DESIGNING FOR THE NEW GENERATION WORKSPACES: CONSIDERATIONS OF DESIGNERS


Tezin Türü: Yüksek Lisans

Tezin Yürütüldüğü Kurum: Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, Mimarlık Fakültesi, Endüstriyel Tasarım Bölümü, Türkiye

Tezin Onay Tarihi: 2018

Tezin Dili: İngilizce

Öğrenci: PINAR ŞİMŞEK

Danışman: Harun Kaygan

Özet:

Along with the changes in information and communication technologies, working without time and location constraints, which is also called as new ways of working, has necessitated a revision of the physical workspaces. In order to make the new ways of working and the workspaces compatible, creating 'the new generation workspaces' has become a common trend. Although the topic has gained an importance in academic studies, none of them have dealt with furniture used in such spaces as an important actor in the creation of physical space. This thesis examines this gap by exploring the designers' office furniture design considerations for the new generation workspaces with the aim of understanding the associations between office furniture design and new work practices. The fieldwork of the thesis consists of interviews with professional product designers who design furniture for new generation workspaces. Based on the fieldwork findings, four main conclusions were offered. Firstly, designers consider that defining and providing the requirements for new generation workspaces to be compatible with new work practices are under their responsibility. Secondly, designers believe that increasing the creativity of the employees is their duty. Therefore, they shape their product design processes accordingly. Thirdly, by using office furniture design language as a tool, they aim to ensure that the work is perceived as a non-mandatory but a desired activity. And finally, they aim to manage the bodies of the employees through the office furniture they design to create behaviors, which are thought to contribute to creativity in the new generation workspaces.