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You + Your Workstation = BFF? monitor arms
Ergonomics Education Series Part II
Do you need a monitor arm? If you work at a computer for hours at a time, you are an excellent candidate for an adjustable monitor arm.
The best ergonomic advice is to keep your body moving, which is hard to do without changing the position of the thing you’re looking at. An adjustable monitor arm ergonomically solves this problem.
A proper monitor arm is able to retract, rotate, swivel and is simple for you to adjust throughout the day.
To set up the optimum reading position:
-Position your monitor at least an arm’s length away with the top line of text at or just below eye level.
-Tilt the monitor away from you slightly, so your line of sight is perpendicular to the monitor.
-Align your monitor with the midline of your body.
Because your monitor is now off of your desk, you can position your paper work directly in front of you, within easy reach, avoiding unnecessary twisting and turning. During the course of the day, as your eyes get tired and begin to strain, you will tend to lean closer to your monitor and hunch over your desk. Your adjustable monitor arm can be positioned closer to avoid eye strain and poor posture. A monitor arm will help you work with the highest level of health comfort and performance possible.
Now, go ahead, give your monitor arm some love!
(this monitor arm is fully adjustable)
You + Your Workstation = BFF? keyboard trays
Ergonomics Education Series Part I
Do you need a keyboard tray? If you are 6’-4” tall, placing your key board on the desk top (29-1/2” above the floor) is ergonomically correct. If you are any other height, you are an excellent candidate for an adjustable keyboard tray!
A proper keyboard tray allows for adjustability in height, tilt, distance from your monitor, and adequate knee clearance. These simple adjustments allow you to customize your keyboard to your body height and comfort level.
The best posture for computer tasks is “hands in lap.” This means, your elbows are at your sides, your wrists are straight, and your shoulders are dropped. This position allows your shoulders, elbows, and wrists to relax and avoid strain on your neck and back.
Keyboard trays do take some getting used to, but they are the most cost effective and healthy solution for improving your posture, comfort, and circulation while working at a computer.When you purchase a keyboard tray, ask the dealer, manufacturer, or designer for a short training course to learn how to effectively manipulate your new equipment.
Now, go ahead, give your keyboard tray some love!
(notice the negative tilt of the keyboard tray, putting no strain on the wrists)
Happy Bloomsday Weekend
It’s going to be HOT this weekend! Good luck to all the Bloomsday runners and spectators. Enjoy the sunshine, and stay COOL!
Promoting Wellness in the Workplace
Employee Health has become a “buzz” phrase in corporate America over the past 5 years. An ever increasing aging and overweight society has caused a spike in healthcare premiums, in turn causing corporations to examine the practices and daily routines of those they employ. Today’s corporations are stepping up to the challenge of promoting wellness among their employees and are implementing on-site wellness programs.
Design Source recently had the opportunity to work with Washington Trust Bank to help create a wellness area for their employees within their Financial Center. We helped transform a fire stairwell into a place for employees to work out on their breaks. Two positive results have emerged: the employees are becoming healthier and more comfortable with the fire escape route!
We welcome the challenge and opportunity of creating unique wellness environments for businesses who want to promote the health of their employees.
Global Goes Local!
Over the last few months, Global Credit Union has been rolling out their new marketing brand and initiative. Their new Global Citizen campaign is all about celebrating the people who make our community great!
You may have recognized the local artists and musicians featured on their latest billboards, bus wraps, and television commercials. These original works were specifically designed for Global to showcase their talents and passion and to enrich the community.
Today, their newest branch opens in Shadle - a culmination of the principles expressed in their print ads and television commercials. We were fortunate to collaborate with Wolfe Architectural Group to integrate Global's new business philosophy into their branch interior design.
It is rewarding to work with clients who give back to the community and appreciate the impact of great design.
National Architecture Week
Next week, architecture will come to life with exhibits and presentations celebrating National Architecture Week. AIA Spokane has a full schedule for people of all ages, kicking off on Saturday with a week-long exhibit at River Park Square. Head downtown and check out some of these great events!
Office lighting – Time for an illuminating change!
In recent decades office tasks, technology and people have changed greatly however, in most cases, office lighting design has not.
Why? and what can be done? Let’s explore…
Today’s workplace scenario:
- A typical worker spends the majority of their day working on a computer.
- The work force encompasses three generations of employees – each with different lighting needs for their individual eyes.
- Multitasking is prevalent at work - we go back and forth between computer work and pen and paper work. These activities require very different lighting levels to empower the user to perform efficiently.
The Problem:
An existing, outdated lighting plan provides an improperly lit and over lit office space.
- Computer screens create their own light and any extra light in the surrounding area bounces off of the screen and reflects back at the user, causing blurry vision and headaches.
- As people age, their eyes tend to yellow, making their environment seem much darker than a younger person may see it.
- Old lighting schemes do not provide different levels of lighting for different tasks.
The Solution:
Work with a professional to design a lighting system that includes a lower level of general lighting and adjustable/ergonomic task lighting for every worker in each workstation and office.
The Benefits:
The long term return on investment has been proven in many case studies.
- Employee health and productivity is improved.
- Bottom line cost to a business is reduced due to lower energy bills.
For more information, visit HumanScale.
To find out how your business could benefit from an updated lighting design, contact us here.
seeing is believing
Seeing really is believing, and sometimes this leads to understanding. The most powerful benefit of creating a 3D model of an interior space is the ability to experience what it will look like before the foundation is even poured. Recently, a client was facing the challenge of selling apartment units that had not yet been built. Their sales tool of a two dimensional floor plan was not providing potential buyers enough information to visualize their new home. Hence, we were commissioned to create a 3D model.
Based on the floor plan established by the architect we virtually “built” the apartment complete with windows capturing actual exterior view photos taken on the property. A design style was created including cabinetry, lighting, doors, detailing, finish materials and a color scheme. Lastly, the apartment was staged with furnishings and accessories. The result was a customized digital model tailored to capture the amenities of the home and inspire potential buyers.
Once the final touches were made, 3D modeling technology was utilized to take photo realistic images of the interior. With these, a short video was created and is currently being used by our client as an enhanced marketing tool.
To see your project in 3D or for more information on the benefits of modeling technology, contact us here.
Changes in “Sprinklers” to Encourage Business Growth
“I see one of the City’s primary jobs as helping to improve our business climate, allowing the private sector to grow and create jobs. Changes like these can make the difference between a project moving ahead or becoming stalled through overly burdensome regulation,” says Mayor Condon. “I am appreciative of the work of the Fire Department to propose these modifications and to the City Council for approving these amendments.”
On July 19th, 2012 Spokane Mayor David Condon signed into law a new ordinance that amends a number of Spokane fire codes to encourage business development. Though the fire codes are created to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public, Mayor Condon believes that when too stringent, they can cause business expansion and growth to stall.
To help reduce the high costs associate with fire codes, the following amendments have been made to Spokane Fire Code:
• Increases the allowable distance to a fire hydrant for an un-sprinkled building to 500 feet, from 250 feet now. Buildings with sprinklers can now be 750 feet from a hydrant. This means fewer projects would have to put in new hydrants, minimizing overall development costs.
• Allows buildings to receive credit for fire hydrants that are on the opposite side a four-lane street or a street with a median divider, as long as they are within the allowable distance. This was not allowed previously and again reduces the need for new hydrants.
• Allows for smaller driveways in residential areas if there is an on-site location with an adequate turning radius for a fire truck. This could help encourage infill development within residential areas with site access issues.
• Allows building owners to use smoke-detection equipment in elevators instead of more expense heat-detection equipment and associated shunt trip equipment.
• Increases the allowable distance between a fire hydrant and the Fire Department connection for new standpipe or fire sprinkler systems to 500 feet from 150 feet. These connections allow firefighters to use the sprinkler or standpipe system to help fight a fire and increasing the distance provides greater flexibility on a project and possible reduced costs.
• Adds an approved alternative to fire sprinkling in existing basements. This provision provides an option for building or business owners that could avoid costs on some rehabilitation or remodeling projects.
To find out how your business could benefit from these changes, contact us here.
Before and After: City Ramp Parking Garage
In November of 2010, we talked about one of our most fabulous projects, the renovation of the City Ramp Garage. This historic Spokane landmark was built in 1928 and was the first example of art deco architecture in the region. Created by the architectural firm Whitehouse and Price, the City Ramp Garage was the most modern ramp-type parking garage west of the Mississippi and the first effort by local building owners to provide parking for clients.
Nearly one hundred years later we have had the honor and the privilege to develop a design program to update the garage while at the same time honoring its history. Over the past few years upgrades have worked their way from the interior out. While the finishing touches are being made on the City Ramp Garage, we thought we would take a moment and share some before and after shots of this amazing space.
To see all of the City Ramp project photos, visit us on Facebook.