With the pandemic came the emergence of a global-spread need to ‘work from home’. And as that stretches for longer than anybody thought, maybe it’s time to create a practical space for that within our homes. Here’s where to start
By: Priyanka Khanna & Rudraksh Charan of 42MM
Posted on: July 21, 2020
The pandemic has brought about radical, unaccounted changes in our lifestyles. The concept of working from home, sometimes in our pyjamas, is one major part of it. Work being a quintessential aspect of life, it has to evolve dynamically, and rapidly, to suit the changing times.
People are used to a discipline of working for 8-10 hours in their offices and the remaining time is assigned to their personal life. Due to the pandemic, this categorization of time is disrupted, and to some extent affected overall productivity. Therefore creating a work station or a mini office within your house tends to enable one to bring back that discipline and segregate personal and professional time.
The upside of working from home is the comfort of one’s own space and flexibility to move around. Therefore a home work station should be designed with two aspects in mind:
a) Permanent set up like a personal den, and
b) Detachable/ flexible arrangement that can allow moving the workstation whenever required
If going for a permanent space, one should vouch to create clutter free surfaces while designing their work area. All the paperwork has now turned digital, therefore there is no compelling need for large storage units. Even while purchasing or creating storage units, prefer placing it clear of your sight for a more open desk experience. A seamless solid table situated in spaces with ample sunlight could create an excellent home office.
Arrange your desk only with essentials like notepads, gadgets, and stationery, etc for everyday use to stay organized. To add a personal and inspirational touch, one could decorate with rejuvenating colors, natural prints, pin boards, or bring in some potted plants.
Catering to the transitory aspect of the workstation, one could opt for a workstation on wheels that could be easily shifted when in need of a scenery change. Mini foldable tables are also handy to work outdoors on a good weather day or from bed on a lazy day.
Another very important aspect is to find perfect furniture to sit on. We remain seated for the longest duration while working, hence investing in a good ergonomic chair is a must. Herman Miller Aeron, Human Scale Freedom, etc. are some fine pieces of furniture that help to maintain a good posture.
Creating home offices is an exercise of restructuring space to maintain a structure in time while enjoying the flexibility of working in. Creating the right ambience for work is paramount for one’s well-being and productivity.
Rudraksh Charan, an architect, is responsible for the instigating design concepts and client interface for 42MM while leading teams from concept design through completion. He has worked on commercial, hospitality, residential and urban-planning projects. His technical and construction experience, working in every aspect of overall project delivery including cost and schedule management, enables him to work with the client and design team to achieve the project’s goals and vision. With over 13 years of professional experience, his focus has been in the “making” of buildings offering simple and artful solutions to complex problems that entail immense technical knowledge and a profound attention to detail. Charan’s approach to design enables integration of both the natural and built environment. He focuses on developing creative and innovative solutions that meet both aesthetic and pragmatic requirements, allowing buildings to positively impact the environment, while addressing the specific needs of inhabitants.
Priyanka Khanna has over 12 years of experience in design and construction management of various architectural and interior projects. In 42mm she leads project teams on all phases of design, from inception to completion, ensuring design and continuity throughout a wide range of projects in the studio. She monitors critical aspects such as design quality, schedule, and budget. She has completed several architecture and interior design projects of varied scale cutting across, luxury homes, hospitality, retail and commercial. She is constantly challenging and perfecting specifications of even the smallest aspects of projects, ensuring great Value Engineering. Her design approach is rooted in 42mm’s core values of design excellence, innovation and sustainability. She is passionate about sustainable, multidisciplinary, research-based design.
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