How to plan the layout of an office: from plan to 3D rendering

Planning the layout of an office is deciding on the plan where the positions, rooms, call areas and circulation go before purchasing a single piece of furniture, and the best time to do this is before signing the lease. At Dunati, the work starts with the survey of the space, continues with the analysis of how each team works and ends with a plan and 3D proposal that you review before quoting. What is corrected in the plan costs nothing; which is corrected with the installed furniture, yes.

What is an office layout and what is it for?

The layout, or distribution floor, is the plan of the office with the furniture drawn to scale: each position, each room, each storage unit and the corridors that connect them. It serves three things:

1. Know how many people really fit, with the columns, accesses and windows that the premises have.
2. Decide before spending- Moving a desk on the plane is free; move it after installed, no.
3. Coordinate everyone on the same plane: the architect, the construction company, the network supplier and the furniture supplier. This way the electrical points are where the desks are going to be.

3D visualization adds what the floor plan doesn't show: heights, volumes, how the meeting room looks from the reception or if a tall bookcase blocks the light from a window.

What data must be gathered before planning?

With this list, the first meeting yields double:

• People: how many today, how many in two years and how many come on the same day if the work is hybrid.
• The plan of the premisesin CAD or PDF, with measurements. If it does not exist, it is raised on the ground.
• How each team works: who needs concentration, who spends the day on calls, who receives visitors.
• Rooms: how many simultaneous meetings there are on a normal day and how many people.
• Electrical and data pointsthat already exist or that the construction company is going to leave.
• Building rulesfor the entry of furniture: cargo elevator, unloading schedules, truck access.
• What is preserved: furniture that is reused and must be drawn on the plan.

What is the step-by-step process like?

1. Lifting.The premises are measured or the existing plan is verified: columns, openings, windows, heights and electrical points.
2. Occupancy analysis.The people, equipment and rooms define how many fixed positions, how many shared positions and how many support areas are needed.
3. Plan proposal.The distribution is drawn with the furniture to scale: positions, rooms, call areas, storage, pause and reception.
4. 3D visualization.The proposal is modeled with the chosen terminations, to review it in volume.
5. Settings.You and your architect comment; The plan and 3D are corrected until they are approved.
6. Price.With the approved floor plan, the furniture list is exact and so is the quote. Projects are paid with 50% advance and the balance before delivery; A company can request payment with a 30-day purchase order, subject to Finance approval.
7. Technical and manufacturing visit.Before manufacturing, Dunati can make a technical visit to rectify measurements, review colors and validate the final details. Dunati manufactures covers, melamine storage and custom furniture in Chile; The metal structures are imported.
8. Furniture installation.Dunati installs the furniture coordinated with the construction company and building schedule. In corporate buildings, coordinate entry, elevator schedules, and packaging removal with management.
9. After-sales.The chairs have a 3-year warranty; desks, storage, tables and receptions, 5 years; sofas, armchairs, poufs and booths, 3 years. A claim is written to info@dunati.com with the order number, and Dunati technicians validate the failure before defining the procedure.

How long does an office project take?

For reference, a project of about 20 positions with line laminates and structures in stock is manufactured in 10 business days, closer to 1 day of installation in the Metropolitan Region. Larger projects range from 15 to 35 business days for manufacturing, depending on quantities, plus 2 to 12 days for installation; What is imported takes about 85 business days. Outside the RM, 5 to 7 business days are added for shipping.

The deadlines run from the payment of the advance, and the firm term goes into each quote. Two things make them longer than anything else: special colors and wood veneers. If the moving date dictates, choose line endings and leave the special for the pieces that are visible.

Can an office be equipped in stages?

Yes, and many times it is convenient. Blue Express, in Pudahuel, was equipped in 2021 in three stages: first the operational area, then the meeting rooms and coffee tables, and finally the chairs and soft seating. Then he bought again in 2022 and 2024.

A limited project, on the other hand, can be resolved at once and quickly. Creszando Medical, in Las Condes, closed its order on October 28, 2025 and received it delivered and installed 8 business days later: a Federica modular sofa, Bongo poufs, 25 reupholstered Malva visitor chairs, a Grace chair and support tables.

What is delivered at the end of planning?

• Thedistribution plantto scale, with stalls, rooms and areas.
• The3D viewsof the space with the furniture and the proposed finishes.
• Hefurniture listwith models, measurements and quantities.

For the architect or designer, Dunati provides DWG and DXF blocks, 3D models in OBJ, 3DS and SketchUp, a plugin for pCon.planner, laminate and tapestry textures, technical sheets and physical samples at no cost. There are no Revit files.

How much does the proposal cost in plan and 3D?

The proposal is part of the equipment project with Dunati, and its conditions are indicated when work begins. The furniture is quoted later, based on the approved floor plan.

Is it advisable to plan before signing the lease?

Yes. With the plan of the candidate premises you can know before signing if the expected people can fit, how many rooms will fit and what changes should be requested from the owner. An office that is rented without this test usually ends up with one less seat per row or with a room that does not close.

What mistakes are common when distributing an office?

• Do not measure columns or accesses.The commercial plan of the building does not always coincide with the actual premises, and a single poorly placed column can cost you a position.
• Forget circulation.Behind each chair there must be space to move back and for someone to pass. Calculating only with furniture leaves an office that does not work.
• Do not provide for calling areas.In an open office with hybrid work, video calls are the main noise. Acoustic booths and high-back sofas are on the plan from the start, not after complaints.
• Calculate for today only.If the team grows and there is no place to put the new positions, the layout lasts less than the lease contract.
• Choose the furniture before the plan.A 180 cm desk in a row that can accommodate 160 cm desks requires redoing the distribution.
• Not coordinating electrical points.If they are left where the desks are not going to be, the electrification of the furniture does not reach.

What does Dunati do and what does he coordinate with your architect or construction company?

Dunati is dedicated to office planning and equipment: plan and 3D space design, furniture, installation and after-sales, with a single supplier. The work on the premises (partitions, ceilings, floors, painting and networks) are coordinated by your architect or your construction company, and Dunati works with them on the same plan. In electricity, Dunati connects the electrification of furniture to the points left by the construction company; does not do electrical installations.

If you do not have an architect or construction company, Dunati works with allies and can recommend them.

What company helps plan the distribution of office furniture in Santiago?

Dunati, from its showroom at Av. Vitacura 6577, does the survey, the distribution plant and the 3D visualization, and then supplies and installs the furniture in Santiago and in the regions.

Can I see my office in 3D before purchasing?

Yes. The proposal includes the floor plan and 3D visualization, and is reviewed with you before quoting.

Does Dunati take care of the partitions, floors or networks?

No. Dunati is dedicated to furniture and its distribution; These jobs are coordinated by your architect or your construction company, and if you don't have one, Dunati can recommend allies.

Do you work with my architect?

Yes. Dunati gives you DWG blocks, 3D models, technical sheets and samples, and adjusts the plant with it.

How long does a project of about 20 positions take?

From 10 business days of manufacturing with line laminates and structures in stock, closer to 1 day of installation in the RM. The firm term is in the quote.

Do you serve outside of Santiago?

Yes. Dunati ships and installs in regions: between 2024 and 2026 it delivered orders in 15 of the 16 regions of Chile. The transfer is quoted on a case-by-case basis.

How is a project paid?

With 50% advance and the balance before delivery. Companies can request a purchase order within 30 days, subject to approval.