Aspiring “to be an active part of the ongoing transformation in work dynamics”, Done – Design to Build develops and executes office projects that are a real “asset” for its clients as part of their strategies for implementing a new organisational culture.
Through integrated design and build solutions, and “centralising the entire process in a single interlocutor“, with its office projects “we want to add value to the implementation of a new organisational culture that stands up to new work trends”, says Joana Cid Barreto, Head of Done.
Part of the Worx group since its creation in 2017, Done has grown sustainably and established itself as a benchmark in the Lisbon office market. Providing “very personalised support for each client” and focusing on “quality over quantity“, the company’s portfolio includes projects for entities such as Swiss Post, Unicre, Aquila and CGI, among others.
With the majority of companies operating under a hybrid working model, Done’s clients typically “start their change process by investing in a Workplace Strategy, a prior analysis tool that parameterises the use of the space and generates content for the correct definition of the concept to be adopted, the objectives to be achieved, as well as the key zones and spatial metrics that optimise its performance, thus making it smarter, healthier and more sustainable“. This is, in fact, “the ultimate tool that analyses and underpins the whole process of change,” she says, and from which “we create the concept that we want to reflect the brand’s architectural identity. We then develop and detail the project developed in the concept phase into a technical project with constructive rigour and a definition of the work to be carried out on site. Our project manager ensures that a global solution is implemented during the project, coordinating all those involved in the process and integrating our client’s real and future needs within the budget and deadlines required.” In other words, “we implement the design phase through correct, coordinated and optimised construction management,” she says.
In addition, and capitalising on the synergies created within the Worx group, “in parallel with ATOMO Capital Partners we have implemented new practices and measures aimed at reducing the carbon footprint and the quality of the environment and well-being of its occupants, as well as subsequent environmental certification“. Also because, emphasises Done’s Head, “the real estate sector still has a long way to go in this area, and our team is prepared to design, create and build spaces in which concern for sustainability is not just a goal, but a way of being and working“.
Investing in quality is the answer to bringing people back to the office
According to Joana Cid Barreto, the focus on quality is definitely the dominant trend in today’s office world, reflected in the greater importance attributed not only to the quality of life of its occupants and, consequently, the location and the services it can offer, but also to the quality of the architectural design of the spaces themselves, cutting-edge technology and environmental quality.
In fact, this seems to be the “key” to tackling one of the biggest challenges facing companies today: “convincing” people to return to face-to-face work on their premises. And recent phenomena in office occupancy are very indicative of this new reality, notes the expert. “With the spread of hybrid models, in which face-to-face work is alternated with remote work, offices are facing a certain bipolarity in their occupancy, being deserted on Mondays and Fridays and with peaks of occupancy on Tuesdays and Thursdays.” There is also “a greater desertification of offices located outside central locations, with some spaces registering average occupancy rates of just 30 per cent”, as well as cases of “where, contrary to expectations, despite major investment in office qualification, this has not translated into an increase in occupancy”.
Today “companies are betting on the horizontality of spatial organisation and investing in space and team events to encourage a return to the workplace, not 100% but more like an average of three days in the office and two at home, coordinated by work teams in order to encourage sharing and collaboration between employees, combined with the need to counteract the predominance of Monday and Friday teleworking“.
Swiss Post
In 2023, Done was responsible for the design and construction of the new Swiss Post offices in Lisbon, in the Castilho 2 building.Covering 891 sqm, the space was completely remodelled according to the Swiss company’s needs, giving rise to a state-of-the-art office with a focus on sustainability (it essentially used building materials and furniture of national origin) and distinguished with the first BREEAM Refurbishment and Fit-out Excellent certification in Portugal.
“The main premise was to design an office space focused on the well-being of the company’s main assets, namely its employees. Thus, the space was designed with a more organic design and a strong presence of natural plants, which not only humanises it but also appeals to creativity in the various dynamics of use – both in terms of different ways of working and in terms of promoting multiple interactions and sharing,” she says. With more than half of the space dedicated to leisure and informal work, including a games area and a terrace, there is a clear “great concern to think of the workplace as much more than that, in a ‘homie’ trend that leads people to feel comfortable, with state-of-the-art technology, happy and creative, just as when they are stimulated by the diversity of other places“.
The interior design also reflects Swiss Post’s strong image and branding, with a strong predominance of the yellow colour associated with the company and incorporates authentic Portuguese elements, namely the use of manufactured fabrics and the use of cork, standing out as a fusion of tradition and innovation.
UNICRE
In 2021, Done embraced the challenge launched by UNICRE to create a clean and modern office in Lisbon’s Green Park. “Our conceptual idea was to design a space that would enhance, emphasise and innovate its brand image and values,” recalls Joana Cid Barreto. Spread over an area of 2,500 sqm on a single floor, “this office is a reflection of the new trends in labour, social and environmental issues, promoting a work culture of sharing, transparency and involvement among employees“, comments the Head of Done.
The plasticity attributed to the centre space gives it dynamism and versatility, enabling the creation of moments that stimulate interaction, the sharing of ideas and creativity. The use of ecological and national materials and the integration of energy-efficient technologies were other very important aspects in the design of the project.
Interview by Joana Barreto, Head of Done, published in the Opinion Forum of Vida Imobiliária‘s Magazine on 15th February 2024.
