Design Office Research Articles

Interiorizations as critical projections: S for Soil Times and W for Wicked Home

In this article we set out by developing another sense of interior. We seek alignment with perspectives that advance the interior – as a spatiotemporal construct(ion) – and interior-architecture – as a spatiotemporal practice – more in adjectival and explicitly active ways. The adjectival the interior-architectural thus foregrounds as a doing, making, congregating, and interiorizing practice. In parallel, the idea of the interior, whether construct(ion) or practice, as a servile province of architecture is downplayed. This gives way to an understanding of the interior as a wilderness world full of untapped potential, and of the interior-architectural as a radical ecological practice of congregating novel ecologies within this world, entangling all kinds of wicked matters: matters of matter, matters of concern, matters of care. Subsequently the concrete practices of two, interlaced research lines our research group [Interior]Architecture & Wicked Matters has engaged in, and a selection of the interior-architectural constructions or artifacts through which these operate, are foregrounded as having such an ecological, congregating, and interiorizing characteristic. First S for Soil Times, a reforesting and composting tower, takes the stage, followed by its inscription in the framework of the academic design office The Wicked Home. We end by arguing for the method of critical projection and its aptness for conceiving the interior/the interior-architectural as a sense-making construction (and) practice, assisting in the re-figuration of commonly held mindsets that sustain dominant discourses.

Combined Sunlight and Occupancy Dynamic Lighting System Design in Offices

Combined Sunlight and Occupancy Dynamic Lighting System Design in Offices

Assumptions of the concept of a phase model of an infrastructural project implemented on this basis of Yellow FIDIC conditions of contract

Purpose: The aim of the article is to develop theoretical and practical assumptions of the phase model concept for infrastructural projects implemented from the perspective of design offices on the FIDIC rules. Design/methodology/approach: In the article, the author develops and presents the assumptions of the phase model concept based on the available literature in the field of project management and the assumptions of the FIDIC Contact Conditions. The research problem is as follows: What elements does the course of an infrastructural project based on the assumptions of the Yellow FIDIC Conditions of Contract consist of? In the article, the author deepens the analysis of the research problem by pointing out specific questions. In her research, the author will use the method of modeling business processes, which allows for a detailed analysis of the studied phenomenon. Findings: As a result of the conducted research, the author developed a concept of a phased model for infrastructural projects implemented from the perspective of the design office on the basis of the Yellow FIDIC Conditions of Contract. The presented concept integrates the project phase model typical for project management with the Yellow FIDIC Conditions of Contract model. Research limitations/implications: The issues discussed in the literature require further development in the form of qualitative and model research. In the literature on the subject, the author identified insufficient knowledge resources in the field of integration of the project management phase model with the Yellow FIDIC Conditions of Contract model. Practical implications: The conducted research will be an added value for the company, as it will help to systematize project management in a design and engineering company. They can be used as a starting point for developing a dedicated project management model in the researched industry. Originality/value: The innovation in the conducted research is the integration of the project management phase model with the FIDIC Conditions of Contract model. Keywords: project management, project phase model, infrastructure project, design office, FIDIC Conditions of Contract. Category of the paper: Research paper.

A Quasi-Experimental Exploration of Activity-Based Flexible Office Design and Demographic Differences in Employee Absenteeism

This study examines whether transitioning from cellular offices to an activity-based flexible office (A-FO) impacts employee absenteeism over time. Based on privacy theory, we hypothesized that changing from cell offices to an A-FO setting would lead to increased employee absenteeism. We further assumed that longer-tenured and female employees would experience greater difficulty with the transition, leading to more absenteeism among these groups. Using a sample of 2,017 white-collar workers tracked over 8 years, we quasi-experimentally investigated if absenteeism in the group with the office design intervention (1,035 individuals) differed from the control group (982 individuals). In the difference-in-difference (DiD) framework, nested negative binomial regression showed no difference in absenteeism between the intervention and control groups. However, a three-way interaction revealed that long-term employees showed higher absenteeism when switching to an A-FO. We discuss our contributions and the implications for corporate leadership, human resources, and change management.

Construction Management and Dynamic Building Structure’s Sustainability on Engineering’s Technology and Human Development

Construction Management (CM) and Dynamic Building Structure (DBS) constitute indispensable factor within Sustainability Perspective in general and in Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) within Global Perspectives. Precisely, this paper elaborates discourse on Civil Engineering and Industrial Engineering, including the ergonomics and its anthropometric measurement. The CM and DBS in this paper refers to office activities that involves activities carried out in a room to carry out certain business activities. In general, office activities in Indonesia are carried out by all middle and upper business entities in Indonesia. Generally, current office activities are dominated by the design of open space offices, with the aim of increasing collaboration between employees within the office. The objective of this paper is to observe and provide solutions for workers that experience distractions from co-workers such as talking too loudly so they have higher levels of stress difficulty concentrating and motivation. One of the solutions refer to use of partitions to avoid people experiencing claustrophobia or fear of tight spaces and to create a space of privacy for each employee. Subsequently the discourse on CM and DBS is intertwined with the concept of Environment, Social and Government (ESG) within Global Perspectives. This paper provides solutions within perspective on Civil Engineering and Industrial Engineering’s Technology and Human development. Ultimately, this paper combines theoretical and empirical perspective within the Local Wisdom in Indonesia and subsequently in Global Perspectives.

Proposal of a simplified methodology for reverberation time prediction in standard medium size rooms with non-uniformly distributed sound absorption

Sabine, Eyring and Millington formulas are commonly used for reverberation time prediction, mainly, as a calculation tool in building acoustics design. These classical theories are valid only for rooms with diffuse sound fields, in which the energy density is constant throughout the enclosure, an acoustic condition that is achieved only when using surfaces with low sound absorption. Despite these limitations, Sabine’s formula is still the most widely used in the prediction of the reverberation time, when spaces such as classrooms or offices are addressed. However, for these rooms, after the construction works are completed, it is quite often verified that the implemented sound-absorbent surface area is manifestly insufficient to fulfill the reverberation time requirement. In this technical note a simplified approach for reverberation time prediction, based on the use of Sabine’s formula, is proposed, that can be useful in acoustic design of classrooms or offices, due to its simplicity. A previous correction to the sound absorption coefficient of the lining materials declared by the manufacturer is here proposed, making use of an empirical correction that was achieved fromin situexperimental results and through geometrical room acoustic modelling. The empirical correction can be employed for room conditions where diffuse sound field is not met, composed of small or medium volumes (volume below 300 m3), with regular geometry, approaching parallelepipedal shapes, where the average height is below 4.0 m.

Association of open-plan offices and sick leave-a systematic review and meta-analysis.

We aimed to systematically review and meta-analyze the association of employees working in various kinds of open-plan offices with sick leave data, compared to those working in traditional cell offices. Databases of PubMed, PubPsych, and Psyndex were systematically searched following the PRISMA statement. Pooled summary estimates of odds ratio (OR) were calculated comparing sick leave of employees in cell offices with those working in small open-plan offices (4-9 people), and those in various open-plan office solutions (≥4 people). We used Forest plots visualizing study-specific estimates and the pooled fixed and random effects estimators. Five studies were identified (2008-2020) with a total of 13,277 (range 469-6,328) participants. Compared with employees working in cell offices, those working in small open-plan offices were associated with higher odds of sick leave days (OR=1.27; 95% CI 0.99-1.54; p=0.046) as well as those working in various kinds of open-plan offices with ≥4 colleagues (OR=1.24; 95% CI 0.96-1.51; p=0.004). Our results are consistent with those of earlier reviews focusing on other effects of open-plan office solutions such as health and well-being. Different solutions for office design and architectural lay-out should be the focus of future studies to balance pros and cons of open-plan offices.

Effect of Office Design Characteristics and Anthropometrics on Thermal Comfort in Malaysian Universities Air-Conditioned Buildings

Apart from indoor environmental and personal factors, contextual factors have significantly influenced several thermal comfort studies. In air-conditioned spaces, thermal comfort is conveniently attainable by adjusting the temperature settings, but indoor design elements might alter thermal perceptions and provide adaptive opportunities. This study examines the influence of office design characteristics and anthropometrics on thermal comfort parameters and perceptions. Nineteen university offices in Kuala Lumpur and Shah Alam, comprised of twelve shared and seven private spaces, were investigated, and 628 responses were collected from 42 participants with even gender distributions. The results showed that room occupancy and size were statistically significant with Griffiths’ comfort temperature. Offices with five or more people had lower mean comfort temperature (24.1 ℃) than private offices (25.0 ℃). The mean comfort temperature in offices larger than 80 m2 was 23.7 ℃ with warmer thermal preference, while offices smaller than 40 m2 were approximately one-degree Celsius higher. Offices with no shading device, window blinds opened, and tiled floorings had mean comfort temperatures higher than 25.0 ℃. The findings also indicated that offices with more than a 60% glazing ratio have a slightly higher mean comfort temperature at 24.9 ℃. The thermal sensation during closed blinds was much cooler than opened ones. The anthropometry of the human body impacts how heat is regulated; thus, respondents with higher Body Mass Index (BMI) and above-average body surface area (higher than 1.7 m2) had significantly lower comfort temperatures and preferred more humid surroundings. Mean comfort temperature was statistically significant with BMI with a noticeable difference between underweight (25.1 ℃), normal (24.5 ℃), and obese (23.9 ℃) BMIs. In this study, it is recommended that BMI be considered when positioning occupants in shared offices, and window blinds are an integral shading device for adjusting indoor thermal comfort levels.

RESULTS OF DESIGN AND THEORETICAL STUDIES OF LV PRESSURIZATION SPRAYERS PARAMETERS

The pressurization system of the fuel tanks of launch vehicles is one of the important and critical subsystems of the pneumatic-hydro supply system. The pressurization system is designed to create the necessary pressures in the fuel tanks in order to ensure their required values at the engine inlets (both during launch and during operation in specified modes), as well as to ensure the strength and stability of the tanks during the flight of launch vehicles. These systems determine the configuration and appearance of launch vehicles, their energy characteristics and operating conditions. At the same time, the pressurization system is functionally interconnected with the operation of many other subsystems of the pneumatic-hydraulic supply system (refueling of fuel components, control systems, fuel consumption control systems, units of a liquid-propellant rocket propulsion system, etc.).
 One of the main functional elements of the pressurization system is the atomizer. The atomizer is designed to introduce pressurization gas into the tank in such a way that its speed and direction provide the required pressure and gas temperature distribution in the free volume of the tank, without causing unacceptable heating of the tank structure and fuel component, as well as possible disturbances (vibrations, etc.) .
 On the example of specific launch vehicles on high- and low-boiling fuel components, a generalizing review of the pressurization system sprayers developed in the Yuzhnoye State Design Office (YSDO) was carried out, as a result of which the authors determined and described in detail: their design features, requirements, classification, and the procedure for their development. The possibilities and tools for modeling the parameters of atomizers are shown. The experimental data of some of the developed atomizers are presented. Promising directions for the development of pressurization systems are outlined, which in the future will allow the development of highly efficient systems with optimal parameters.

SPACE PROJECT “IONOSAT – MICRO”: READINESS FOR IMPLEMENTATION

Ionosat-Micro is a fundamental scientific project devoted to the study of near-Earth space. The project is conceived as an answer to the challenges posed by the modern development of knowledge about Space Weather and the ionospheric responses to surface energy sources (such as weather phenomena, power lines operation, earthquakes and processes of their preparation, powerful technogenic hazards, etc.). Furthermore, the project Ionosat-Micro is a logical continuation and addition to previous ionospheric missions, such as Dynamics Explorer 2 (launched in 1982), Freja (1992), DEMETER (2004), Swarm (2013), and CSES (2018). The project is being prepared with the support and within the framework of The National Space Program of Ukraine and The Program of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine for Scientific Space Research. The article outlines the scientific principles of the project, describes the parameters of the space system being created, and the composition and operation logic of the scientific equipment. The project is to be implemented on board the satellite platform Microsat-M, which has been designed by Yuzhnoye State Design Office to conduct scientific and technological experiments. The planned satellite orbit is circular sun-synchronous with an inclination of 98 degrees and altitude of 600–700 km (orbital parameters, method and date of the launch are being clarified). Ionosat-Micro payload includes a set of scientific instruments designed to register the global structure and physical parameters of the neutral atmosphere and plasma, the structure and parameters of the space current systems and geomagnetic field, as well as the spectra and wave-forms of ULF-ELF-VLF electromagnetic perturbations. The Center for Collection, Processing, and Distribution of Measurement Data was created for the purpose of accumulating and targeted data processing.

An experience sampling study of employees’ reactions to noise in the open-plan office

In this experience sampling method (ESM) study, we hypothesized that negative affect would mediate the effect of office noise perceptions on employees’ withdrawal, conflict, and territorial behaviors (marking and defending territory). We collected ESM and weekly diary data from 71 Australian employees working in open-plan offices, resulting in 672 event data points. Using a multi-level analysis model, we found that perceived office noise relates positively to negative affect that, in turn, relates positively to withdrawal and task conflict at the momentary level of analysis; and territorial marking behaviors at the between-person level. We found further that office privacy also moderates the relationship between employees’ in-the-moment perceptions of office noise and in-the-moment negative affect. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of our findings for theory, research, and practice; as well as noting some research limitations and pointing out the implications of our findings for office design.

Modelling edge effects at the interface in bonded joints using gradient functions in the mechanical properties of the adhesive: Application of the method to the Arcan test loaded in tension and shear

The design of bonded joints requires studies of stress concentrations due to edge effects. For complex joint configurations, the finite element method can be quite costly. The objective is to develop a fast and reliable numerical design tool for bonded assemblies. Therefore, an approach to design bonded assemblies is presented which aims to meet the needs of a design office, particularly in terms of calculation costs. The latter consists in reproducing the edge effects with a single element through the joint thickness using a modulus function. The concept was tested on Arcan specimen with two loading cases: tension (γ = 0°) and shear (γ = 90°). A 2D model under the elastic assumption is developed to describe the edge effects of the joint using Abaqus subroutines (UMat). The approach is set up to solve this problem in the form of two blocks. First, mesh refinement studies for bonded specimens loaded in tension were performed, within a good level of accuracy, on the free edge with the use of local discretization error estimation. After that, the effects of local geometry and modulus ratio are investigated. Afterwards, the von Mises stress at the interface level of the adhesive joint was used to identify a modulus function to describe the behavior of a joint with straight edge geometry for tension and shear loadings. The proposed approach has improved the performance of the model. Actually, the calculation is practically three times faster than for the conventional model.

Transformation of the office: territorial behaviour and place attachment in shared desk design

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present an environmental psychological case study regarding an office design change. The employees of the researched company had the chance to decide whether to stay in the classic open office set-up or to switch to a shared desk supplemented by a one-day-a-week home office possibility. The authors examined the development of participants’ territorial behaviour and place attachment. Design/methodology/approach The given organizational situation is a quasi-experimental design; the variables were examined via questionnaire in a longitudinal model. Quantitative measurement was supplemented with focus group discussions. Findings The degree of personalization (a type of territorial behaviour) decreased significantly not only among those who lost their permanent workstations – as we expected – but also in the entire population. Workplace attachment stagnated for the entire population, but workstation attachment showed a significant decrease among those who switched to the shared desk. Research limitations/implications The limitations and the advantages are also followed by the nature of a case study: high ecological validity with relatively low sample size. Practical implications Redesigning an office is never just an economic or interior design issue, but a psychological one. This paper provides practical environmental psychological insights into implementing office designs without permanent individual workstations. Originality/value This paper presents the environmental psychological background of shared desk design implementation. The authors point out the significance of repressing personalization behaviour and as per the authors’ knowledge, they are the first to introduce the concept of workstation attachment.

Mid-20th century British ceramics in Aotearoa

Over 1949–1951 the Association of Friends of the Otago Museum purchased approximately 100 pieces of contemporary ceramic work described by them at the time as representing the best current English potters – work they felt would have a lasting value. Muriel Rose, the Crafts and Industrial Design Officer at the British Council, made the selection on their behalf and arranged transport. The group included work from Bernard Leach, the Leach Pottery, Michael Cardew, Katherine Pleydell-Bouverie, Steven Sykes, Henry Hammond and Margaret Leach, as well as Wetheriggs Pottery and examples of work from commercial factories, particularly Wedgwood, who employed highly regarded graphic artists. In 1951, HD Skinner suggested to Robert Falla, director of the Dominion Museum, that they share this group. This paper examines the acquisition as a whole, its background, and the logistics of the division between the two institutions.

Influence of Office Building Design on Occupant Satisfaction

The objective of this study is to examine the influence of building design on office occupants by analysing empirical data on their satisfaction levels and prevalent complaints. A methodology involving literature review, expert interviews, and a field survey with 308 office employees was adopted to acquire the empirical data. The findings reveal that office occupants think Amount of Space as the most important parameter, followed by Layout, and Furniture. On the other hand, occupants are least satisfied by Amount of Space, followed by Interior Design and Layout. Insufficient social areas, insufficient work space, and layout of the work environment, distraction caused by human circulation due to office layout, and ergonomics of the furniture are the most common complaints. The results show that average importance level in each building design parameter is higher than or equal to the average satisfaction level. The largest gap between the perceived importance and satisfaction appears in Amount of Space and Layout. The results are expected to provide insight to designers, facility managers, and renovators of office buildings on how office occupants perceive office building design and frequent complaints encountered in the offices.

Framework for (semi) automatised construction specification and quantity takeoff in the context of small and medium architectural design offices

BIM-based construction specification and quantity takeoff (QTO) processes have proven faster and more reliable than traditional methods. However, their execution and integration still rely on time-consuming and error-prone manual or semi-automatic interventions to deal with the lack of completeness, suitability and granularity of produced BIM models in design practice, mostly related to elements and activities not digitally represented in these models. In addition, besides the BIM authoring tool, they demand other proprietary platforms to obtain the expected outcomes, leading to interoperability issues and representing an obstacle to small and medium architectural design offices in terms of needed investment and customisations inherent to their business model. This work addresses the problem by proposing a BIM-based framework for automatised coordinated construction specification and quantity takeoff. It encompasses information modelling requirements, establishing a construction specification database and an add-in on the authoring tool that automatically produces joint construction specifications and quantity QTO documentation. The proposed system improves current BIM-based practices by mitigating the number of non-automatised intermediary steps, not requiring any other proprietary BIM platform rather than the authoring tool. Besides, it structures alternative ways of digitally representing elements and activities not graphically expressed in the model, allowing automated, more efficient, faster and cheaper production of coordinated reports of quantities and construction specifications. Two real projects validated the implementation of the framework, as well as the capabilities of the add-in, demonstrating its applicability in practical cases.

Design of steel transmission pole base plates using yield line method

Steel transmission poles are widely used for their strength, ease of construction, small footprint, and aesthetic appearance. These poles can be either directly embedded into their foundations or supported on based plates which are connected to the reinforced concrete footings via group of anchor bolts.There are few available published methods for the analysis and design of this type of base plate connection. These methods are not widely used in the industry as they are either complex, lack solid theoretical background, or yield results that are not consistent with manufacturer's time-tested proprietary design methods. Therefore, there is a need for an accurate method suitable for technical or design office for designing these connections when subjected to axial loads, bending moments or the combined effect of both.This paper presents a numerical study performed on the base plates of polygonal steel poles that are supported directly on anchor bolts with levelling nuts and subjected to bending moment and axial load. The Finite Element (FE) analysis part of the work is carried out using ADINA software and the results obtained from the analyses are compared with published experimental results from which it is concluded that the finite element model can accurately predict the behaviour of these connections.Parametric investigation is then conducted to gain more insight into the behaviour of these base plate connections and to use the obtained data the validation of the proposed design method. The parametric investigation covered the behaviour of these connections under pure axial load and pure bending moment while the varying parameters considered included number of shaft sides, base plate thickness, number of anchor bolts and anchor bolt diameter.Design formulae based on the yield line theory are then proposed and a comparison between the yield loads calculated using the proposed expressions and finite element results is presented. The yield loads resulting from using the proposed design method agreed with the finite element results with a maximum calculated difference of 13%.

Home Office: Working and Studying Spaces in Residential Interiors during and after Forced Social Isolation

The influence of global lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted the lives of many people. Once performed elsewhere, many activities had to be moved to private spaces of individual homes, influencing how people use their residential space, modifying their living and working conditions. The purpose of this study was to research the changes in the use of residential space through questionnaires addressed to respondents in five age groups (up to 25, 26–35, 36–50, 51–65, and over 65), and living or studying in the Milan area (Lombardy)—an area affected severely by COVID-19 in the period March–May 2020. The obtained questionnaire results allowed the authors to create a set of guidelines for apartment design, intended to improve their spatial performance. The observations made when creating the case study projects led to two main conclusions: First, at the level of the house plan, the arrangement of the plan should be free and adaptable, al-lowing for fast alteration by the user. Second, the project should be tailor-made, highly specialized, and purposefully designed at the level of home office design, including appropriate furnishings, technical appliances, and lighting systems.

Principles of the Flexible Office Concept in the Context of Co-working Center Design

The article deals with the concept of the flexible office as a modern type of workspace designed to provide a variety of places and ways to work and identifies the main design techniques used to implement the concept and philosophy of "flexibility” on the example of the interior design of the co-working centre. The purpose of the article is to define the specifics of implementing the flexible office concept in the context of the co-working center design. Research methodology. A complex of general scientific methods and methods of contemporary art history are applied: generalisation and systematisation of materials on the problems of flexible office design; the system analysis method, which facilitated the study of the characteristic features of the flexible office design as elements of a single whole; the method of structural and functional analysis, which revealed features of the flexible office as one of the most popular types of working space; classification method through which the basic principles of the flexible office concept are established and analysed through the prism of the co-working centre design. Scientific novelty. The main trends of flexible office design are theorised; the specifics of the design approach to the formation of co-working centre space are examined as an example of the embodiment of the basic principles of flexible office design. Conclusions. The study of design approaches for the co-working centre space formation proved their compliance with the main principles of flexible office design – smart space architecture, functional adequacy and ergonomic perfection of the furniture, inclusiveness, acoustics, air conditioning, natural components, maintaining the possibility of changing lighting level, colouring scheme aimed at maintaining and enhancing attention and ability to work.
 It is found that although the main planning type in the co-working centre is universal, combining open and cubicle types, their design suggests adherence to the concept of a flexible office.
 The key elements of flexible office design have a huge impact on the working atmosphere of the co-working center and are used by designers to support efficient work. Main design solutions to optimize the co-working center space in line with the flexible office philosophy, which includes adaptation to the residents’ needs and establishing communications, are the main driving force behind the workflow.
 The concept of the flexible office in the context of the specifics of a co-working center supports the trend towards the transformation of activities and behavior, provides the resident with the space that best meets his needs and the ability to choose where he wants to work and/or rest at any moment.
 The co-working center design forms a unique communicative space for inspiration, creativity, and reflection by creating interiors that inspire and reflect the visual trends of the socio-cultural space of the beginning of the 21st century. Stimulation of creative and cognitive work patterns following the main trends of the flexible office concept contributes to increased work capacity.
 The subject-spatial environment of the flexible office creates a characteristic emotional state and intensifies communication in the co-working center, becoming one of the factors in mobilizing the creative process and enabling residents to make bold professional decisions.

DEVELOPMENT OF A HIGH-PERFORMANCE HOLDING MACHINE WITH COMPLEX SPATIAL MOVEMENT OF TWO WORKING CAPACITIES

A new design of the galvanizing machine is proposed, which is equipped with two working tanks that perform complex spatial movement. The structure and principle of operation of the developed design of the machine are accurately described. The developed design of the machine with two capacities that perform complex spatial movement allows to increase considerably productivity of processing of details due to the fact that there is a possibility to carry out two different thawing technological operations on one machine or to process two parties of different details at the same time. The design of the machine, during operation, allows to involve in working process, both both working capacities, and one. Equipping the machine with a special drive design with four Hook hinges allows to reproduce the required law of change of angular velocity on each driving shaft of the machine, the implementation of which will create conditions that will ensure the same intensity of the working array between opposite ends of the tank in opposite directions. process, as well as uniform dynamic loading of all moving parts. Analytical studies were performed, within which some geometrical parameters of the machine design were determined, in particular, the value of the angle α between the axes of the shafts of each Hook hinge was established, which will ensure the implementation of the required angular velocity law on the machine drive shaft. The relationship between the extreme values of the law of change of the angular velocity of the driving shafts of the machine and the magnitude of the angles in each Hook hinge is established. The obtained results of analytical research can be used in the relevant design offices of machine-building enterprises at the stage of designing galvanizing equipment with complex spatial movement of working tanks.