Offices for Small Spaces

Even in challenging economic climates, business must carry on, must do more with less, make greater use of fewer resources.One such commonly affected resource is a fundamental one — physical office space. As businesses try to make smaller, less expensive office spaces viable, the challenge is of course to maintain a professional atmosphere which, though small, still allows all workplace needs to take place. Offices for Small Spaces showcases over two dozen innovative small offices from all over the world and from all sorts of businesses — and none larger than 865 square feet! — that make the most of their area and nonetheless manage to create a habitable workplace environment conducive to success of business. Offices for Small Spaces is sure to provide plenty of ideas for your own workspace.

Bahamon (an architect based in Barcelona) has chosen 25 projects for this book, most of European and American businesses, chosen for their creative, unusual, and often high-tech solutions which make the most of a small office space. Accompanied only by brief descriptions and captions, the photos, which include several details of each project, provide a visual narrative that designers will find stimulating. Ground plans are included for each project. The volume is not indexed. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Publishers Weekly

While many office workers may feel like they work in a small box, many of the office designs here actually are small boxes. The first section of the book provides basic information on space-saving advances made in the six basic components of an office-furniture, partitions, conference rooms, chairs, shelving and work surfaces. For instance, "chairs play an important role in expressing the image and supporting [sic] the operation of many offices." The brightly colored balls and boxes that make up conference room seating for a graphic design agency specializing in children's books or a low lacquered conference table surrounded by mats for a Japanese advertising agency make more sense after this basic orientation. Unfortunately, while architects may be enthralled by the cleverness with which these components are made to fit into difficult spaces, in most of the designs ergonomic health and safety seem to have been left behind with the cubicles (the inflexibility of which, according to Bahamon, are "a thing of the past"); in one project for an unidentified business, a sinuous green platform functions simultaneously as desk, chair and knee-bruiser. The photograph of blurry office workers hunched over their unilevel keyboards would make anyone's back ache in sympathy. The book is not for those seeking to redesign their home offices-its space-saving ideas are discussed strictly from the point of view of their designers. (June) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Alejandro Bahamón is an architect, writer, and editor. He is the author of many design and architecture books including Mini House, Small Apartments, and Small Lofts.