Spatiality and transpatiality in workplace environments

It is widely considered that the physical layout of workplace environments has an influence on social interaction and therefore the social structure of an organisation. However, there is little accordance among scholars from different disciplines on exactly how the relationship between space and organisation is constituted. Empirical studies often come to different conclusions: for example, on the influence of an open-plan office on communication patterns among staff, as many studies report increases as report decreases or unchanged communication behaviours. This evidence-base is further confused since few studies make a link between a profound spatial and an organisational analysis. We suggest that the inconsistency of results is for two main reasons: first, methodologies for operationalising variables differ significantly with each study tending to analyse a distinct notion of a phenomenon. This makes further comparative conclusions and predictive modelling problematic. Second, even where the same methods are used, contradictory evidence emerges, where one organisation reacts differently to another to similar spatial conditions. This suggests that, at the core of the problem, lies an apparent lack of understanding of the nature of the space-organisation relationship. This paper explores these phenomena by drawing on the results of various case studies conducted over the last few years in diverse organisational settings (a university, a research institute, and in corporate media companies). Two main lines of argument will be developed: first we will show that some influences of space on organisational behaviour seem to be generic. Understanding of these generic influences may be used to design spaces enhancing interaction and knowledge flow for any type of organisation. Second, we outline how organisations depend on context, culture and character, and may react to similar spatial configurations in a unique way. We will suggest why this may be the case, referring to Hillier and Hanson's notion of spatial and transpatial modes of social cohesion. The two underlying theoretical concepts, i.e. space as 'generic function' and spatial versus transpatial operations will be discussed concerning their application to, and meaningfulness for, workplace environments. Finally, inferences are drawn for the practice of evidence-based design

The performance of space – exploring social and spatial phenomena of interaction patterns in an organisation.

It is often proposed that the design of the physical workplace influences social interaction and therefore organisational behaviour in one way or the other. Yet there is little accordance among scholars on how exactly the relationship between the social space and the social structure of an organisation is constituted. In order to explore this relationship, we combine an interpretive, phenomenological approach with a correlational, syntactic approach. Using the example of a workplace environment studied on multiple layers as well as in detail we propose that physical space influences the formation of social structure and organisational behaviour in manifold, but analytically tractable ways. The application of qualitative and quantitative methods in tandem proves fruitful for understanding the complex phenomena that characterise the emergence of organisational culture

Changing the Architectural Profession - Evidence-Based Design, the New Role of the User and a Process-Based Approach

The construction industry is characterised by ever-changing projects that constantly involve new clients, teams and people. This results in the need to build up new sets of relationships each time. Within these relationships the perspective of the users of space is mostly neglected, partly due to the ephemeral nature of the industry, but partly also because of the character and culture of the architectural profession. In contrast, this paper argues that the architectural profession needs to make a double turn: firstly, the needs and wishes of the user need to be in the centre of the architectural business. Secondly, the whole industry may change from a project-centred one into a process-based one where the process of finding out what the client needs, of engaging the users, proposing a design solution, managing the project, and evaluating its use and appropriation in the end in order to learn from it, is nearly as important as aesthetics, form and function. This involves a lot more intelligence and research about cultures and characteristics of the client, may it be a private person, a city council or a corporation, hence architectural and organisational research may play a new role in the architectural professional culture

Evidence-based design: theoretical and practical reflections of an emerging approach in office architecture

Evidence-based design is a practice that has emerged only relatively recently, inspired by a growing popularity of evidence-based approaches in other professions such as medicine. It has received greatest attention in design for the health sector, but has received less in office architecture, although this would seem not only to be beneficial for clients, but increasingly important in a changing business environment. This paper outlines the history and origins of evidence-based practice, its influence in the health sector, as well as some of the reasons why it has been found more difficult to apply in office architecture. Based on these theoretical reflections, data and experiences from several research case studies in diverse workplace environments are presented following a three part argument: firstly we show how organisational behaviours may change as a result of an organisation moving into a new building; secondly we argue that not all effects of space on organisations are consistent. Examples of both consistent and inconsistent results are presented, giving possible reasons for differences in outcomes. Thirdly, practical implications of evidence-based design are made and difficulties for evidence-based practice, for example the problem of investment of time, are reflected on. The paper concludes that organisations may be distinguished according to both their spatial and transpatial structure (referring to a concept initially introduced by Hillier and Hanson in their study of societies). This means that evidence-based design in office architecture needs to recognise that it deals with a multiplicity of possible organisational forms, with specific clients requiring case-dependent research and evidence gathering. In this evidence-based design practice differs markedly from evidence-based medicine. Finally, we suggest a framework for systematic review inclusion criteria in the development of Evidence-Based Design as a field of practice. We argue that it is only through the development of an approach tailored to the specific nature of design practice and organisational function that research evidence can properly be brought to bear

Comparative studies of offices pre and post — how changing spatial configurations affect organisational behaviours

Understanding the way in which design interventions in an office affect everyday users, and thus shape organisational behaviour, should be high on the agenda for architects, designers and consultants alike. Surprisingly, this seems rarely to be the case. Here we aim to help close this gap by studying a variety of organisations in depth both before and after an office move from the point of view of design practice. This paper thus aims at understanding how a newly designed office is seen, used and filled with life by staff, so that planners can continuously and systematically reflect on and learn from experience, and create effective and well-used workplaces for the future. The research and reflective practice presented in this paper resulted from a collaboration on 'Effective Workplaces' between The Bartlett School of Graduate Studies at University College London and Spacelab architects. Insights from in-depth case studies conducted over the last four years on various corporate clients in the media sector in the UK will be drawn upon. The studies each compared an organisation before and after it moved into a Spacelab-designed office. Two different lines of argument will be presented: firstly, results of the pre-post comparison of organisations before and after moving into a newly designed space suggest that physical space influences the way in which organisations communicate, interact, and perform in many ways. Secondly, the practical side of evidence-based design will be discussed. It can be seen that designers would do things differently if they had had the specific evidence prior to the design process. At the same time, difficulties arise in conducting 'evidence-based' practice, for example the problem of time in a business environment where designers are often asked to deliver solutions within days or weeks, whereas gaining a good understanding of a complex organisation may take months. These issues will be reflected on. General conclusions on the use and usefulness of Space Syntax in an architectural practice will be drawn

Effective workplaces – bridging the gap between architectural research and design practice.

Architectural researchers and design practitioners mostly segregate in distinct communities with hardly any overlap, collaboration or exchange of ideas. This gap between research and practice leads to a wide-spread ignorance and inability to make practical use of evidence produced by research, resulting too often in poor designs and a self-absorbed research that cannot make a difference to peoples’ everyday lives and spatial experience. In order to bridge the gap between architectural research and design practice, UCL’s Bartlett School of Graduate Studies and Spacelab Ltd. have commited themselves to a Knowledge Transfer Partnership on Effective Workplaces. Ideas and concepts on how to change architectural business to combine research and practice will be presented as well as the first analytical results from this newly started venture

CLIC Background Studies and optimization of the innermost tracker elements

The harsh machine background at the Compact Linear Collider (CLIC) forms a strong constraint on the design of the innermost part of the tracker. For the CLIC Conceptual Design Report, the detector concepts developed for the International Linear Collider (ILC) were adapted to the CLIC environment. We present the new layout for the Vertex Detector and the Forward Tracking Disks of the CLIC detector concepts, as well as the background levels in these detectors. We also study the dependence of the background rates on technology parameters like thickness of the active layer and detection threshold.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures, LCWS 201

Sensory acceptance of organic and conventional food by children in the age of 2 to 7 years

This study is initialized to find out which sensory factors might influence the acceptance of organic food by young children. 138 children aged from 2 to 7 years were recruited at the German Research Institute of Child Nutrition in Dortmund. All these children are participating in the DONALD-Study. Detailed nutrition records are available about breastfeeding and feeding of these children from birth to the age of one and further on. In a 2-year testing-period children tasted organic and conventional food in two-sided Paired Comparison Tests. In both years parents were asked a number of questions, mainly about the nutrition behaviour of their children. Sensory tests were analyzed and connected in different ways: with data of sensory profiles, nutrition records and different questionnaires

Designing a Robust, Reliable and Repeatable Fieldwork Protocol for Hospital Observations

When undertaking fieldwork in a complex/sensitive environment such as a busy hospital ward, it is vital that the recording technique is robust (to cater for various eventualities), reliable (to accurately capture data) and repeatable (to share the data). It is therefore important to test and prepare protocols to maximize the effectiveness of the time available for any observations. Our poster demonstrates a real-time simulation built using the Unreal Engine 3D game platform and applied to our ‘Paths of Resistant Pathogens’ research study. This project aims to tackle issues of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) - such as superbugs - through a detailed architecturally-informed analysis of transmission risks inherent in hospital design. The simulation provides a number of benefits to assist with piloting optimal methodologies and protocols including: 1. Time-critical trialing of protocols 2. Assessing the accuracy of protocols 3. Training observer

Effect of the Haar measure on the finite temperature effective potential of SU(2)SU(2) Yang-Mills theory

Including the Haar measure we show that the effective potential of the regularized SU(2) Yang-Mills theory has a minimum at vanishing Wilson-line $W=0$ for strong coupling, whereas it develops two degenerate minima close to $W=\pm 1$ for weak coupling. This suggests that the non-abelian character of $SU(2)$ as contained in the Haar measure might be responsible for confinement.Comment: 3 pages, LATEX, 1 figure, figure available upon reques