There are countless warehouses in and around larger, industrial cities. Many investors, developers and business owners are converting these warehouses into office space. Warehouse conversions have become increasingly popular among those seeking to repurpose a unique space with a clean slate.
Warehouse conversions offer plenty of space to work with and they’re typically located in or near inner-city areas, where businesses and employees have convenient access to urban amenities. Before a warehouse can become office space, you may need to have the industrial property rezoned by the local zoning board, depending on your location. You’ll also want to design a plan for your office before you begin construction.
Here are some helpful warehouse conversion design ideas to incorporate into your plan!
Planning a Warehouse-to-Office Conversion Design
Reimagine the Space
One of the most attractive features of a warehouse property is the large amount of space you have. Warehouses offer a blank canvas, which can make planning both difficult and straightforward at the same time. Before construction, it’s important to decide on a theme and layout for your warehouse converted to an office.
Warehouses are great for accommodating open-concept floor plans or flexible office space with reconfigurable furniture. Instead of building costly walls, you may want to install screens or partitions to divide the space into smaller areas. Be sure to incorporate logical, clear-cut navigation into your floor plan design to ensure that employees and clients can easily adjust to the space. It’s also a good idea to account for ample storage space in the planning phase!
Spruce Up the Exterior
Before you begin planning your warehouse conversion design, it’s important that you consider the exterior and most importantly, where people will enter the building. Think about the street view, employee parking, the customer entrance and delivery access. Your building exterior should welcome employees and guests with a visible and accessible entryway.
Add Windows
Old warehouses usually have very high windows, as they would sit above tall pieces of equipment. Open up your office-converted-warehouse with large, floor-to-ceiling glass windows that bring in natural light and add character to the building’s architecture, inside and outside. Not only do large windows liven up your space, but they also enhance workplace productivity and lower utility costs!
Create a Plan for Utilities
One of the biggest challenges of a warehouse conversion is figuring out the utilities. Industrial warehouses aren’t usually designed for comfort or energy efficiency. It’s important that your office design plan incorporates a utility plan, which includes everything from plumbing and electricity to heating and cooling.