For a new office in Harrisburg, PA, the team at Windward Engineers and Consultants prioritized the health and wellness of the staff—with lighting as a key element. With a range of amenities from huddle rooms to a café, the designers incorporated innovative lighting solutions throughout the space.
“Windward is an architectural engineering firm with a major lighting studio. It was imperative from the start that the level of lighting design in the space be reflective of what we do. Yet, we also feel that lighting is a critical wellness feature in the space. A lot of things that we put in the office were specifically for the benefit of the employees,” said Shawn Good, Windward’s lighting studio director.
In partnership with NELSON Worldwide, responsible for the interior design, Windward wanted to ensure that the workspace supported a range of work styles, from heads-down to collaborative. Huddle rooms and phone booths were added to serve as personal areas, essential in the expansive office.
“The design of the overall office is intentionally open and free-flowing. There are no private offices anywhere, so everybody from leadership to interns are in the open office together. Collaboration is at the heart of what we do, so that accessibility is important. There are times though when you need a phone booth to take a confidential call,” Good explained.
Good noted that the huddle rooms serve as both private sections or space for group video calls. “The huddle rooms are spaces where small teams, four to six people, can get together and work. Windward is a nationwide firm, so we also log plenty of on-screen time with clients across the country. All of the electrical and mechanical is set up, so we can really take the Zoom calls to the next level. A couple of people are in one room and collaborating online with architects.”
The main place for respite in the office is the wellness lab, a spot where an individual can go to recharge during a busy workday. “An industry like ours is very fast-paced and stressful. We wanted to give employees a place where they could disconnect from everything going on if they needed to. Someone can take a few minutes to relax and catch their breath,” Good said.
The wellness lab boasts views of the outside, and blackout shades are available for those who prefer a darker setting to rest in. The lab showcases the lighting strategy, which not only fosters well-being but also gives individuals control of the illumination. Users can switch between cool and warm light to meet their desired intensity. “Employees can click a button and select a sensor to match the color of the daylight. Or, on a touchscreen, select any RGB light that they want in the room,” Good explained.
Choice of lighting isn’t limited to the wellness lab, however. Different levels of control can be applied, and several devices can be used. “There’s a lot of variety in what everybody has control over. When we bring clients in, we can show them the difference between having control on their phone versus having a preset selection of buttons. It’s about flexibility,” Good noted.
With so many options to choose from, Good said that staff and clients seem to favor simple, one-touch devices so far. “Most of the employees prefer the touchscreens and the keypads. Those simple items on the wall, people grasp how to use them pretty quickly and easily. Surprisingly, the app for the phone, because you have to download something, takes a little more getting used to. And often, people don’t even know it’s there until we do some training.”
Good expects the app to gain in popularity as staff returns to office, and keeping surfaces clean remains a priority. “We liked the idea of including more touchless items. You are comfortable touching your own phone, but not the light switch that one-hundred people may have touched. Well, now, you don’t have to touch it because the sensor turns the lights on. And If you want to change the lighting settings you can just pull up the app and change it.”
The lighting not only helps to create a comfortable environment, but it also brings added energy to the workplace. “We did a lot with the lighting design, not just the technology. We didn’t want the space to have the typical cave-style office lighting. So, we made sure we had light on vertical surfaces, light on the ceiling. We have decorative fixtures in specific locations so there are vignettes to look at. We’ve got a lot of things that are visually interesting to draw your attention. It’s a very dynamic space as you walk through it,” Good said.
For Good, the combination of technology and techniques align the Windward design and wellness strategies perfectly. The interior exudes a warmth that’s appealing after months spent in isolation away from colleagues. “The first thing we think about is the feel of space, and once we get that down, it drives where we are going to place the light. Everything is specifically selected to reinforce the emotion.”
Office lighting that refreshes mind, body, and spirit is the ultimate amenity in a post-pandemic world. “We have the ability to match the light with our circadian rhythms to help influence overall wellness, with both intensity and color shifts throughout the day. It happens in the background, without anybody thinking about it. I think it’s really beneficial for all of us here,” Good added.