year | 2011
place | Amsterdam
category | Utiliteit
PHILIPS
Board Of Management - the PHILIPS 'Ergo-Sphere'
The task is to generate a transformation of the working environment within the Philips Headquarters located in the Breitner Tower in Amsterdam, in line with the new corporate philosophy.
The transformation of the working environment of the PHILIPS Board of Management (14th floor) will be taken as a basis and will certainly not become a traditional "office".
We live and work in a world where modern technology makes our personal activities less and less dependent on place and space. Even the PHILIPS Board of Management can work wherever they want. Meeting and culture are central to the way the Board of Management works. An "office" cannot fulfill this specific functionality. In addition, the appearance of the future PHILIPS working environment focuses on humanity, sustainability, sensibility and simplicity. An aura that a traditional "office" can never evoke. These are two reasons why the 14th floor in the Breitner Tower will not become a “traditional office."
The PHILIPS "Ergo-Sphere" will be a new world of work for PHILIPS: wellbeing in the working environment.
An ordinary office does not take people's well-being into account. It is an out-dated "management tool," developed during the last century to give everyone a place and to control the employee. Traditionally, these tend to be a repetition of identical spaces, where the employee has no freedom of choice. One-size-fitts-all is far from well-being and people first.
The Ergo-Sphere concept, applied on the 14th floor, is a human-centered environment where function, form, material and color match people's needs and well-being. It is an environment that does not impose itself but supports people.
The term 'Ergo-Sphere' that we have introduced deserves some explanation. 'Ergo' in Greek stands for work or activity and in this sense is used as a prefix in many languages (think of ergonomics, for example). In addition, 'Ergo' in Latin refers to "therefore" and thus refers to the reason, or reasoning, for a decision. 'Sphere', from the Greek 'spharia' - globe, in many languages refers not only to form but also to the environment in which one exists, acts or has influence and as such is used as a suffix in many languages (think, for example, sphere of influence). The conflation of "Ergo" and "Sphere" refers to what the PHILIPS Board of Management represents and does in terms of activities, place and space within the bigger picture.
The introduction of such a new and unusual term, as 'Ergo-Sphere', aims to make everyone involved in the conception process for the 14th floor of the Breitner Tower more open in associating and reflecting on this.
Free from the usual image one has when the term "office" is uttered. Indeed, it is about thinking together about what this space should be, what happens or could happen there, how it is used, what it represents and what it is about when talking about PHILIPS' image and culture.
The PHILIPS "Ergo-Sphere" is the new world of operations for PHILIPS. 'Ergo' stands for work or activity, but also for the reason why. 'Sphere' stands for the environment in which one exists.
Initially, the 'Ergo-Sphere' concept is developed for the PHILIPS Board of Management / PHLIPS Group Council. It is an environment where one can work, meet and represent. But above all, it is a base and landing place.
The functional and materialization principles are applicable to the entire group and thus to all locations where PHILIPS WorkPlace Innovation is applied.
Design: 2010 - 2011
Dimension: 1.100 m2
Address: Breitnertower, Amsterdam
Client: Philips Corporate Real Estate
Project team: Jo Janssen, Prof. Ir Wim van den Bergh, Paul Gallis, Marcel Storms
Partners: Concept-international bv workstyleconsultants -Paul Gallis Ontwerpen