This document discusses how the learning/work environment can contribute to organizational strategy in 7 ways: as a strategic asset, for image building, innovation, team building, integration, distinctiveness, and facilitating meetings and collaboration. It argues that the environment influences behaviors and should be viewed holistically rather than just in terms of costs, as soft aspects are important for employee experience, emotions, and corporate identity.

1. • PEOPLE I PLACES I T ECHNOLOGY
IN l1AGAZINE
ISSUI~ 13 I 1013
•TEN YEARS OF INSJGllT
• SQUAR I NGTHF. CIRC U:
•COMPUTETHE COMMUTI-:
•WHAT IS DATA GOOD FOR?

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be one stcr ahead in tern's ol 1.NucinK
coi-ti-, bu1 at thC' 'll.Unc Uint pri.•l'~ng
acooillnodation so)ut.ions th.1.t .uc u1
line ~·jth the orgJ..nisatio1
1.U i.CrAttp.~ 01nd
y,·cll-bcing ofthe occupants'?
A,·l·ommod;ition ii' nion- rh,.11
ju"t ovcrht<•d coo;to;, lhc lc;u11/vork
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5. peopJe's performance and ,,..elJbeing and
therefore has a strategic i1np'1ct. 1t is an
i1nporcanc asset in the vaJue creation of
an organisatio1.
'lhc Jcarn/,vork cnviron1ncnr can
be co1npared co a rainbo'A' speccruin.
lhe seven colours of the rainbov arc
ahvays present ln ''"hire light. 1lov.'Cvcr,
the spectn•m is only •isiblc throogh
the refraction oflight at difiCrent
:1ngle,<;. For example, yoo can only sec::
the conrribution that the learn/"'·ork
environment c~tn m:tke to the: busin~S$
sttategy ifyou look at it fro1n an inregraJ
bu:;i1ess perspective.
8£ DISTI NCTJVE
Organisations cry to take up a
distinctive co1
npetitive position in the
force field ofthe market. What makes
)'CJUT org:tnis:ati(ln unique: from the
competition? The trick is to m;1kc this
visible ancl t:tng-ihle filr b<>
th employees
:1nd st1.1dents ln the le~1rn/work
environment.
J_ouk at the superrnarkets: they :tll sell
che sa1ne preniu1n btands.11ey try co
distinguish themse),•es not only •ith
prjce and house brands but a]so 1ith
the design oftheir accommodation.
Dare to stand ouc and leave our 'me
LEARNING
Vhat. is the erti~cL on
people's behaviour
and what 111essage
does the environ1nent
conn11w1icate?
too' aecon1n1odacion."111e pursuit of
acco1nmodation il line Yith the Jlatket
is usually only motivated by costs.
~'lorcovcr, ..n1arkcc conforrn"usualJy
stands for '"market uniform". So·called
nlarket-c()rnpliant builclings do not
:1
ppe;tl enough to the user's ex~rience.
11e}' focus on the large middle bracket,
they arc function:il fi>r tn:tny, but
disrinctive for a11nost no one.
FRO~I PRICE TO VA.LUE
11e JearnJ,o;otk e.flvironmenc represencs
the sc.cond or third cost itcn1 on
in Iisiwll. rl I i9
a11 organisatio1's budgec and has a
signi hcant impact on rhe largest cost
ice1
n: statf'.1hc learn/vorkenviro111ncnc
i11fluence-
s behaviour and process
adapcatlons.'lhcrctOrc, focus not onJy
on te.ducing costs buc also 01
1i11cte-
asing
value. Do not only look at the ;1mount
ofthe rent and the annual operating
costs but also look at the intrinsic v;1luc
chat the learn/vork environlncnt otlCrs
to the organi::;:ttion.
Tue intrinsic "l.]ue is a personal
(suhjective) e::;timate ofthe ~lue t<>
[he stakeholders.lhe ptice is "only" the
11H1rket prie:e at vhich something can be
bought.1hc key question is not: "what
is the-ptice?" Bur rather: 'vhac is the
cftCct ofaccoffunodation on people's
behavioul' and what 1
nessage does the
learn/'Orkenvironment communjcate
ru the m:irket?"' And so ht)o' doe-s
accommod<ltion provide added vah.1
e for
the org:1nis:ttion?
l ?.tAGE 8UILDING
¥hen mark~ting its produc:ts or
services,an otga11isacio11 pays a lot of
:ittention a11d care to create a strategic
aod distinctive con1pctitivc position.
Brochures, website~ Gob) advertisements
and corporate identity arc coordinattd >
80 Ch:u!ottc Suttt by I1al:.c Architects

6. to c0Jn1nunicate a co1'1gruent, desired
mess~ge. Dependingon the type of
otg;inisation also che locatio1'1,layout
and exterior of its buildi11g(s) ca1
'1 be
used in co1nn1unication. •
lftcr -all, hov
one is acco1nn1odated says a loc abouc
the organisation; just as clothing says
son1ethi11g about the pctson '"caring it.
ln addition to beiog functional,
clothing is pri1narily a 1
neans of
c;ommuni~1ti1)n. Then: are "clress cocles".
Think ofslogans such as "dress for
success"or..dress to imprt::S$". ¥ith
the choice of cloching, you itnplicidy
indicate ,Nith Vhich group you Vant to
be associate.cl. 1
building caJ'I confin1 or
sharcer rhe desired iinage. So kno'I what
your accommodation radiaccs and "'hat
you 11anc to radiate.
Accommodation is thus n'lucb more
th:in a functional shelter, it is also :i
sc<Jge in the current expedence economy.
Tt rnakes tanglblt: ,,..h:1t you stand for as
an <.1rganis~1tion. Thc:n:; is ;t sen~ of pride
lthen you belo1
1g sorne•here, and the
leanl/,vork envir(llH'l'H:nt i$ :in important
part ofthat.
INTEGRATE INSTEAD OF COORDINATE
The learn/,vork environrnent can be
se.eo as a colleccion ofsquare 1uete.ts
with a specific quality ofuse and price.
Jn chac acco1nmodation, business
processes are carried oucby e1'11ploye.es.
These co1nponents can each be
coordinated independently. l lov.'Cvcr, '"c
can also comp<lrt them Vith gemstones
and precious 1
nctals: very valuable, but
evt;n more v:ilu:thle y,•hen v.·e integrate
l~lon•
Ves-tp3C's Sydocy offices designed byCroupCSA
them into a je,vcl.The v.·hole i~ more
rhan its compDnt:nts-. Integrating- people,
husine<>s proc;esst:!:' and the le:1rn/ 1A·nrk
environrneot '"iJl also lead co n1ore
addc.d value in all areas. 1
cco1nn1odation
choices ate then by definicion ,i;·eighed
up jn the business framevork ofthe
organisation.
TEA)I BUILOINC
1.e:trn/vork environments are created
for people to perform added-value
~tttivities, :1s employees or1ls students.
lt is mainly the so-called "soft"
accommodation aspects that m1ke the
difference in othenvjse tech11ically
and functionally equivalent buildings.
i spects that affect you as a person.
lhac evokes e1notio11s. E1notions such
as tCeling safe,feeling at case, being
ptoud, being acccpccd. and going for
it together.They m:lke the diff-Crcncc
benvccn "market-co1npliant"average
ac;<.:ommod:1tion ;nd :1uthentic
accornmod:itioo thar confirms and
strengthens the c<
>
rporate identity <
>fan
organisation.

7. Soft aspects have to do with
the experience; of the learn/•ork
environment. You usually don't sec them,
hur y<
>
Unotic;e tht:m.Tue perception
ofthe sp:lcc can make :' significant
contribution to h<nv employet:!: :1nd
students connect Vith e.ach other.'fo
strengthe11ream spirir and to be seen as
an attractive e1nploye.r. ln ochcr 'Otds.
che accon1nlodation is an employee
bcnclic.
INNOVATION
Jnnovation is essential for organisations
to position themselves ro maintain
or create in rapidly changing market
conditions. T
nnov;lrion arise!:! hec;:u1
l't:
people challenge conventional
knOvledge or the donlina.nt logic.
,.fl1e acco1nmodation can stimulate
rhis byoffering a learn/vtork
environ1ncnt that challenges tOr exa1nplc
a n1arker confonn ine-coo product.
Jn a changing market, necessary
re.organisadoos or realigntue.nts 1uay be
the order ofthe day. Accommodation
i$ a rne~tn!:' ofindu<:ing the desired
beh;ivioor <tnd c~•n even be the "straight
l.E::RNING
,.bo,,
--c
P'il1.$(tan ChiJd1en Libr-ary by Condition_Lab
@S,; Zh>o
About the author
Rm! P.M.Stroms MScAn-h/MBA;,11n
t~rthite<t, m<1nage1nm/ rousultant, f011th an,/
uxinlentrepn:ni~ur. In 2002 Ix esla.bli.Jhed
ATELl.ER V rtnft•stale, a cr;1is11/lingjir111
Jpecinliri11g i11 lear11/work nrtiironn1e11tr.
IJttp.cl/
'i.&;LtUA.atf.!ier-v.;» 1
n/
in I 11111u.. O<t 1..1
jacket" to enforce the necessary changes.
f'I Et:T AND COLLABORATt:
.A. building h:is O;lfural nt.:tVoTk nod~!:!
such us the parking garage, bicycle
shed, entrance, the v»aiting are:i in
fTont of the lift, the lifr it$elf, sr;1irwells,
toilets, coffee corners,canteen/company
rest:n1r:1nt, meeting rooms, printing/
copying areas, a1
d smoking are.a. A[
these nodes, v.·hcrc people fro1n ineet,
quick i;ins can be achieved by arranging
chem in such a vay that they invite/
sti1uulatc a spontaneous introductory
conversation.The ch<tnte ofa folknv•
up conversation at the v•orkplacc, in
:1c;onferent.:e room or the comp:1ny
rest:tt1rant then increases. Jllutual
con1nulnitation hetveen e rnployees
pro1
noces coUaboracion.
The seve.1
) business perspectives shov
ho11 the lcarn/,vork environ.1nent can
contribuce to the orga1
)isationaJstracegy
and scay one seep ahead. A rainbo'A· is
1uore than the su1n ofseven colours.
The lcarn/,vorkcnvironL
ncnc is more
than the sun) oflocation,square 1nccc.rs>
quality ~nd costs e