Om temaområdet

Sentrale spørsmål i campusutformingen er arealramme, arealberegninger og fordeling av arealer. Dersom man legger statens norm for kontorlokaler til grunn, betyr det en begrenset arealramme hvor en ny campus ikke vil dekke alle ønsker og behov, om en legger dagens tenkning og praksis rundt lærings- og arbeidsformer til grunn. Arealbruk ut fra et bærekraftperspektiv er også et svært aktuelt tema, som utfordrer eksisterende vaner når det gjelder hvor lite areal vi kan greie oss med. Det er derfor behov for en videreutvikling av arealkonseptene fokusert omkring temaer som nye arbeidsformer, teknologibruk, sambruk og flerbruk av arealer. Det vil også være behov for å gå nærmere inn på spørsmål knyttet til prioriteringer mellom ulike typer funksjoner og areal.

I rapporten Arealkonsept for Campus NTNU (2018) trekkes det opp en rekke viktige spørsmål og dilemmaer når det gjelder arbeidsplassutforming:

• Arealeffektivisering vs. arbeidseffektivitet
• Likhet og standardisering vs. skreddersøm
• Åpen og inviterende vs. skjermet og sikkert
• Samhandling vs. konsentrasjon
• Deling vs. eierskap
• Nye konsepter vs. eksisterende bygg
• Nytenkning vs. kjente løsninger
• Fordeling av areal mellom ulike funksjoner
• Sentralt vs. Lokalt

Arealene skal støtte opp under den aktiviteten som foregår på de ulike instituttene og fakultetene og må spille sammen med hvordan man organiserer virksomheten og hvordan vi utnytter teknologien for et best mulig samvirke og produksjon. Her er det viktig å ta hensyn til at de ansattes arbeidsformer og arealbehov varierer, både mellom fagmiljøer og over tid.

Vi har også samlet relevante studentoppgaver fra NTNU og andre universiteter som tar for seg ulike aspekter ved campusutvikling.

Relevant litteratur

Berthelsen, H., Muhonen, T., & Toivanen, S. (2017). Vad händer med arbetsmiljön när man inför aktivitetsbaserade kontor inom akademin? Arbetsmarknad & Arbetsliv, 23(3).

https://journals.lub.lu.se/aoa/article/view/17679

Aktivitetsbaserade kontor är fortfarande ovanliga för forskare och lärare inom akademin, men nu verkar flera lärosäten vara igång att införa den här typen av arbetsplatser. Det finns begränsat med kunskap om vad som händer vid flyttprocesser från egna rum till aktivitetsbaserade kontor i akademin och hur personalen upplever arbetsmiljön i denna typ av kontorsmiljöer. I den här artikeln redovisas resultat från en enkätundersökning före och efter flytt till aktivitetsbaserade kontor på en svensk högskola.

 

Bosch-Sijtsema, P. M., Ruohomäki, V., & Vartiainen, M. (2010). Multi-Locational Knowledge Workers in the Office: Navigation, Disturbances and Effectiveness. New Technology, Work and Employment, 25(3), 183–195.

https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-005X.2010.00247.x

Drop‐in desks are increasingly common as companies have more mobile employees. However, what happens to mobile workers once they come to the office? In our research, we found that mobile workers perceived lower productivity, had difficulty in navigating in the office and suffered from distractions, lack of storage and identification.

Dahl, T. (2020). The Epistemology of Campus Design: Rhizomatic and Parasitic or Isolated Fabrics? Nordisk arkitekturforskning, 32(2).

http://arkitekturforskning.net/na/article/view/1195

In this article, I explore the material organization of universities, commonly called a campus as an overreaching term. The main research question is whether and how this organization − with its buildings and spaces − plays a role in supporting the purpose of a university: to contribute to learning, development and research. Traditionally, university campuses and buildings are analysed through the concepts of space, architectural form and/or style. This analysis approach, I argue, has its limitations, as it is not able to explain the role of the material organization in what is happening at the university, most notably for the learning processes taking place there. In this article, I use the ontological position of actor-network theory, which blurs the distinction between human and non-human actors, and gives materials an acting role. I regard both buildings and campuses as performative actors that interact with other actors, most notably students and educators. Through a brief study of the history of the university, I show the differences between pre-modern and modern material organization and planning, which was influenced by Wilhelm von Humboldt’s idea of a university’s purpose. Through a study of the plans for a new campus for the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), I question the Humboldtian epistemology and ask whether it is in line with modern learning theories.

De Been, I., & Beijer, M. (2014). The Influence of Office Type on Satisfaction and Perceived Productivity Support. Journal of Facilities Management, 12(2), 142–157.

https://doi.org/10.1108/JFM-02-2013-0011

The aim of this research is to determine whether the type of office environment has an impact on satisfaction with the office environment and productivity support. Three office types that are most common in The Netherlands were distinguished: individual and shared room offices, combi offices and flex offices. 11,799 respondents filled out a questionnaire measuring satisfaction with the work environment and its contribution to productivity. Regression analysis was used to investigate whether these factors were influenced by office type. Results show that office type is a significant predictor. While in combi and flex offices people can choose to work at diverse workspaces, people evaluate productivity support, concentration and privacy less positive than people working in individual and shared room offices. In combi offices, but not in flex offices, people are more satisfied with communication than in individual and shared room offices. Nevertheless, satisfaction with the organization explains the most variance with regard to satisfaction with the office environment and productivity support.

 

De Croon, E., Sluiter, J., Kuijer, P. P., & Frings-Dresen, M. (2005). The Effect of Office Concepts on Worker Health and Performance: A Systematic Review of the Literature. Ergonomics, 48(2), 119–134.

https://doi.org/10.1080/00140130512331319409

Conventional and innovative office concepts can be described according to three dimensions: (1) the office location (e.g. telework office versus conventional office); (2) the office lay-out (e.g. open lay-out versus cellular office); and (3) the office use (e.g. fixed versus shared workplaces). This review examined how these three office dimensions affect the office worker's job demands, job resources, short- and long-term reactions. Using search terms related to the office concept (dimensions), a systematic literature search starting from 1972 was conducted in seven databases. Subsequently, based on the quality of the studies and the consistency of the findings, the level of evidence for the observed findings was assessed. Out of 1091 hits 49 relevant studies were identified. Results provide strong evidence that working in open workplaces reduces privacy and job satisfaction. Limited evidence is available that working in open workplaces intensifies cognitive workload and worsens interpersonal relations; close distance between workstations intensifies cognitive workload and reduces privacy; and desk-sharing improves communication. Due to a lack of studies no evidence was obtained for an effect of the three office dimensions on long-term reactions. The results suggest that ergonomists involved in office innovation could play a meaningful role in safeguarding the worker's job demands, job resources and well-being. Attention should be paid, in particular, to effects of workplace openness by providing acoustic and visual protection.

 

Gjerland, A., Søiland, E., & Thuen, F. (2019). Office Concepts: A Scoping Review. Building and Environment, 163, 106294.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2019.106294

Office concepts influence employees’ work experience and performance, as well as the profitability of organisations. This study used a scoping review approach to map the field of empirical research on office concepts, identify research gaps, provide recommendations for future research, and inform practice. Systematic searches across three databases identified a total of 257 empirical studies on office concepts. Study selection and data charting were performed independently by two reviewers using standardized forms, with disagreements resolved through discussion. General and methodological characteristics of the included studies were mapped. For studies comparing different office concepts, the degree of focus on spatial design and change processes were also mapped. The findings establish that this is a strongly interdisciplinary field, with increasing publication numbers in recent years. The included studies are heterogeneous, using a variety of study designs and outcome variables, and focus on various aspects of the office environment. Studies comparing different office concepts tend to not focus on spatial design or change processes. This lack might cause these areas to come across as less important than they are, and has implications for practical decision-making regarding workplace design. We recommend that future research efforts focus on conducting randomized controlled trials in real-world office settings. Further research gaps can be identified using the tables and figures included.

 

Helserådet. (2017). Spesialnummer—Kontorlandskap og fleksikontor (No. 16/17). Helsebiblioteket.

https://www.helsebiblioteket.no/samfunnsmedisin-og-folkehelse/helseradet

Undertegnede har lenge vært opptatt av den nære sammenhengen som, etter min mening, eksisterer mellom miljørettet helsevern og arbeidsmiljømedisin. Det var begrunnelsen for at ‘Helserådet’ høsten 2015 utga et spesialnummer (nr. 19/15) med tittelen «Arbeidsmedisin og miljømedisin – Nærhet eller avstand?» Fastleger, fysioterapeuter, ergoterapeuter og andre står stadig overfor problemstillinger som skyldes eller kan skyldes forhold på arbeidsplassen og som bidrar til å overskygge andre forhold i tilværelsen. Arbeidsmedisinerne er opptatt av at ordningen med kontorlandskap og andre beslektede løsninger, kan representere ett slikt problem for mange ansatte. Arbeidsmedisiner Jan Vilhelm Bakke og arbeidspsykolog Knut Inge Fostervold har lenge hatt et ønske om å presentere noen av disse problemstillingene for ansatte i den «vanlige» helsetjenesten, dvs. kommunehelsetjenesten og spesialisthelsetjenesten. Det skjer nå, i dette nummeret av ‘Helserådet’.

 

Hoendervanger, J. G., De Been, I., Van Yperen, N. W., Mobach, M. P., & Albers, C. J. (2016). Flexibility in Use: Switching Behaviour and Satisfaction in Activity-Based Work Environments. Journal of Corporate Real Estate, 18(1), 48–62.

https://doi.org/10.1108/JCRE-10-2015-0033

Despite their growing popularity among organisations, satisfaction with activity-based work (ABW) environments is found to be below expectations. Research also suggests that workers typically do not switch frequently, or not at all, between different activity settings. Hence, the purpose of this study is to answer two main questions: Is switching behaviour related to satisfaction with ABW environments? Which factors may explain switching behaviour? Questionnaire data provided by users of ABW environments (n = 3,189) were used to carry out ANOVA and logistic regression analyses. Satisfaction ratings of the 4 per cent of the respondents who switched several times a day appeared to be significantly above average. Switching frequency was found to be positively related to heterogeneity of the activity profile, share of communication work and external mobility. Our findings suggest that satisfaction with ABW environments might be enhanced by stimulating workers to switch more frequently. However, as strong objections against switching were observed and switching frequently does not seem to be compatible with all work patterns, this will presumably not work for everyone. Many workers are likely to be more satisfied if provided with an assigned (multifunctional) workstation.

 

Kim, J., & de Dear, R. (2013). Workspace Satisfaction: The Privacy-Communication Trade-Off in Open-Plan Offices. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 36, 18–26.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2013.06.007

Open-plan office layout is commonly assumed to facilitate communication and interaction between co-workers, promoting workplace satisfaction and team-work effectiveness. On the other hand, open-plan layouts are widely acknowledged to be more disruptive due to uncontrollable noise and loss of privacy. Based on the occupant survey database from Center for the Built Environment (CBE), empirical analyses indicated that occupants assessed Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) issues in different ways depending on the spatial configuration (classified by the degree of enclosure) of their workspace. Enclosed private offices clearly outperformed open-plan layouts in most aspects of IEQ, particularly in acoustics, privacy and the proxemics issues. Benefits of enhanced ‘ease of interaction’ were smaller than the penalties of increased noise level and decreased privacy resulting from open-plan office configuration.

Kongsvik, T., & Amundsen, O. (2019). Høyt spill om kontorløsninger i UH-sektoren. In A. Tjora (Ed.), Universitetskamp. Spartacus.

https://ntnuopen.ntnu.no/ntnu-xmlui/handle/11250/2641537

For en tid tilbake ble det fastsatt en arealnorm for statlige byggeprosjekter på 23 kvm. bruttoareal pr. ansatt (KMD 2015). Denne normen innebærer at det ikke er rom for at ansatte gjennomgående kan få enekontorer, slik mange har i dag (Bergstrøm 2017). Åpne kontorlandskap eller «aktivitetsbaserte kontorløsninger» kan dermed bli realiteten for mange. Med bakgrunn i at det skal bygges mye nytt i universitets- og høgskolesektoren (UH-sektoren) de nærmeste årene, har normen ført til en debatt om hvorvidt åpne kontorlandskap egner seg for vitenskapelig ansatte. Mange har ment at arbeidsoppgavene til vitenskapelig ansatte vanskelig lar seg forene med slike kontorløsninger. Oppgaver som lesing av forskningslitteratur og studenttekster, arbeid med fagfellevurderinger, veiledning og akademisk skriving vurderes som særlig konsentrasjonskrevende – med den konsekvens at skjerming i form av enekontor er nødvendig. 

Kärnä, S., & Julin, P. (2015). A Framework for Measuring Student and Staff Satisfaction with University Campus Facilities. Quality Assurance in Education, 23(1), 47–66.

https://doi.org/10.1108/QAE-10-2013-0041

The purpose of the study is to evaluate and discuss the extent of the satisfaction as perceived by the students and staff towards university facilities and services in two campuses in Finland. The aim is to analyse which facility-related factors have the greatest impacts on students’ and staff’s overall satisfaction. The extensive survey was conducted to investigate how the university students and staff assess the university campus and facility services. A framework was developed to prioritise the satisfaction factors towards the facilities in two campuses in the both groups. The study was executed with the statistical assessment method, which combines each question’s mean value and how it affects overall satisfaction. The findings show that there are differences in the main features of the satisfaction as assessed by the groups and between the two campuses. Student satisfaction consist of factors related to comfortable learning environment, where public spaces and campus accessibility play vital roles. Staff satisfaction can be characterised as a comprehensive campus experience and where laboratory and teaching facilities create value to the staff. In general, results show that the factors related to the research and teaching spaces have the greatest impacts on the overall satisfaction in the both groups. The improvement of the quality of these spaces will then directly assist staff and students in achieving their objectives. The measurement method developed in the study helps campus facilities’ management to prioritise satisfaction factors and identify the areas of the quality improvements. This information can be used widely, for instance, in the campus development, facilities management and improvement of the university services. The framework analyses which factors of the facilities have the greatest impacts on the overall satisfaction as perceived by the students and staff. The outcome of the study will improve the knowledge of which aspects of the facilities created value to the universities’ core functions.

 

Leesman. (2017). The Rise and Rise of Activity Based Working: Reshaping the Physical, Virtual and Behavioural Workspace.

https://j4kul1vgvnqfzak62jhqi1e4-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/The_Rise_and_Rise_of_Activity_Based_Working_Research_book.pdf

Activity Based Working is increasingly synonymous with those organisations openly embracing the era of unprecedented business transformation. But is it delivering to its promise, or is its real potential not yet even realised?

Nielsen, M. B., Christensen, J. O. & Knardahl, S. (2023). The contribution of office design to the appraisal of job control: A lonitudinal study. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology 64(6), 755-765.

https://onlinelibarary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/sjop.12933

The appraisal of control over work intensity and decisions at the workplace is a well-established determinant of health and well-being among employees. Building on job design theories, the overarching aim of this study was to determine office layout as a predictor of perceived job control. Specifically, we investigated between-group differences in control by contrasting employees in cellular offices with employees in shared/open offices, as well as effects on control among employees transitioning from one office design to another. This is a longitudinal study with three survey points across 48 months comprising 3,415 Norwegian office employees. Data were analyzed with latent growth curve analyses, adjusted for gender, age, leadership responsibility, and teleworking. Employees in cellular offices reported significantly higher control over work intensity and control over decisions when compared with employees in shared/open workspaces. Transitioning from a shared/open workspace to a cellular office led to a significant increase in perceived control regarding work intensity. As the experience of control may buffer the negative impact of job demands, organizations that rely on shared or open office solutions may benefit from identifying tools that can contribute to enhancing their employees' perceived control.

Skogland, M. A. C. (2018). Integrated Workplace Concepts and Organisational Change [Doctoral dissertation]. NTNU.

http://hdl.handle.net/11250/2562615

This doctoral thesis investigates the use of Integrated Workplace Concepts (IWCs) as a strategic tool to affect organisational change and development. Previous research has illustrated how spatial environments with great effectiveness may be used to influence and change a wide variety of organisational aspects. Inconsistent and conflicting findings, however, raise the need for creating a deeper understanding of the effects of such spatial change initiatives. The focus in this research is therefore built on a constructivist and more precisely a sociomaterial perspective. Special attention is therefore given to how IWCs are strategically used by the organisation and further understood or ‘translated’ as the new concept is implemented.
Through a literature review and three case studies, it has been investigated how these strategic efforts unfold in different organisational contexts. The main focus is placed on whether the concept function as intended – succeed in achieving the intended ends – or whether unintended outcomes have challenged the strategic change efforts. Special attention is given to studying how underlying issues such as; conflicts of interests, work patterns, cultural and departmental differences, organisational hierarchies and the like are influential in the execution of spatial change management strategies. It is throughout the thesis and the published articles argued that for IWCs to succeed, these need to be handled as a strategic change initiative, both at the higher and lower organizational levels. To create success and achieve the proper alignment between the interconnected parts, the different concept aspects need to be handled within an iterative process, constantly evaluating and developing the structure of the IWC. To overcome challenges, concept implementation further needs to be supported by a process where learning and change management are placed in focus. For that reason, the aim of the thesis is to be practical and useful, providing deeper insights that researchers, managers and consultants may build on to effectively design and implement IWCs – ultimately achieving the intended ends.

 

Stendebakken, M. O. G. (2019). Kulturminner og analyse: Vurdering av vernede bygninger innenfor kulturminnevern, arkitektur og offentlig investeringsanalyse [Doctoral dissertation]. NTNU.

https://ntnuopen.ntnu.no/ntnu-xmlui/handle/11250/2608889

Analyse av vernede bygninger utføres innenfor flere fag, slik som kulturminnevern, arkitektur og offentlig investeringsanalyse, og på vesensforskjellig vis. De fagfeltene som er involvert i vernede bygninger og ideelt sett skal samarbeide, har vidt forskjellige perspektiver og varierende grad av bevissthet rundt vernede bygninger og verdiene disse besitter. Avhandlingens mest kritiske funn er empiriske data som viser at offentlig investeringsanalyse i dag har manglende diskusjon av både nytte og kostnad forbundet med vernede bygninger. Slik analyse har manglende diskusjon av vernede bygningers verdi og potensiale for bruk, og av følgekostnader for fraflyttede vernede bygninger ved diskusjon av nybyggalternativ. Manglende diskusjon av kulturminneverdier og kostnadene forbundet med dem er viktige funn, fordi offentlig investeringsanalyse veileder politikeres beslutninger ved valg av konsept. Avhandlingens konklusjon er at offentlig investeringsanalyse vedrørende vernede bygninger vil kunne tjene på å vektlegge kulturminner og inkludere andre fagperspektiver i analysen av vernede bygninger, fordi det kan gi et mer komplett bilde for beslutningstager. Samtidig kan arkitektur og kulturminnevern få større politisk gjennomslag gjennom å engasjere seg i offentlig investeringsanalyse i større grad.

Valks, B., Arkesteijn, M. H., Den Heijer, A. C., & Vande Putte, H. J. M. (2018). Smart Campus Tools – Adding Value to the University Campus by Measuring Space Use Real-Time. Journal of Corporate Real Estate, 20(2), 103–116. 

https://doi.org/10.1108/JCRE-03-2017-0006

Purpose – The objective of corporate real estate management is to optimally attune corporate accommodation to organisational performance. At universities, the dynamic process to match supply and demand is often hindered by difficulties in the allocation and use of space. This is a challenge for the Dutch universities and perhaps also European universities, which own large and ageing real estate portfolio’s in need of (re)investment: how can universities invest their resources as effectively as possible and not in space that will be poorly used? The purpose of this paper is to explore the use of smart campus tools to improve space use on campus. Design/methodology/approach – First, a survey at 13 Dutch universities is conducted, consisting of a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews with Dutch campus managers. Then, semi-structured interviews are held with a number of parties in other industries to explore the use of smart tools in other contexts. Findings – The universities’ demand for smart tools is mainly directed at the automatic and continuous collection of real-time space use data for education spaces and giving students insight into the availability of study places on campus. The tools at the Dutch universities focus largely on effectiveness: helping their users in their search to find a space that supports their activities. In other industry sectors, the results suggest that the use of smart tools is more directed towards efficiency: maximizing the use of existing space or optimizing the operations of the organisation. Originality/value – Although the use of smart tools in practice has gained significant momentum in the past few years, research on the subject is still sparse. By providing a framework for smart tools, as well as exploring the work done in theory and in practice, the authors hope to increase discussion and research on the subject from the perspective of corporate real estate.

Valks, B., Arkesteijn, M. H., Koutamanis, A., & den Heijer, A. C. (2021). Towards a Smart Campus: Supporting Campus Decisions with Internet of Things Applications. Building Research & Information, 49(1), 1–20. 

https://doi.org/10.1080/09613218.2020.1784702

At universities worldwide, creating a ‘smart campus’ is gaining significance. This is a response to the increasingly dynamic use of the campus and the pressure on resources: energy, financial and human resources. The university community has become more mobile, student numbers more unpredictable and funding more uncertain. Consequently, campus strategies focus on resource efficiency and sharing space, requiring investment in management information to improve decision making. The Internet of Things (IoT) can help to provide big data about use patterns: by collecting real-time data on space utilization, users can make better use of current spaces and real estate managers can make better decisions about long-term demand. Furthermore, space utilisation data can be complemented with user feedback data and environmental variables, e.g. noise levels, luminance. In this research we identify the capabilities of existing IoT applications through a literature study. Literature also suggests that information from IoT applications is not utilized in organisational decision-making processes. Through four case studies we analyse these decision-making processes and identify the process-level requirements to make strategic decisions in campus management. Then we show how information from the IoT can be directly connected to these processes, thus providing a valuable addition of real-time data as input.

Häne, E., Flores, V., Lange, S., Bébié Gut, P., Weber, C. & Windlinger, L. (2020). Office workplaces in Universities and Hospitals: Literature review (Institute of Facility Management Working Paper).

http://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.27833.60007

Compared to the rapidly developing commercial offices, office workplaces in universities and hospitals have changed only slightly. However, demands for new office workplaces in universities and hospitals are growing due to changed work processes and communication, changed organizational structures, new technologies, increased cost pressure, and the requirements of a modern knowledge society. This working paper reviews drivers and barriers of new ways of working in universities’ and hospitals’ office workplaces. To identify the latest drivers and barriers, this working paper reviews not only academic papers but also industry reports. This literature review determines six drivers of new academic workplaces: New way of working; new methods of teaching and communicating with students; cost pressure and need for space management; generation shift; internationalization; sustainable development and carbon reduction commitments. The literature review also addresses functional, cultural, hierarchical, and emotional reasons for resistance to introducing new academic workplaces. Next, this literature review identifies four drivers of new hospital office workplaces: Shortage of healthcare workforce; development of technologies; constant pressure and need for space management; need for diverse work settings. Besides, the literature review addresses barriers of new office workplaces in hospitals: change-reluctant organizational culture; clear hierarchical organizational structure; rapid change in IT; high perceived risk of first-time application of new office concept; cultural change; and financial restrictions. These findings suggested that Activity-Based Working (ABW) can be appropriate for office workplaces in universities and hospitals since ABW is acknowledged by increasing staff interaction; providing quiet places for solo-concentrated work; improving staff health and well-being; reducing space cost, and flexibility to change. Overall, this working paper emphasizes the need for new ways of working in universities’ and hospitals’ office workplaces and showed that barriers and resistance to introducing new office workspace should not be overlooked.

Sailer, K., Budgen, A., Lonsdale, N., Turner, A. & Penn, A. (2009). Evidence-Based Design: Theoretical and Practical Reflections of an Emerging Approach in Office Architecture. In: The 4th Design Research Society Conference 2008, 16 - 19 July, 2008, Sheffield, UK.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/32896212

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.

Poutanen, J., Kotlainen, M., Hyökki, S., Urrila, L., & Nenonen, S. (2021). Distributed Academic Workplace and Community - towards a coherent campus within a city. Proceedings of the EuroFM Research Symposium, 20, 51-62.

https://eurofm.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Proceedings_EuroFM_Research_Symposium_2021.pdf

Background and aim – The European third generation universities are distributed in multiple places within a city. This paper focuses on a case of a recent university organisation merger that combines three campuses within one city, each with their own organisational cultures and spatial structures. The challenge for the campus development is to enhance and support community creation within this diversity. This paper examines the distributed academic community through its mobile knowledge workers: the quality and needs for mobile workplace.
The findings indicated mostly intra-organisational mobility due to 1. interaction within the academic community, 2. (missing) provision of the workspaces, and 3. issues concerning control over time and environment. Three interaction patterns were identified: between, 1. the team, 2. the university organisation units 3. university organisation and external actors. Each level consists of direct (planned) and indirect (co-presence) interaction. These set diverse requirements for campus development. The results benefit briefing and designing of campus environments for interaction and collaboration at different levels.

Bernstein, E. & Waber, B. (2019). The truth about open offices. Harward Business Review.

/documents/1292437758/0/Bernstein+and+Waber%2C+2016.pdf/65f57dc0-4d70-0b86-5e92-51fc774332ff?t=1672734392169

It’s never been easier for workers to collaborate—or so it seems. Open offices, messaging, and virtual-meeting software in theory make people more visible and available. But as the physical and technological structures for omnichannel collaboration have spread, evidence suggests they are producing less interaction—or less meaningful interaction—not more. This happens because individuals, not companies, decide when and how to engage with others. They become adept at shutting people out and reading signs that their coworkers wish to be left alone. Many companies don’t understand how to achieve the kinds of collaboration they want.

The authors provide guidance on reaching such an understanding. Companies can use new technologies, such as sensors that track people’s movements and software that collects their digital “bread crumbs,” to learn how members of particular groups are actually interacting. They can then experiment to learn how to achieve the types of exchanges they want: trying various office configurations, testing a pilot floor plan before overhauling the entire space, and exploring the impact of small tweaks. This approach will help them equip employees with the spaces and technologies that best support their needs.

Bernstein, S. & Turban, S. (2018). The impact of the ‘open’ workspace on human collaboration. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, 373.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2017.0239

Organizations’ pursuit of increased workplace collaboration has led managers to transform traditional office spaces into ‘open’, transparency-enhancing architectures with fewer walls, doors and other spatial boundaries, yet there is scant direct empirical research on how human interaction patterns change as a result of these architectural changes. In two intervention-based field studies of corporate headquarters transitioning to more open office spaces, we empirically examined—using digital data from advanced wearable devices and from electronic communication servers—the effect of open office architectures on employees' face-to-face, email and instant messaging (IM) interaction patterns. Contrary to common belief, the volume of face-to-face interaction decreased significantly (approx. 70%) in both cases, with an associated increase in electronic interaction. In short, rather than prompting increasingly vibrant face-to-face collaboration, open architecture appeared to trigger a natural human response to socially withdraw from officemates and interact instead over email and IM. This is the first study to empirically measure both face-to-face and electronic interaction before and after the adoption of open office architecture. The results inform our understanding of the impact on human behaviour of workspaces that trend towards fewer spatial boundaries.

Hopland, A.O. and Kvamsdal, S. (2020). Academics’ preferences for office spaces. Facilities, 39(5/6), 350-365.

https://doi.org/10.1108/F-02-2019-0029

This paper aims to investigate preferences for office spaces among academic staff at a university. The authors consider differences across age groups, seniority, position type and current office situation. The paper is an empirical investigation of survey data using descriptive statistics and regression analyses. The sample consists of 485 academic employees at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. Staff in individual offices are substantially more satisfied with their office space than those who share office space. Moreover, those in large offices are more satisfied than those in smaller. Large offices are occupied by staff with high seniority, and staff with large offices tend to host meetings more frequently than their colleagues. However, it is not clear whether differences in office spacing reflect real needs or mostly status. Understanding which office spaces that stimulate the best research and higher education is of great importance when policy makers plan resource allocation.

Nooij, B., van Teunenbroek, C., Teelken, C., Veenswijk, M. (2023). Intended versus implemented workspace: a systematic literature review of the implementation of activity-based working in higher education. Facilities, 41.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/F-03-2022-0049