A Study on Workers' Pattern of Space Use in Workplaces by Using Sensor Network

• 作 者: Zhang Xinnan Yuan Yiqian Munemoto Junzo
• 机 构: School of Architecture,Tianjin University,P.R.China 300072
• 出 处: 11th International Symposium on Environment‐Behavior Researc
• 发表日期: 2014年3期
• 关键词: Big Open Workplace Partition Walls Staying Behavior Oral Communication Behavior

　　This study compared workersspace use and verbal communication patterns in a big open plan workplace without partition walls (WOP) and a workplace in which partition walls (WP) separated the specialty spans.In the study,it was ascertained how differendy workers used the space of each workplace,and the different space use and verbal communication characteristics were clarified in terms of the workersposts and specialties.The study findings are summarized as follows:In both the WP and WOP workplaces,workers spent over 55% of the time staying at the "Own-Seat Nearby" of the "Work Territory",where around 50% of their verbal communication time was spent;with following the " Meeting Space" in the " Public Territory",where over 20.8% of workersverbal communication time was spent.Compared to workers in the WP workplace in terms of duration rate,workers in the WOP workplace stayed 3.5% more and orally communicated 5.1% more in the "Other Specialty" ranges.At the same time,the proportion of their verbal communication when staying at the "Own-Seat Nearby" was 13.6% more.One important innovative rationale for not using partition walls in a big open plan workplace is to promote communication between workers.This study revealed that there was a higher degree of worker communication in the space without partition walls,as concluded in Section 1.The detailed findings for the characteristics of workersspace use and verbal communication in terms of post and specialty will be helpful in improving the current layout of territorial workplaces.For example,project leadersworkstations should be located close to the meeting space,since this would make it more convenient for them visit and stay there.In addition,one meeting space should be added beside the architecture design spans,or the relaxation space could be transformed into a meeting space,in order to make it more convenient for the architecture design staff to communicate there.Finally,a mixed arrangement of different specialties in the same span in a workplace without partition walls may increase the communication between workers.