Digital Graffiti - Art for the Workspace

What's Lacking in Commercial Interior Design?

G.C. Glasser

Today, the conversion of commercial spaces into esthetically cohesive, ergonomic, and functional environments has evolved into a science.

Motivated by the need to attract and retain quality personnel and optimize employee performance more companies are upgrading the work environment. Increasingly, aesthetic continuity from the main office to the inner office structure of the organization is of paramount importance in this process.

At the onset of planning office or any commercial renovation, facility managers should be thinking in terms of an efficient design which maximizes both esthetic ambiance and the everyday functionality of the space. This approach will facilitate a productive and pleasant environment for the occupants and visitors alike.

More innovative interior design groups use the principles of interior design, ergonomics, and behavioral sciences integrated with the client's needs for formulating environmental solutions.

Currently, with few exceptions, the quality and esthetics of the art in the commercial environment lacks both taste and aesthetic continuity. The only emphasis placed on aesthetics and quality seems to appear in the lobbies and executive suites. Once past that point, the environment is often devoid of interesting, quality artwork.

To the visitor who has business with someone other than an executive, the psychological impact is that of someone who makes a great first impression, but is without real substance. The experience is like stepping behind an elegant antebellum building façade on a movie set only to find a littered vacant lot on the other side.

It can also be depressing and counter productive to look at the generic, faded stock art scattered about in most working environments. A 'grab-bag selection of art indicates that the design group placed little importance on the psychosocial importance of artwork. The art, most often, appears to be an afterthought or 'anything to fill empty wall space'. It gives the impression of an unfinished project, especially when the art has the commercial ambiguity that most stock galleries offer.

The problem for the design group lies in the fact that they are obligated to not only design large and complex user-friendly commercial spaces, but also decorate it with art. This can consist of hundreds of pieces of artwork. The headache for the design group is locating appropriate material which may entail sifting through thousands of thumbnails in online stock-art galleries. The problem with this approach is that what you see on the monitor is not always what you get in physical form.

The most cost effective solution for a contemporary design group is to incorporate a visual artist from the onset of a project as an integral part of the design team. The benefit of incorporating an artist/designer as a member of the design group is that the overall budget for art can be significantly reduced thus cost effectively maximizing the cohesiveness and aesthetic ergonomics of finished product. (ends)

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What's Lacking in Commercial Interior Design? G.C. Glasser Today, the conversion of commercial spaces into esthetically cohesive, ergonomic, and functional environments has evolved into a science. Motivated by the need to attract and retain quality personnel and optimize employee performance more companies are upgrading the work environment. Increasingly, aesthetic continuity from the main office to the inner office structure of the organization is of paramount importance in this process. At the onset of planning office or any commercial renovation, facility managers should be thinking in terms of an efficient design which maximizes both esthetic ambiance and the everyday functionality of the space. This approach will facilitate a productive and pleasant environment for the occupants and visitors alike. More innovative interior design groups use the principles of interior design, ergonomics, and behavioral sciences integrated with the client's needs for formulating environmental solutions. Currently, with few exceptions, the quality and esthetics of the art in the commercial environment lacks both taste and aesthetic continuity. The only emphasis placed on aesthetics and quality seems to appear in the lobbies and executive suites. Once past that point, the environment is often devoid of interesting, quality artwork. To the visitor who has business with someone other than an executive, the psychological impact is that of someone who makes a great first impression, but is without real substance. The experience is like stepping behind an elegant antebellum building façade on a movie set only to find a littered vacant lot on the other side. It can also be depressing and counter productive to look at the generic, faded stock art scattered about in most working environments. A 'grab-bag selection of art indicates that the design group placed little importance on the psychosocial importance of artwork. The art, most often, appears to be an afterthought or 'anything to fill empty wall space'. It gives the impression of an unfinished project, especially when the art has the commercial ambiguity that most stock galleries offer. The problem for the design group lies in the fact that they are obligated to not only design large and complex user-friendly commercial spaces, but also decorate it with art. This can consist of hundreds of pieces of artwork. The headache for the design group is locating appropriate material which may entail sifting through thousands of thumbnails in online stock-art galleries. The problem with this approach is that what you see on the monitor is not always what you get in physical form. The most cost effective solution for a contemporary design group is to incorporate a visual artist from the onset of a project as an integral part of the design team. The benefit of incorporating an artist/designer as a member of the design group is that the overall budget for art can be significantly reduced thus cost effectively maximizing the cohesiveness and aesthetic ergonomics of finished product. (ends) Check out G-Tigerclaw's Article Archive ImageMap - Copyright Free Images