Chapter 14 Commercial Interior Design Applications 517 Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. ■ Receivables and deliveries. All offi ces handle deliveries and may produce product materials that require mailing. Even with technologies today, many items still require manual delivery. In addition, the business organization and the designer need to determine storage needs and a storage process. ■ Fitness center. Depending on the facility size of, the organization may desire an employee fi tness center. These facilities encourage physical and mental health that translates to workplace productivity. The employer generally provides the exercise equipment and staff to operate the fi tness center. ■ Break room. Employees are entitled to breaks and a lunch period during the course of a work day. They often stay on-site during these breaks. A break room generally has small tables and side chairs (usually stackable), refrigeration and microwave equipment, a sink, and possibly a view outside. Because noise and food aromas are associated with the space, it should be separate from the public zone. This space also requires accessibility to plumbing lines, Figure 14-30. ■ Restrooms. The location of employee restrooms is often near open, private, and staff offi ces. They should also be ADA compliant. These spaces also require accessibility to plumbing lines. The Design Process: An Exercise in Corporate Office As you continue your study of interior design, learning how the design process fl ows in commercial design projects is essential. The intent of this section is to walk you through the process from the designer’s perspec- tive, using corporate offi ce design as the focus of the scenario. Phase 1: Pre-Design Let’s talk about the design phases as a designer would approach the design. Presume you have been hired by Innovativ Entrepreneurs Corporation (IEC) to design their new offi ces. In the Pre-design phase, you and the client came to an understanding about the scope of services you would perform. The client has signed a contract, completing the pre-design phase of the project. Phase 2: Programming The usual name of the document that contains the information and criterion you need to design the spaces is the client’s Program. The Programming phase for IEC has two parts. First, you will gather information and compile a list of needs the client has for their new spaces. The gathering of data often includes a walk-through of existing spaces as well as their future spaces, personal interviews, focus-group sessions, and employee surveys, Figure 14-31 and 14-32. The second step of the Programming phase is to use written summaries, spreadsheets, diagrams, and charts of the research to compile the collected data into a Program Report that presents an ideal scenario for the client’s new space. Depending on the size of the project, this report may be the size of a spiral-bound book or may utilize several three-ring binders. During the Programming phase, the designer determines the client’s existing furniture, fi xtures, and equipment (FF&E) and spatial needs, gatherers data that informs the design, and develops a summary for client approval and signature. The designer may complete this phase without knowledge of the building the client intends to lease or use. ©Jim Room Creative, Inc./Rabaut Design Associates Figure 14-30 Break rooms are public spaces that employees use during break and lunch periods. What design features do you think are most important in such spaces? Why?