What happened
Snøhetta has outlined its view of the future workplace through comments by Tommaso Maserati, a senior architect at its Oslo studio. The practice argues that offices should be designed less as places for individual output and more as settings that enable relationships, learning and a common organisational culture.
Its approach places value on spaces that allow concentrated work and privacy while also making room for unplanned meetings. Maserati identifies everyday interaction as a function that remote work does not reproduce in the same way as in-person settings.
Snøhetta also argues that workplace design should move beyond decorative uses of nature. It proposes treating buildings as part of wider environmental systems, considering daylight, air movement, seasonal conditions, biodiversity, water and access to outdoor space from the outset of design.
The practice points to its Swarovski Manufaktur project in Wattens, where production, management, research, visitor and public uses were arranged around a large shared stair. It also cites Pirelli 35 as an example of adapting an existing building rather than replacing it entirely.
Why it matters
For employers, architects and property owners in Türkiye and Europe, the argument shifts workplace decisions beyond desk density and occupancy. It suggests assessing whether offices support employee wellbeing, informal collaboration and access to natural environments, alongside operational needs.
The emphasis on adaptation is also relevant to building owners. Snøhetta frames retained structures as stores of embodied carbon, materials and social memory. In this view, refurbishment can be a design opportunity rather than a constraint, particularly where existing buildings can be altered for new uses.
The proposed ecological approach may require earlier coordination between architectural, landscape and building-performance decisions. Outdoor areas, terraces and gardens are presented as active shared spaces, rather than visual additions to an office scheme.
Background
Snøhetta says workplace planning has long prioritised productivity, operational results and the number of desks accommodated in a given area. It expects the boundary between offices, cultural activity and public space to become less distinct, with workplaces incorporating social programmes, learning spaces, exhibitions and uses connected to surrounding communities.
What's next
Looking towards 2030, Snøhetta expects successful workplaces to be judged both by how they operate and by their social contribution. The practice identifies adaptability, support for relationships and value for local communities as measures that will shape this assessment.
