An office tour through glass partitions
Share this blog:
Glass partitions can turn a dull office into a welcoming and attractive space. Learn how in our whistlestop tour.
Gone are the days when offices had to be dull. Sure, you still come across work environments that are functional but musty. But it's never been easier to create a workplace that's welcoming, professional-looking and attractive.
There are all sorts of ways to do it – but for our money, glass is best.
Yes, glass can turn a lacklustre space into somewhere attractive and spacious-looking. And with advances in switchable glass technology and decorative glass, you can put a stamp of authority, class and functionality on your premises.
This is beneficial for both your staff and your clients.
It's beneficial for staff because morale doesn't just depend on the human touch – it also depends on daily surroundings. Try doing a day's work in a cupboard and you'll see what we mean.
And it's beneficial to your clients because first impressions count. If your office is full of half-eaten sandwiches, cobwebs and rust, you're hardly dressed for business. But a few pieces of carefully positioned glass can make all the difference to that first impression.
In this article, we explore some of the ways that you can use glass to achieve these effects. We hope it gives you some inspiration and helps you plan your own workplace. You can thank us later!
1. The reception area
If eyes are the windows of the soul, your reception area is the window to your business. Just as eye contact can help seal a deal, so a welcoming, attractive reception area can make all the difference when greeting visitors.
It's not just that the space should be clean and tidy. It's also a room-sized advert for your company. It can communicate to visitors what your business is all about – brand equity while you wait.
One way to get an attractive aesthetic at the entrance is by tastefully placing mesh laminated glass.
Mesh glass incorporates wire mesh to give a plain pane of glass a face-lift. It's often used for partitions, screens and other decorative elements – and it can be patterned or tinted for extra appeal.
2. Wayfinding
Your visitors have checked in at reception and now need to get to the right place. Signage is an important aspect of office design. Why not use digitally printed glass for added elegance?
It might seem like something that should be at the bottom of your priority list, but good signs show that you care about visitors. You want your office to be as easy to navigate as the New York grid.
While you're at it, why not bring your signs in line with your brand identity? It's not only the devil that's in the details – it's also your visitors', suppliers' and clients' confidence in you. By getting your glass signs digitally printed, you're presenting a strong brand identity that helps people get around.
3. The open-plan space
Open-plan spaces are an easy, elegant way to create a sense of community and connectedness in the workplace. But the danger is that the space just looks a bit too big – like a banqueting table where you have to shout for the salt.
This is one of the great uses of glass in interior office design. By installing glass partitions, you create distinct work areas or "pods" – but unlike opaque partitions or walls, you don't lose the open-plan vibe.
Glass partitions allow natural light to flow through the space without bumping up against solid materials. At the same time, it can act as an effective sound insulator, providing roominess without the boominess.
Another advantage is that glass partitions are usually modular. Fed up with your current configuration? Simply refit them into a new arrangement.
All in all, glass partitions combine the advantages of open-plan office design with flexibility, aesthetic appeal and user-friendliness.
But in this glass-filled wonderland, can you maintain privacy? Again, this is an area where glass can make a palpable difference.
4. The boardroom
One of the trade-offs involved in modern office design centres on privacy. You want the open-plan design to create a sense of community and communicativeness. But what if you need to have a private meeting? Where are you supposed to go – the car park?
Blinds and curtains offer one solution. You can have a boardroom that gets curtained off whenever matters of state are being discussed.
One problem here is that blinds can be hard to clean and maintain. Another is that they give you a binary choice: your team can either see through the windows or they can't.
Switchable glass – also known as smart glass – is the answer to your problems.
This is a type of glass that can change from transparent to opaque at the click of a button. Not only that, but you can adjust the transparency levels just so.
This means that you can make your boardroom as private as you need. Most of the day, management is accessible to staff. But when a sensitive discussion is in progress, you can seal off the room with a single click.
As well as being simple and convenient, switchable glass sends a definite message to visitors. This firm, it says, is forward-thinking. And that, in turn, can boost first impressions and help your business succeed.
Final thoughts
Offices don't need to be drab. By harnessing the power of glass, you can turn an unremarkable space into a physical brand ambassador. And with so many options – mesh glass, digital printing, smart glass and more – you can let your imagination run riot.
Don't believe us? Check out our decorative glass range. We'd love to help you realise your interior design dreams.
Are you looking for glass partition panels for an office installation? Get in touch today for a free, no-obligation consultation.
