Zoning is the art of dividing a space - physical or digital - into distinct zones, each assigned to a specific function. In a corporate real estate context, it divides surfaces into individual offices, meeting rooms, collaborative spaces, quiet zones or informal areas. In web or application design, it organizes the page into headers, navigation columns, content zones and calls to action. In both cases, the challenge is the same: structure the territory to guide the eye, movement or workflows, and thus enhance user performance and comfort.
Macro-zoning maps out the major functional blocks: where to place workstations, where to concentrate reception services, what areas to reserve for informal exchanges. This overview ensures that essential functions are in the right places - proximity of interdependent teams, logical access to shared resources, visibility of support services. Micro-zoning then focuses on detail: table orientation, circulation between rows, height of partitions, position of sockets or, for a web page, typographic hierarchy, margins and spacing. This second level takes the project from general logic to fine-tuned ergonomics.
Successful zoning serves four purposes. It clarifies the purpose of each zone, avoiding confusion of uses. It facilitates movement: users can see at a glance where to go to collaborate, concentrate or relax. It optimizes occupancy: square meters, like pixels on the screen, are used where they create the most value. Finally, it reinforces image coherence: a clear plan, whether architectural or graphic, conveys the organization's culture and better welcomes visitors or customers.
The process begins with an analysis of activities. What types of tasks take place in the space? How long, how loud, how confidential? Next comes flow mapping: employee movements, document circuits, web user paths. The third stage consists of prototyping: floor test plans, paper mock-ups, interactive wireframes. These mock-ups are evaluated in a workshop with stakeholders, before final adjustment and implementation - layout work or front-end integration, depending on the medium.
Zoning is a design method that transforms a raw space - open space, store, website - into a legible, high-performance whole. By distinguishing between the macro (distribution of major functions) and the micro (precise layout), it combines a global vision with attention to detail. The result: employees, customers and web users who move around, interact and produce with less effort and greater satisfaction.
%20(1).png){kind=logo}
.png)
.png)
