Designing Workplaces That Stand the Test of Time | Workspace Design Lab Ep. 3

Workspace Design Lab | Healthy Spaces, Lasting Impact

What does it take to design workspaces that truly endure?

In this episode of Workspace Design Lab, host Sylvanna VanderPark sits down with Marilyn Simeone, a seasoned leader in corporate real estate and workplace strategy. With over 40 years of experience across Merrill Lynch, Citibank, and Princeton University, Marilyn shares her approach to building office environments that are adaptive, sustainable, and deeply human-centered. Whether you're an architect, interior designer, or workplace strategist, this episode delivers rare insight into real-world workspace planning, global standardization, and timeless design principles that stand the test of time.
KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Design is the solution to the criteria
• Internships offer invaluable real-world insight
• Understand your audience before you design for them
• Workplace strategy must align with business strategy
• 80/20 rule helps address broad user needs with flexibility
• Consistency and local adaptation can coexist in global offices
• Furniture modularity supports rapid change and sustainability
• Advisory committees build trust and gather critical feedback
• Maintenance, logistics, and cleaning must factor into design decisions
• Art and design programs can boost workplace culture and inclusion
BEST MOMENTS

00:04:12. “Every time I changed jobs, I always got students from that school to be interns for us.”
00:07:20. “My strength was more in management than it was in design.”
00:10:40. “What I'm doing today, how can it work in the future?”
00:13:09. “We personal lives that for that location... it was reflective of the culture of that location.”
00:16:00. “Change management is a big thing... you need to bring people along.”
00:18:35. “We identified the different offices... and we developed a kit of parts of furniture that would work.”
00:26:50. “We had like draw color stickers and we identify, green I love it, yellow it's okay, red no go.”
01:00:23. “I think students should participate in professional organizations and attend design competitions and conferences.”

Workspace Design Lab | Healthy Spaces, Lasting Impact
🔗 Explore NovaLink’s product and process for effortless workspace design:
https://novalink.com
📅 New episodes release every 2nd Thursday at 6 AM ET / GMT-4.
Join host Syl VanderPark as we explore ergonomic office design, modern interiors, and sustainable workspace solutions with architects, designers, and industry leaders.
Watch and subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4x47wvr2
💡 If this conversation helped you reimagine what a workspace can be, share it with a colleague or client. Together we can design offices that support wellbeing, productivity, and lasting impact.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com