Future Work: Exploring the Future of Work Spaces in the Context of Wellington

Abstract

This research analyses the forces that have led to the design of contemporary offices, examining how these forces are likely to change; with the goal of exploring what the future of workspaces might be. Digital technologies such as artificial intelligence are changing the world of work at a rapid rate, threatening to greatly increase effects of automation. Social changes in the way people work are also taking place, seen in the recent explosion in coworking. This gives rise to the question of what the implications of this are on the design of workspaces. This research uses the local context of Wellington as a vehicle to explore what the future of workspaces could be for the city, as well as wider New Zealand. A process of design led research is utilised, as the topic of work in general is vast, encompassing many different areas. This research also reviews how other designers and architects are responding to current workplace design issues, utilising these different approaches in the iterative design phase. The implications of this research relate directly to the city of Wellington, giving an idea of what the future of the office could be. The broad nature of the initial investigation also allows some conclusions to be applied internationally, as work in general is greatly examined.