Design Office Research Articles

Reliability, sustainability, resiliency, and performance investigation of an embedded splice-sleeve connector at high velocity semi-trailer impact

Presently, dynamic impacts occurrences caused by car crashes have been frequently reported. Statistical results from different articles indicate that vehicle crashworthiness of bridge pier supersedes the other events. However, majority of the published articles focusses on sustainability and finding severity of distressed pier due to impact correlating faster construction methods, like accelerated bridge construction (ABC). This article is an attempt to examine post impacted behavior of a commonly used connector in ABC for resisting short duration shock. Static and dynamic performance analyses of a connector embedded within a coupler system has been examined. A representative ABC pier with the standardized and selected material properties collected from manufacturer’s data has been utilized. Coupler composite materials consisting of a hollow uniform cross-section cast iron cylinder filled up with specified concrete grout conforms higher strength. The performance examination has been conducted by numerical modeling using finite element method (FEM). A commercially used software ANSYS has been utilized for carrying out the simulations. To investigate the post impact dynamic behavior, mesh-independent studies seems inevitable and hence are executed to evaluate dynamic impact factor (DIF). Sensitivity studies are carried out for validating results in precision. The DIF of the main reinforcing tensile steel embedded into the grout placed inside the connector has been determined. Results captured from simulations to identify material properties at plastic stage in sustaining such load have been conducted. The results provide significant information that aids opting for selecting suitable connectors for attaining help the design offices.

Research needs for enhancing pre-occupancy evaluation of buildings

PurposeMany buildings fail to meet user expectations, causing a performance gap. Pre-occupancy evaluation (PrOE) is believed to have the potential to close the gap. It enables designers to obtain end-user feedback in the design phase and improve the design for better performance. However, PrOE implementation faces challenges due to still maturing knowledgebase. This study aims to understand the state-of-the-art knowledge of PrOE, thereby identifying future research needs to advance the domain.Design/methodology/approachA systematic literature review following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) framework was conducted. A thorough search in five databases and Google Scholar retrieved 90 articles, with 30 selected for systematic review after eliminating duplicates and irrelevant articles. Bibliometric analyses were performed using VOSviewer and Biblioshiny on the article metadata, and thematic analyses were conducted on their contents.FindingsPrOE is a vehicle for engaging building end-users in the design phase to address the credibility gap caused by the discrepancies between the expected and actual performance of buildings. PrOE has gained limited applications in healthcare, residential, office and educational building design for two broad purposes: design management and marketing. Using virtual reality technologies for PrOE has demonstrated significant benefits. Yet, the PrOE domain needs to mature in multiple perspectives to serve its intended purpose effectively.Originality/valueThis study identifies four knowledge gaps for future research to advance the PrOE domain: (1) developing a holistic PrOE framework, integrating comprehensive performance evaluation criteria, useable at different stages of the design phase and multi-criteria decision algorithms, (2) developing a mixed reality tool, embodying the holistic PrOE framework, (3) formulating a PrOE framework for adaptive reuse of buildings and (4) managing uncertainties in user requirements during the lifecycle in PrOE decisions.

A modeling strategy for the simulation of box sections with layered shell elements

This paper presents a numerical strategy to model box sections from bridge girders using horizontal layered shell finite elements. The basic idea is to avoid the construction of more computational expensive meshes based on the use of folded shell and brick finite elements. The numerical strategy imposes the deactivation of those layers related to empty spaces within the bridge cross-section. The performance of this technique is explored by means of two demanding practical applications related to bridge structures with constant and variable deck thicknesses. The first application deals with the static truck load test of the Caynarachi Bridge, located in Peru, and for which measured field data exists, while the second application is related to the construction stage analysis of a box bridge structure including time effects due to concrete creep, shrinkage and steel relaxation. The results demonstrate that the studied technique acceptably correlates with the measured field data,expressed in terms of vertical displacements,with correlation coefficients exceeding 0.94.Additionally, the outcomes align well with the results of other numerical techniques, allowing applicants to use this simplified modeling approach in daily design office.

Office Design's Impact on Psychosocial Work Environment and Emotional Health.

This study explores the association between office design and (a) the psychosocial work environment and (b) the emotional health among 4352 employees in seven different office designs. A multivariate linear regression analysis was performed with adjustments for age and educational level for men and women separately. Results show that psychosocial factors and emotional exhaustion differ between both office designs and between genders, with best outcomes in cell offices, except for psychological demands that are rated the most favourable in shared-room offices. Cell offices and small open-plan offices show a strong beneficial association with emotional exhaustion in women. Among men, hot-desking is most problematic regarding psychosocial work environment and emotional exhaustion. Women rate the psychosocial environment low in combi-office and report emotional exhaustion in small open offices.

Contribution of Job Design and Ergonomics Considerations on Employee Performance in Service Sectors in Tanzania: A Qualitative Study

Aim: This study aimed to focus on discussing involvement of several techniques that used in job design which are job rotation, job enlargement, job enrichment, employee’s empowerment, and autonomy toward performance of manufacturing sectors as well focusing on discussing job design and ergonomic effect on employee performances in Tanzania Methodology: The study adopted investigative philosophy (Antipositivism) that advocate qualitative data methods; the cross-sectional survey design was used to measure variables relationship through reviewed of published literatures as well as asking collect information from key informants. The study focus was company’s operating on services sector that located in Dar es Salaam and Mbeya Cities. 20 past literatures were reviewed together with 9 key informant employees from services offered companies in study areas. The study adopted content analysis for analyzing data collected using interview technique integrated with Preferred Reporting for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis extension for Scoping Review (PRISMA-Scr) to analyses previous literatures. Findings: From the study results, there were significant relationship between job design techniques and employee motivation that lead to performance of services sector companies. This means there necessary to construct job design that promote employee performances. Also, in adaptation of job design the organization should consider improvement of workplace environment and office design overall to facilitate safety and health workplace relationship. Recommendations: The study recommendations to the companies are to reconsidered human factors when developing job structure to ensure physical, cognitive ergonomics, and organizational ergonomics are incorporated within job framework and reduce mental and physical problem related to working environment.

The Open Space Office and the Relationship with the Shift in Social Meaning

The development of the organizational structure is necessitating additional office space. However, not all offices are inclined to expand their spatial resources. Those designed with a closed layout face challenges in meeting the spatial demands posed by the evolving organizational structure. In such cases, transitioning to an open-space office design presents a viable solution. On the other hand, the transition often gives rise to issues pertaining to the social dynamics between leaders and employees, as it disrupts established traditions, leading to a shift in the perceived significance of office space. Understanding this shift within the workplace requires an effective examination of the empirical phenomenon. Moreover, it demands a strong theoretical foundation to develop a precise conceptual framework. Design science serves as a problem-solving approach, addressing the physical elements of structural organization systematically to achieve desired outcomes. This problem-solving process is intricately connected to how individuals respond to their workspace. One of the key design challenges revolves around spatial users and their proximity. The proximity is closely intertwined with the requirements for personal spaces, which significantly impacts privacy. Achieving this balance is accomplished through the application of ergonomic principles and the understanding of proxemic distances. This study used the design method and integrated design thinking theory into the strategic process. The primary objectives of the analysis were twofold, including (1) to reconsider traditional design approaches based on absolutes of right or wrong, likes or dislikes, suitability or unsuitability, and precision or imprecision, and (2) to embrace changes aimed at enhancing the existing workspace without expanding the spatial area while ensuring a seamless workflow for employees.

Sustainability and Resiliency Investigation of Grouted Coupler Embedded in RC ABC Bridge Pier at Vehicle Impact

Increased occurrences of natural and man-made dynamic loading caused by high strain rate dynamic impact load have been recently reported. Different statistical results indicate that vehicular impacts occur more frequently compared to the other dynamic loads. However, existing literature primarily focuses on enhancing survivability and determining damage levels specifically in relation to faster bridge construction methods used as an accelerated bridge construction (ABC). In this context, the present study investigates the dynamic behavior of a commonly used connection type in ABC, namely grouted coupler that connects pre-cast elements like bridge piers and foundations. To execute the research, both the static and dynamic performance of grouted couplers embedded in pier foundation subjected to high strain rate loading incurred by high velocity vehicular impact are examined. A representative non-traditional reinforced concrete (RC) bridge pier is selected for the study with the standardized geometry and selected material properties. The use of splice sleeves as coupler materials and specified cross-sectional hollow cast iron cylinders filled with high strength concrete grout is employed for developing Finite Element (FE) modeling, extracting data from published journals. A commercial software, ANSYS, has been utilized to develop FE models to capture post impact respective static and dynamic behaviors, and the simulation results are then compared with the analytical. This also includes determining material performance via FE simulations. By considering dynamic loading, the dynamic impact factor (DIF) has been evaluated for the reinforcing steel bar adjacent and embedded into the coupler. In addition, dynamic simulations, and material modulus in demand to sustain impact are determined. Thus, the research necessitates mesh-independent sensitivity studies to investigate DIF corresponding to the precise outcomes. The findings of this study manifests valuable information that aids to opt for the suitable coupler connections, considering material properties, and adequate post impact execution. Consequently, it will serve as a useful design tool for design offices, structural practitioners, and forensic structural engineers.

Hydrogen energy vector in the sphere of intellectual property in Russian Federation

Information on the statistics of patenting in the hydrogen energy sector is given in the article. It is demonstrated that a patent is primarily a profit-making tool, and patent research is a mechanism for building long-term forecasts in the technological niche. The article discusses the main mistakes of Russian patent holders in protecting their research and suggests ways to prevent them. Comparative examples of claim drafting are offered. The issues of comprehensive patent protection are considered.The material presented in the article will be most useful for developers and manufacturers of innovative domestic products and technologies; re-engineering centers; development institutes providing support measures for hydrogen energy projects; development institutes implementing the policy of import substitution of hydrogen energy products; investors, organizers of innovation activities; design offices; high-tech startups.

Reinventing hybrid office design through a people-centric adaptive approach

The indoor environment in office spaces has a significant impact on occupants' health, satisfaction, well-being and productivity. The use of co-working space is rising as a potential alternative workspace post pandemic to respond to the preference for hybrid and flexible working. Hence, it is imperative to understand how the space planning and design of co-working space impacts the occupants. A year-long longitudinal questionnaire survey, along with in-situ field measurement, is conducted in a co-working space in London, to assess the environmental comfort, perception and preference in the space. The relationship between environmental factors like lighting, ventilation, privacy, thermal comfort and access to amenities and occupants' seat preference is explored. The results indicate a general desire for more daylight and air flow suggested by the occupants, while the factors like ‘good daylight’, ‘good ventilation’ and ‘near power sockets’ contribute to occupants' decision-making on seat selection significantly, while privacy and noise are not seen as significant factors in this environment. The findings offer insights for the environmental design for future workspaces in the hybrid working setup.

Neri&Hu Design and Research Office. The House of Remembrance, Singapore

L’osservazione delle opere degli architetti orientali non può che prescindere da un cambio di registro nella valutazione dei diversi, spesso opposti a quelli occidentali, apparati culturali ai quali fanno riferimento. Abitare e memoria, paradigmi universali dell’arte e architettura, trovano un’efficace soluzione nell’assemblaggio compositivo della House of Remembrance, mantenendo, in più, l’attenzione ad alcune radici tradizionali dell’architettura d’oriente come la straordinaria sensibilità nel governo delle tensioni umane.
 The observation of works by Eastern architects inevitably involves a shift in the evaluation of the cultural apparatuses they refer to, which are often in contrast to those of the West. Dwelling and memory, universal paradigms of both art and architecture, find an effective solution in the way the House of Remembrance is composed and assembled, while also retaining the attention on certain traditional roots of Oriental architecture, such as the extraordinary sensitivity in handling human tensions.

Office Design Features and Future Organizational Change toward Supporting Sustainability

Organizational change, influenced by such factors as economics, information and communications technologies (ICTs), and users’ wellbeing, is essential for organizational effectiveness, productivity, and sustainability. Thus, there has been a call for urgent changes in workplace design features to respond to future change. This study is concerned with defining the level of change in design features that is needed in existing Saudi governmental workplaces to cope with future visions of sustainability, as well as controlling the cost of such redesigning. It is hypothesized that future challenges related to economics, ICTs, and users’ wellbeing would have a significant impact on the need to change existing workplace design features. Administrator workplaces in three buildings of Saudi organizations and their representative economic, ICT, and wellbeing trends were considered (n = 104, 95, 96). The average level of change in design features in each building was observed and reported. The most changed design features in buildings affected by economic, ICT, and wellbeing trends were minimizing of luxury workplaces, minimizing storage space, and improving thermal/lighting conditions, respectively. However, the most changed design features that were common to all three buildings were spatial and furniture layouts and minimizing storage space.

COVID-19 Pandemisinin Mimari Mekân İhtiyaçları Üzerindeki Etkisi

COVID-19 pandemic, the built environment has faced significant transformations and adaptations to address emerging challenges and public health concerns. This review explores the significant implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on architecture and urban design. Key developments include the rise of home office design to accommodate remote work, increased reliance on digital infrastructure for essential services, the revitalization of public and green spaces, and design adaptations for social distancing. Building designs now prioritize wider corridors and open-air spaces to enable safe circulation, improved ventilation systems to reduce infection risk, and antimicrobial materials for enhanced cleanliness. Moreover, digital technologies, such as smart building systems and AI-driven safety measures, play a central role in post-pandemic designs. These transformations collectively aim to create healthier, adaptable, and resilient built environments ready to face future challenges.

An Example of Adaptive Reuse in Office Design; Noktalı Fikir Advertising Agency

The purpose of this study is to reuse architectural and industrial components from various disciplines—used for various purposes—in new structures. The study begins by selecting materials from the industrial and interior design sectors that are adaptable and recyclable and then outlines the process of applying these materials in interior spaces. The study presents the authors' analysis of the Noktalı Fikir Advertising Agency office building located in the Meram district of Konya Province. The analysis involved on-site detection stages, relevant person interviews, and interior photography After conducting research, it was concluded that industrial vehicles that were previously used for different purposes could coexist harmoniously with separate pieces of technology utilized in architecture. This study aims to explain how reusable and adaptable materials affect the working comfort of office workers and clients and serve as a valuable resource for interior designers.

Artificial intelligence empowering museum space layout design: Insights from China.

The floor plan layout of museum exhibition spaces is the skeleton network of the museum, which determines the internal circulation and spatial form of the museum. This paper studies the method and practice of using artificial intelligence technology to assist in the space design of exhibition halls in urban cultural museums. First, it introduces the limitations of traditional space design methods for exhibition halls in urban cultural museums and the superiority and application prospects of the CGAN (conditional generative adversarial network) model in space design. Second, the principle and training process of the CGAN model are explained in detail, and the experimental results and analysis are given. By learning 100 floor plans of exhibition halls of urban culture museums, the CGAN model can generate a new floor plan design for an exhibition hall, which provides a new idea and innovative method for this design task. Finally, the limitations and future research directions of the CGAN model in the space design of urban cultural museum exhibition halls are discussed. The study shows that using the CGAN model to learn the floor plans of exhibition halls of urban cultural museums can effectively improve the innovation and practicability of space design and has the following advantages: (1) It can quickly generate a large number of exhibition hall floor plans, shorten the design cycle, and improve design efficiency. (2) The generated floor plan designs of the exhibition hall are diverse and personalized, meeting the design requirements of different scenarios and needs. (3) The method promotes the deep integration of space design and artificial intelligence technology and provides new possibilities and ideas for space design. These conclusions provide new ideas and methods for the space design of exhibition halls of urban cultural museums and provide a reference and inspiration for space design and intelligent applications in other fields, such as office space design, home decoration space design, landscape space design, and historical arcade and building renovation design.

Arhitektura palate Popović Tonkić u Leskovcu

The economic and social development of Leskovac was accompanied by intensive construction activity. The urban environment was enriched by the construction of private residential buildings, whose owners were distinguished members of the bourgeois class. The palace of industrialist Milan Popović Tonkić occupies a prominent place in the architectural heritage of Leskovac. It was built in 1937 as a monumental corner building for residential and commercial purposes. It was designed by architect Miša Manojlović, who had a private design office in Belgrade with his colleague Isak Azriel. His independent authorship is evidenced by a marble tile placed on the corner part, under the window of the former tavern. Since historical styles were preferred in the circles of clients due to the expression of social position, the author applied an academic style tempered by a personal reinterpretation of experimentation with form. Following the contemporary practice of designing residential architecture, he paid equal attention to the interior of the building, applying high-quality decorative treatment and functional disposition of the Belgrade apartment. After more then a decade since the last historiographic contributions on the history and visual identity of the building, the main goal of this research is to contextualize the Popović Tonkić palace in Leskovac with phenomenological and stylistic aspects of interwar residential architecture.

«Страна еще не была готова к созданию такого комплекса» (О проведении летно-конструкторских испытаний межконтинентальной баллистической ракеты 8К99)

The article aims to consolidate information regarding flight development tests of the 8K99 missile at the 53rd field research facility of the USSR Ministry of Defense (Archangelsk Region, Mirnyj). Besides official and technical documentation, archive papers of testing military units and test participants’ memories are used. The ocean-spanning missile 8K99 was developed in the Yuzhnoe Design Office (Dnepropetrovsk City) during the first half of the 1960s . It was intended for combat use within the Strategic Missile Forces as part of mobile and fixed missile systems. For the flight development tests of the 8K99 missile, there was built an experimental testing base (including technical and missile launch sites, command, measurement and computer complexes, etc.) and infrastructure facilities (roads, bridges), prepared drop areas for separated missile’s parts along its motion path and training target areas, set up testing military units, and trained engineering and technical personnel. During 1967-69, there were carried out flight development tests of the 8K99 missile as a part of the 15П699 mobile ground missile system. Despite overall positive results, the missile’s tests were discontinued. The 8К99 missile was not accepted for service, but its creation contributed to the development of national missilery. A set of ingenious engineering solutions are being used up to now in developing ocean-spanning missiles and space rockets. During flight development tests, testing military units’ personnel gained experience in operating complicated, dangerous, and sensitive systems

Unleashing the Potential: The Impact of Biophilic Office Design on Enhancing Employee Productivity

Unleashing the Potential: The Impact of Biophilic Office Design on Enhancing Employee Productivity

Visual properties and perceived restorativeness in green offices: a photographic evaluation of office environments with various degrees of greening.

Office environments play a critical role in employee wellbeing and productivity. While the benefits of incorporating nature into workspaces have been recognized, the specific visual characteristics that contribute to restorativeness remain unclear. This study investigates how visual characteristics of office environments, specifically the presence of greenery and color complexity, are associated with perceived restorativeness. In Study 1, we developed a scale based on Attention Restoration Theory to measure the restorative characteristics of office environments, consisting of three subscales: Being Away, Fascination, and Extent. In Study 2, we used this scale to examine the correlation between the restorative characteristics of offices and the visual properties of office photographs. The results showed that the square root of the percentage of green area, the color fractal dimension, and the brightness fractal predicted perceived restorativeness. Notably, the color fractal dimension often showed a stronger effect than the amount of greenery per se. These findings suggest that both the presence of greenery and the overall complexity of color transitions in office spaces contribute to their restorative potential. Our study provides insights for designing more restorative office environments, emphasizing the importance of not only increasing greenery but also mimicking natural color patterns. The predictive model developed provides a practical tool for estimating the restorative potential of office designs. Although there are limitations such as the use of photographic assessments and the inability to fully explain the Extent component of restorativeness, this study contributes to our understanding of how to create more psychologically supportive work environments.

To Manage the ZAPTA Technology Professionally: A Time to Decide

It is a cloudy and cold day of December 2022 in Lahore, Pakistan. The CEO of ZAPTA technology, Nasir Ali, sits alone in his office after the sunset. Nasir plans to leave his office as the day is already closed, but he is writing future agendas for ZAPTA Technologies for 2023. There are many things and new steps that must be decided upon and taken to manage ZAPTA in the future. 
 
 Nasir Ali Joyia is happy with the growth of his technology venture ‘ZAPTA Technologies’, which Nasir started about two years ago with his fellow Khalil Ahmed (Chief Design Officer) and Ateeq-ur-Rehman (chief operation officer).
 
 The future of ZAPTA requires significant transformation as a growth strategy that can help ZAPTA compete in the highly dynamic information technology market. As CEO of ZAPTA, Nasir has to bring forth the proposal for change and growth. However, Nasir has to be careful as the change can bring negative consequences

An Example of an Application Project on Contemporary Office Design

This study aims to define the concept of office spaces and their requirements, as well as the contemporary interior design approaches. It will also cover the interior design and application process for an architecture office in Konya. The company, originally named Çınar Architecture and active in Konya between 1985 and 1990, has been operating as Kerimler Planning Construction Consultancy Company in Konya since 1995. The company requested an interior architecture project for their new location. In the current environment, the office is starting to become outdated and is unable to offer users enough physical amenities. The main goal of the new office’s interior design was to create areas where employers and employees could collaborate in a welcoming and adaptable setting without facing any kind of discrimination. In Konya Meram Pirebi District, the Menekşe Apartment’s ground floor, which is currently a street-level store, is the site of the project, which occupies a total of 280 m2 and consists of a ground + basement. The office occupies 145 square meters on the ground floor of a recently constructed building, with glass extending to the open floor on the south, north, and west facades. The room has a very large opening because the columns are concealed by the walls, making the two stories easily visible from the entrance. The office, which occupies a 135 m2 basement floor, is connected to the elevator and staircase at the back. Natural light enters the basement through the gallery area that is attached to the staircase. Within the parameters of the study, two- and three-dimensional architectural design tools, including phases of the interior design process, were employed in conjunction with a qualitative research method based on inspection and observation. The architectural office put it into practice about half a year after the design stage. The outcome was the creation of a dynamic, modern office analysis that values teamwork and permits the emergence of unique and creative ideas throughout the project.