Open offices have lost their luster, but the principles they embodied — places to interact spontaneously and an abundance of natural light and air — are still key elements of the next generation of offices.

Office developers and landlords are focused on finding the right balance between promoting interaction and preserving privacy. Recent lessons learned indicate the place to strike that balance is not at a worker's desk.

“The collaborative environment is more about what the place outside your office door is like, for when you go to get lunch or a cup of coffee,” Somerset Development President Ralph Zucker said.

In an open office environment, constant background noise can be a distraction and a hindrance to productivity. These spaces can also feel oppressive or invasive when two or more workers wish to have a private conversation, especially in the case of a coworking space where your neighbor is a stranger, or even a competitor.

“People are discovering they need more private meeting space than they realized, and there’s literally a fight for huddle or breakout space, whatever you want to call it,” SJP Properties Executive Vice President Peter Bronsnick said. "This is a problem that’s happening internationally, not just locally.”

Research in the past couple of years has shown that the choice to opt in or out of the energy of surrounding people may be the key to creating that collaborative environment businesses covet. A 2018 Harvard study found that face-to-face interactions actually declined in completely open offices, while the use of email and instant messaging rose.