At Work In View, PLASTARC ANFA 2016

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AT W O R K ,
I N V I E W
The C O G N I T I V E S C I E N C E
of W O R K I N G in S P A C E S
w ith T R A N S P A R E N T
B O U N D A R I E S

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Sally Augustin, PhD;
Principal
Design with Science
Kristin Mueller
Design Analyst
PLASTARC
Melissa Marsh, Assoc. AIA;
Founder
PLASTARC
Cassie Hackel
Sociospatial Analyst
PLASTARC
Sasha Ragland
Workplace Researcher
PLASTARC

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So what do we want to know?
Learning objectives for this study.
To better understand how working in visually and acoustically open spaces
influences professional performance
To learn how visually and acoustically open work environments affect
psychological state and about the ramifications of that state
To become familiar with ways that design can support desired, professional
activities in visually and acoustically open environments

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Communicate symbolically
Encourage coordination and communication
Transmit natural light
Provide access to views inside and outside
Awareness (double-edged)
Distraction
Discomfort
Security
Working… and not
Pros and cons to open and transparent spaces

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All factors that need to be filtered through possible solutions to determine the feasibility
Issues to consider
Biophilic design (e.g., prospect and refuge)
Psychological responses to being in view
Effects of shared experiences
Comfortable control
Health and wellbeing
Tasks to be completed

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I N D U S T RY
R E S E A R C H
We examined performance-
related repercussions of open
work through multi-faceted
research.
F I E L D
R E S E A R C H
Research on-location at a
coworking site provided a
diverse base of sectors and
workstyles.
What we studied
and how
Our focus, site, and tools
I N T E R V I E W S
For the backstory on
modifications we conducted a
series of interviews with select
occupants.
O B S E R VAT I O N S
Through a rigorous
documentation process we
studied the count, coverage, and
types of modifications
occupants made to the
transparent walls within their
space.
thru

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COLLABORATIVE HEADS-DOWN/

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Has a lot
to offer
the
group…
but puts
the
individual
at risk

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Awareness (double-edged)
Distraction
Discomfort
Security
Can
transparent
walls help?
Which of these “nots” can be alleviated through
a transparent physical barrier?
Sight lines
Acoustic / Haptic
Barriers
Acoustic / Visual (orientation)

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Field research data players
When we conducted the observations, we collected data on the following elements-
S U R FA C E
S PA C E T Y P E
The transparent surface in
question (wall)
The office/company space type
M O D I F I C AT I O N
The obstruction/imposition
on the transparent surface
D E S K O R I E N TAT I O N S
Differing internal arrangements of space

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Desk Orientation Vocabulary
To see study the bearing transparency might have on desired desk arrangements within
an office, we observed these typologies:

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Surface Types
A breakdown of the possible locations for modifications to transparency
F R O N T I N T E R I O R PA R T Y WA L L
Surface facing public corridor
(generally) transparent wall
Internal dividing surfaces
(generally) transparent wall (in
instances where there is a
room(s) within a company suite
Wall separating one company
from another, faces into another
company/separates one
company workspace from
another, (generally) transparent.

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Front Walls
Surface facing public corridor (generally) transparent wall
No frit at all
Developer-installed frit starting
at 27-28” AFF extending to 51-
52” AFF*
T Y P I C A L C O N D I T I O N
F R E Q U E N T
M O D I F I C AT I O N

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Interior Walls
Internal dividing surfaces (generally) transparent wall (in instances where there is a room(s) within a company suite
black matte storefront at 0” to
27-28” AFF and developer-
installed frit starting at 27-28”
AFF extending to 51-52” AFF*
Developer-installed frit starting
at 51-52” AFF extending to 79-
80” AFF*
T Y P I C A L C O N D I T I O N
O C C A S I O N A L
M O D I F I C AT I O N

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Party Walls
Wall separating one company from another, faces into another company/separates one company
workspace from another, (generally) transparent.
T Y P I C A L C O N D I T I O N
black matte storefront at 0” to
27-28” AFF and developer-
installed frit starting at 27-28”
AFF extending to 51-52” AFF*

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Modification Reasoning
A tagging system was developed for the primary driver behind transparency
modifications at companies -
V I S U A L P R I VA C Y
Some version of screening
applied to the surface and
intended to block the view to /
from.
A C O U S T I C P R I VA C Y
A material with clear acoustic
properties applied to the
surface intended to block noise
to / from.
S PAT I A L N E E D S
Furniture / storage of elements
against the surface where intent
is more clearly simply a lack of
space elsewhere.
B R A N D I N G
Content placed on the surface
that is intended for the external
viewer as a form of
advertisement.
I N T E R N A L C O N T E N T
Content placed on the surface
as resource / working material
for internal teams.
W R I T I N G
Surface used as a working /
sketch surface with internal
content in dry erase.

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S C R E E N I N G
A C O U S T I C
M AT E R I A L S
F U R N I T U R E /
S T O R A G E
B A N N E R S P R I N T- O U T S D RY- E R A S E W R I T I N G
Modification Manifestation
The modifications addressing the needs were demonstrated through observations like this

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Company Space Types
The three study floors held a range of spatial and occupant typologies – 243 units in total
S I N G L E O F F I C E
1 person representing one
company in their own enclosed
workspace, no interior
subdivisions.
(31 observed)
S TA N D A R D S U I T E
2 or more people representing
one company with 1 – 2 interior
enclosed room(s) that can be
used as office, meeting room, or
other (storage, etc.)
M U LT I O F F I C E
2 or more people representing
one company, without interior
enclosed room(s), no interior
subdivisions.
M I X E D S U I T E
2 or more people representing
multiple companies with or
without interior enclosed
room(s) – I think there is only
one example of this on the 9th
and 10th floors (6 observed)(34 observed)
(172 observed)

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Sample Analysis
Composite of those elements investigated at each office.
I N T E R N A L
S PAT I A L
N E E D S
V I S U A L
P R I VA C Y
S TA N D A R D S U I T E
F R O N T
B R A N D I N G

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Average count of modifications in each office type
Modifications are relatively low
FurnitureAcousticScreening WritingContent - InternalContent – Branding
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6
SINGLE OFFICE
MULTI OFFICE
STANDARD SUITE
MIXED SUITE
0.97
1.68
1.68The highest average count
of modification per office
was not even 2

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Visual Privacy
“We hung fabric on the wall to cut
down on the distraction of people
walking by in the hall”
“I don’t like when our neighbors
can see our computer screens,
it is too intimate”
“I like to face the wall because
it is a bit more private”
“We like to face each so we can
see what other team members
are working on and communicate
easily”
Interview Quotes

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Acoustic Privacy
“Our conference room was too
noisy before putting up the fabric”
“Being in the office can be noisy but
can often be solved by just
putting on headphones”
“I don’t care about being overheard
. . . I am more for sharing than
confidentiality”
“We are so loud that we are not
concerned about people hearing us”
Interview Quotes
“The communal space is often
too noisy and distractive for
concentrative work”

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Of observed modifications on a given surface, the percentage breakdown of the count of their instances was:
39%
6%
9%
11%
22%
13%
Modifications and their locations
F R O N T
0%
6%
87%
7%
I N T E R N A L
23%
8%
9%
26%
14%
20%
PA R T Y WA L L
FurnitureAcousticScreening WritingContent - InternalContent – Branding

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41%
4%
16%
11%
7%
21%
Of all glass covered by a modification, the square footage area breakdown was -
Coverage area by modification
FurnitureAcousticScreening WritingContent - InternalContent – Branding
SPATIAL VISUAL41%Nearly half of the area
covered by a modification
was with the intent of visual
obstruction, with spatial
needs coming in second.

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What does it do to you?
Effects of open work
Higher energy levels (and distraction )
Greater awareness of others, with perceived positive professional outcomes
Perceived enhanced professional performance

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THANK YOU!
Sally Augustin, PhD;
Principal
Design with Science
Kristin Mueller
Design Analyst
PLASTARC
This document contains confidential and proprietary information of PLASTARC, Inc. and is to be used by
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© 2016 PLASTARC, Inc. All rights reserved.
PLASTARC
Melissa Marsh, Assoc. AIA;
Founder
PLASTARC
Cassie Hackel
Sociospatial Analyst
PLASTARC
Sasha Ragland
Workplace Researcher
PLASTARC