Offices, data centres, industrial and public buildings

Building use determines design priorities. Offices focus on working patterns and environmental quality, data centres on continuity of services, and industrial facilities on production processes. Coordination principles remain consistent, while decision criteria differ.

01Office spaces

Space planning follows team size, working patterns and collaboration needs. Workstations, meeting rooms, shared spaces and technical rooms are considered as one system.

Acoustics, lighting, indoor conditions and maintainability affect fit-out quality. Coordinate furniture, partitions and service outlets before procurement and installation.

02Data centres and technical rooms

Starting parameters include IT load, equipment layout, availability requirements and planned capacity growth. Power, cooling, connectivity and security are developed together.

Maintainability needs particular attention: service access, equipment replacement and maintenance under the intended operating conditions.

03Industrial and controlled environments

Industrial design starts with the process: equipment and flows of materials, products and personnel. Architecture and building services must support it and allow safe maintenance.

Cleanrooms require defined environmental criteria and a verification programme. ISO 14644-1 classifies air cleanliness by particle concentration; this is not simply a label for clean-looking finishes.

04Public buildings and refurbishment

Museums, exhibition spaces and other public buildings require analysis of visitor flows, accessibility and changing uses. Services and finishes must support the expected operating demands.

Refurbishment starts with assessing existing structures and services. Protected buildings also require consideration of the protected features and relevant approvals. New interior solutions must work within the building’s constraints.

Sources: ISO 14644-1 — air cleanliness classification