Open Office Layout
An open office layout is mostly repetition and the gaps in between. Get one group of desks right, repeat it, and keep the aisles between the groups wide enough for people to pass.
Example: two clusters of four desks
Furniture in this layout
- 8 × Desk: 1.40 m × 0.70 m (4′ 7″ × 2′ 4″)
- 8 × Chair: 0.48 m × 0.50 m (1′ 7″ × 1′ 8″)
Room sizes are measured between wall center lines, the way the editor measures rooms. Open the layout to move, resize or add anything.
How the example is arranged
Two identical blocks of four desks sit side by side in an 8.6 × 4.8 m (28′ 3″ × 15′ 9″) room. The aisle between the blocks is 1.2 m (3′ 11″), and there is a little over 1.1 m (3′ 8″) behind every chair to the inside of the wall.
The blocks are identical, so you extend the plan by repeating them: duplicate each desk and chair of a block with Ctrl+D (⌘D on a Mac) and drag the copies to where the next group goes.
Ways to arrange desks in an open office
| Good for | Watch out for | |
|---|---|---|
| Clusters of four or six | Small teams sitting together, short cable runs | Space needed on every side of the block |
| Long rows (benches) | Fitting many desks into a deep room | Long detours to get out of the middle of a row |
| Desks facing the windows | Daylight and views | Glare on screens and less room for walkways by the façade |
| Mixed with quiet rooms | Calls and focused work away from the open area | Uses floor area you would otherwise give to desks |
Laying out an open office
Mark the fixed things
Draw columns, the core, doors and windows first. They decide where the main aisles can run.
Plan the main aisles
Draw a text label or a dimension line along each main route so you keep it clear as the desks go in.
Build one group
Place one group of desks and chairs, set their real sizes and check the space around them with the measure tool.
Repeat or auto-fill
Duplicate the group across the floor, or select a room and let desk auto-fill pack it with benches or pods at your aisle widths. Long rows are split by a primary cross-aisle.
Review the checks
Open the office checks for narrow aisles and seats without a route to an exit door, then walk through the floor in 3D to see how crowded it feels.
When to use this page
Moving into new premises
Test how many desk groups a floor takes before committing to a fit-out.
Rearranging an existing floor
Draw what is there, lock the Architecture layer, and try new desk groupings without touching the walls.
Adding meeting space
Give up one desk group for a meeting table and see what the open area loses.
Frequently asked questions
How wide should aisles be in an open office?
Around 0.9 to 1.2 m (3′ to 4′) is a common planning range, wider for main walkways than for the gaps between desk groups. The editor's office checks start at 1.2 m (3′ 11″) for primary and 0.9 m (2′ 11″) for secondary aisles, and you can change both. Escape routes have minimum widths set by local regulations, so check those for your building.
What is the difference between a primary and a secondary aisle?
In the editor, a primary aisle runs off the end of a row of desks and carries people across the floor; a secondary aisle runs alongside a row and serves the seats in it. Both are measured clear of the chair zones.
Can the editor tell me how many desks fit?
The office capacity calculator estimates how many desks a floor area holds at the area per person you choose. In the editor, the Seats panel counts the desks per room and floor, next to the capacity of the area you have drawn, and desk auto-fill shows how many seats a room takes with the aisle widths you set.
Can I show the open office in 3D?
Yes. Switch to 3D or split view to see the desks and walls in 3D, or use walk mode to move through the floor at eye level.