ORGATEC 2022: What kinds of spaces do people need?

The Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics IBP will hold the sixth People in Spaces symposium at ORGATEC 2022.

For many years, the Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics IBP has been bringing together the worlds of research and practice, scientists, architects, planners, users and companies to exchange information and discuss the interaction between people and spaces as part of the high-profile People in Spaces (Menschen in Räumen/MiR) symposium. This year, the People in Spaces symposium will be held in Cologne on 26 October at ORGATEC 2022, the international trade fair for the modern working world, and will be a special edition focusing on hybrid, multilocal working environments.

In a hybrid, multilocal world of work, the design and impact of working environments are especially important. Knowledge workers move dynamically between physical and virtual spaces, between offices and home offices, between more private areas and spaces intended for collaboration in their activity-based offices. And the choice of where to work has never been freer, never made more consciously than it is now.

Good spaces must satisfy users’ innate needs for freedom from distractions, privacy, creative inspiration and interaction, and must be able to meet increased expectations with regard to flexibility, digital connectivity and safety. Changes to the ways work is organised and space is used have a reciprocal effect and ultimately also influence the demands on the context, such as food services, location, accessibility, land use and, ultimately, neighbourhood and urban development.

In this process, the employees’ requirements must be aligned with what employers need and are able to offer as well as with occupational health and safety legislation and the new legal framework now being developed. At the same time, modern workplaces should also meet growing environmental needs – offices and buildings should be constructed in a sustainable manner, and all workplaces should be operated in the most resource-efficient way possible.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics IBP is devoting itself to these challenges involved in shaping the new world of work in its special edition of the People in Spaces symposium. In addition to the latest scientific findings, inspiring keynote speeches and best-practice examples, the event will feature exciting contributions from the fields of science, architecture and business practice.
Participation in the symposium is free of charge for ORGATEC trade fair visitors. However, separate registration for the symposium is required.
Registration: https://newsletter.fraunhofer.de/-optin-form/15490/47/rD5DJ

Alongside other activities, the Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics IBP researches the effect of spaces on people and supports companies and the public sector in the development and implementation of technical, organisational and behavioural solutions for attractive working environments that promote good health and boost performance. With its Office Initiative, the IBP has created a network that brings together scientists, planners, manufacturers and operators, facilitating and accelerating the transfer of research findings into real-world applications. https://www.ibp.fraunhofer.de/en/about-us/initiatives/office-initiative.html

IBP scientists also conduct research into acoustics, lighting, air purification, hygiene and air conditioning in indoor spaces, as well as into sustainable materials, systems and construction methods. https://www.ibp.fraunhofer.de/en/

ORGATEC – New Visions of Work: 25–29 October 2022 in Cologne
ORGATEC is the leading international trade fair for the modern working world. Hosted biannually in Cologne, the trade fair serves as a creative hotspot for networking, collaboration and new trends in interior design. As the industry’s most important innovation and business platform, ORGATEC showcases the world of work in all its diversity, addresses the latest questions and transforms Cologne into a global gathering place for architects, planners, and industry experts from the manufacturing sector and the trade. The leading international trade fair for the modern working world presents new visions of work and explores how work environments and work culture interact.