At the forefront in creating new office experiences with Design Hub Malta

Design Hub Malta offers a full design-and-build fit-out package for existing or new offices spaces. Its team prides itself on maximising space, creating innovative design solutions, and crafting ‘one off’ designs for international online businesses. In this article, we invite Design Hub Managing Director and Interior Architect Sean Cassar to answer a few questions about his role in designing and fitting out offices for some of the largest names in online gaming in Malta.

Given the current circumstances, considerations must be made when designing and finishing new offices. What are a few of those considerations and what should be kept in mind when planning a new office at this time?

The first thing we think about today is general space allocation and the fluid flow of traffic through the entire office. Breakout areas and dining facilities would be more comfortable if there were no bottle-necks or dead ends if and when possible. Open-plan work spaces also need to be carefully structured. Desk clusters separate the space and can give different teams an identity. In turn they increase user comfort and aid in creating solid barriers between staff.

How do your custom desk clusters enhance office spaces?

We design all our desk clusters on a custom basis and supply them to our clients. This enables us to plan all the dimensions dependent on team clusters and positions within the open plan. For increased visibility, the heights of these clusters are carefully calculated depending on the level of vision needed from team to team. The design elements and materials we incorporate increase sound absorption, giving the seated user a more focused work aura.

Do you have any recommendations about how to further maximise an office space?

Storage compartments for office use or lockers for staff are usually located in one part of an office. I tend to propose scattering these storage compartments around the spaces, based on their function and who would be assigned to use them. Once we have determined positions of usage, we can fuse their design into the desk cluster privacy structure. In turn this means we have managed to free up space in another area of the office, have enhanced social distancing, and have customised a design that fits into the brand identity of the company.

What factors are fundamental for a closed office to be comfortable to work?

The most fundamental for both open and closed offices is forced ventilation and fresh air from the health aspect of staff. Acoustics and lighting considerations are vital when it comes to creating a more comfortable work environment. In most cases, we design and build different features within closed offices that introduce the room to a particular design.

Are there any other elements you feel offices should have incorporated into their design to boost staff experience and to stand out from other companies?

Particular features and designs within the space are initially considered around the brand identity, and we then propose a splash of materials. Feature areas are then customised and sculpted to fit the spaces, whether it is a feature on the floor, wall or ceiling – or even all three! Most features we have designed highlight how walls and ceilings are a great playground for combining materials to both act as sound absorbers and add fun design elements, thus enhancing the brand identity and giving the backdrop added architectural elements.

This interview was first carried in the summer edition of iGaming Capital magazine, the sister brand of iGamingCapital.mt