workspaceor

the death of the office

The use of computers in offices to enable knowledge work is now ubiquitous. Every desk has a computer, and every worker carries out their tasks in a virtual domain – creating information, sorting and analyasing it, filing it, and sharing and communicating it through digital means. Virtual work has broken through the walls of the office. Computers are no longer tethered to the desk. The rise of wireless technology, satellite communications and portable laptops mean that a computer can be connected to a network without being in a fixed place. And the increasing quality and richness of the social connections offered by virtual networks means that new kinds of collaboration are possible in the virtual field

What is the value of physical space when so many of the tasks that are part of office work can be accomplished outside the office? How do the qualities of space enable or hinder that work? Does place become more significant as workers are enabled to choose where to do their work?

Background

The complex of office blocks on Euston Square was constructed in 1980 by British Rail to house its main administrative requirements. The buildings were designed by Richard Seiffert. When British Rail was privatised in 1993 by John Major’s Conservative government the buildings were sold to a property investment company called Sydney & London Ltd. This company represents the property investment interests of a private individual, Michael Gross.

Having purchased the buildings Sydney & London then leased the office space to the new company which owned the railway infrastructure, Railtrack. And the complex is still provides the office base for Network Rail, the new rail infrastructure company, and a range of other private rail operators.

Buildings

The estate has a total office area of 305,000 sq ft. split between four buildings.

1. Grant Thornton House, 69,309 sq ft, with a typical square floorplate of 7,970 sq ft.

2. 40 Melton Street, the total area is approximately 116,070 sq ft, with a square floorplate size of 7,840 sq ft.

3. One Eversholt Street tower has 55,102 sq ft. of space

4. One Eversholt Street Podium, which is connected through the raised ground floor reception to the tower building, has a total floor area of 63,939 sq ft.

Tenants

Over 90% of the income is secured by Network Rail Infrastructure Ltd and Grant Thornton Nominees Ltd. There are five other tenants.

Future

In 2012 Network Rail’s lease on the offices they occupy will come to an end and they will move to a new purpose built building in Milton Keynes, Quandrant:MK.

In January 2012 the government announced that they were proceeding with plans for HS2, a new high speed rail connection heading north from London to Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds. They have confirmed that Euston will be the location for the London termination of HS2. This will lead to passengers arriving at Euston increasing by a projected 10,000 per hour.

Sydney & London have been lobbying for Euston to be the London terminus for HS2, presumably believing that this will increase the value of their property. They commissioned a new plan for the station and the surrounding area from the design consultacy Atkins. This masterplan envisaged a new station complex, and a huge increase in the office space on the development, from the existing 305,000 sq ft to 1,460,000 sq ft. This would be part of a mixed use development also containing 600,000 sq ft Retail, 1,220,000 sq ft Residential, and 625,000 sq ft Ancillary Facilities.

Grant Thornton House 40 Melton Street One Eversholt Street Podium

Euston Station

eUstoN - chaNGiNG site

Michael Gross MBE

One Eversholt Street Tower

Network Rail’s new headquarters in Milton Keynes, due ofr completion 2012

Evening Standard, 28/02/2011

Sydney & London’s Euston vision masterplan

http://www.eustonvision.com/euston_estate_vision_masterplan.pdf

percentage of floor area taken by leaseholder

0 10075

London & Sydney Ltd

Network Rail Ltd

Grant Thornton Ltd

Computer Services Corporation (CSC) Ltd

Forsyth Business Centres

Aesa UK Ltd

Overseas Student Service Centre Ltd

Cyntra Ltd

Logica Transport Ltd

Euroterra Capital Ltd

Pegasus Regional Ltd

Budget Conferences Ltd

British Railways Board Ltd

Aces Disputes Resolution (GB) Ltd

Freightliner Heavy Haul Ltd

Caha Registrar Ltd

PROPERTY OWNERS

OFFICE LEASEHOLDERS

Network Rail Ltd

individual private office

individual workspace in open plan configuration

formal meeting space

informal common space

Building servicing and maintenance

SERVICE WORKERS

SPACE USE WITHIN BUILDING

Global Crossing (UK) Telecommunications Ltd

USV Europe Ltd

Sleeperz Manchester Ltd

UNLEASED

Total Station usage in 2009 30.068 million

people per year, over 7,000 per day.

Plants

Animals

OTHER STAKEHOLDERS

BLOCK A - Grant Thornton House

footprint - 900m

2

No of office floors - 9

Servicing -

BLOCK B - Network Rail House

footprint - 900m

2

No of office floors - 15

Servicing -

BLOCK B - Network Rail House

footprint - 900m

2

No of office floors - 15

Servicing -

BLOCK C - The Podium

footprint - 1,980m2

No of office floors - 3

Servicing -

24/0

618

12

Average building occupancy over the day Building owners Leaseholders

24/0

618

12

24/0

618

12

24/0

618

12

A B C D

workiNG commUNities of eUstoN sqUare

RENT RETURN

PROPERTY INVESTOR

BUILDING FABRIC

SPACE LAYOUT

PUBLIC IMPACT

ENVIRONMENTAL SHADOW

CORPORATE BODY

EMPLOYEEBUILDING GLOW(CAPACITIES ADDED)

CAPACITIES ADDED

BRIEF

design management path

FINANCIAL INVESTMENT AND MAINTENANCE COSTS

SALARY

WORK

addiNG capacities to the specULatiVe office

BUiLdiNG modeL

Attempting to find ways in which different communities who are not part of the system of financial exchange can be recognised.

Brief - proposaLThe brief takes the opportunity offered by this transitional time. As the fabric of Euston station is altered and expanded to accomodate the new rail service, and Sydney & London gigantic new vision, the old buildings will be decommissioned. Slowly the existing tenants will be moved out, and the buildings emptied, ready to be demolished. During this time a new kind of work place can be proposed, different from the rigid square foot allocation of the existing floor slabs.

Forsyth Business Centres are an existing tenant of the Euston office buildings. They offer business services and spaces to accomodate any business need on a short term basis. Meeting rooms, communication facilities, work spaces. As the leases for the different companies in Euston expire Forsyth will take over their space, and expand what they can offer - a centre for people arriving in Euston who need office services, and to cater for the new capacity of people engaged in knowledge based work to be based outside of a formal office, using mobile and wireless technologies in a variety of places.

In order to attract people to the site to use the services that Forsyth offer, they plan to offer as many different capacities as they can, making the experience as fruitful and positive for their customers as can be. It is in their interest to attract as many people as possible to the site, and to improve the general amenity, turning Euston into a place people want to be.

Specific facilities to be offered include:- meeting rooms- video conferencing suites- hot desk zones- a creche, - a small hotel- sports facilities, - libraries for reference and quiet work- theatre- market place for setting up a stall

There are extreme constraints on the alterations and additions that are made, as the lifespan of the building is so short. Every intervention needs to be made quickly, as soon as the opportunity arises, and the fabric needs to be easy to dismount when necessary.

23/01/2012 00:04Forsyth Business Centres | Business Services | Office Space | Serviced…eeting Rooms | Hot Desk Facilities | Offices | IT Services | Telecoms

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Services Agents Contact Us Managed Solutions

Ballroom and Sunset Balcony

Chimney harnessing stack effect of lift shaft for ventilating building

New lift, with connections to building that offer the change for informal meeting between floors

Guttering brings the flow of water into the open, through a series of pools and streams

Swimming pool on roof

Hanging facade modulator to enliven the interior

Forsyth Business Centre for collaboration

Market space beneath building

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inf

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mu

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in

fo

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Actions

writing

copying

face to face meeting

written

aural

storage

retrieval

display

PLACE BOUND TECHNOLOGIES

WIR

EL

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ON

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ION

With no attachment to place, the worker faces an ever growing torrent of information

Steven Levy, Newsweek, 11/10/2003

With the increased use of digital technologies and networks huge amounts of data can be worked with and communicated. The world’s capacity to store and communicate this information is growing exponentially. In 2002 the total amount of information created in all medias was roughly equivalent to 500,000 times the information contained in the material held by the Library of Congress. By 2007 this figure had doubled, and its rate of growth is increasing. Every worker is now asked to transmit the information equivalent of six newspapers each day and receive 174 newspapers of data (much of that reflected in video and photos).

deVeLopiNG techNoLoGies / iNformatioN torreNts

Dr. Martin Hilbert, Science Magazine, 2/2011

Atmosphere

ToolsResources

Furniture

Worker

PHYSICAL EXTENT OF ‘BODY’

ATMOSPHEREphysical inputs electrical power food water air office materials humans

immaterial inputs data human contact work

physical outputs heat energy materials air waste actions

immaterial inputs data human contact

electric lighting

conditioned air

humanspr

ocessing

machines

furniture

work is reLatioNaLWork happens through the relationships between different workers, and the tools they employ. It is fueled by interaction. A community of people come together and through discussion and the dynamics of human relationships different ideas are born and acted on. An office can be seen as the space in which the social relations that contribute to work take place.

Work also happens when workers manipulate material representations of immaterial ideas. These might be notes, samples, models, files, resources. How these are manipulated can affect how ideas are developed and work achieved.

Examining the complex of relationships in an office space

work happens through relationships

worker is able to move through a range of environments

the facade gives a dynamic quality to the light entering the building

water flows through the space

air can be seen, as wind moves leaves, and felt, through access to fresh air

clothing as a measure of personal identity is creatively manipulated

the urban realm is occupied by mixed functions, including farming

RULES

hypotheses eXtracted from Zoetrope

The creation of a zoetrope allowed significant actions from the field of office work to be examined precisely, and a set of hypotheses for desirable spatial qualities to be extracted.

Stop motion recording of the first zoetrope proposal

desiGN No1: sparkLiNG tree

Staring into space...

Space alive with dancing sparkles

Tree is ‘strapped’ to outside of office tower.

The ‘leaves’ are constrctucted of lightweight reflective materials in a variety of colours.

Though its product may be immaterial and more and more sited in a digital environment, the worker occupies a space, and the atmosphere and arrangement of that space has an impact on how work progresses.

A worker sits at their desk all day to complete a report. The space is the same, but the atmostphere is animated by the change in light coming through the window. The sparkling tree enlivens the blank glazing of modular office cladding.

Research has shown the complex effect that spatial richness has on a worker’s ability to think and problem solve - specify particular research...

Through the day the workers position is static, but the atmosphere changes

tree BLowN By New wiNds

‘Branches’ extend, following the movement of the sun across the sky, and the strength of the sunlight, providing shade where required.

‘Flowers’ bloom in relation to the quality of interaction between people.

‘Leaves’ flutter in relation to the flow of data, creating an alive backdrop to concentration.

Tree responding to exterior conditions, but also connected to the human action inside.

The sparkling tree is buffetted by the wind blowing outside the building making the leaves tremble and creating different moving light conditions within the interior. But the movement of the tree, and the way it behaves in reaction to the wind, is also directed by three other forces: 1. it responds to the movement of the sun providing shade where requires, 2. the quality of how the leaves flutter depends on a ‘digital wind’ - the production of information within the office, 3. and the presence of social interactions among the workers.

Coreographing the movement throught a day

Proposals for tensioned ‘frame’ of the tree

desiGN No2: coLLaBoratioN deskThis desk is designed for workers who share the same space but do not interact. It forces them to collaborate by connecting the two chairs with a see-saw.

The layout of the office floor has to accomodate the constraints caused by the collaboration desk. Workers collaborate with colleagues how share similar working hours, and are are of a similar weight.

accomodatiNG coNfLictiNG VaLUesdesiGN No3: the haLf/haLf rULe

An office is organised around a corporate structure, with management responsible for the implementation of the priorities of the company, to be achieved through supervising and directing the labour of workers. Here management may frequently have different priorities from the workers.

It is traditionally argued that workers are motivated to work by the financial rewards they receive which they invest in their lives outside work. This view however has been complexified by the understanding that people get different kinds of satisfaction from their work.

There are several key areas of interest here:

- how is an worker’s identity recognised within a corporate identity?- the lives of workers hold many different responsibilities outside their efforts for a company. How are these recognised and enabled by the work environment.- how are different behaviours able to co-exist within the same office space?

A new social contract is proposed by The Half/Half Rules. In exchange for their labour the company running the office is required to give the worker their salary, and 50 percent of the floor area of the office to be given over to worker initiated activities, in this instance a swimming pool.

The pools are arranged such that they occupy a portion of each floor of the office building alongside one exterior wall. This allows the existing office windows to be maintained, becoming under water windows.

Lars Tunbjork, Office

Bradley, Erickson, Stephenson, Williams,

Myths at Work

Different parts of the office tower are given over to worker control

desiGN No4: coLLaGe-wearThe foyer of an office block often expresses corporate identity. This design re-occupies the foyer as a space of uncontrolled, semi-public exchange, an informal tailoring operation, where clothes are enchanged and customised.

Worker identity as recognised bycorporations as they design working environments

Albrecht, Broikos, On the Job

desiGN No5: coLLaGe-skiNA fabric wall is assembled from pieces of clothing traded in by the workers. The patches of the wall are connected using an elasticated string. Tightening or loosening the string allows the worker to control the size and position of openings within the wall.

The skin is responsive to any combination of openings and degree of permeability that the worker wishes for. This is in contrast to the prescribed control offered by the standard environmental services in office buildings.

A typical modular office facade offers no control to the inhabitant aover the quality of the connection to the outside.

Frame made of rope on which the material of the skin is woven

Elastic string

Cleat to control tightness of the string

Loose string gripped by the inhabitant

parametric iteratioNsThe parametric programme allows us to imagine how a system of interconnected strings would alter the facade according to the user’s wishes, as they pulled or loosened the strings through the toggles.

THE ‘REACH’ OF THE OPENING POINT - ‘modulus of attraction’corresponding to the tightness of the elastic string

Position on wall where worker makes the adjustment

OR OR OR ?

modULar coNstrUctioN serVes the reaL estate

iNVestors Not workersdesiGN 6: ad-hoc BaLcoNy

(haLf fLoor meetiNG room)

The real estate practices current in office building in the UK are responsible for a normaltive style of building. These are inefficient in several ways.

- They are heavily dependent on mechanical servicing using large amounts of energy, - The space is strictly demarcated into floors, giving a limited amount of connections within the building, - The aesthetics of modular construction techniques speak more about corporate dreams of control and efficiency, rather than creative intelligent workers.

The ad hoc balcony allows office workers to create their own spaces to attach onto the existing structure, performing whatever function they require.

Possible functions

worker coNtroLLed fUNctioNThe structure disrupts the monotonous unitised facade of the office tower, and creates corners, hidden rooms, short cuts and dramatic views to be enjoyed by the office workers. The glazing panel is removed from the cladding panel and the inhabitable window is constructed on site.

Stewart Brand’s notion of scales of change within a building

‘Foot’ allowing scaffolding pole to sit on existing beam

Tension cable

space frame

scaffolding pole

fabric skin

secondary structure of timber

timber panels make up walls and floor suspended from the secondary structure

Material proposals

timber beams

PRIMARY STRUCTURE

SECONDARY STRUCTURE

Fabric cladding hangs from the secondary structure to provide insulation and rain protection

lightweight frame above

SKIN

iNhaBitaBLe wiNdowsFirst proposals

Different functions accomodated

Lightweight structures, movable, allowing a variety of conditions

the office iN the citydesiGN No7: seLf sUfficieNt

ZoNe

In trying to define the ‘body’ of the office, is it simply the physical boundary of the office walls? The actors within the space spend a particular time each day inside the office, but the rest of the time they disperse across the city in their homes, shopping, visiting doctors, schools or friends.

Also, the resources that allow the office to function arrive from different places around the city.

Frank Duffy estimates that during working hours an average office space is only occupied 60% of the time.

In the self sufficient zone road traffic is removed from the city and replaced with farm land. Farm buildings are positioned as required in shop premises, and unrented office space. In this way the City can produce more of the food that it consumes, and the office workers can experience a natural activity close by. The air quality will also be greatly improved.

Duffy, Work and the City

Workers are connected to the city outside the office boundary through family and other relationships.

Worker’s homes are separated from the office. Each day they must commute to and from the office, and perform other activities across the city, for example delivering children to school, shopping, or visiting a doctor.

Bounds of the office

Family distributed across the city