Adapted workspaces offer ways to hotel and huddle at Whitney Grove Square

Facilities’ team members are often on the move, navigating job sites and offices across campus in addition to balancing hybrid work schedules. “Two years ago, our team transformed an underused office into a hoteling space at the conference center on Yale’s West Campus,” said Keith Fordsman, Capital Program Director for the Office of Facilities. “It’s been a best practice ever since.” 

Colleagues working on capital projects for Yale are familiar with the seventh floor at Whitney Grove Square—better known as WGS—as a collection of individual offices and workstations peppered with a few larger conference rooms. These spaces do not always accommodate coworkers’ needs and a solution for more middling space has been found: one new huddle room (#705) and one new hoteling office (#708).

Providing a foundation for this level of mobility, the University’s information technology services (ITS) have enhanced Wi-Fi infrastructure on campus. “ITS offers more robust support for our team to work at multiple locations,” Keith stated. “The team’s able to work from anywhere there’s an internet connection, leveraging our cloud-based workflow through Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and construction management interfaces—seamless.”

The reconfigured and refinished spaces at WGS offer more flexibility for smaller groups to meet and commuters a location to touchdown for a few hours or a full day. Both rooms are outfitted with a docking station that easily accepts your computing device and integrates it with two large high-definition monitors, a movable video camera, a desktop speaker, a microphone kit, and a 65-watt power cord with an USB-C connector. Plug in and go.

Room 705 is the larger of the two options and features a circular table for four with ample seating, a single working station that adjusts from seated to standing, and a dry erase board. A solid space to host smaller working groups where closer collaboration is key. If you are looking to impress your colleagues, or need a change of scenery, this room offers panoramic views of Yale’s lower Hillhouse Avenue area and central campus.

Room 708 is a spacious office for colleagues traveling between locations and who need to continue working without interruption. It is a quiet space with views that equal room 705, only with a more personalized feel of artwork and bookshelves. Bring a few volumes and a framed photo to place on your desk, temporarily.

Reserve each of these rooms through Outlook at WGS RM 705 or WGS RM 708. First come, first served.

For colleagues who are using older computing devices, be sure that your software is current to optimize compatibility with the equipment in both rooms. Need help with this step? Contact Yale’s ITS Helpdesk online or by phone: 203-432-9000.