Rethinking Open Plan Office Design for 2026

Open-plan offices work best when 'open' does not mean every activity happens in the same acoustic environment.

Collaboration areas, quiet desks, touchdown positions and private rooms should be deliberately separated. Screens, planting, storage and ceiling treatments can help define zones, while acoustic pods give staff somewhere for calls and concentrated work without closing the whole office into corridors and rooms.

The goal is not to abandon open plan but to make it more varied. Staff should be able to move between settings during the day, matching the space to the task rather than trying to force every task to work at one desk.

For more information on Rethinking Open Plan Office Design for 2026 talk to GIBBSONN Limited