6 SYKES ON SIX...
Spatial stuff, interaction and all that
Architect Christopher Sykes gets seriously interested in change, particularly how new interior design concepts seriously change relationships and performance of both adults and children
Interaction in the new EC Harris HQ, designed by Swanke Hayden Connell
SPATIAL INTERACTION IS NOW THE THING. I GUESS WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT CELLULAR DESIGN - SMALL OFFICES, UNSEEN DIRECTORS, CLASSROOMS, TEACHER'S STUDY ETC - HAS GONE OR GOING FROM BOTH THE WORK PLACE AND THE LEARNING PLACE. THE OTHER DAY, I WENT TO MANCHESTER TO MEET AEDAS – ONE OF THE WORLD’S LARGE ARCHITECTURAL PRACTICES (40 OFFICES WORLDWIDE). THIS WAS ALL ABOUT THEIR REMARKABLE NEW CONCEPTS FOR NEW SCHOOLS. IT CHANGED MY THINKING. I DID MORE RESEARCH AND WAS EXCITED AND SURPRISED AT WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE COAL-FACE.
A dults are doing it….
The Association of Interior Specialist (AIS) is the organisation with a wide membership heavily involved in commercial and other fit-outs. It appears that you could summarise workplace design trends as being greener, healthier and social – at the same time as being relocatable, reuseable, recyclable. A survey by Gensler shows that the best performing companies are the ones who have optimised their office space to create options for focused work, collaboration, leaning and socialising. One of the most interesting is the HQ fit-out for International consultants EC Harris, one of the first companies to move to the Regent Quarter, part of the massive regeneration around London’s King’s Cross Station. The character of the refurbished Victorian buildings is an added attraction and reminder of their involvement in the construction industry. The project won a major award from the British Institute of Facilities Management.
Designed by Swanke Hayden Connell and fitted-out by AIS member Overbury, the concept is based on the ‘Landside/Airside’ approach of airports. Focal hubs and social points were identified as fundamental to increase social interaction between staff and clients together with the greatest flexibility of space. Dedicated client meeting rooms, the café and touchdown working areas all encourage clients, and staff, to use the building openly, flexibly and at their convenience. This is interaction at its ultimate – it has fundamentally affected how the staff work and interact with each other and with their clients.
The challenge was how to achieve a contemporary contrast to the 19th century architecture without detracting from its unique character. In Landside areas, this is achieved with small but vibrant elements of colour and programmable light walls. In the general office space are simple motifs of swirling white lines in vinyl film on red or green walls or used as glazing manifestation. Airside there are clean, neutral colours with a random-laid grey pinstripe pattern carpet to provide visual interest (see image). Desking and task-seating provide effective solutions for workstations with feature pieces of furniture used in high profile areas.
Children are doing it…..
For a long time, I have been harping on and asking why you can’t produce a few templates of ideal schools that work and repeat to greater or lesser adaption across the country – ie why invent the wheel every time? Schooling isn’t about massaging the architects’ ego to look good in the architectural magazines; it’s about teaching and learning and a good teacher can teach in a portacabin. Yes, I am chided by the experts with much exasperation, that may be okay with many pupils, middle and classless and others who actually want to learn, but it sure ain’t going to work in deprived areas like Knowsley with so many social problems and many difficult kids/families.
Here, Knowsley Council needed something very radical. They started with closure of 12 schools, the reappointment of only two of the original 12 headteachers and enormous commitment and thinking outside the box by rather clever people, especially Aedas architects.
The multi-tasking hub, flooded with Kalwall diffused daylighting, at Christ the King School designed by Aedas.
▲
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100