Humanscale’s Denver office was recently awarded the Generative Space Award from The CARITAS Project, a global enterprise committed to the creation of transformational environments that enhance human health.

To be considered for this award, the Denver team had to demonstrate how their office design was a Generative Space: a facility that has progressively and tangibly improved over time. They also had to show how the space improved the performance effectiveness of individuals, organizations and the community.

The Project

When the Denver staff realized they needed more office space in the spring of 2013, they took a new approach. They were inspired by Dr. Wayne Ruga, founder and president of The CARITAS Project, and they tried to integrate his Generative Space philosophy into the design process. The goal was to create a design that would grow and prosper over time. They wanted to enhance the overall quality of the work experience while also improving performance effectiveness, and they wanted measurable results. A project strategy was developed by leveraging architectural, design and Humanscale employee focus groups. The redesign team listened to feedback and implemented as many of the suggestions as possible. The result is an innovative, engaging workspace that the employees have taken ownership of. Productivity and well-being have noticeably improved. The Denver team’s new, award-winning office design has inspired Humanscale’s Seattle, Boston, Houston, and Los Angeles offices to integrate these philosophies in to their own newly designed spaces.

The Takeaway

We have always designed our furniture with human needs in mind, and now we are thrilled to expand that vision to our facilities. The people of Humanscale are already enjoying the benefits of their Generative Spaces, including additional workstation space, lots of natural light, welcoming kitchens and collaborative "huddle" rooms that can be both open and closed as needed. We look forward to even more long-term positive impacts to come. What if more workplaces were designed to enhance the lives of workers, as opposed to just be inhabited by them? Check out some photos of the redesigned Denver office space, below. [gallery link="file" size="full" type="slideshow" ids="473,474,475,476,477,478,479,480,483"]