Wednesday 26 June 2013
Tuesday 25 June 2013
Mash up
Progression through Open Plan Design
New research shows that boring and
uninspiring office spaces are seriously demotivating the country's employees.
Inventive thinking is essential in creating a vibrant working environment. A municipal
design plan also would be beneficial for the future of the site. With this design and layout, all workstations are arranged in one
open space. All the workstations face the same direction and no interior walls
separate the workstations and equipment. The open plan office design eliminates
walls and passages and, as a result, saves space and costs. It also leads to
accommodation of more people in the space that would normally have been taken
up by these structures. Modern
offices often lack those all-important social spaces that employees need to
wind down, let off some steam or simply have a natter. The
open plan office layout facilitates communication since office staff can move
around more freely, supporting the need for exchange and sociability between
work phases. And they offer advantages such as social networking, shared
infrastructure and flexible working. Open plan encourages communication and team sprit and is also a
more efficient use of space, so fit out and running costs will be reduced. The absence of interior walls opens up the office to allow as much natural light in as
possible and facilitates savings on and increase the
effectiveness of heating, air conditioning and lighting systems. Another
advantage of this layout is that the pleasant working environment contributes
to a high level of staff motivation and higher productivity levels.
This also contributes to a considerable cut
in costs. Often the simplest and cheapest
changes can have the biggest impact on brightening up the office and lifting
staff spirits. Creating a dynamic and evolving workspace inspires the same in
your staff. Hopefully with more carefully planned
architecture to the new buildings, there would be the model of a slower capitalization
– bringing benefits for everybody – but above all for the developer. Experience
shows that when creative professionals move into an area, development is almost
automatic and includes an accelerated return on investment.
Administrative Management
Second Edition
E.J Ferreira, A. W Erasmus, D. Groenewald
Published 2009 Juta & Company Ltd
9.6.1
The Open plan Office Layout
With
this design and layout, all workstations are arranged in one open space. All the
workstations face the same direction and no interior walls separate the
workstations and equipment. Separation of workstations
and equipment is done by means of screens, cabinets, bookshelves as well as
plants. The open plan office
design eliminates walls and passages and, as a result, saves space and costs.
Remember that we mentioned in the introduction that costs play a role when a
design approach is adopted. Eliminating
walls and passages also leads to accommodation of more people in the space that
would normally have been taken up by these structures.
Advantages of the open plan office layout.
The
open plan office layout facilitates communication since office staff can move
around more freely. As a result, less telephone calls
also need to be made and less memoranda need to be distributed. The open plan office layout is much
more flexible and adaptable in terms of changes than private offices since
fewer interior walls are used to separate workstations and equipment.
Because everybody in the office shares the same open space, supervision is facilitated
as the supervisor is in a good position to monitor all staff working in the
office directly. This also
contributes to a considerable cut in costs.
The
absence of interior walls facilitates savings on and increase the effectiveness
of heating, air conditioning and lighting systems. Another advantage of this
layout is that the pleasant working environment contributes to a high level of
staff motivation and higher productivity levels. In
addition to this, the cabinets that are used to separate work environments now
have a duel purpose, which makes the
design cost effective.
Disadvantages of the open plan office
layout
The open plan office design and layout can,
however, sometimes lead to an impersonal atmosphere. Noise and movement of
people can distract staff from concentrating on tasks at hand. Another
disadvantage of the open plan office layout is also the lack of privacy for
confidential matters.
|
Written by Anthony Brown, board director
at fit-out and refurbishment specialist Overbury
|
|
Tuesday, 16 April 2013 11:37
|
With the recent news that Yahoo Inc
(NASDAQ:YHOO) chief Marissa
Mayer has banned her staff from working from home, new research shows that boring and uninspiring office
spaces are seriously demotivating the country's employees. Here are ten
top tips to maintain an innovative office.
1. Humans are social creatures
It’s good to talk –
especially face-to-face. Modern
offices often lack those all-important social spaces that employees need to
wind down, let off some steam or simply have a natter. So whether it’s a
pool table, some comfy seating or simply a nicer area to make a coffee, giving
people a place to chat will pay dividends in stimulating ideas.
2. Keep it interesting
Think
long and hard about your office layout. In its new offices, Google has included
angled walkways designed to
encourage more spontaneous encounters between colleagues. Whilst you may not be
looking at a full redesign, inventive thinking is essential in creating a
vibrant working environment.
3. Let there be light
Bad lighting has no place in the modern office. Cubicles
starved of natural light are bad for morale and stifle creativity. Ditch the
dividers and open up the office to allow as much natural light in as possible.
4.
Changing rooms
Creating a
dynamic and evolving workspace inspires the same in your staff – so
switch up your space. Think about moving desks, sofas or bringing in a few
office plants to ensure that the office feels fresh and interesting. Consider
investing in flexible fittings that can be moved and altered according to daily
need.
5. Hot under the collar
Poorly monitored heating and cooling
systems are a common office complaint. Whilst it can be tricky to get it just
right for everyone, a good temperature level can help improve productivity and
the focus of your workforce. Carry out a survey amongst your staff to find out
their preferred temperature to ensure optimum conditions for a creative and
productive office environment.
6. It’s all in the amenities
Often the simplest and cheapest changes can have the
biggest impact on brightening up the office and lifting staff spirits.
Providing food and drink or just improving what is available to your staff will
score big points with employees. Make sure that fresh coffee and a bowl of
fruit is there for everyone in the office, not just when you have a client
in.
7. Comfort is not the
enemy of progress
Cheap seating is a false economy. Most workers
sit at a computer all day, so ensuing they have comfy chairs to work and relax
in will avoid back pain and illness. Splash out on some new chairs – your staff
will thank you for it and with fewer absences, you’ll reap the benefits in the
long run.
8. Give it some
colour
Whilst
beige may well be timeless, it’s unlikely to rouse your workforce from creative
slumber. Don’t be afraid to add some colour to the office wherever you
can. Vinyl wall transfers in company colours are a good way of cost-effectively
reinforcing your brand identity. You could even include motivational quotes to
help keep your team going!
9. Open up
With almost two thirds of all
office workers believing that their best ideas arise from impromptu
conversations with colleagues – it’s important people can actually talk to each
other. Get rid of the outdated rows of desks and separated office space and
instead put all staff in an open plan environment including senior management. Open plan encourages communication
and team sprit and is also a more efficient use of space, so
fit out and
running costs will be reduced.
10. Let’s go green
The world is
changing and for businesses that means being leaner, greener and more
sustainable. Replacing inefficient, old technology with newer, more energy
efficient versions may seem pricey at the initial outlay, but the savings will
quickly add up. Your organisation will look smarter, function smoother and
staff will feel valued and inspired with their new equipment.
Living in an Open Floor Plan
Author
Susanne Fritz
Zürich
Switzerland
At a former industrial site in the West of
Zurich, young people show the potential of an open floor plan, how to build
sustainably using recycled materials, how to be resource conscious, and
demonstrate that food from Aldi – a discounter – can well be in line with an
ecological and anti-consumption attitude.
Hybrid use, flexible floor plans, alternative usage,
sustainability – these are some of the topics architects consider when planning
a building. How will the site develop, which renters will move in – ideal scenarios
for this do exist, however, this can be planned only to a limited extent using
factors such as building style, flat size, amount of rent, and infrastructure.
Flat-sharing communities like the one on the premises of a
former paint factory in Zurich can serve as case studies for architects and
interior designers or trend researchers.
In the beginning there was the idea of a living and working
community which was implemented by converting the disused site. Here nobody was
bothered by the group of young creative people that founded a living and
working community.
In the living and working studio 'Fabritzke' they could share
not only the infrastructure, such as kitchen, bathroom, and service elevator,
but also their knowledge and
could pass on assignments.
Home office and co-working can be regarded as derivatives of
this alternative working and living culture; by now these models are well
established in our work environment.
The approaches are not that different: Alternative creative studios that combine work,
leisure time and culture are quite similar to concepts like the SOHO
house. Cocktail bar, rooftop pool and bowling lane all show the same need for exchange and sociability
between work phases. And they offer advantages such as social networking, shared
infrastructure and flexible working.
At Fabritzke joint meals, festivities, and cultural events such
as movie nights and concerts serve to practice the alternative culture,
maintain friendships and continuously expand the network.
After moving the living area to the floor above, people living
somewhere else were also invited to use the studio, to contribute new ideas and
to get new impressions.
The Fabritzke studio and the resulting flat-sharing community
'Kater Carlo' – named after the community's pet – soon found many friends and
like-minded people who also wanted to live and work this way. This led to
further satellites each of which has its own character and individual living
style.
A bridge that used to connect two building parts now is a room
of the flat-sharing community located above Fabritzke; its occupants take turns
– the 'floating' room is the most spectacular one and offers maximum privacy,
however, it is also very badly insulated.
The Elysorium shows how a community of eleven individuals can
manage with a minimum of space. A large table and an open elevated kitchen form
the core of the large room. Individual recesses are separated more or less,
depending on the need for privacy. The room is also used 'vertically' – private
sleeping and living islands are suspended from the ceiling as a second level. Thanks to the innovative use and
re-use of materials or components for the individual bunks and islands the
energy balance of the interior design probably is exemplary.
The joint bath features one shower. As they are not a soccer
team, the eleven occupants do not need to take a shower all at the same time
after training sessions and can easily share the shower. This does not require
a plan. Teachers, workers and freelancers all have different daily routines and can adjust to each
other's routine.
The flatmates share the philosophy of using resources carefully.
This includes not only the
joint use of space but also the responsible handling of food and energy.
The community manages with one four-plate stove top, one refrigerator, and one
washing machine. Lunch and dinner are based on experience. Depending on the
weather and the day of the week, there are more or fewer people at the table; a
fixed time, registration or obligation is not part of the concept.
However, cooking is a joint activity; someone always takes the
initiative. Fruits and vegetables come from Ortoloco - a vegetable cooperative
– and from Aldi. The priorities of Ortoloco – high-quality food, fair working
conditions and ecological production methods – are quite different from those
of the discounter that passes on its volume-based price advantages to
customers. However, the Aldi surplus is often simply thrown away – and then
collected by the occupants of the Elysorium and thus still used.
The flatmates also demonstrate the hybrid use of rooms: for a
time, the common room was converted into a sleeping room, in order to verify
the benefits and also the drawbacks of a dormitory – after which it was
converted back to a living room.
It is uncertain, how much longer the flat-sharing community in
Zurich's Wild West will exist. What is clear is that a change cannot be
prevented, even though the flatmates would wish so. However, there could be another
option – between demolition and anarchy: hipsterization, i.e. the moving in of
creative professionals such as graphic designers, photographers, architects.
The flat-sharing communities could stay and the premises would be upgraded,
similar to District 5. Hopefully
with a more carefully planned architecture than the new buildings of the
large-scale investors surrounding the Labitzke site. This would be the model of a slower
capitalization – bringing benefits for everybody – but above all for the developer.
Experience shows that when creative professionals move into an area,
development is almost automatic and includes an accelerated return on
investment.
A municipal design plan also
would be beneficial for the future of the site. However, most probably
the old factory will be demolished in 2013. 300 new rental flats in the medium
price segment are to be constructed – which does not seem far-fetched in a city
whose rate of empty apartments is close to zero.
Social housing apartments or cooperative living space are not
part of the plan.
Some of the present occupants are now thinking ahead, beyond the
city limits – and they will certainly once again be pioneers for innovative
living and working concepts as only freethinkers can devise them.
Monday 24 June 2013
Cryengine makes me cry
I was just about to start taking images and video of my work and the cryengine file corrupted. I then went back to my previous saved version of the environment which also corrupted in the process. I then inserted my usb drive into the computer to replace the corrupted file with a previous saved version that was on my usb to then work off that. However in that process the whole usb corrupted and all my files are now lost ;(.
Sunday 5 May 2013
Karen Clemminson Reserch
Karen Cleminson's Designs seam to dig down into the landscape and attempt to hide themselves through their lightness. I have noticed that she has incorporated some cubist themes in her work (eg the front door of her house) and natural themed elements (eg: the trusses of the swimming pool roof). I think my monument for her must convey these design features if its to really embody her style.
Kildeskovhallen swimming pool
Cleminson's House
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