The Department for Student Education (AUS) at the Faculty of Health Sciences in Copenhagen has offices in the old part of the characteristic Panum building.
As a result of the development strategy in the department towards greater interaction between the department's four sections and the need to move together on fewer square metres, we have optimized the physical framework for the benefit of the department's employees.

We have focused on two areas in particular.

• The physical framework must improve the working environment, especially in relation to the community between the sections and the cohesion of AUS.
• The combination of working in the office and working at home allows employees to be offered flexible spaces with dedicated home zones for the different sections.

As a strategic solution, we have created clear work zones, each of which requires a special behavior and work situation.
Based on a needs analysis of the employees' functional and social needs, we have developed six different zones: Immersion zone, Cafe kitchen, Home zone and three different meeting zones: Zone for online meetings and sparring, one for formal meetings and one for other types of meetings.

We have chosen a rich mix of sensuous materials such as textiles, wood and plants that complement the Panum building's cast in situ concrete walls and many site-specific works of art. Variety in materials makes people more curious and makes us ask more questions – thus increasing innovation and interaction.
We have added more colors to the offices that originally had white walls, orange doors and black and white fixtures. The color palette is based on artist Tonning Rasmussen's color palette, which was created for the Panum building. Wall and furniture colors are toned down so that they become modern interior colors with a clear reference to the original color palette.

INVOLVEMENT OF EMPLOYEES

We have worked with a high degree of employee involvement, with the inclusion of both APV measurements, focus group interviews, questionnaire surveys and large meetings for the entire department. This means that our design solutions are based on data collected among the department's employees. In this way, they are well-founded in relation to the employees' needs. User involvement also helps to create ownership for the project. This makes the change much easier for employees to absorb in their daily work.