Whether you are planning a new office or developing company wide space standards, having “design benchmarks” can prove extremely helpful. The following information is an average for general office use.
General space allocation should be approximately 150 to 200 usable square feet (sf) per person. This figure can vary depending upon your use, industry, and any special needs that your company may have.
Typical Vice President’s Office
250 to 400 sf (3 to 4 windows in length).
Typical Vice President’s Office
150 to 250 sf (2 to 3 windows in length).
Other Executive Office
120 to 150 sf (+2 windows in length).
Partitioned Open Space
50 to 100 sf (Office Manager or Supervisor).
Non-partitioned Open Space
36 to 80 sf (Secretary or Clerical Pool).
Conference Rooms
Allow minimum of 15 sf per person for theater style or classroom seating. Allow 30 to 35 per person for conventional conference seating.
Mailroom/Workroom
Typical 9e seating.
Mailroom/Workroom
Typically 9′ x 9′ in width. This includes 30″ counters against each wall with a 4′ aisle between. The length depends upon the number of people working in the room and the amount of mail activity.
Reception Area
Receptioniest plus seating for 2-4 people, 150-250 sf. Receptionist plus seating for 6-8 people, 250-350 sf.
File Room
Allow approximately 7 sf per file. Suggested aisle width varies from 3′ to 4′. Minimum is 2′ 8″.
Library
Allow 12″ for book shelves against walls, 24″ for back-to-back shelving. Aisle space minimum is 2′ 8″.
Employee Lunch Room
Allow 20-30 sf per person, excluding kitchen. Kitchen and serving area should be a minimum of one third to one half of the dining room.
Circulation
Allow 25-30% of the total usable areas for circulation.
Corridors
Suggested corridor widths are: 5′ for principal office corridors; 6′ for public corridors, 3′ 8″ to 4′ 6″ for secondary interior corridors. Clearance between desks should be at least 3′. Suggested width of corridors in which secretaries are located, 10′. This allows for a standard 5′ long secretarial desk and 5′ passageway, which is comfortable passage for two people.
Equipment Room (Voice & Data)
60-120 sf. Typically includes wallboard, racking system, dedicated electrical circuits, supplemental HVAC and security door.
Coat Closets
Allow 1 linear foot for 4 coats or 3″ per person.
Water Coolers/Drinking Fountains
Allow a minimum of 1 unit per 75 people.
Doors
Standard office door is 3′ x 7′. Double entrance doors are either 5′ wide, or 6′ wide. Standard doors are typically hollow core, stain grade birch. Door upgrades include full height, solid core, glass and premium woods.