Description According to joint research conducted by Steelcase and Microsoft Corp., creativity is seen as a critical job skill driven by organizations’ need for innovation and growth in addition to employees’ desire for meaningful work. However, many organizations invest in technology and space as separate entities rather than approaching them holistically. This lack of cohesion creates sub-optimal conditions for fostering creativity. People need to work alone, in pairs and in different size groups throughout a creative process, and they need a range of devices that are mobile and integrated into the physical workplace. Additionally, spaces should inspire people without compromising performance. Together, Steelcase and Microsoft have joined forces to explore the future of work, developing a range of technology-enabled Creative Spaces designed to help organizations foster creative thinking and better collaboration. This ecosystem of spaces seamlessly integrates the best of Microsoft Surface devices with Steelcase architecture and furniture. They include an Ideation Hub, Focus Studio, Duo Studio, Maker Commons and Respite Room. Each of the Creative Spaces is intentionally designed to support the needs of individuals and teams as they move through the different stages and activities of the creative process.
• Ideation Hub The Ideation Hub is a high-tech destination that encourages active participation and equal opportunity to contribute as people co-create, refine and share ideas with co-located or distributed teammates on Microsoft Surface Hub.
• Focus Studio The Focus Studio is designed for individual creative work, which requires alone time to focus and get into flow, while also allowing quick shifts to two-person collaboration. This is a place to let ideas incubate before sharing them with a large group, perfect for focused work with Microsoft Surface Book or Surface Pro 4.
• Duo Studio The Duo Studio is designed for working in pairs, an essential behavior of creativity. This space supports a trust relationship in which two people can co-create shoulder-to-shoulder, while also supporting individual work with Microsoft Surface Studio. It includes a lounge area to invite others in for a quick creative review or to put your feet up and get away without going away.
• Maker Commons Socializing ideas and rapid prototyping are essential parts of creativity. The Maker Commons is designed to encourage quick switching between conversation, experimentation and concentration, ideal for a mix of Surface devices, such as Surface Hub and Surface Book.
• Respite Room Creative work requires many brain states, including the need to balance active group work with solitude and individual think time. The Respite Room is a truly private room that allows relaxed postures to support diffused attention.
Elements and Configuration Creative Spaces are an ecosystem of technology and spaces that support the different stages of the creative process. They were thoughtfully designed to flex across industries and types of work and can be built around the needs of a specific organization, maintaining the right postures, privacy levels and proximity within the space itself and in relationship to the overall ecosystem of the built environment to promote creativity.
List price Creative Spaces are competitively priced and vary based on technology and a range of furniture options.
