Creative architectural companies have been reinventing the traditional office by designing innovative ways to boost creativity and productivity in employees. Clive Wilkinson took away the need for conference rooms when he designed the Endless Table for New York City advertising firm, Barbarian Group.
The entire office is designed around a giant desk that fits all 125 employees. It's a place for them to work on individual tasks and easily collaborate with each other when necessary. At 1,100 feet long, the surface of the desk winds and curves through the 23,000 square foot office space.
"Desks, as they’ve been traditionally defined, are becoming redundant," Wilkinson told the New York Times. "They are based on people working with paper, and I think our attitude toward paper is changing because paper no longer has the same meaning. Twenty years ago, we printed out things and found ways to store them. Now you store things electronically."
It's certainly a pretty novel idea, to take away the traditional workspace and replace it with a singular place for every single employee. It's sure to boost creativity and encourage collaboration. However, like any other open office, it takes away the sense of privacy and quietness that many workers need to be productive.
See more views of the Endless Table here.
