Even in challenging economic climates, business must carry on, must do more with less, make greater use of fewer resources.One such commonly affected resource is a fundamental one -- physical office space. As businesses try to make smaller, less expensive office spaces viable, the challenge is of course to maintain a professional atmosphere which, though small, still allows all workplace needs to take place. Offices for Small Spaces showcases over two dozen innovative small offices from all over the world and from all sorts of businesses -- and none larger than 865 square feet! -- that make the most of their area and nonetheless manage to create a habitable workplace environment conducive to success of business. Offices for Small Spaces is sure to provide plenty of ideas for your own workspace.

Alejandro Bahamon is a Colombian architect who has been working in Spain for the last 4 years. After working as a photographer, architect, and architectural editor in his home country he developed a Ph.D. program in Barcelona about new architectural instruments. At the moment he has his own architectural firm. He has collaborated as a writer and co-editor in publications for G.G., Axxis magazine, Arquitecturas magazine, Barcelona School of Architecture and Loft Publications

Offices for Small Spaces

Furniture

Partitions

Internal partitions are highly important in any office project. New materials and light structures have made the inflexibility of cubicle dividers a thing of the past. A project for a small space should simplify these divisions as much as possible, ensuring that they take up the minimum amount of space and provide the privacy required in each case. Traditional materials such as glass and wood are now complemented by others, such as polycarbonate, fiberglass, and metallic mesh.

Conference rooms

Conference rooms are the most important spaces in a company for many office design projects -- not just because of the face the company wants to present to the public, but also because of its internal work dynamic. These spaces are fundamental to expressing the corporate image and work philosophy. In some cases they may be very formal, while in others they may be run-of-the-mill, cluttered with the paraphernalia of the work routine.

Chairs

In addition to their ergonomic qualities, fundamental to the comfort of those who spend so many hours seated, chairs play an important role in expressing the image and supporting the operation of many offices. Chairs can define the company's character while also providing flexible seating and easily removeable options within the space.

Shelving

The storage of work materials, books, or documents is fundamental to an office design project. Often, shelving is used as a basic design element in order to project a certain image. Because of their prominence, shelves play an important role in interior design. They can function as internal dividers, line the walls, or act as movable modules.

Work Sufaces

Desks, tables, and counters are perhaps the only unavoidable elements in any workspace. Their shape, size, and placement are determined entirely by the type of work to be performed. Tall work surfaces are better for tasks that can be completed relatively quickly or for customer service. Other work surfaces function as conference tables or can be moved about so they can be combined or stored.

Offices for Small Spaces. Copyright © by Alejandro Bahamon. Reprinted by permission of HarperCollins Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. Available now wherever books are sold.

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Excerpted from Offices for Small Spaces by Cristina Montes, Alejandro Bahamon
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.