2024 Office Envy

Editor’s Note
Welcome to Office Envy.

My husband and I recently returned from a Christmas trip abroad where we stayed in five different cities. The feeling of each space we stayed in was distinctive – a beach resort, a former prison turned hotel, a small-town apartment, a train station motel, a mountain chalet and a ski lodge.

Each space brought its own charms and quirks. At the base level, the comfort of the bed and pillows and sound level certainly affect whether a good night’s sleep is in the cards. But everything from the artwork to the throw pillows and the counter space to the sitting areas impacts the experience of a stay. And then there’s the intangible vibe – the feeling a space gives you.

I was reflecting on those unique spaces as the Springfield Business Journal newsroom put together this Office Envy edition. Just like a hotel room, office spaces must meet certain basic needs for workers. And everything else about the space affects productivity and quality of life on the job.

Think about working in a space without art, color or natural light. For some, that would squash creativity. Think about working in a space that lacked collaborative spaces to connect and hash out ideas. For some, that would hinder innovation. While some of us prefer to work in isolation in a private office, others thrive in an open layout concept.

The Ozarks is filled with diverse offices. The SBJ news team gets a peek into these spaces as we interview sources and photograph subjects. The four office spaces featured in this edition of Office Envy are varied in scale and scope. But they each have a distinct vibe and have been developed with the end user in mind.

We hope you enjoy this seventh installment of Office Envy – and you find inspiration in the spaces around you.

— Christine Temple, Executive Editor

Photographer’s Lens
One of my favorite TV shows when I was a kid was “Cosmos: A Personal Voyage.” I’d lay on the floor in front of our little Zenith TV and watch a show about space narrated by Carl Sagan. His passion for space exploration and our place in the cosmos continues to resonate deeply with me today.

His storytelling wasn’t just about the science; it was about the human experience within that science. He was able to convey the enormity of space and our tiny place within it, while also making us feel like explorers on the edge of discovery.

It’s this same kind of wonder that leads me through these office spaces. As a photographer, I not only try to document the physical space but also interpret the subtle interplay between its structure and the connections that unfold within it. Spaces are much more than their appearance – they are defined by the people in them.

In this context, capturing those details becomes a way of telling a story. Whether it’s the way light hits a certain corner, the body language of people in a room or a fleeting moment of connection, you’re able to freeze these moments. It’s in these moments of connection that the true essence of a place comes to life. And, like the stars in the cosmos, it’s these details that remind us that even the smallest things can hold infinite meaning.

— Heather Mosley, Creative Department Manager