No matter how noisy the rest of the workplace gets, introverts can feel comfortable when they have a place to retreat and focus. In this final blog post on Steelcase’s Quiet Spaces, we’ll tour a few more of the options and ideas for putting together an oasis of calm. As always, these examples are shown with clear glass so you can see the interior. The real deal features more opacity to provide visual privacy.

Studio

Being quiet doesn’t always mean sitting in silence. Sometimes, it’s best to stretch or even pace around during bouts of creative thinking or problem solving. That’s why the furnishings in this mini-studio space are sparse. Most of the room is left open so employees can spread out. Yoga mats for exercise are optional (and should be sterilized regularly). The Hosu convertible lounge chair can be used as a recliner or a futon for a quick power nap.

Green Room

The green room in a theater is a place for actors to relax when they aren’t performing. In a similar way, this quiet space serves introverts by getting them “off the stage” for a while so they can just be themselves. This informal destination is designed for socialization that doesn’t feel too overwhelming.

The 90 degree sofa allows coworkers to sit near one another without feeling crowded or being pressured to maintain constant eye contact. The space is designed to facilitate work as well as sharing of digital content. It’s the right spot for alone time or occasional small group activities.

Mind Share

According to the research collected by Steelcase, most collaboration happens in pairs rather than teams. It’s not really necessary to have an entire conference room set aside for these synergistic meetings. The Mind Share space provides room for one-on-one discussions that can be as deep and focused as necessary. It’s bouncing ideas off a trusted partner that can lead to some of the best results. This is also a good place for introverts to brainstorm so they don’t disturb everyone else when they get excited.

The technology integrated into this quiet space includes media:scape to promote active creation and editing of digital content. A whiteboard provides a great surface for visualization—just make sure the ventilation is good enough to deal with the dry erase marker fumes!

That’s it for our coverage of Quiet Spaces. If you do end up incorporating one of these solutions into your office design, let us know how it works out. We’re all ears…