Throughout 2015, Metropolis’s publisher and editor in chief, Susan S. Szenasy, led the Metropolis Think Tank series of conversations on the seismic cultural shifts reshaping our society and the importance of injecting a new humanism into design and architecture in order to better deal with emerging challenges. As part of these ongoing discussions, Szenasy engages key industry leaders and gives a voice to different knowledge groups that participate in these processes—from architecture firms and clients to researchers and consultants.
On February 24, 2016, she talked with Rapt Studio, a global design practice based in San Francisco, and representatives from its top clients, including Lydian Dental, Dropbox, and GE Digital. They discussed the role of technology and sensory experiences in the office, as well as the extensive research and development that goes into creating a more humanistic workplace. What follows is an edited transcript of the conversation.