The power of inspiring architecture

Fost Plus promotes, coordinates, and finances the selective collection, sorting, and recycling of household packaging waste in Belgium. A green company par excellence which has made every endeavour to make its operations more sustainable. It goes without saying that Fost Plus prioritised the use of sustainable materials when looking for office furniture for their new offices at the Olympiadelaan in Evere. Fost Plus found its match in Pami. For Fost Plus, relocating to the new building was much more than just commissioning a new workplace. It was an opportunity to change how they work, to intensify collaboration. ‘The fact that we now all work in one and the same space promotes collaboration in and of itself. Plus, our employees are no longer allowed to eat at their desks. We stimulate eating together because that is how people get to know each other better and how the team spirit is strengthened’, said Kurt Tierens, Finance & HR Director at Fost Plus. Which is why it feels wrong to refer to Fost Plus’ dining area as a mere cafeteria or lunchroom. This lounge goes way beyond that: with colourful little chairs and tables, a fussball corner and a stunning view of the surroundings. It even houses a separate library to quietly read a newspaper or a book after lunch. Pami’s proposed table system is a perfect match for the new way of working. ‘We sit with 2, 4, 6 people or more, able to expand or shrink based on the team size thanks to the modular system’, clarified Kurt. ‘Those in need of a quiet place to talk are welcome at one of our colourful lounges equipped with Alcove seats by Vitra. Should you need a place for a confidential meeting or to withdraw for some extra focus, we have our so-called bubbles: mini meeting rooms to seclude oneself free of any noise’. These meeting rooms were deliberate kept very small so we could keep the workstations open and more spacious. Kurt laughed: ‘What’s funny is that our finance manager is more focused than before. When he had his own separate office, people often disturbed him while he was working the numbers. Now, he simply withdraws to a bubble. People see him there and know that he shouldn’t be disturbed...’

Partena Ziekenfonds moved into the Blue Towers, next to Ghelamco Arena, in 2014. The two towers with their striking blue hue offer a total of 28,000 square metres of office space. Partena was the first “major” occupant of the tower furthest away from the AA Gent stadium. The ground, first, second and third floors harbour a total of 480 employees who enjoy their lunch break on the tenth floor. Dining with a view! Pami took care of the interiors based on the company’s specific needs. Firstly, a sense of space was created by building an office landscape with lots of glass. Secondly, a calm environment was needed for people to be able to focus on their work. Acoustic cabinets, trendy curtains, focus units etc. provide the necessary noise reduction and privacy. In addition, employees can always withdraw in one of the meeting rooms fitted with the latest communication technology. The relocation was a major change for the employees. With the internal project around ‘The New Way of Working’, Partena wants to stimulate exercise among its employees. The management offices are a great example. They were all fitted with electric sit-stand workstations. And of course, there are facilities for employees to work upright as well. One sit-stand workstation was installed for every table of four. An interesting detail: the building only has enough room for 80 percent of the employees. The bliss of flexibility!

As children, we used to play outside for hours on end. But as we grew older, we seem to have gotten increasingly stuck to our chairs. According to the American Environmental Protection Agency, we spend a mere seven percent of our lives outside. It wouldn’t hurt to add a couple of percentage points to that figure.