Unprecedented Times: The Future of How We Work

Lisa Singer // Adviser: Sequoyah Hunter-Cuyjet

Unprecedented Times: The Future of How We Work

The COVID-19 pandemic created an unexpected and unprecedented global work experiment that permanently changed how we work, where we work, and the role work plays in our lives. This abrupt transition from a ‘traditional’ on-site work model to a remote work model has had a prolonged effect on people on psychological, emotional, and professional levels. While productivity levels increased, well-being and work/life balance decreased. I saw this as an opportunity to reimagine the hybrid work model in a post-pandemic world. How do we combine the best parts of working on-site, such as socialization, movement, and routine, with the flexibility of working remotely? In my thesis, I have created a coliving and coworking community where groups of friends or colleagues can stay for extended periods of time to work remotely all while exploring the city of Portland, Maine together. Through deliberate space planning of the site, I decentralize ‘work’ and ‘life’ functions to foster socialization and movement and increase well-being and work/life balance.