Plan functional areas before drawing detailed plans. Compare options for offices, desks, and meeting rooms. Balance comfort, codes, and budgets with measurable space targets.
Enter your standards and counts. The calculator estimates net areas, adds circulation, then converts to gross using a net-to-gross efficiency.
Work Area = (Workstations × Area/Workstation) + (Private Offices × Area/Office)
Meeting Area = Meeting Rooms × Seats/Room × Area/Seat
Other Support Area = Reception + Breakout + Storage + Amenities
Net Usable = Work Area + Meeting Area + Other Support Area
Circulation = Net Usable × (Circulation % ÷ 100)
Net + Circulation = Net Usable + Circulation
Gross Area = (Net + Circulation) ÷ (Efficiency % ÷ 100)
A sample scenario showing typical inputs and outputs. Change values to match your project standards.
| Scenario | Workstations | Offices | Meeting rooms | Circulation | Efficiency | Net + circ (m²) | Gross (m²) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open office + support | 30 | 6 | 3 | 20% | 80% | ~1,058 | ~1,323 |
| Higher comfort standard | 30 | 6 | 4 | 25% | 78% | ~1,275 | ~1,635 |
| Lean fit-out | 30 | 4 | 2 | 15% | 85% | ~820 | ~965 |
Effective space planning begins with a clear program. Start by listing headcount, role mix, and expected growth. In this calculator, workstations and private offices represent assigned seats, while meeting rooms capture shared capacity. Use internal standards or benchmarking to set area per workstation and office, then validate against safety, accessibility, and equipment needs. For early feasibility, run three scenarios: lean, typical, and premium. Record the resulting net and gross targets, then review with stakeholders to confirm comfort levels and operational constraints before design development proceeds across multiple floors or suites.
Workplace area is computed as workstations multiplied by area per workstation, plus offices multiplied by area per office. Typical planning ranges are 5 to 8 m² per open workstation and 10 to 14 m² per private office, depending on storage, screens, and acoustic requirements. Tracking these standards helps control density and supports consistent test-fit layouts.
Meeting area uses rooms times seats per room times area per seat. A practical starting point is 2.0 to 2.8 m² per seat for table rooms, and higher for training. Compare total meeting seats to headcount to confirm utilization targets, then adjust room counts, seat counts, or seat area to match your workstyle.
Reception, breakout, storage, and amenities are entered as direct areas because they vary by culture and operations. Add circulation as a percentage of net usable to cover aisles, connectors, and informal movement. Many offices fall between 10 and 35 percent, but complex footprints, frequent collaboration, or large storage can push higher.
After adding circulation, gross area is calculated by dividing net plus circulation by the net-to-gross efficiency. An 80 percent efficiency means 20 percent is lost to cores, structure, walls, and services. Use gross area for leasing comparisons and budgeting, while the net breakdown supports detailed layout refinement and phased fit-out decisions.
Net area is the usable program space. This tool adds circulation to reach net plus circulation. Gross area includes building losses such as cores, walls, and structure, calculated using the efficiency percentage.
Choose square meters or square feet at the top. All area fields and outputs use the same unit. You can switch units and recalculate without changing the logic of the breakdown.
Start with 15 to 25 percent for typical office layouts. Increase it for complex footprints, long travel paths, or high collaboration. Decrease it for compact suites with short corridors.
Many modern buildings fall between 65 and 85 percent. Lower efficiency indicates larger cores, thicker walls, or structural constraints. Use building drawings or landlord data when available.
Yes, as a first-pass planning model. Replace workstation and seat standards with your space type assumptions, and enter support areas accordingly. Always validate with local codes and operational requirements.
It divides net plus circulation by assigned seats. Use it to compare density options and benchmark scenarios. It is not a code metric and should not replace detailed occupancy and egress calculations.
Important Note: All the Calculators listed in this site are for educational purpose only and we do not guarentee the accuracy of results. Please do consult with other sources as well.