Office concentration zone, focus room, deep work: ratios, costs, acoustics and the Kytom method to make your workspaces productive again.
"No way to concentrate anymore"
An interruption costs on average 23 minutes to recover from, according to the work of Gloria Mark (UC Irvine). On a floor of 80 people interrupted 5 times a day, the lost output exceeds 150 hours per week. For a real estate department, this waste amounts to 2 FTEs lost with no identified budget line.
<a href="https://www.anact.fr/ressources" rel="noopener" target="_blank">ANACT</a> links prolonged exposure to background noise to a 30% increase in perceived stress. Sick leave related to psychosocial risks accounts for 20% of long-term absences in the service sector. For an HR director, the lack of quiet zones directly weakens the employer brand and complicates the recruitment of expert profiles.
Regulations require workplace noise to be controlled, and the reference acoustic standards set precise thresholds for open-plan offices, notably 45 dB in quiet zones. An unfavourable audit exposes the company during works council visits and during environmental and workplace quality certification procedures.
Kytom designs concentration as a space typology in its own right, not an afterthought fix. Since 2006, our teams have combined measured usage (occupancy rates, acoustic mapping, on-site observation) with HR and business flows. Across the 1200+ projects delivered, we apply a target ratio of 1 focus room for 8 to 12 employees, supplemented by individual phone booths treated to 32 dB of sound reduction. Modular partitions, absorbing ceilings (αw ≥ 0.90) and signature furniture (Vitra, Herman Miller) are selected according to the lease constraints. Each zone is documented to facilitate environmental certification procedures and executive committee reviews.
Our acousticians carry out measurements over 5 working days, cross-referenced with an employee questionnaire and a reading of badge access data. Deliverable: sound mapping by zone, actual occupancy rate and needs matrix (deep work, calls, creativity). This quantified diagnosis serves as a reference before and after the works.
Framing workshop with the workplace director, HR director and business representatives to decide on the ratio of focus rooms, phone booths and quiet libraries. Deliverable: detailed functional programme, budget by typology, transition schedule. The decisions take into account remote working, weekly peaks and the 3-year headcount trajectory.
Technical plans, acoustic layout, choice of materials (absorbing panels, dense carpet, 44.2 double glazing). Deliverable: tender file, 3D visuals, furniture technical sheets and projected acoustic specification. The furniture references are calibrated according to uses (short seating, standing, long posture) and the company's CSR policy.
Works carried out in an occupied site or outside operating hours, with work packages coordinated by a dedicated Kytom project manager. Deliverable: joint handover inspection, acoustic compliance measurements, internal communication kit and user training. A 90-day review measures the gaps between objectives and actual usage observed in the delivered zones.
"Our developers no longer ask to stay home to code. The focus rooms are booked up from 9 a.m., and acoustic complaints have almost disappeared within six months."
Our reference ratio is 1 focus room for 8 to 12 people, i.e. 9 to 12 spaces for 100 employees, supplemented by 4 to 6 individual phone booths. The exact ratio depends on the actual attendance rate and the share of daily video calls.
The phone booth (1 to 2 m²) is dedicated to short calls, isolated to 30-35 dB. The focus room (4 to 8 m²) accommodates 1 to 4 people for prolonged deep work, with a screen, calibrated ventilation and acoustics below 40 dB.
Not systematically. An open library with strict usage rules (no calls, no meetings) works if ceiling absorption reaches αw ≥ 0.90 and if the signage is clear. For intensive deep work, enclosure remains preferable.
We recommend a booking tool with slots of 90 minutes maximum, automatic release after 10 minutes of non-occupancy and a monthly usage dashboard. Undersizing revealed after 8 weeks justifies adding complementary phone booths.
Yes, they are included in the area subject to the eco-energy tertiary decree from 1,000 m². Their design (dimmable LED lighting, BMS, CO2 sensors) contributes to the -40% targets in 2030. A technical note is attached to the regulatory declaration file during the project.
Yes, via prefabricated booths delivered in 2 to 5 days, or modular partitions installed during off-peak hours. On our projects, 60% of quiet zone works are carried out without relocation, with measured disruption of less than 3 days per zone.