Campus Space Planning Considerations in a Flex-Work Environment
Hybrid and remote work patterns that emerged under COVID guidelines seem to be here to stay, and universities are grappling with associated space utilization impacts alongside the cost pressures exerted by necessary program growth. In response, strategic space consolidation initiatives are paving the way for a more efficient and cost-effective approach to administrative space planning. Campus Planning at Tufts University was charged with aligning space usage with the evolving needs of faculty, staff, and students, leveraging data gleaned from utilization and occupancy at all four Tufts campuses, and have implemented space consolidations across the Medford/Somerville main campus as well as the Boston Health Sciences campus. Their takeaway: Consolidating office spaces in a way that better matches usage ensures that resources are allocated where they’re most needed.