I must disagree. While technology has certainly enabled remote working I do not believe that is the future. Google, for all of it's whimsy, is on the right track.
Though many dot-com and ad agencies may make their offices look like adult day-care, I think the underlying ideas at play are the future:
* Physically and emotionally warm environments
* huddle spaces for face-to-face collaboration
* low ceilings create a quiet conference and intimacy
Google has made multiple living rooms in the building. They've taken what you love at home and brought it into a professional settings. In many ways the Silicon Valley startup houses have done the opposite to equally great effect. They brought the office into the home.
That's interesting -- I've always heard that higher ceilings can promote creativity. Is there an optimal middle-ground between intimate low ceilings and creative high ceilings?
I don't know. I'm just pulling from personal experience. The best spaces I've found have actually been dim, warm, and cozy. I find that my best development hours are late at night, wether in the office or at home.
But for other parts of business (research, email, document editing, etc) I have found the war-rooms and coffee-shops to be a better fit.
Though many dot-com and ad agencies may make their offices look like adult day-care, I think the underlying ideas at play are the future:
Google has made multiple living rooms in the building. They've taken what you love at home and brought it into a professional settings. In many ways the Silicon Valley startup houses have done the opposite to equally great effect. They brought the office into the home.