91视频

In the previous century, the pioneering psychologist Abraham Maslow posited a of what is important to people in their personal and professional lives. This matrix starts with the biological requirements of everyday life 鈥� what we effectively need to survive 鈥� and gradually builds upward to the feeling of leading a fulfilling life, or actualization. It is no accident that Maslow visualized this hierarchy as a pyramid, with food, clothing and sleep at the bottom level and higher-order concepts such as creativity and meaning at the top.

In our design work, we create human-centered spaces that correspond to Maslow鈥檚 hierarchy of needs, whether they relate to safety, a sense of belonging, or feelings of self-worth and comfort for the occupants. We apply this principle in key areas such as affordable housing and civic and commercial workplaces. Inclusive design practices create more harmonious spaces where people feel safe and productive and want to spend time on a more regular basis. This is especially important in the wake of the post-pandemic paradigm in which many employees, in addition to having grown accustomed to the idea of working at home, remain hesitant to return to office environments they might .

Following Maslow鈥檚 pyramid for biological wellness, we focus on designs that have adequate ventilation and insulation, as well as a building envelope that will efficiently maintain heat and coolness during every season.

The next tier encompasses safety, and our goal is to ensure not only properly locking doors and person-specific access but also designing structures in which people can easily find their way around 鈥� which can be especially important in those with a public-facing component, including civic buildings and commercial spaces that receive visitors. People feel safe in offices when they know they are secure at their workstations and in more public-facing areas; designers must keep this knowledge at the forefront. Ensuring accessibility for more people from the outset is important, considering everyone鈥檚 mobility needs.

Moving further up the pyramid, the next level of needs entails feelings of community and shared purpose. Accordingly, welcoming office environments must offer inclusive spaces where new mothers can take needed breaks for lactation. In addition to communal spaces, this tier also includes 鈥渂reak鈥� spaces for people to temporarily leave noisy office environments, which is especially important for neurodivergent individuals 鈥� and also supports principles of , an architectural discipline that aims to craft calming spaces.

The next level up is self-esteem. Architects must apply design principles that allow people to thrive in their office environments by ensuring they are physically comfortable; people in such environments can grow both individually and within the organization. Welcoming settings that meet this tier of needs foster a sense of openness to ideas and support the possibilities of advancement. Studies have shown between self-esteem at work and productivity, so it is incumbent that we create professional environments with this as our guiding principle.

We finally reach the top of the pyramid: 鈥渟elf-actualization,鈥� or achieving one鈥檚 full potential personally and professionally. By applying principles of trauma-informed design and other forward-looking elements of architectural craft, people in office spaces can lead independent and creative working lives and achieve their peak performance. When people are fulfilled in their jobs, this is when 鈥渨ork鈥� truly becomes a 鈥渃areer.鈥�

It is important that design professionals continue to apply this more human-centered approach to respect not only the needs of an increasingly diverse workforce with a variety of goals but also so that employees can achieve their full potential at work. By applying these design principles and following Maslow鈥檚 hierarchy of needs, architects will be better able to create spaces of all kinds that focus on human-centered needs and interactions that benefit the individual and the collective.

Jenny Baines is a senior interior designer at LRS Architects. Contact her at 503-221-1121 or [email protected].

Britney Hale is an interior designer and associate at LRS Architects. Contact her at 503-221-1121 or [email protected].

This column is intended to provide readers with general information and not legal advice. Consult professional counsel for help regarding specific situations.

The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed in the preceding commentary are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Daily Journal of Commerce or its editors. Neither author nor the 91视频 guarantees the accuracy or completeness of any information published herein.