At the end of the decade, people’s working environments in cities will change to a significant extent. While most of the work today is still done at the primary workplace (office) or at secondary workplaces (for example, partners’, customers’ and subcontractors’ premises), it has been predicted that in 2017 as much as 50% of so-called office work will be done at third workplaces (for example, in hotels, cafés and congress venues).
Better third workplaces by consulting users
This need for third workplaces is already visible at library premises in the city centre, for example, at Library 10 and at the Lasipalatsi Meetingpoint. The needs of laptop citizens have been heard and facilities, furnishing and technology developed together with the users. Earlier, users reserved a computer that they could use, but today’s laptop workers hope to reserve comfortable seats, meeting points, wireless printers and memory card readers. More traditional office supplies, such as staplers and perforators, are also available to the mobile workforce.
The Central Library – the most popular workplace in Helsinki?
Helsinki’s most popular third workplace is, in fact, being planned in the forthcoming Central Library. The convenient connections from the Central Library to the railway station, the metro and the ‘Pisara-rata’ rail line make it an urban office and meeting place for the city residents and visiting foreigners alike. Work stations, meeting rooms, studios and teamwork rooms can be reserved in advance, and users can also specify what kind of technical equipment they will need in the room.
Target concept: open-plan office at the Töölönlahti Bay
There are dozens of mobile work stations in the downstairs lobby of the library, available for both one-person use and for the use of small groups. All required technical auxiliary equipment and traditional office supplies are naturally also available to the mobile workers. In the urban office, there are both quiet working zones and lobby spaces filled with buzz of conversation. If desired, the users of the urban office may distribute information about themselves and their work to other users of the premises and thereby also seek new cooperation partners. In the summer, the glass walls of the premises are opened and the library’s urban office extends into Töölönlahti Bay to form the most magnificent open-plan office in Helsinki!
Already explored the services of the Urban Office? Stop by at Lasipalatsi, reserve a computer or organise a meeting!
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Photo: Ted Lee / Flickr
Story: Kari Lämsä