Office floor plans swing between two opposing logics: open-plan productivity and private-office focus. The choice is not a style preference — it follows from the work pattern. Heads-down knowledge work wants enclosed rooms; collaborative or sales-driven work wants open desks with adjacent meeting space.
How this generator works
The office generator uses the same grid-based zone packer as the house generator (engine v3). Reception, when enabled, is always placed at the entry; the breakroom is placed near the service core (water + waste); meeting rooms are placed centrally for equal access; private offices are placed along the perimeter to claim the windows; open-plan desk areas occupy the remaining envelope. Building shape (rectangle, L, T, U) lets the generator approximate buildings with a non-rectangular footprint, although deep grids work best in plain rectangles.
Design principles for offices
Open-plan desks size at approximately 4 m² per workstation including aisle space — so 30 desks need ~120 m² of open area before any other room. Meeting rooms occupy 12–20 m² each (4–8 person rooms). Private offices 8–15 m² (single occupant or 1+1). Reception 8–14 m². Breakroom 12–20 m² and grows with headcount. Circulation in offices runs higher than residential — 12–18% of total area on corridors and aisles is normal. The plan should reserve a 'service core' for plumbing (kitchen + bathrooms) on one wall to limit pipe runs.
When the office generator fits
Coworking-space planning, small business fit-outs (8–40 staff), tenant fit-out exploration before engaging an architect, and educational visualisation. The generator does not handle structural columns, fire-egress paths, or accessibility-required circulation widths — these are jurisdiction-specific and need a real plan stamped by a licensed architect or engineer before construction.
Configuration tips
Reception toggles on at 50+ m². Breakroom toggles on at 80+ m² because below that the kitchenette merges into the open area. Meeting rooms scale with headcount: 1 meeting room per 8–10 desks is typical. Below 100 m², open-plan dominates and private offices are a luxury; above 200 m², a balanced mix of 6–10 private offices, 2–3 meeting rooms, and 12–20 open desks usually fits the space best.
Frequently asked questions
How does the office generator size open-plan desks?+
Approximately 4 m² per workstation, including aisle space — so 30 desks need around 120 m² of open area before any other room. The slider lets you set 0–30 desks and the generator allocates the necessary open-plan area.
Where are reception, breakroom, and meeting rooms placed?+
Reception is always at the entry when enabled. Breakroom is placed near the service core (water/waste plumbing). Meeting rooms are placed centrally for equal access from all desks. Private offices claim the perimeter (windows). Open desks fill the remainder.
When does private office vs open plan make sense?+
Heads-down knowledge work (engineers, writers, accountants) benefits from private offices or small enclosed pods. Collaborative work (sales, design teams, consulting) benefits from open plan with adjacent meeting rooms. Below 100 m², open dominates; at 200+ m², a 6–10 private office mix with 2–3 meeting rooms usually fits well.
Is the office generator suitable for tenant fit-out planning?+
It is useful for early exploration before engaging an architect: laying out programme, testing whether 30 staff fit in 200 m², comparing rectangular vs L-shape envelopes. It does not handle structural columns, fire-egress, accessibility, or HVAC zoning — those require a real fit-out drawing.
Room standards reference
Typical room sizes used by the generators on this site, drawn from common residential building practice.
| Room | Min area | Typical | Min width |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bedroom (master) | 9 m² | 12–18 m² | 2.4 m |
| Bedroom (secondary) | 7 m² | 8–13 m² | 2.1 m |
| Bathroom (full) | 3 m² | 4–7 m² | 1.5 m |
| Living room | 12 m² | 16–32 m² | 3.0 m |
| Kitchen | 5 m² | 6–11 m² | 1.8 m |
| Hallway / Corridor | — | — | 0.9 m |
These are reference figures used by the floor plan generators on this site. They reflect common ranges from residential building practice; specific jurisdictions (ANSI Z765 in the US, Approved Document M in the UK, NCC Volume 2 in Australia, and equivalent codes elsewhere) impose their own minimums and accessibility requirements. Generated plans are intended for inspiration and visualisation only; do not use them in lieu of plans drawn and stamped by a licensed architect or engineer.