INNOVATION SPACES

BUILT ENVIRONMENTS THAT IGNITE INNOVATION

Physical spaces are increasingly understood as the catalysts for new ways of seeing and thinking.   They often inspire new perspectives and open up our mental pathways to see new possibilities.   As a result, the built environment into which one immerses their innovators has a profound impact on their psychological tendency, and their practical ability, to collaborate and to innovate.

Gone are the days of dull, grey work spaces — the old "institutional" world.   Today, workers need to feel as though they've brought their own living rooms and favorite cafes into the office, so that they can be physically relaxed but mentally focused on the innovation challenges at hand, and so that they can do this as small teams working in community.   This we call "homing from work."

THE ENGAGEMENT

The Innovation Spaces Engagement typically follows these steps:

1. We begin by listening to you, so as to understand the type of innovation environment you wish to create, and to more fully understand your organization and its unique identity and culture, as well as where you wish to take that culture.   We are also working to learn such key matters as who within your organization the environment is intended for, and under what conditions they will use it.
2. If desired, we can provide custom training on innovation spaces as a prelude to the planned design work.
3. We next embark on the detailed design definition work, detailing out the relevant attributes of the overall space — size, composition, individual space sizes and shapes, relative orientations, furnishings, lighting, acoustics, aesthetics, art, people flows, work flows, and so on.   The proprietary Dynamics of Innovation Design Guide (Dynannova) serves as the basis for this work, enabling us to put together the elements and layout of a complete environment capable of maximizing your organization's creativity, collaboration, sharing, and innovation.   As part of this work, we enlist the services of one of our network's approved Interior Designers to help us put the finishing touches on the design.
4. We next review this design definition with you and explain precisely how its details are designed to accomplish your objectives, ensuring that we have fully captured and reflected all of your objectives for the space.   Wherever needed, we make adjustments to the design until we are all in agreement that it fully reflects your intended objectives.
5. Once you have approved this design definition, we then engage one of our network's approved Architects, or an Architect of your choosing if you prefer, to complete the formal architectural designs of the space.
6. Once the formal architectural designs have been completed and approved by you, we then turn over implementation either to your Facilities staff and the contractor of their choosing, or to the Architects we have enlisted, who would then work directly with you to have the space constructed using a contractor of their choosing.
7. When finished, we bring in select members of your organization and christen the new innovation space.   It is then ready for "making innovation happen" in your business.