Office Buildings Throughout Centuries vs now, in the 21^st Century – Developing Innovative Space Concepts

Abstract

The paper seeks to define the principles of the development of office buildings throughout history, in the light of new research dealing with the needs and habits of a new workforce in the digital age and environment-friendly solutions. To start, we explore the evolution of administrative buildings through the ages, to see how workspaces were designed to accommodate work dynamics of the time and apply contemporary technological solutions. Afterwards, an overview of modern office spaces and emerging business practices aims to define the requirements and expectations put forward by a new workforce, predominantly tied to digital innovation. The resulting research’s purpose is to design a model office space that considers both issues of sustainable building and the needs of the workforce