Building Model

I made a basic model of my building out of card to help me to understand the internal spaces when I'm designing.

I have not yet added any of the glass walls. I will do this when I buy some acetate.

Pressure Sensitive Floor

These floor tiles contain a layer of liquid (or two non-mixing liquids in some cases) which respond when people walk over them.
http://blabitalia.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/b-surfaces_brochure.pdf

This video shows a single colour version in use http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnjRG7QO2aY&feature=related
I think this would be great to have in the circulation areas of my design to add some playfulness to getting from one place to another.

Touch Sensitive Tiles

I found these tiles today which respond to temperature and change colour.
I would like to use them in my project for the tables in the informal meeting areas and social areas.
They will create a talking point and fun activity.
http://www.movingcolor.net/products_touch_sensitive.html

Also just out of interest watch the gif on this page showing similar tiles being used in a shower! http://www.movingcolor.net/products_northern.html

Personalised Work Space

Here is a set of examples showing a system I plan to use of projections of images onto desks (similar to Inamo Restaurant but projected onto a translucent surface from underneath rather than above). I also want to show that choosing seating furniture is also important.

What Is Work 2

Updated version of this diagram.
I think this one is clearer and more immediate.

Sick Days

I read this article today: Link

Which contains this quote which I find very interesting in support of better office philosophy and environments:

“40% of incapacity benefits (the biggest source) attributed to mental ill health and stress. Indeed, the 2009 Boorman review for the NHS into health and wellbeing indicated savings of over £555m could be made from reduced sickness absence if healthier work environments were created."

Capitalism and Abraham Maslow

I've been reading this book about capitalism in relation to my project. Particularly the chapter "Capitalism and Human Happiness" which discusses whether a world where the purpose of our lives is often to make money can really make us happy.
It discusses the problems with this, in particular that once you make enough money to feed yourself you then want to make enough to clothe yourself and you no longer appreciate being able to eat...etc.
The author then refers to Abraham Maslow's pyramid of human needs.

http://www.timlebon.com/maslow.htm
This shows the different levels of need and how we progress from the bottom to the top and cannot move onto the next level unless the current one is fulfilled (eg: you are unlikely to worry about what people think of your outfit if you are starving).
This is interesting when looking at the workplace, as the ultimate goal of work is to use our full creative and intellectual potential, however we are often denied basic needs within the work place.
In summary, if a workplace is too cold/hot, or if we do not feel we have friends within the workplace, or our worth is not recognised, we cannot reach our full capacity of productivity.

Who Uses Which Spaces

I made this diagram to show which kinds of people use which spaces in an office. This will help to explain the kind of atmosphere each space should have.

Attitudes

This is an updated version of this diagram showing attitudes in the workplace of the past and future.

Balance - Amended

I think this diagram describes better what I was trying to say with my previous "balance" diagram.

The purpose of this is to show that to achieve a successful environment there must  be a balance between utilitarian and personal qualities, between functional and comfortable.

How Offices Work

I have taken the example of journalism to create this diagram which maps out the communication and exchange between departments and categories.

The purpose of this is to show how important communication between departments is, as well as within them. It also shows how the company might be structured.

Balance

I made this diagram to try to show how a balance between factors will produce the most successful workplace environment.

*Edit: see this post for updated version

What Is Work?

I made this diagram to try to explain people's motivations for doing the job they do.

The purpose of this is to show that people have many different reasons for working and that these reasons lead to different attitudes.