Are modern offices actually designed for how we work today, or are we still operating inside outdated ideas?

In this episode of Workspace Design Lab, host Sylvanna VanderPark explores the evolution of workspace design, from ancient Roman offices to Taylorism, cubicle farms, open plan offices, and today’s hybrid environments. Through research, neuroscience insights, and real world observations, she unpacks why so many beautiful workspaces quietly drain productivity, creativity, and wellbeing. This episode is essential listening for architects, interior designers, facility managers, and business leaders who want to design ergonomic, human-centered, and sustainable workspaces that truly perform.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Workspace design evolved from Roman tablet in a room to industrial grids, cubicles, and today’s hybrid layouts
• Taylorism shaped rigid factory like office grids focused on maximum output
• Open plan offices reduce face to face interaction and increase messaging because people seek privacy
• Noise and visual interruptions are the number one productivity killer in open offices
• Moderate background noise around 70 DB can boost creativity
• Natural light boosts productivity, mood, and even nighttime sleep quality
• High ceilings encourage abstract thinking, lower ceilings improve focus and detail work
• Plants can increase productivity by up to about 15% and reduce stress
• Giving employees control over where they sit improves satisfaction more than flashy perks
• If people are constantly adapting themselves to the space, the space is failing

CHAPTERS

00:00:00 - Coming up...
00:01:00 - Why workspace design history matters more than you think
00:04:14 - Cubicle farms, tax incentives, and corporate expansion
00:06:06 - How your brain reacts to light, ceilings, plants, and noise
00:09:22 - Home office design mistakes you may not realize you are making
00:12:37 - Why open offices reduce face-to-face interaction
00:19:16 - Corporate workspace mistakes that kill productivity
00:22:38 - The mistake proof workspace design checklist
00:25:40 - Final red flags and the golden rule of workspace design

🔗 Explore NovaLink’s product and process for effortless workspace design: https://sholink.to/novalink

Workspace Design Lab | Healthy Spaces, Lasting Impact

📅 New episodes release every 2nd Thursday at 6 AM ET / GMT-4.

Join host Syl VanderPark as we explore ergonomic office design, modern interiors, and sustainable workspace solutions with architects, designers, and industry leaders.

Watch and subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4x47wvr2

💡 If this conversation helped you reimagine what a workspace can be, share it with a colleague or client. Together we can design offices that support wellbeing, productivity, and lasting impact.

Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com

Can workplace design actually save lives?

In this episode of Workspace Design Lab, host Sylvanna VanderPark welcomes Kay Sargent, Senior Principal and Director of Thought Leadership at HOK. With four decades of design experience, Kay shares how thoughtful design impacts not only productivity but human safety, behavior, and inclusion. This powerful conversation explores real-world stories, the science behind effective office design, and what companies must do to truly support neurodiverse teams. From life-saving design decisions to building spaces people actually want to return to, this episode is packed with practical, evidence-based insight for architects, interior designers, and workplace leaders.

Whether you're navigating return-to-office challenges or designing for diverse work styles, this episode offers real strategies that go far beyond aesthetics.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Great spaces are built with human behavior and evidence-based design at the core
• Designers can impact lives - sometimes even save them - through thoughtful planning
• The return-to-office challenge is only 40% about space, and 60% about leadership and culture
• Neurodiversity must be considered in workspace planning to drive inclusion and engagement
• Personalization options - like shielding and temperature control - can transform work experience
• Environmental-based working is rising as people choose spaces based on sensory needs
• Offices that lack natural energy, movement, or biophilia hinder wellbeing
• The “perfect desk” doesn’t exist, but a variety of tailored zones can serve everyone
• Generational shifts reveal different levels of self-awareness about neurotypes and triggers
• AI can’t replace human-centric design that accounts for behavior, safety, and function

🔗 Explore NovaLink’s product and process for effortless workspace design: https://sholink.to/novalink

Workspace Design Lab | Healthy Spaces, Lasting Impact

📅 New episodes release every 2nd Thursday at 6 AM ET / GMT-4.

Join host Syl VanderPark as we explore ergonomic office design, modern interiors, and sustainable workspace solutions with architects, designers, and industry leaders.

Watch and subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4x47wvr2

💡 If this conversation helped you reimagine what a workspace can be, share it with a colleague or client. Together we can design offices that support wellbeing, productivity, and lasting impact.

Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com

What happens when your worst gig becomes the spark that launches a global podcast business?

In this episode of Workspace Design Lab, Syl Vander Park sits down with David O Gara, founder of APodcastGeek, to explore how a career in radio, live DJing, and a single traumatic christening gig evolved into a thriving remote company built around trust, sound, and storytelling. Broadcasting from his garden studio in Dublin, David shares how he built his podcast production business from scratch during the pandemic and why workspace design still matters in a remote-first world. They dive into gear setups, team growth, the future of podcasting, and why long-term vision always trumps instant success.

Whether you're an architect, interior designer, or creative entrepreneur, this episode will inspire you to think differently about design, storytelling, and how spaces shape the work we do.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:
• From radio and DJing to podcast production, David’s creative evolution
• Why he built his studio in a garden shed
• Remote company structure and team communication setup
• Ergonomic work setups that support long hours and creative flow
• The ROI of anti-fatigue mats and dual workstations
• Why podcasts work better when intention comes before monetization
• Dublin’s growing podcast studio boom
• Why authenticity matters more than ever in a “trust recession”
• David’s advice for anyone launching a podcast
• The value of real, human connection in the digital age

BEST MOMENTS:

00:02:47. “The first gig I ever did was the worst. I got assaulted by a bouncer at a christening.”
00:04:34. “We’re a remote company. I designed my workspace around easy, comfortable communication.”
00:05:55. “That anti-fatigue mat? Bought it for DJing. Still using it at my standing desk.”
00:08:22. “I molded this business around my 9 to 5. It was a 5 to 8, 1 to 2, and 8 to 9 hustle.”
00:13:04. “Do it for the right reasons. The worst question is, ‘How do I monetize this?’”
00:16:17. “Instant gratification does not come from podcasting. It’s all about long-term trust.”
00:18:10. “When someone Googles you, a podcast can build immediate trust if it shows up.”
00:22:10. “That blew me away. Fatman Scoop invited me backstage. I met all my music heroes.”

🔗 Explore NovaLink’s product and process for effortless workspace design: https://novalink.com

Workspace Design Lab | Healthy Spaces, Lasting Impact

📅 New episodes release every 2nd Thursday at 6 AM ET / GMT-4.

Join host Syl VanderPark as we explore ergonomic office design, modern interiors, and sustainable workspace solutions with architects, designers, and industry leaders.

Watch and subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4x47wvr2

💡 If this conversation helped you reimagine what a workspace can be, share it with a colleague or client. Together we can design offices that support wellbeing, productivity, and lasting impact.

Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com

What’s the real reason your office isn’t working? It might not be the space, it might be the strategy.

In this episode of Workspace Design Lab, host Syl Vander Park is joined by Kati Barklund, Senior Manager of Workplace Strategy and Global Chair of Workplace Evolutionaries. Kati unpacks what truly makes a workplace “work” and why the future of office design goes far beyond furniture.

From cultural alignment to data-driven design, this conversation offers rare insight into how leaders can reshape their environments to support performance, purpose, and wellbeing.

If you're an architect, interior designer, or workplace leader ready to go beyond the basics, this episode is packed with wisdom from one of the industry’s most experienced voices.

Key Takeaways

• Strategy starts with understanding the organization’s pain points
• Culture and collaboration often drive workplace transformation
• Data-driven needs assessments are essential
• Physical workspaces must align with organizational goals
• Experience and performance are deeply connected
• Remote work proved employees can be trusted
• Ergonomics and flexibility are key to employee wellbeing
• Asynchronous work can reduce meeting fatigue
• Change management is often the missing link in office redesign
• Being connected to oneself is foundational to workplace fulfillment

Best Moments

00:04:15. “The only reason we have a workplace is for the people and for them to be able to perform at their best.”
00:06:21. “An office culture died a little bit with COVID.”
00:07:44. “We as employees showed in many ways that we were to be trusted.”
00:11:13. “We must be much more like stop to reflect on our meeting cultures.”
00:13:36. “We don't want to be going to work just to collect a paycheck.”
00:15:14. “We can never be too young to be connected with ourselves.”
00:20:00. “We are quite used to things and a little bit lazy and comfortable.”
00:23:56. “I do all of this for people to really make people thrive.”

🔗 Explore NovaLink’s product and process for effortless workspace design: https://novalink.com

Workspace Design Lab | Healthy Spaces, Lasting Impact

📅 New episodes release every 2nd Thursday at 6 AM ET / GMT-4.

Join host Syl VanderPark as we explore ergonomic office design, modern interiors, and sustainable workspace solutions with architects, designers, and industry leaders.

Watch and subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4x47wvr2

💡 If this conversation helped you reimagine what a workspace can be, share it with a colleague or client. Together we can design offices that support wellbeing, productivity, and lasting impact.

Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com

🧠 Can toys make us better designers?

In this solo episode of Workspace Design Lab, host Syl Vander Park takes a thoughtful dive into how everyday objects, like fidget toys and lap pads, are changing the way we think about workplace comfort, focus, and inclusion. Inspired by a conversation with her 6-year-old daughter, Syl explores how tools often used in classrooms can translate to adult offices in powerful ways. From posture and sensory input to neurodiverse-friendly design, this episode uncovers the small, often overlooked choices that lead to more human-centered workspaces. If you're designing for wellbeing, this one’s a must-listen.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:
• Ergonomic chairs, kneeling stools, and balance balls can promote posture and improve focus
• Fidget toys and tactile tools help with emotional regulation and engagement
• Sensory mats and weighted lap pads provide comfort and body awareness
• Neurodiversity needs to be considered in workplace design
• Personal comfort tools, photos, gadgets, habits, have ergonomic impact
• Adult nervous habits can mirror tools used in childhood classrooms
• Inclusive design should address how people actually function, not just how spaces look
• Education settings offer inspiration for ergonomic innovation
• Repetitive movement helps regulate attention and processing
• Movement between activities supports focus and anticipation

BEST MOMENTS:

00:01:43. “Do you talk about toys? And I thought about it... what a wonderful way to think about our workplaces.”
00:02:28. “We're all some kind of overwhelmed with what I'm looking at. I can get distracted and lose my train of thought.”
00:03:15. “Some people, they have their desks and they put their pictures up. That gives them a sense of comfort.”
00:04:07. “The elementary school and children's ergonomic considerations are probably... I’m going to have to do a deep dive.”
00:05:09. “Ergonomic toys would support good posture, improve focus and provide sensory input.”
00:06:02. “Safety. Ensure all toys are childproof and made of non-toxic materials.”
00:07:44. “Generally people talk about making sure that kids get up every 30 minutes.”
00:09:48. “Can public schools implement great lessons from what we see in workplaces?”

🔗 Explore NovaLink’s product and process for effortless workspace design: https://novalink.com

Workspace Design Lab | Healthy Spaces, Lasting Impact

📅 New episodes release every 2nd Thursday at 6 AM ET / GMT-4.

Join host Syl VanderPark as we explore ergonomic office design, modern interiors, and sustainable workspace solutions with architects, designers, and industry leaders.

Watch and subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4x47wvr2

💡 If this conversation helped you reimagine what a workspace can be, share it with a colleague or client. Together we can design offices that support wellbeing, productivity, and lasting impact.

Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com

Is your office furniture silently sabotaging productivity?

In this episode of Workspace Design Lab, host Syl Vander Park is joined by Jane Sleeth, founder of Optimal Performance Consultants, to explore how workplace design impacts everything from physical injury to cognitive performance. With 35+ years of experience across manufacturing, banking, healthcare, and aviation, Jane breaks down what real ergonomics means—and why too many companies still treat it as a box to check.

From avoiding costly design mistakes to planning for inclusivity and longevity, this conversation is packed with insights for architects, designers, and workplace leaders who want to create environments that truly work.

Whether you're sourcing furniture or rethinking an entire space, this is an episode you'll want to bookmark.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Ergonomics is about movement, not just posture
• Good workstation design can prevent long-term injuries
• Human error is often the result of bad design, not bad workers
• Ergonomics includes physical, mental, and psychological dimensions
• Inclusive design starts with understanding the end user’s anthropometrics
• Early ergonomic involvement saves money and prevents liability
• Many design teams still treat ergonomics as an afterthought
• Real ergonomics requires adjustability, not just good marketing
• Education and training are essential to long-term success
• The ROI of ergonomic design is measurable and proven

BEST MOMENTS
00:03:28. “There’s no such thing as human error. There’s bad design. That’s the premise from which we start.”
 00:07:32. “We could prevent these accidents in the first place because we're seeing people for six months.”
 00:11:07. “We want you to come in and study what people do. What are their mental demands? What are their physical demands?”
 00:14:25. “The association itself never marketed the profession… I just undertook that myself.”
 00:22:47. “Excellent design means that you're pretty much trying to go across the spectrum.”
 00:26:00. “It made it a little more black and white so that the science really came through.”
 00:29:15. “Some of that is the design to account for that. But at the same time, a lot of it is about training.”
 00:31:05. “We're asking the human body, which is not linear, to sit in a linear chair behind a desk that's one size.”
 00:32:23. “Dynamic movement is good mentally but also physically. Circulation. Synovial fluid into the joints.”
 00:36:05. “The literature for people with osteoarthritis now is: keep moving.”
 00:41:10. “Let's do the return on investment. And when you choose those critical things… that was really important.”
 00:45:55. “The mistakes that are made… to be human. If we automate too much, then there'll be something lost in that.”
 00:49:08. “That's the magic of life. Those happy accidents, two people bump together… here's an innovative way to look at it.”

🔗 Explore NovaLink’s product and process for effortless workspace design: https://novalink.com

Workspace Design Lab | Healthy Spaces, Lasting Impact

📅 New episodes release every 2nd Thursday at 6 AM ET / GMT-4.

Join host Syl VanderPark as we explore ergonomic office design, modern interiors, and sustainable workspace solutions with architects, designers, and industry leaders.

Watch and subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4x47wvr2

💡 If this conversation helped you reimagine what a workspace can be, share it with a colleague or client. Together we can design offices that support wellbeing, productivity, and lasting impact.

Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com

What happens when technical excellence meets human-centered design? 

In this episode of Workspace Design Lab, Syl Vander Park sits down with Michael Rane Downey, retired architect from Gensler San Francisco, to explore the design process behind some of the most mission-critical workspaces in North America. From data centers to gas operations command centers, Michael shares stories that blend technical rigor with thoughtful design, and lessons every architect and designer should hear. Whether you’re new to workspace design or decades in, this conversation will change how you think about architecture, culture, and collaboration.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:
• Why Gensler led the industry in interior architecture
• The difference between designing for equipment vs. designing for people
• How a childhood love of drawing evolved into a lifelong design career
• Why mission-critical environments require architects who can listen
• The story behind PG&E’s Gas Operations Center after a tragic explosion
• How to prepare clients for unknowns in complex projects
• The pros and cons of design-build vs. design-bid-build
• What architecture schools get wrong about teaching design
• Advice for students trying to break into the field today
• The importance of visioning sessions in successful workplace design

BEST MOMENTS:
00:03:38. “I fell in love with things that were different from where I grew up... it changed what I wanted to do and where I wanted to be.”
00:04:58. “A friend of mine’s father was a contractor... I started designing golf courses.”
00:08:38. “You’re really a novice when you get into the real world of architectural practice.”
00:12:25. “By the time data centers hit it big, I already had 20 years of experience.”
00:20:58. “The reality is a good architect will take all the information and disseminate how it’s going to go together.”
00:28:40. “These projects were a hybrid—part critical facility, part workplace. That’s why they were some of the best.”
00:36:03. “We knew you guys were going to be the ones doing it... it was a win-win for everybody.”
00:51:00. “Now we can start to design. Now we’re getting to where I said in college what I felt was lacking.”

🔗 Explore NovaLink’s product and process for effortless workspace design: https://novalink.com

Workspace Design Lab | Healthy Spaces, Lasting Impact

📅 New episodes release every 2nd Thursday at 6 AM ET / GMT-4.

Join host Syl VanderPark as we explore ergonomic office design, modern interiors, and sustainable workspace solutions with architects, designers, and industry leaders.

Watch and subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4x47wvr2

💡 If this conversation helped you reimagine what a workspace can be, share it with a colleague or client. Together we can design offices that support wellbeing, productivity, and lasting impact.

Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com

What does it take to design workspaces that truly endure? 

In this episode of Workspace Design Lab, host Sylvanna VanderPark sits down with Marilyn Simeone, a seasoned leader in corporate real estate and workplace strategy. With over 40 years of experience across Merrill Lynch, Citibank, and Princeton University, Marilyn shares her approach to building office environments that are adaptive, sustainable, and deeply human-centered. Whether you're an architect, interior designer, or workplace strategist, this episode delivers rare insight into real-world workspace planning, global standardization, and timeless design principles that stand the test of time.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Design is the solution to the criteria
• Internships offer invaluable real-world insight
• Understand your audience before you design for them
• Workplace strategy must align with business strategy
• 80/20 rule helps address broad user needs with flexibility
• Consistency and local adaptation can coexist in global offices
• Furniture modularity supports rapid change and sustainability
• Advisory committees build trust and gather critical feedback
• Maintenance, logistics, and cleaning must factor into design decisions
• Art and design programs can boost workplace culture and inclusion

BEST MOMENTS

00:04:12. “Every time I changed jobs, I always got students from that school to be interns for us.”
00:07:20. “My strength was more in management than it was in design.”
00:10:40. “What I'm doing today, how can it work in the future?”
00:13:09. “We personal lives that for that location... it was reflective of the culture of that location.”
00:16:00. “Change management is a big thing... you need to bring people along.”
00:18:35. “We identified the different offices... and we developed a kit of parts of furniture that would work.”
00:26:50. “We had like draw color stickers and we identify, green I love it, yellow it's okay, red no go.”
01:00:23. “I think students should participate in professional organizations and attend design competitions and conferences.”

🔗 Explore NovaLink’s product and process for effortless workspace design: https://novalink.com

Workspace Design Lab | Healthy Spaces, Lasting Impact

📅 New episodes release every 2nd Thursday at 6 AM ET / GMT-4.

Join host Syl VanderPark as we explore ergonomic office design, modern interiors, and sustainable workspace solutions with architects, designers, and industry leaders.

Watch and subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4x47wvr2

💡 If this conversation helped you reimagine what a workspace can be, share it with a colleague or client. Together we can design offices that support wellbeing, productivity, and lasting impact.

Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com

On this episode of Workspace Design Lab, host Syl sits down with Darryl McCracken, Operations Manager at NovaLink. With over 30 years of experience, Darryl shares the evolution of modular furniture, how industrial design shaped his approach to problem-solving, and the importance of creating flexible, future-ready solutions. From his early days as a CAD detailer to leading operations, Darryl offers deep insights into what it takes to design for change in modern workplaces.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
• How industrial design fosters problem-solving in furniture development
• The evolution from beam systems to modular frame systems
• Why simple floor plans deliver the most flexibility
• How NovaLink’s building block approach supports reconfiguration
• The impact of client feedback on continuous product improvement
• Why NovaLink designs furniture for long-term flexibility and reuse
• Strategies for minimizing downtime during reconfiguration
• The importance of durable materials in sustainable furniture systems
• How archived job files enable part recreation decades later
• Darryl’s reflections on 30+ years of workspace innovation

BEST MOMENTS
00:02:55. “I didn't know what it was before I started the design classes.”
00:04:00. “It was just natural for me to want to create things and build.”
00:05:23. “It was recognized by management and I said you would work well in engineering management.”
00:07:12. “Each job, there's different aspects to it, challenges. So that's what keeps the variety.”
00:08:55. “Simple is best. You lose so much space with complicated layouts.”
00:10:58. “Our base modules, you can actually walk through the door.”
00:17:19. “You can have a desk redone in 3 hours.”
00:20:01. “We can recreate anything that we have in the past. Again, within reason.”

Workspace Design Lab | Healthy Spaces, Lasting Impact

📅 New episodes release every 2nd Thursday at 6 AM ET / GMT-4.

Join host Syl VanderPark as we explore ergonomic office design, modern interiors, and sustainable workspace solutions with architects, designers, and industry leaders.

Watch and subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4x47wvr2

💡 If this conversation helped you reimagine what a workspace can be, share it with a colleague or client. Together we can design offices that support wellbeing, productivity, and lasting impact.

Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com

In this premiere episode of Workspace Design Lab, host Syl Vander Park sits down with her father, Tony Vander Park, President and Design Director at NovaLink. Together, they explore the origin and evolution of Series 7.8, a parametric console workstation designed for real-time adjustment, ergonomic precision, and lasting sustainability. This episode captures Tony’s deep design philosophy, manufacturing insights, and a legacy of human-centered innovation.

IN THIS EPISODE
• What sets Series 7.8 apart from Series 7.5
• How bi-directional monitor movement supports visibility and interaction
• The significance of ADA compliance and anti-fatigue workstations
• Patent insights from years of ergonomic console design
• How modular design supports sustainability and longevity
• The origins of the term “Parametric Contract Furniture”
• Real-world use cases from traders, utilities, and control rooms
• How NovaLink consoles are built to support changing tech
• The role of Canadian manufacturing in sustainability
• Legacy insights from over 30 years of workspace evolution

BEST MOMENTS
00:01:44. “Series 7.8 was developed as a follow through from Series 7.5.”
00:03:02. “The monitor rack can go that low as well.”
00:04:09. “Once the monitors are down low enough, the user can see over top of the monitors.”
00:05:34. “The patent lawyer had an easy time making the case.”
00:08:22. “Series 7.8 does all of that really good stuff.”
00:10:00. “Touch of a button, they all move back and forth.”
00:14:36. “You can make these changes. And that's really what it's all about.”
00:25:19. “That was our very first height-adjustable workstation.”
00:51:20. “It opens up whole doors to possibilities that weren’t there before.”

Workspace Design Lab | Healthy Spaces, Lasting Impact

📅 New episodes release every 2nd Thursday at 6 AM ET / GMT-4.

Join host Syl VanderPark as we explore ergonomic office design, modern interiors, and sustainable workspace solutions with architects, designers, and industry leaders.

Watch and subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4x47wvr2

💡 If this conversation helped you reimagine what a workspace can be, share it with a colleague or client. Together we can design offices that support wellbeing, productivity, and lasting impact.

Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com