Mirai Work Space is proud to announce that we will publish a series of articles “Human-centric Work Environment: Design and Technology” on this website in early 2021! The series introduces ways for us to stay healthy while working in the New Normal by taking advantage of both spatial design and technology. It is our honor to have Yvonne Burton of Burton Consulting International as a co-author contributing from the technology perspectives. Mirai’s co-founder, Yoko Kawai, will be writing on the design aspects.

What will you find in the series?
Seamlessness between design and technology: Every day, we are alternating between our physical and virtual environments. Are they really two distinct entities? The authors believe they are not. Spatial design and innovative technologies can blend harmoniously to help us work and stay well regardless of where we are.
Human-centric approach (supported by a bit of Japan-ness!): We tend to forget that we are a part of the space we inhabit continuously renewing a relationship between ourselves and our surroundings. We also tend to adjust or adapt ourselves to available technologies, forgetting that they can be an extension of our capabilities. The authors will offer a different perspective that will help you view space and technology from the first-person perspective and provide guidance on how to better utilize them for your well-being and optimized productivity.
Authors
Yvonne Burton is president and principal consultant of Burton Consulting International, a New York/tri-state area based consulting firm leveraging Japanese cross-cultural expertise to deliver a range of services including Technology Consulting, Business Communications and Cross-Cultural Training to Japanese firms operating internationally and to companies operating in the Japanese market.

Yoko Kawai, PhD, researches, educates, and designs architecture to promote and develop “space for well-being” by applying Japanese spatial concepts. She co-founded Mirai Work Space Alliance in New York to enhance the well-being of individuals and businesses. Yoko is lecturer at Yale School of Architecture and principal of Penguin Environmental Design L.L.C. in Connecticut where the focus is on incorporating landscape into architecture.
