at a workstation but otherwise will be at the meeting table adjacent to the library, the table within the library area, in either of the partners' areas, or even, on occasion, in the lunch area.
A considerable degree of flexibility is possible and the status of a meeting can be related to the place where it is held. Time has proved that meetings within the open area are not distracting and often go by completely unnoticed by other members of staff.
Secretarial facilities
There are two partners' secretaries, two secretaries who handle all project information and one typist who deals with the production of office reports. They are positioned at the centre of the room and this makes for easy ac- cess for all the technical staff regard- less of position.
The library is the main source of information for the office and it pro- vides centralised facilities for all mem- bers of staff who consequently do not need to build up personal collections of literature. It is easy to use (classifi- cation is C1/5fB), and accessible.
Workstation
All architects are aware of the need
for time-saving methods of producing drawings. This problem must be tackled at two levels: (1) the system of information production, and (2) the mechanical processes required for re- cording information.
The workstations are a positive at- tempt to solve the purely practical 'mechanical' problems of producing drawings and other information. They succeed in most respects and any cri- ticisms are minor (e.g. no tray for small equipment on the drawing board, it is difficult to retrieve small drawings 'lost' at the back of the draw- ings shelf because it is too shallow to get an arm in, and some members of staff think that the ramped reference is on the wrong side of the drawing board). This last point clearly demon- strates the dangers of subjective cri- ticism, because before the units were designed a survey in the office showed a 50:50 preference for either side.
The workstations provide for most of the architect's activities including writing, dictation, short-term storage of drawings, books and instruments and for small meetings. The wheeled swivel chair ensures that no unneces- sary effort is required to move be- tween work surfaces. The ramped re-
Challenging natural light...
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STORAGE
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ference board and drawing board pro- vide all the screening that is necessary for concentration and privacy without isolating the individual from the rest of the office. This also enables dicta- tion to be carried out at the board without disturbing those working close by.
The desire for privacy on the part of both managerial and ordinary staff has often proved to be a prejudice which has prevented the adoption of an open-plan solution for office or ganisation. However in this building very few members of staff, when seat- ed, can be directly observed by others. This would suggest that there is no rea- son to assume that in this respect the landscaped office need be any less pri- vate than the conventional arrange. ment.
It is difficult to appraise a new building especially when planned in a new way, because, inevitably, it must be an improvement on previous condi- tions. Nevertheless many of the ad- vantages of this office are obviously due to the open areas. The complete success of the scheme lies in the qua- lity and control of the environment and especially in the integration of the furniture into the total concept.
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Far East BUILDER, December 1970