Office Space Is Shrinking...But That's Not All Bad
from The New York Times
As employees become more mobile and less tied to their desks, the average amount of space per employee nationwide, in all industries, has dropped to 250 square feet from 400 square feet in 1985. Within 10 years, that is expected to drop further, to 150 square feet. By allotting less space per person, companies can save money by doubling or tripling the number of employees that fit in a space. Saving money, though, is not the only reason to downsize. Opening up an office makes people interact more and, the thinking goes, be more productive. Read more.

Genetic Architecture: When Buildings Think
from Treehugger.com
Karl Chu , the founder of the innovative architectural firm metaxy, says he imagines “genetic architects” creating buildings and other objects that can build themselves, that are endowed with a certain kind of intelligence, and that make up a massive "self-aware" built ecosystem. Chu spoke about genetic architecture at TEDxBrooklyn recently. To see the video and read more, Click here.

Cathedral Built Entirely From Trash from Inhabitat.com
An extraordinary cathedral made from salvaged materials has steadily risen over the past 50 years in a quiet Madrid neighborhood. Justo Martinez (who goes by Don Justo) has been working on the massive undertaking nearly single-handedly ever since he had to leave an order of monks due to illness. After recovering, he dedicated his life to building a church using his own money, on his own land. See it here.

Gen Y & Boomers Clash at Work
from the Norman Transcript.com
An author and Generation Y expert says that recent college graduates now entering the workforce are clashing with the Baby Boomers who manage them, but it doesn't have to be that way. Most of the management at companies who hire college graduates are Baby Boomers, those born between 1946 and 1964. She said members of Generation Y, those born between 1980 and 2000, have values that starkly contrast with those of the typical Baby Boomer. But how do companies achieve a balance between these two very different types of workers to move their businesses forward and get ‘the best of both worlds ’? Read the article.

Interior Design Construction in 2011: Is No News Good News?
from Contract Magazine.com
Most companies now are familiar with various efficiency-focused strategies as they search for competitive advantages and survival approaches, and many firms have adopted and implemented these strategies. Approaches such as increased mobility, work-from-home programs, smaller workstations, “hot-desking,” hoteling, fewer enclosed offices, and increased “open plan” space are some of the now-common strategies that have been used to reduce real estate occupancy. As we look ahead, we see a more consistent warming of the market, with erratic economic growth on the foreseeable horizon. Read the full article.