Space Planning

There’s a lot to consider when creating an office layout. Get it right and you have a new office that functions well and is fit for the future. Here are just a few things to think about when creating a space plan:

Accommodation (space planning) standards – these include average square feet per person, corridor widths, appropriate sizes for tea points, copy areas, meeting rooms, receptions, etc. CRS pass’s the benefit of our knowledge to you.

Legal requirements – there is lots of legislation to consider when space planning your office, including: The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations, Building Regulations – Part B Fire Safety Volume 2; Part M Access to and use of Buildings; Part E (Resistance to sound), The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order and the Disability Discrimination Act (now replaced by the Equality Act of 2010) plus others. With CRS, you don’t have to worry about any of them as we are experts in making sure your space plan is legally up-to-scratch.

Business requirements – of course your space plan should be guided by your business needs. For example, a legal firm will want more private space for confidential conversations, whereas a marketing agency will want to foster more interaction and creativity. Accommodation standards will vary by business.

IT and Telecoms – For your space plan to work, it must take into consideration access to IT, telecoms and small power. For example, does your office have raised flooring to make running cables to individual workstations easy? If so, you’ll have a lot more flexibility with your office layout. If not, you must space plan your workstations with access to a wall or ceiling with power and data. A skilled space planner can really help with those awkward spaces.

Flexibility and Growth – a well considered space plan will incorporate future growth to accommodate the changing needs of your business. For example, creating flexible spaces that can be used for either breakout space or workstations. This will save you time and money down the road when your business needs change.