Pragmatics of Place

Sam Williams

Space Planning & Strategy Manager

University of Lincoln

sawilliams@lincoln.ac.uk

Brayford Pool campus, University of Lincoln

Riseholme Park campus, University of Lincoln

Pragmatics of place

Effectiveness

Expression

Efficiency

Student and staff

experiences

In the Learning Landscapes university, academics and estates professionals work to optimise student and staff experiences through their design and management decision-making around:

Efficiency

Effectiveness

Expression (the idea of the university)

Definitions of all of the above are problematic – especially if academics and estates professionals do not share a vernacular and syntax for communication

Pragmatics of place

Building on the work of the UK HE Space Management Group (2003 – 7), which was focused primarily on efficiency

Pragmatics of Place aims to facilitate engagement by providing a guide to key issues and vocabulary of academic space design and management processes

1. Raise awareness of space management imperatives, preoccupations and drivers

2. Subvert the processes themselves by giving them a more academic sensibility

Space Management Group research foci

http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/video/2009/oct/12/miroslaw-balka-tate-modern

Example: the cost of space

Sustainable estate provision*

Operating costs such as energy, water and cleaning

Maintenance spending necessary to keep space in good condition

Depreciation, including the cost of end-of-life building replacement

* HEFCE 2005/26 The cost of space

The cost of space

Rent and ratesInsuranceEnergyWater and sewageMaintenanceCleaningEstate managementSecurity and porteringMail room

Depreciation

Total

24.183.08

32.921.254.111.11

22.3115.92

1.64

37.79

£184.62

One university’s estimated 2009/10 sustainable estate provision (per m2 of net internal area)

…and this excludes the costs of capital tied up in the estate

(2004/05 average £45.10 / m2)*

* HEFCE 2005/26 The cost of space

The cost of space: illustration

One university’s estimated 2009/10 sustainable estate provisions for…

An estate of 60,000 m² net internal area £11.1m per annum

A typical staff space ( 10 m² ) £1,850 per annum

A typical 25-student seminar room ( 50 m2 ) £9,250 per annum

Dimensionality

Efficiency, effectiveness and expression are contentious words – in part because there are multiple dimensions to each.

For example, “efficiency”:

Costs per square metre? (SMG definition)

Teaching hours per square metre (frequency)?

Costs per £ of university income?

Costs per graduate produced?

Teaching hours per graduate produced?

Study hours per degree earned?

Thephysicalspace

FinishesFurn

iture

Technologies

Location

Ser

vici

ngSpo

ntan

eity

Scheduling

Availability

Aspirations

Pedagogy

Com

munity

Terms

Den

sity

Demography

Focus

Lifes

tyles

Comfo

rt

Not space planning, but

place planning

“With greater mobility, students have a choice in where they can work and tend to gravitate to spaces they enjoy – so quality of design matters more.

New space models for educational institutions therefore need to focus on enhancing quality of life as well as supporting the learning experience.”

Dugdale (2009) Space strategies for the new learning landscape

http://www.educause.edu/EDUCAUSE+Review/EDUCAUSEReviewMagazineVolume44/SpaceStrategiesfortheNewLearni/163820

Another dimension…

http://www.thefuntheory.com/piano-staircase

Vernacular and syntax: themes

Complexity, not flexibility

Places, not spaces

Efficiency of language

Academic sensibility and subversion, not managed consensus

Don’t avoid the void

Theorising practice: the fun theory

Pragmatics of Place

Which other ‘pragmatics’ should we include?