Designing a Living Office Landscape is a lot like cooking a complex dish, or at least that’s how Lori Gee, Herman Miller’s Vice President of Applied Insight sees it. “Herman Miller’s Settings are spatial recipes,” she says. “They attend to the cognitive, social, behavioral, and physical needs identified by the Modes of Work—a range of activities people engage in, no matter what they do or where they work.”

As any good cook makes a recipe unique by flavoring it to her own taste, so too can an organization customize the Settings to reflect its culture, identity, and aspirations. Says Greg Parsons, Vice President of Landscape Environments, “A workplace with the right mix of Settings, tailored to the character and purpose of the organization, sets people free to realize their potential. It enriches everyone’s experiences and improves performance.” In this type of environment, people can do their best, and both individuals and the organization can prosper.

Each of the following 10 Settings can be adapted and combined to create an office landscape that enables and empowers its inhabitants by providing choice and fostering community.