Designer Office Lockers

Many offices are renovating due to the increasing popularity of remote work.

Even before the COVID pandemic, the Canadian government recognized that approximately 30% of office desks were empty on any given day, either due to employees’ work-related travel, vacation or sick leave, or preference for working remotely.

To optimize office space and empower in-office employees to choose their preferred work environments, the Canadian federal government has been pivoting away from assigned office desks in favor of “ABW” or Activity-Based Workplace design. The approach encourages in-office employees to choose different work areas throughout the day for learning, collaborating, and socializing. Technology-rich environments facilitate collaboration with remote colleagues.

Modern Spaces, Age-old Clutter Issues

The planning and design team for a government office in Winnipeg wanted the renovated space to reflect this modern approach to work. They designed “heads down” work areas as well as innovative spaces for meetings and collaboration.

They also took a practical approach to dealing with office clutter. After consulting with employees, they determined that, without assigned desks and offices, staff would need lockers in which to stash personal laptops, gym bags, and other personal belongings. Also, given the cold climate, staff would also need to store jackets and coats, wet shoes on rainy days, and snowy boots in the wintertime.

The designers didn’t want the lockers to be purely utilitarian, though: they wanted them to actually enhance the rest of the office’s sleek design elements.

Recognizing the need for a custom solution, the design team looped in the local Spacesaver consultant to explain their options and draw up plans.

“We were impressed by Spacesaver’s quality, durability, and willingness to work with us on the aesthetics of this project.”

– Holly Handford, Number TEN Architectural Group

The local Spacesaver consultant worked with Spacesaver’s engineering team to design Day Use Lockers that were a perfect fit for the space and the design. The lockers are large enough to accommodate gym bags and heavy coats, but they’re compact enough to ensure that everyone who wants a locker can have one.

• Wood-look laminate doors coordinate with other design elements throughout the space.
• Digilock keypad locks eliminate the need for keys or combination locks.
• Custom cubbies with rubber mats store messy boots and shoes during inclement weather.