It’s already past 7pm and you really should call it a day, but maybe you’ll just finish this one last thing. Then 7pm turns into 8pm and all of a sudden you only have time to go home and sleep before heading back to the office. We’ve all been there. It’s a dangerous and slippery slope. In this digital age of computers and constant emailing it’s hard to ever really stop working. That is, unless you work in this office — in which case you don’t really have a choice.
At Amsterdam design firm, Heldergroen desks are attached to the ceiling with steel cables. At 6 o’ clock somebody turns the key, the desks are lifted up and the space is cleared and converted into a dance floor, yoga studio, trend session or networking reception. The idea was taken from the way large theatre productions lift sets up and down.
When the next morning has arrived, workers place rolling cabinets on each end of the tables to keep the desk steady and at the correct height. An added bonus to this idea that might not pop into your head immediately is safety! When the desks are floating up by the ceiling the office appears totally empty from the outside, thwarting any interest from potential thieves.
Not only is this office a way to keep workers happy, it was also built with a community and environmental purpose. The space is a converted century-old chocolate factory. All of the furniture is made from materials scavenged around the neighborhood — cabinets are made from car doors and the movable desks are actually old telephone poles. At nights and on the weekend Sander Veenendaal, the firm’s creative director rents out the space for FREE!
This idea definitely has a startup kind of vibe, but with a slightly healthier mindset. Most of these amazing startup offices we see are kitted out with games, free food and copious amounts of coffee. That’s all well and good but what you might not realize is that all these sweet perks are often actually tempting employees to stay and work longer. That table tennis match set you back about an hour, but it’s cool, you’ll just grab dinner at the cafeteria. Heldergroen’s design forces an automatic work-life balance. Maybe they don’t have free artisan coffee available all day, everyday but they have time to go home and have a personal life. And that’s worth a whole lot more than a latte.
Does your work help you call it a day in any way, shape or form? If so, tell us how in the comments!
