Our Future Spaces event will showcase how creative design can transform commercial spaces to enhance both a business’ sustainability and the well-being of its workers. Layrd Design’s Director William Mayes tells us more…
On 21st July in Norwich, Layrd Design will be hosting Future Spaces, an innovative event designed to show attendees how creative design, approaches and materials can build a more sustainable workplace - as well as a happier one.
To find out more, we sat down with Layrd’s Director, William Mayes, to talk about his plans for the event.
Why are you hosting Future Spaces?
As a young design company, we are very focused on sustainability and the planet, as well as workplace well-being. We want to educate local people about the changes they can make, which can have a significant impact on sustainability, while demonstrating how supporting workplace well-being can create a better culture that ultimately results in profits for the organisation.
It is a timely event because it builds on the growing commercial concern surrounding sustainability and the well-being of workers, which increased dramatically after the pandemic. Businesses are now taking these issues more seriously and want to make changes. We want to help them do this.
Who is the event aimed at?
We are primarily aiming Future Spaces at business owners - the people who can make change happen. However, we’d also love younger employees of larger organisations to come along. We want them to see what a modern working space looks like so they can go back to their business to ask why they aren’t seeing change.
We want people to question things as a result of what they see at the event and to realise that sustainability doesn’t have to cost more - clever design makes it possible to be cost-effective while also being impactful. For instance, you can buy entry-level floor tiles that are designed for the circular economy. They are cradle-to-cradle, which means that they are made of recycled materials and can then, in their turn, be recycled once they have reached the end of their useful life.
What will the event involve?
When people enter the event, they will see examples of innovative future spaces designed by our team and furnished by our long-standing partners at Orangebox, Tarkett and The Good Plant Company.
Attendees will then get the chance to listen to the knowledge and guidance of representatives from each of these companies. I will provide a general introduction to the event and what we do at Layrd Design. Nathan Hurley from Orangebox will then talk about sustainable furniture and the importance of a commercial space that promotes agile working. Michael Aastrup from Tarkett will discuss the flooring of a future commercial space while Ruscha Fields from The Good Plant Company will highlight the impact of plants on the mood and well-being of a workplace.
Visitors will also be able to get hands-on and can sign up for a moss-making activity[2] , which means they get to take something green home with them.
Food provided at the event will all be plant-based to fit in with our emphasis on well-being and sustainability, and we will also be providing carbon-neutral alcoholic drinks.
What will people gain by attending?
We want someone to turn up with absolutely no knowledge about what a future space could look like and to go away with inspiration and ideas that can help them to build a happier and better workplace.
The event will be in a very informal and relaxed setting, so it will also provide them with the opportunity to network with designers, suppliers and other businesses.
At the end of the day, we want people to go home with plenty of new ideas about the future of their commercial space.
Interested in attending the Future Spaces event?
Future Spaces will be held at the Top of the Terrace at Norwich City Football Club on the 21st July 2022. The event will begin at 2pm and each ticket will cost £10 with an additional £10 for the moss-making workshop if you book this too.
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