Floor plates, cores and flexibility
The floor plate is the heart of office design. Too deep, and desks in the middle never see daylight; too shallow, and you lose usable area to walls and corridors. Column spacing matters too: wider spans give open floors that suit any layout, while closely spaced columns limit how a tenant can arrange desks and meeting rooms.
For rental buildings, design the core so each floor can be let as one tenancy or split into two or more, each with its own entrance from the lift lobby and access to toilets and fire exits. For a headquarters, think about which departments need to sit together and whether a double-height space or internal stair would help staff move between floors.
- Raised floors or ceiling voids for cabling and future changes
- A dedicated server or IT room with cooling and backup power
- Prayer room, pantry and staff washrooms on each floor or a shared floor
- Space for a reception and visitor waiting area at ground level
Power, cooling, parking and safety
Offices in Lahore depend on uninterrupted power. Plan rooms for generators, transformers and battery backup from the start, and set aside roof area for solar panels. Choosing between split units, VRF-type systems or central cooling affects ceiling heights, shafts and roof space, so the services engineer should join the team early.
Staff parking is usually the main pressure point. Count cars and motorbikes separately, plan a visitor drop-off near the entrance, and check the parking requirements set by the approving authority. Lifts should be sized for peak arrival times, and fire exits, alarms and extinguishing systems must meet the authority's and fire department's rules.
Approvals, commercial use and phasing
Office use is generally only permitted on commercial plots or on roads where the authority allows it. If your plot is residential, check whether commercialisation is available before you invest in design. Height and covered area depend on the plot, road width and the rules of LDA, DHA, a Cantonment Board or your society; confirm these with the office concerned.
Many companies build fewer floors now and add more as they grow. If so, the foundations, columns, lifts and services risers should be designed for the final height, and the roof should be detailed so future floors can be added with minimal disruption to staff below.
