Light and Airy: The Benefits of an Open Ceiling Office Layout

Many people think it's only the work quality that matters in the business world, but appearances also hold great importance in a business setting. Especially if your workplace is one where lots of clients are coming on-site for meetings and work needs, the look and appeal of your office are very integral. While an open and spacious office is a dream for everyone, it is only possible to have a big work setting for some businesses at these high rents.

Fortunately, with modern research and studies, there are several ways to create an illusion of a bigger space, even with a small office design. An open ceiling is one such idea that opens up a space to give a more big and fresh look to an office. Open ceiling designs in a workplace are fairly common as a popular office renovation trend. But how does an open ceiling office benefit a business, and what are the benefits of opting for an open ceiling office design layout? In this article, we will summarize all the reasons modern offices opt for open-ceiling office design.

What is Open Ceiling Office Design?

Open ceiling office design, or an 'exposed ceiling,' is a practice in which tiles or panels don't cover the office ceiling. This doesn't mean you will have a look at the sky when you look at the ceiling, but the mechanical, plumbing, and electrical installations are visible in the ceiling. Though this gives more natural light to the office, exposed pipes, and wires are not too attractive to some people.

This design is considered useful for an industrial open ceiling design but is becoming more common in several types of workplaces. Though many people confuse the open ceiling with a suspended ceiling, both are entirely different, as in the latter, the suspended lights and fans have their electric wires covered by white panels.

Benefits of an Open Ceiling Office Design

Opting for an open ceiling isn't just to attain something unique for your office; such open designs have several benefits. This simple, modern change in the workplace is known to increase ventilation and give an illusion of a bigger space as the ceilings are much higher. Below are some advantages of opting for an open ceiling design for an office.

Open Space

A feng shui office layout principle for increased productivity in a workplace is to have more openness in your office design. Since with an open ceiling, there are no panels and tiles, the average height of a ceiling increases. This creates a higher ceiling hence more vertical space in your office. Looking up in such spaces makes you feel freer as the roof isn’t right up your head. Also, the extra vertical space can be utilized for shelves and other types of vertical storage.

Aesthetic Appearance

Designs with open ceilings may appear incredibly slick, contemporary, and just plain cool. Many corporate executives love the "modern" or "industrial" atmosphere that exposed ceilings offer, and they build their offices to go well with them. These modern designs are also a perfect way to incorporate ergonomics into the workplace, along with an office chair and height-adjustable desks.

Increased Natural Light

If you study productivity facilitators in a workplace, you will realize natural light plays a vital role in improving the productivity of office workers. According to many researchers, natural sunlight results in more creative thoughts, a healthy mind at work, and reduced strain on the eyes. Moreover, natural light in workplaces enhances space value by increasing the employees' appeal, giving them a fresher look throughout the day.

Cost Saving

You might wonder how an exposed ceiling can be cost-saving. Though directly, it is not. But the reduced cost of installing overhead lights and lesser need for artificial lights during the day adds too much saving in the longer term.

Unique

We all strive to have a unique work setting, and maybe it becomes a statement for our workplace. No matter how popular, an open ceiling isn't a concept many workplaces have adapted to. Hence opting for an open-ceiling office place gives you a unique interior. This is especially beneficial for industries involved in creativity and arts to create an outside-the-box impression on the clients.

Disadvantages of Open Ceiling

Many people consider open ceilings visually attractive and appealing, but the design has yet to catch up to some. Other than being costly, the open ceiling design comes with its own disadvantages over a tiled or paneled ceiling.

Sound Control

Sound control in a workplace is crucial to keep productivity's impact to a minimum. For workplaces with high open ceilings, sound control indeed becomes a challenge. The chatter in a cubicle, the whirring sound of a printer, and the kitchen talk with coffee can all become annoying echoes in the work environment. Hence a separate installation, such as acoustic panels, must be installed to make the sounds as less as possible.

High Insulation Costs

Open ceiling plans are a major contributor to high utility bills because of the extra heating/cooling energy required to keep the place at an optimal temperature. As they save you money at one end by eliminating the need for many artificial lights, the increased vertical space adds up to the air conditioner/heater run time, thus causing a spike in the electric bill.

Require Constant Repair

A plumbing fault or an electric wire can be concealed behind a tile or a panel, but for an open ceiling, constant repair, and maintenance is a task. Also, any loose ducts or pipes can ruin the office due to leakages, so it is important to get regular maintenance done. Along with performance, the appeal of a false ceiling also needs to be maintained regularly.

Conclusion

An open ceiling look for an office is an in-trend workplace design that offers a casual and cool look. Though they are costly compared to paneled and tiled ceilings because the finishing requires much more investment, in the long run, open ceilings have many benefits for the productivity and appeal of a professional space.