Within large floor plans or multi-story office complexes, the proper placement of spaces is one of the most difficult challenges. Here, at the newly designed Lausanne location of the Swiss IT company ELCA Informatique, we are dealing with an area of 7,000 square meters for 2,000 employees. Five floors were transformed into an office environment based on the UF Collection, which the firm UnternehmenForm (UF) tailored as the centerpiece of the concept—from conference tables and workstations to cafeteria furniture and workshop areas. Without major structural alterations, a variety of quiet retreats and functional work areas were created. The resulting portfolio of options was broad, encompassing spacious meeting rooms and single-person booths as well as zones for collaborative work. Although complex, the challenge of creating individually tailored workspaces for tasks that needed to be intensive and effective while simultaneously offering a pleasant and representative office atmosphere was successfully met. This was achieved through the use of high-quality materials and aesthetically superior furnishings. Furthermore, the new workspace met the requirement of being implemented sustainably and, as far as possible, without major structural changes to the building. In fact, the implementation proceeded quickly and smoothly, which avoided a prolonged period of non-use of the office floors, as well as excessive periods of working from home and extended stays in external co-working spaces. Four multifunctional areas are centrally located on each floor—here you’ll find seating, rolling cabinets, shelves, and sideboards. The colors red and green, along with generous greenery, define the common areas. Smaller zones with meeting rooms and collaboration areas complement them.
