Top 5 Most Iconic Women Leaders Inspiring the World 2023
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Stewart Beer
Thinking Different: Redefining the Office The impact the last few years have had on the office space needs no introduction. The necessity to work from home and remotely changed the shape of the workspace as we know it. Recent news has told us that 18% of the United States’ office space lies vacant, with 300 million square feet expected to be obsolete by 2030 as firms battle with the economic downturn and a rise in popularity of home working in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic of 2020. However, while office space may well be reduced as we move into the future, there will always be a place for it. Not every company can work remotely, and a lot of the new working days we see are a hybrid blend between office and home working. Innovative office designs and a rethinking of the traditional office space have been seen across the world, with many businesses taking a different approach to the workday. CollaborationCollaboration and communication are key elements of businesses, and features that are important to remain in place wherever people are working. Of course, where people are working remotely, technology has enabled us to keep in touch with colleagues across the businesses and even the globe, however, in the actual office spaces themselves, we’re seeing some different approaches to the regular traditional office. Coworking spaces are something that allow collaboration between not just employees in your company, but also across businesses. Elements of coworking spaces can be brought into the traditional office, with creative ways for teams to meet, including kitchen areas, break out spaces and even informal areas such as 8-ball tables and beanbags – all of these provide a way for people to meet each other, collaborate and if nothing else, get communication flowing across the business. As businesses cut down on the spaces they need, coworking spaces may become a viable option for many. Across the globe there are some very quirky and unique coworking spaces, which bridge the gap between home and office working Lisbon’s Village Underground is a space which promotes collaboration and culture, and as well as workspaces includes a recording studio and a restaurant. Of course, different businesses have different requirements so what works for one may not work for all, but options like this highlight the changing attitudes to the workspace. Work-Life BalanceA phrase all of us will have heard and tried to take heed of is the work-life balance, and this is something at the heart of many workplace changes we are seeing. As things have changed in the past few years, and many have worked from home, a full time return to the office for people that was expected hasn’t fully materialized. Research from Knight Frank showed the expectation that “employees will work at least some of the week from home for the foreseeable future”, and just a third of businesses still pushing for a full-time return. Balancing the work and free time of employees can be tricky, particularly when office visits are essential to the job. Clever workspaces have begun introducing more opportunities for downtime and screen breaks, as seen in Google’s Zurich space. Slides, cinema rooms and places to even have a dance are all part of the office, and elements of this can be implemented in offices for smaller companies too. Having fun in the office can of course improve communication but above all the wellbeing of the workforce. As the workplace changes, work is not so much a place people go but a thing that they do, and that they do from anywhere. With this in mind, when employees need to go to the office, their welfare is important and employees that can have fun in the office are likely to be up to 20% more productive than those who aren’t. A no-brainer then, to incorporate some interesting areas into an office where employees can take a break. Coupled with flexible options when available, providing a work-life balance while in the office too can result in happier, and in turn more focused and productive members of staff. Remove the Office FeelingOne approach to the office space we have seen is to be clever with the design of the space. This can be simply making sure people have enough power sockets in which to plug in laptops, phones and printers. Aesthetics are important too, and by incorporating this into the design of the office from the get-go, a reputable supplier can ensure practical elements such as wiring and electrical enclosure boxes are considered as part of the overall build. Removing the traditional office feeling though, can of course go much further than being practical with layouts and ensuring a flow of natural light. Bark, a company that create dog toys and treats, have a unique workspace which is designed for both humans and dogs to be side by side during the working day. Using dog-friendly materials, the space allows employees to work at their will around the office, and has importantly been completed using cost-effective materials to show that this way of thinking can be commercially viable too. While naturally, this may be a step too far for many, the unique way of thinking again showcases how businesses have changed workspaces into something that works for them. www.electrixinternational.com/us-us Sources Half of big companies to cut office desk space as bosses give up on back to work push (msn.com) Village Underground Lisboa – Um muro aberto para um novo movimento artístico e cultural (vulisboa.com) Rethinking The Modern Workspace: Embracing Change With Purpose (forbes.com) NBBJ designs Bark’s Ohio office for both humans and dogs (dezeen.com) Author – Stewart Beer, Site Manager at Electrix International.
Massive virtual production stage at Pier59 Studios features flexible LED video walls from Planar
Massive virtual production stage at Pier59 Studios features flexible LED video walls from Planar Pier59 Studios has installed Planar LED solutions in its new virtual production studios in Chelsea Piers, New York City. As the largest photography and multimedia complex for fashion and advertising in the world, Pier59 is equipped with the latest technology to accommodate the needs of the demanding clientele. With its latest venture, Pier59 is embracing the next era of content creation with the launch of an immense, state-of-the-art virtual production stage. The new virtual stage features a Disguise media server and a stunning array of LED display technologies from Planar. The Planar LED solutions include: A curved, 65-foot-wide by 18-foot-high (40×11) Planar CarbonLight CLI VX-B Series LED video wall with a 2.6mm pixel pitch (CLI VX 2.6) A nearly 30-foot by 10-foot articulating LED ceiling comprised of an 18×6 Planar CarbonLight CLI VX-B Series LED video wall with a 2.6mm pixel pitch (CLI VX 2.6) Four LED display moveable carts, each with a 5-foot-wide by 11.5-foot-high Planar CarbonLight CLI VX-B Series LED video wall with a 2.6mm pixel pitch (CLI VX 2.6) “Federico Pignatelli has always embraced technology and its capacity to change the way content is captured,” said Steve Baum, Chief Innovation Officer for Pier59. “So, when he became aware of the concept of virtual production, he immediately recognized the opportunity to build a full-sized virtual stage at Pier59.” Ultimate Creative Flexibility Located in Stage C, a 6,500-square-foot space with 30-foot-plus ceilings, the new virtual production stage has been hailed as the world’s biggest and most advanced for fashion and advertising. Dubbed the “LED MegaWall,” the impressive virtual production stage is a studio for rent that provides fashion, beauty and luxury partners with a captivating backdrop for their photo and video productions, product launches, events and more. As part of its services, Pier59 provides its virtual production team as an extension to its client’s crew to operate the technology on their behalf. “The LED video walls look great with the naked eye, but what’s most important for us is that they look great in-camera,” said Lorenzo Ferrante, virtual production manager at Pier59 Studios. “Production professionals like DPs [directors of photography] that use our stage have the guarantee that any color profile they want can be accomplished and that the representation of color is accurate. And obviously, virtual production provides the advantage of in-camera visual effects, which cuts the time and costs for post-production.” Baum said, “By combining 3D virtual environments with the flexibility of the virtual production stage, we can conjure nearly any place, at any time of day during any season, precisely controlling the environmental conditions. We can even adjust them on the fly to get the perfect shot. And then, of course, the virtual stage can deliver cost savings by eliminating the time and cost of traveling with cast and crew to far-flung locations.” Working with Planar, Pier59 achieved its goal of building a large and immersive LED video wall and articulating LED ceiling, creating the largest LED volume that could fit in Studio C, according to Baum. He also emphasized the role of the four LED movable carts in their virtual production operations, which are “one of the more interesting and unique design components of the project,” Baum said. “They have very specific purposes. One is to create foreground lighting and reflection. So, if we have something shiny in a shot, like a car, we can move those walls behind the camera facing into the shot to generate reflections on the car, which would otherwise be extremely difficult to add in post-production.” A second benefit is the ability to move the LED display carts to any of Pier59’s other stages for smaller production shoots. “Significant engineering went into those products,” Baum said. “We can not only move them, but we can also daisy chain them together. It was quite ingenious what Planar was able to build for us.” Pier59 Studios Founder and President Federico Pignatelli said, “As a disruptive technology, virtual production is comparable to the digital photography revolution of the late 90s. By delivering significant cost savings and incomparable creative flexibility and quality control, virtual production is going to radically change the way fashion and advertising content is produced.” Modernizing Pier59’s Lobby Venue Pier59 also integrated three Planar® TVF Series LED video walls in a two-story lobby and café space located directly adjacent to Stage C. The new additions include a 6-foot-wide, 8-foot-high (3×7) installation with a 1.2mm pixel pitch as well as two nearly 12-foot-wide and 8-foot-high (6×6) arrays, one with a 1.2mm pixel pitch and the other with a 1.8mm pixel pitch. “It’s an incredible open space with a beautiful deck and the video walls create a visual enhancement,” Baum said. “On most days we run promotional content or client work examples on the video walls, but we also have a fairly robust event business at Pier59 and now with the addition of the video walls, we are seeing a lot of interest in utilizing them as a presentation element for keynotes, screenings and other use cases. People are also interested in using the lobby space for brand takeovers with their events. It’s another great addition for us.” About the Planar CarbonLight CLI VX Series Planar CarbonLight CLI VX Series are carbon fiber-framed indoor LED video wall and flooring displays that feature exceptional on- camera visual properties and deployment versatility for a wide variety of installations, including virtual production and extended reality. With a wide color spectrum and narrow pixel pitches, including fast frame and refresh rates, the LED display solutions deliver excellent in-person and in-frame visual performance. About the Planar CarbonLight CLI Series Featuring patented carbon fiber frames and a modular design, Planar CarbonLight CLI Series LED video wall displays are uniquely lightweight, thin and strong. Refined mechanical construction gives the displays the versatility to fit a wide range of different applications, including free-standing, hanging, wall-mounted and ceiling-mounted installations. Front-side installation and service shrink the overall video
