On mornings when the train is delayed or the highway is backed up for miles and you’re dreading the commute to work, L.A.-based architect Clive Wilkinson wants you to imagine how it would feel to simply walk upstairs to your workplace. He doesn’t envision millions of office workers huddled over desks in their attics, however, instead, Wilkinson drew up conceptual plans for the “Endless Workplace,” a shared office space that would hover over the city of London. He doesn’t envision millions of office workers huddled over desks in their attics, however, instead, Wilkinson drew up conceptual plans for the “Endless Workplace,” a shared office space that would hover over the city of London.
He doesn’t envision millions of office workers huddled over desks in their attics, however, instead, Wilkinson drew up conceptual plans for the “Endless Workplace,” a shared office space that would hover over the city of London. The scheme was designed for Flaunt magazine as a theoretical solution to the ever-increasing average time employees spend commuting to work each day.
Though the idea may seem far-fetched, Wilkinson has been behind several high-profile office projects, according to architecture and design publication Dezeen, including Google’s headquarters in Silicon Valley. While his main goal was to abandon the tradition of the office cubicle, now, Wilkinson has turned his attention to eliminating the stress of getting to work, which eats up hours of the day for many Londoners.
The central notion of the concept may be controversial with employers—essentially, the Endless Workplace suggests that colleagues do not need to occupy the same building or conference room to collaborate efficiently. While more and more workplaces offer flexible arrangements, such as the ability to work from home one day a week, the Endless Workplace proposal is a more drastic extension of that idea.
The existing infrastructure of the city would be “carpet-bombed” by a single, horizontally connected level of workspace, according to Dezeen. The space would not include cubicles, but would be a type of open-plan office with desks and other supplies, along with many small parks, that could accommodate workers from startups or established organizations.
Aside from eliminating commutes, the concept would also prevent the isolation of those who work from home and reduce carbon emissions from cars, according to Wilkinson. The opportunity to socialize with “coworkers” from different disciplines simply because they live close to you will also be valuable, he said. Because today’s technology allows us to constantly be in contact with our bosses and colleagues—whether through email, messaging apps or other means of communication—some form of the Endless Workplace might be the next logical step.
This article was written by Lauren Kirkwood from PSFK and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network.
