Virtual reality is radically changing the way in which the office is designed and experienced.

We are increasingly hearing about “virtual workplaces”, in other words, interconnected virtual spaces in which technology is no longer just a method of facilitating the work experience, but rather an essential part of that experience.

Online search trend for the keyword “virtual reality” over the last 10 years.

In today’s scenario of powerful change, for companies the challenge is about their capability to restore the balance between the office and employees’ needs, creating a link between the physical environment and digital spaces.

In this outlook, a key factor could be virtual reality (VR), a form of technology that more and more companies are utilising and integrating into their activities.

Virtual reality meets office design

Virtual reality represents a victory for all the stakeholders involved in the world of office design and furnishing.

On one hand, it is an innovative technology for architects and designers, facilitating research and planning activities for the office space, and on the other, for clients, who have the opportunity of trying out the office interior, visiting it virtually, testing it first-hand even before it is given physical form.

The concept is far more advanced than the usual 2D or 3D renderings, and it embraces a new, increasingly client-oriented vision of design, making it possible to understand the work space.

Towards virtual co-working

The explosion of alternative modes of work, such as smart-working and remote working, has created a gap between the office, in the sense of a physical space, and staff.

Not even virtual meeting platforms have been able to bridge this gap, one that has seen “lomads” and distance-working collaborators become increasingly disconnected.

In this dimension, virtual reality can help restore equality amongst workers by creating digital spaces accessible from anywhere in the world and at any time, in which people can work together, interact, organise immersive virtual meetings, and “live” the office as if they were physically present.

The growing popularity and accessibility of this solution has attracted many companies, amongst which an outstanding example is Meta and its Horizon Workrooms, a VR work space in which multiple teams can interconnect in a disruptive and totally revolutionary way.

Image source and rights: Meta

By 2030, 23 million workplaces all over the world will be using virtual reality (VR) for meetings, training, or customer services.