bar, library, or gym?
What is the ‘Third Place’?
The ‘First Place’ is your home. The place where you sleep, eat, and live; an extension of your personality. The ‘Second Place’ is your work, the place where you focus on achieving results. And then you have the ‘Third Place’. A neutral place where you come for connection or relaxation.
Normally, you seek this place outside your home, but by bringing that specific atmosphere indoors, you create an environment where people want to be instead of having to be. The result? Spontaneous encounters, less hierarchy, and a boost for creativity. The office should be a place where your battery recharges instead of draining.
Openness and security with the right walls
A successful ‘Third Place’ is about the right balance between openness and security. People don’t feel comfortable in a gigantic open space when they are having a conversation or want to step out of ‘work mode’ for a moment. They seek a human scale.
With our glass partition walls, we create transparent ‘niches’ and lounges that frame the space without losing the connection to the rest of the workspace. By opting for framing with black or bronze-colored profiles, the space immediately gets a warm hospitality look. While still at the office, you feel the tranquility of an exclusive lounge.
It's more than an extra space behind glass
The ‘Third Place’ goes beyond a good coffee machine and a comfortable sofa. It's about facilitating a complete lifestyle where well-being is central. A perfect example of this is our own company gym.
We have created the possibility to exercise during or around the workday, simply by furnishing the right space for it. This blurs the line between a functional workplace and a place for personal growth and health. By equipping a sports area with high-quality walls, you ensure that it is cleverly separated from the workplaces. You don't disturb people at their desks, while you can easily combine work and sport: make a call on the treadmill or hold a meeting while you're working out with weights.
Acoustics as an invisible mood setter
In a true ‘Third Place’, such as a hotel or a luxury lounge, acoustics are never accidental. They are a conscious design choice. In an office environment, acoustics are often seen as a technical problem, but we prefer to approach them as an instrument to bring the right energy into a space.
Imagine: an open coffee corner in the middle of the office floor. Without the right acoustic measures, the clatter of cups and the laughter of colleagues ‘leaks’ across the entire department. By strategically placing glass partition walls, we create an acoustic barrier that keeps the energy within the zone. Within that zone, the lounge can buzz with the hum you also experience in an atmospheric café.
Acoustics direct our behavior
Sound subconsciously determines how we behave. Just think of the example of a church. The enormous reverberation in a cathedral unconsciously forces you to speak softer. It enforces a kind of reverence; you walk on tiptoes and behave more calmly. In a modern office with a lot of concrete and glass, a similar reverberation can occur. The result is the Lombard effect: people start talking louder to overcome the reverberation.
- In the gym: Here, the acoustics are ‘more direct’. The sound of movement and music stimulates adrenaline. By acoustically isolating the space, you give the athlete ‘permission’ to make noise.
- In the lounge: Here, you strive for intimacy. You achieve this by placing acoustic ceiling islands above the seating areas. People sit closer together and talk in a lower, more personal tone.
- In the library: Here, there is an expectation of silence. As soon as you cross the threshold, your heart rate drops, and your focus increases. We design walls specifically for these ‘deep work’ zones. They immediately tell your brain what the intention is, and you no longer need to hang a ‘Silence’ sign.
The ‘Third Place’ is not a luxury but a must
Companies want to continue to inspire and connect their employees. This requires a smart combination of design, glass, acoustics, and flexibility. A place where you are neither an employee nor a housekeeper for a moment, but simply allowed to be without obligations.