"As work becomes more mobile, office designs change and buildings adapt" by Kristen Leigh Painter Star Tribune

"...Offices are smaller and more open, so employees can roam around but remain engaged. Time for personal matters is provided without question, as bosses realize their colleagues also work at home during times when they feel they can be productive."

“Space is a tool. And people, your most expensive asset, are a tool that need to work well,” said Janet Pogue McLaurin, principal at the architectural firm Gensler. “So you want to create a work environment where people work their best”

Technology shapes space

For decades, the “open” concept in offices meant warrens of cubicles that came to symbolize employee disposability and uniformity. Now, cubicles aren’t entirely gone, but they are designed with lower walls and broken up by common areas for small gatherings and even rooms when someone needs more privacy.

A big difference is in office technology. Computers have shrunk — from mainframes to desktops to laptops to phones. This means workers can do more with less space, reducing the total square footage required for a company to do business. And with wireless Internet now an office mainstay, workers are no longer tied to a static location...

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