CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- An architectural firm in Charlotte is helping businesses redesign their office space for social distancing.

What You Need To Know

  • Some offices are starting to have employees come back to work spaces

  • Progressive Architecture is helping clients redesign their space for social distancing

  • We got an inside look at their own office design


Progressive Architectural is located in Uptown Charlotte. Everyone who walks through their door must first complete a survey confirming he or she hasn't been exposed to anyone with COVID-19, then they do a temperature check.

Progressive started letting employees come back to the office during Phase 2 on a voluntary basis. Registered architect Kim Marks mapped out an entire redesign to make sure employees are social distancing. When people first walk into the office space they must follow a one-way direction path.

“In each conference room we have noted what the policy is,” Marks says.

No more than four people are allowed in conference rooms and workers must stand six feet apart. In the kitchen, there’s also a one-way direction path.

“We are encouraging them to take their lunch out to the park and eat or sit at your desk so there is no gathering for lunch at this time,” Marks says.

Desks are spread 12 feet apart and diagonally across instead of next to.

“We attended lots of webinars to try and gain all the information we could to try and understand what is the best way to deal with this,” Marks says.

Registered architect Wes Jones said they also are following guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control.

“It’s much more isolated, I think, working remotely and individually from home,” Jones says.

Employee Justin Steele said it’s been a smooth transition so far.

“I think it works well,” Steele says. “It lets us communicate without being on top of each other.”

Progressive Architecture brought back about 30 percent of its staff and say the main goal is to make people feel safe and comfortable.

The firm is also helping its clients redesign their office spaces. They are using their office set up as an example.