THE JOINT: Furniture Design Learning Incubator

Abstract

Each typology of workspace has its own particular requirements in terms of its design, equipment ergonomics and layout that should must respond to the various needs and should be able to adapt different conditions. Such specifications vary from profession to profession, but overall any workspace should not only be efficient in its physical and practical use but should also have a better impact on the psychological and bodily health of the worker. Work environments for any field of work grow organically by developing a culture for its users that translates the pattern of work into spatial terms. A successful workspace is a place that connects all its users as one community for better and efficient development of working culture in which there is a balance between individualized working spaces that from a whole communal democratized working environment. It is a personal observation that the workspaces used by individuals of similar professions but different working classes have contrast in terms of their practical usage as well as the spatial experience. This concept can be understood by taking an example of the dissimilarity between the workspaces used by a fashion designer and a tailor, although both professionals produce similar products. When comparing these spaces it is observed that there is an architectural need to design spaces for interaction and collaboration of professionals belonging to such similar fields. The objective of this thesis is to challenge the architectural norms of workspaces by merging or integrating working conditions and experiences of different working classes together by incubating them in one built environment. This can be beneficial in terms of generate a collaborative learning environment for the users. The building typology selected for the thesis is of a "Wooden Furniture Designing and Decorative Arts Institute". The thesis aims to derive new experiential spaces by merging the workspaces of artists/designers and of local craftsman together and creating a furniture design-learning environment for the local public.