The modern office: Russian and Western approaches differ

An opinion poll conducted among designers of office décor has yielded a stunning result: There is a clear dividing line between “Westerners” and “Russian traditionalists” with regard to the appearance of a contemporary office. Although the two groups of designers fulfill different orders to decorate different orders, the former believe that their task is to competently apply Western design solutions in Russia, while the latter counter that “Russia is unique in its specifics, which demand special solutions.”
What are the main differences between these approaches to the organization of office space? If, for example, a Western company organizes a Moscow office, it will practically resemble a standard Western office, which typically has open space with no partitions, with each workplace well planned, with a minimum of furniture, and with a well-defined color spectrum. A Western office strictly conforms to ergonomics as regards lighting, intercom, and computer network - all forming an integral part of the interior décor.