Thinking about 'the membrane'

I was thinking about an organic was that the 'cell's could be separated from each other, getting inspiration from nature.

Cell 'Membranes'

I started playing around with the idea of cell membranes, to see how they could join with other 'cells' (working stations) and allow communication when desired, but still be able to be closed off when privacy was prefered.

Cells

As I was thinking about all the things this desk needs to be for the worker, it came to my mind that it is like a working cell, with the worker being the nucleur, and the membrane being a dividing wall that separates the cells from each other. The cells together then make an organism, which is the company.

I started thinking of this desk design by drawing inspiration from cells.

The cells are not rectangular in shape, yet they pack together so efficiently.



 

 

 

The Membrane

 

The membrane wall inspired me to think of how there could be a wall in the office dividing the individual 'cells' - sometimes blocking them off completely, but other times alloing exchange of communication

 

Motion Caption Results

After carried out the experiment and viewing the video of the dots. I derived an image that shows all the dots - showing where most activity occurs and the extents of the activity.


From this a drew around the dots for the optimum desk shape.

Arriving at what I believe is the optimum desk shape that fir well around the user, while at the same time can easily be assembled side by side other desks.

Motion Caption

When thinbking about how to redesign the desk to make it most suitable for the user I needed to find a way that would help me work out a desk shape. To find out what movements are most common around the desk and from there to find out what shape of the desk is most beneficial and efficient, we carried out an experiment using technology for motion caption animation.

The equipment used was from the UCLAN Media Factory and I was the subject.

We set up a prop table with a diagram on it of where you would find the computer screen, keyboard, mouse, telephone, cup of coffee and some trays with files.

I carried out a series of actions that an ordinary person would do sitting at a desk. These movements were recorded and video was produced with the captured moving dots.

The series of actions I carried out were the following:

- Typing
- Moving keyboard closer and further away
- Drinking Coffee
- Moving coffee mug from place to place
- Moving in closer to screen to see something better
- Moving mouse
- Reaching for files
- Opening files and looking through them
- Sharpening pencil in bin
- Writing something
- Opening drawers
- Getting up and walking away, around the table

Organic Shapes

The shapes shown on this site are very organic and the colours used appear soothing and relaxing. This inspires me to design an office that would have a similar effect.

Round Rotating Pedestal

I was thinking it would be innovative to design an office pedestal where the drawers rotate out rather than pull out, in order to divert away from the rectangular standard systems. However, I discovered that a rotating pedestal requires more space to open the drawer up fully that the standard type with pull out drawers. For my design the standard drawers are more practical to use.

Organic Design

This desk strikes me as a very practical design as it’s all made of one material and one part. It looks simple, yet modern and organic, making it more user friendly.

This sort of design forms a cell unit which would store and separate from others the environment that the user creates. 

The Baobab Desk by Philippe Starck

Click here for more information about this desk

Round Shaped Desks

These desks are interesting because they are more organic in shape and are more along the lines of suiting and working around the person rather than around the building.

Click here for more round desk combinations

'Fetch' - A moveable Pedestal

'Fetch' is a pedestal on wheels, that can easily be moved from place to place with a handle that opens out and closes in neatly. In this pedestal the files and other belongings and be safely locked up.

Click here for more information and dimentions of 'Fetch'


When not in use it is stored in a shared shelving system with other pedestals like it.

Click here for more information on the storage system for the pedestals

Storage Solutions

Hot Desking Storage Box

As workers share the desks in the office, they cannot store their belonging in those desks as they may be using a different dest from day to day. Storage boxes such as the ones in the images below can savely be locked up and moved from desk to desk.

Click here for more information on these boxes.

Dividers - Space and Sound

Felt movebale dividing walls

Felt with storage

Algae Vitra

Felt Tiles

Vitra Algae System

Grass Plant Division

These are wall dividers which were suggested by the RSA as possible solutions to the noise problems of open plan offices, space dividers and making the office look more attractive.

Saving Space

Portable Pods

The Northern Lights at UCLan helps students who are starting out their own businesses. They can hire out these pods and keep their belongings in them and lock them up with a key. When they are away from the office the pods are closed and pushed to one side. When they are in the office they open them up, which is when they take up most space. This is very practical for a place such as this as the occupiers of the desk can still keep all their filing and belongings in the desk, but when the desk is not in use the space is not wasted.

Follow this link to view the Northern Lights portable pods


Portable Desk Systems

Below is another example of a desking system that can be closed and pushed to the side when not in use. However, with this example, if they are away, the space their desk is occupying and the desk space itself is wasted as no one else can use it. The example above has an advantage that it occupies less space when it is not used.

Click here to see more about this desk

Thinking about Collaboration

A collaboration desk where employees can share their ideas is very important. The problem is that throughout the day they are left vacant for many hours and waste space. A possible solution is to have a collaboration table that can be pulled out of a desk when needed and is near to the employers work and computer screen where ideas can easily be shown to the co-worker.

Possibility of having a collaborating table turn out of the desk when it is needed, but used as additional desk surface when not needed.

 

Looking at Common Desk Layouts

Rectangular Desks

Rectangular desks, use least amount of space, but look very user-unfriendly and strict with sharp corners. These desks are built to fit the building efficiently and the user is suppose to adjust to the desk. What about putting the user first and having desks that fit around the user and their needs. How would the form of the desk look then?

Nuclear Desk Layout

Nuclear Layout. Creates a more dynamic feel to the office. Uses more space than rectangular desks, but still relatively compact in the way they fit together. These desk layouts take inspiration from the way cells fit together, and are more organic than the rectangular desks. However, the materials used and the general appearance of the desk is still very rigid and not very appealing to the user.

Corner Desk

Less usable space than rectangular desks, as space behind the monitor is wasted. However, everything is more within reach for the user.

Tomorrow's Workplace Overview

After researching and visiting the RBS offices, it appears that there is a challenging demand to improve the working environment. Throughout designing for Tomorrow’s Workplace it will be important to keep in mind the following key points and to refer to them throughout the process.
Key points to remember:

1. Optimum space usage

2. Innovative desk design (user friendly)

3. Barriers for privacy and sound reduction

4. Allows communication between co-workers

5. Collaboration places that don’t waste space when not used

6. Adjustable for personalization

7. Storage of personal belongings

8. Control over own environment (heating, lighting)

Blog recap

For this project I started writing a blog in tumblr, but something went wrong with my account and it can only be viewed, but in order to edit anything on it it causes my computer to freeze. Due to this, I am starting the blog again. To begin with, the following posts will be a recap of what I had mentioned previously, until I have caught up with today and then will carry on writing as the project progresses.

To view the old blog please visit:
www.alisasouslova.tumblr.com