Metropolis Magazine’s Post

🏯𝗔𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗺, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆’𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀—t𝗵𝗲𝘆’𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀. Each monthly meeting features team-led presentations on everything from lighting’s impact on mood to the power of greenery in a workspace. Our HR “human moments” bring personal growth and connection into the mix, with a dash of humor through their quirky narwhal recognition system. The lesson? Fun and engaging workplaces don’t just happen—𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆’𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗱. Want to boost your team’s energy? Start by creating intentional, interactive moments. Small efforts build a big culture shift. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺’𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀? Comment IDEAS below to get some complementary ideas from our team🔆, or share your own unique ideas for all to see!💡 CHAATRIK Architecture + Urban Design

STUDIO CULTURE // We’ve gone back to old school when mapping our workload and resourcing… a whiteboard and markers. We found our xls planning sheets used in weekly MODE studio meetings were looked at once, then locked away in our hard dives… I wanted something we could gather around; for everyone to tell and present their working story: we could walk past and have a chat about up coming projects; share knowledge; understand where people’s pain points and milestones were… put your fingers on it, point, rub out. Like the old water-cooler days… work-life built on conversations…. I thought we’d introduce the whiteboard idea this side of Xmas and launch in the New Year, but one of our crew has grabbed it and ran… No time like the present. Action. Thanks Bradley Chimes - was a pleasant surprise to enter this morning with this taking shape. Let’s see how we go! Anyone else using old school methods to enhance their workplace?? Would love to see other snaps of whiteboards in action! #workplace #architecture #designthinking #interiordesign

Straight Forward → Chapter 4 sneak peek 👀 The deeper you get into the art of wayfinding, the more hats you need to wear. You need to be adept at understanding graphic design, industrial design, engineering, behavioural science, and architecture. You also need a good dose of common sense!   Chapter 4 is →  The Golden Rules: Clear, Coherent and Consistent So in the face of all that complexity, a moment of simplicity: our three golden rules for wayfinding. As wayfinding specialists, these three rules are the backbone of everything we do, they’re what we measure our work against to make sure it doesn’t just make the client happy, but that it actually works. They are: It must be CLEAR. In wayfinding, clarity should come as no surprise. If a system isn’t clear, then we can’t trust it. And when we can’t trust it? Chaos. It must be COHERENT. With each sign, we need to ask ourselves, does it fit comfortably in its surroundings? Does it respond to the architecture and what it’s trying to communicate? Does it feel like it belongs here? Does it even make sense? And it must be CONSISTENT. If a wayfinding system is consistent, then we know exactly when and where we can expect to see a sign. This builds trust. If we come across a sign right just as we expected to, then we feel reassured. We know we’re going the right way. These are the rules we live by but how do we implement them? You can find all of this and much more wayfinding goodness in our new book, Straight Forward: How wayfinding works and why strategy matters. Be the first to get your hands on a copy when it launches in June — pre-order today on the Place Press website. #wayfinding #signage #architecture #placemaking

The Art of the Design Process: From Concept to Creation At 707 Properties, we believe that every great product starts with a thoughtful design process. It’s not just about aesthetics; it’s about creating solutions that meet the needs of our clients and their businesses. Our design process is a collaborative journey where we work closely with our clients, listening to their needs, understanding their challenges, and translating those insights into innovative, functional designs. From the initial concept to the final product, every step is carefully crafted to ensure quality and excellence. Whether it’s smart office architecture, customized tech solutions, or product design, we ensure that the final outcome not only looks good but also performs exceptionally. #DesignProcess #Innovation #ProductDesign #Collaboration

Nice use of the EasyGate SPT outdoor variant

Adaptable office architecture calls for a fresh design approach, and that’s exactly why we created Mute Studio! Our awesome team of architectural consultants and #MuteModular experts is here to collaborate closely with architects and clients. Check out our interview with Mute Studio reps Alicja and Paweł to dive into how adaptable office solutions can completely transform workspaces and bring so many benefits. Adaptable architecture is definitely something to get excited about! #adaptablearchitecture #flexibleoffice #workspace #workplace #office

End of week musings: From the desk of a Co-founder, Healthcare Design Practice. Welcome to my chaotic corner of the architectural world. Here's a snapshot of the desk from where I have run our Healthcare focussed Architectural Practice for almost a decade now. My dual monitors are a testament to my multitasking delusions – thanks to the many hats I attempt to juggle between but primarily that of “Janitor-in-Chief” On my desk, you’ll also find my secret weapons: a book of architectural drawings (because winging it isn't an option). Another gem, titled "Write drunk, edit sober." The metaphorical mantra helps my random epiphanies that are subject at least twice a week to early morning's scrutiny. My workspace is a masterpiece of organized disarray, featuring my trusty mouse, glasses that fight my screen-induced squint, notebooks filled with actionable lists and schedules as well as random doodles. The pièce de résistance?  My Golden Pothos plant, which I’ve successfully kept alive for more than 3 months — I’m competitive, green thumbing included. On that note, surprisingly for a group of professionals that sprinkle the word "green' with great generosity, I'm surprised that I have an office record on keeping the plant alive and thriving by significant margins. Back to the desk itself - I’ll grant you that it is cluttered with "stuff" that might seem unrelated to the untrained eye. But as Einstein once noted, "If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, what, then, is an empty desk a sign of?" Full disclosure: I have no real proof that Einstein said this but I figured whoever did, it makes sense. So here I am, a professional who loves the balancing act between creativity, precision and the everyday grind in a team-oriented workspace, fuelled by black coffee, a good laugh with a great team and a pinch of self-deprecation. After all, "Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep" (Scott Adams). Have a great weekend everybody! #personalzenspace #healthcarearchitect #architecturalpractice

Great question! As a non-hypothetical example, we recently worked on your Make with Notion event in SF and can confidently say you’re a fast-growing company! How do you see the space being used? At our facility, we built a broadcast studio and control room designed to adapt to a variety of use cases. One thing we’ve learned: no matter how much you try to “bulletproof” or “future-proof” a setup, within six months you’ll inevitably find ways to upgrade.

Room’s privacy pods are more than just a trend—they’re an essential part of the modern workplace. By providing employees with a space to work, think, and collaborate in privacy, you’ll improve productivity, enhance wellbeing, and create a more adaptable, future-ready office. Take your office to the next level with Room—where productivity meets privacy in style.

🎉 Another win in the books! We just wrapped up an incredible project at our non-traditional research space in Austin that had us pushing creative boundaries! Our client had some super specific activity needs, and guess what? Our whiteboard-painted wall and felt wall turned out to be the perfect canvas for respondents to get hands-on and participate in research in new ways. It was like a brainstorm playground! 🎨🧠 We even streamed the action to clients in remote locations and had closed-circuit viewing for on-site clients, all without those old-school one-way mirrors that feel more like an interrogation scene. 🙈 If you're looking for a space that adapts to your needs- complete with a full kitchen, breakout rooms, and parking right at the door- come check out our modular facility, 10K Spaces, in Austin! Your next big idea deserves a space this cool. 😎 Book your next face-to-face project with Monica Martinez today and see where your creativity can take you in one of the most economically exciting cities on the map! #facetofacemrx #mrx #focusgroups #cocreation #modularspaces #marketresearch #qualitativeresearch #austintexas Kerry HechtMonica Martinez