The power of community: expanding beyond the office walls
How is community-building influencing engagement in the workplace? James Grose and Susanne Mayer of architects BVN discuss their latest projects demonstrating the impact of reaching out to the wider community
For years organisations have tried to cultivate a community spirit within their workplace. This has seen the emergence of break-out spaces, larger cafeterias and pantry areas, and a broader range of amenities. But too often this effort stops at the doors of the office, with a lack of permeability to the surrounding community.
In this exclusive interview with WORKTECH Academy, James Grose and Susanne Mayer, senior architects at BVN and speakers at WORKTECH’s Munich 2018 conference, talk about their latest projects which focus on expanding community beyond the walls of one organisation’s workplace into the public realm.
BVN has encouraged a shift in attitude to the public sphere through its project with developers GPT in Melbourne. Whereas most cities cluster impenetrable skyscrapers, this project aims to create a more permeable and open community where people are encouraged to collaborate, socialise and relax.
