Workplace Office Makeover Finalist 2: Escorted Transportation Services Northwest
Finalist 2: Tina Labellarte
Transportation Services Northwest, Arlington Heights
Escorted Transportation Services Northwest, a small nonprofit agency, sits inside the lovely Arlington Heights Senior Center in Arlington Heights.
Volunteers from the agency provide seniors rides in their own vehicles to medical appointments.
The volunteers have given about 22,000 rides in our 10 years. The agency crams three part-time paid staff and as many as 6 volunteer office workers at the same time into the pictured spaces quite regularly.
The agency is requesting assistance to provide more space and functional furniture. Boxes are piled under cabinets in the small office while the chairs are ripped and old.
The small 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization started in 2006 with the single goal of providing reliable, volunteer-based, escorted transportation for the seniors in the community to get to their crucial medical and dental appointments. There is a huge need for this program, particularly as our senior population continues to grow.
How an expert would make it better
Designers at Rieke Office Interiors in Elgin offer an option.
This design would cost around $10,000
This volunteers at Excorted Transportation Services Northwest have a nice office but as you can see from the photo they are in need of filing and counter space for their 6 volunteers that are in the office.
Our design solution would be to surround the room with work surfaces at different heights.
Standing height surface will be useful for the volunteer that is coming and going and needs to check in or have a quick meeting. This can be achieved two ways, with a standing height conference table and with three high lateral files as shown in this photo.
Creating an office environment that is flexible is key to having a productive day. The volunteers in this office, like many offices have different tasks throughout the day. In order to accommodate the different types of meetings, collaboration and heads down work we would provide a solution similar to the office in this picture. Simply adding texted art pieces and color on the wall are the finishing touches for this office design.