Letters to the EditorOpen Plan or Closed Offices?
The Discussion ContinuesJan Johnson's excellent article in the May 2003 issue may have missed one important middle ground point in the private office versus open plan debate that would actually integrate the work of Mike Brill and Frank Becker: the notion of group or team office design.I worked closely with Mike Brill until his tragic death last year and became convinced that BOSTI's research findings regarding office workers' desire for more workspace enclosure are valid. Mike would have been the first person, however, to point out that more enclosure is needed for both individual and group work activities. He also said "open plan does not an open organization make," meaning that taking down all of the walls is not the way to foster open communications and teamwork in an organization.I'm also familiar with Frank Becker's research regarding the growing need for all types of organizations to provide improved physical support for teamwork. But I don't think his findings are a recommendation for using open plan systems furniture either. And I've been convinced since conducting my own office environment research in the mid-1980s that open plan and systems furniture actually hinder teamwork, rather than support it.To a growing number of office interior design professionals, the effective middle ground is group or team office design, with strong emphasis on the use of enclosure to surround group and/or individual work activity, as the work analysis would dictate. Of course, there are many ways to accomplish this type of design that could not be detailed in this letter, but the fundamental point is that team space design principles can integrate the great work of Mike Brill and Frank Becker.
The Discussion ContinuesJan Johnson's excellent article in the May 2003 issue may have missed one important middle ground point in the private office versus open plan debate that would actually integrate the work of Mike Brill and Frank Becker: the notion of group or team office design.I worked closely with Mike Brill until his tragic death last year and became convinced that BOSTI's research findings regarding office workers' desire for more workspace enclosure are valid. Mike would have been the first person, however, to point out that more enclosure is needed for both individual and group work activities. He also said "open plan does not an open organization make," meaning that taking down all of the walls is not the way to foster open communications and teamwork in an organization.I'm also familiar with Frank Becker's research regarding the growing need for all types of organizations to provide improved physical support for teamwork. But I don't think his findings are a recommendation for using open plan systems furniture either. And I've been convinced since conducting my own office environment research in the mid-1980s that open plan and systems furniture actually hinder teamwork, rather than support it.To a growing number of office interior design professionals, the effective middle ground is group or team office design, with strong emphasis on the use of enclosure to surround group and/or individual work activity, as the work analysis would dictate. Of course, there are many ways to accomplish this type of design that could not be detailed in this letter, but the fundamental point is that team space design principles can integrate the great work of Mike Brill and Frank Becker.
Hank de Cillia, Principal
De Cillia Associates, Inc.
Sag Harbor, NY