OPEN PLAN OFFICE FOR ACADEMICS Case Study : KPI Move to VWB1Changing Academic Workplace

By Olivera Katic-Kerzan

Introduction to the King’s College Estate

ORIGINAL PROPOSAL(REJECTED)

VWB1 EXISTING FURNITURE LAYOUT

DESIGN PROPOSAL – KPI MOVE TO VWB11. Proposal

• Open Plan Admin and Academic Offices• 1no Open Plan Senior Academic Office

2. Constraints• Sensitive Information - No privacy• No quiet space for research• No Soft Seating – Waiting Area/ Social Gathering/Rest Area• No flexibility• No meeting room for group discussion/presentation• Too loud – noise disruption

3. Planning Solutions • University’s Standard Academic Space• Proposed Innovative Solution

4. Concept Images• Open Plan Work Environments • Kitchen/Rest Area/Waiting Area• Hot Desks/Meeting Space/Departmental Library• Single Senior Lecturer’s Open Plan Office

KITCHEN – SOCIAL GATHERING/REST AREA/INFORMAL MEETING SPACE

WAITING AREA

HOT DESKS/DEPT. LIBRARY/MEETING RM/PRIVATE STUDY

OPEN PLAN ACADEMIC AND ADMIN OFFICES

OPEN PLAN ACADEMIC AND ADMIN OFFICES

NEW BRIEF

DESIGN BRIEF – PHASE 2 REFURBISHMENT VWB11. Concept• To provide a friendly, open and external facing environment both for the research teams of varying sizes that will be based on the

floor and for senior visiting fellows and dignitaries. We would like to project a ‘think-tank-esque’ image with a transparent, contemporary and ‘buzzy’ design, that makes the best possible use of the natural light on this floor.

• We are looking to create an open plan environment with a small number of single person offices, break-out rooms and meeting rooms. As part of the design we need to ensure that space is available for informal meetings.

• The open plan space should not be organised with regular blocks of facing desks, but be more ‘random’ in layout with cogent groups identifiable through colocation and design. We would like to preserve the sense of space that the large floor with large numbers of windows provides. We would prefer not too many high dividing units in order to preserve a sense of space on the floor.

2. Facilities Required• Five offices • Area (ideally with glass wall) with hot desks, sofas etc., for visiting fellows (at least eight desks) adjacent to the office of the

Director.• Office for Director• Two meeting rooms ( for 25/30 people) suitable for hosting high level dignitaries in, for example, policy round table discussions,

with AV and floor to ceiling whiteboards and nearby kitchen facilities• Open plan reception area with comfortable seating for visitors at south end of floor• Large office for the Media Standards Trust - space for six staff• Area for professional services staff at south end of floor close to reception area.• Open plan space not organised in ‘blocks’ of facing desks• At least two break out rooms for staff from open plan space to use for small meetings• New furniture would be required for all staff Open Plan Admin and Academic Offices• One Open Plan Senior Academic Office

 Jonathan GrantDirector & Professor of Public Policy

The Policy Institute at King’s

THE POLICY INSTITUTE @ KING’SDEPARTMENT GROUPING

Pension Policy Institute (PPI)

14

Social Care Workforce Research Unit (SCWRU)

19

Humanitarian Futures Programme (HFP)

6

International Centre for Security Analysis (ICSA)

15

UK in a Changing Europe (ESRC)

8

Ramphal Institute5

Media Standards Trust (MST)

6

King’s Policy Institute (KPI) – Core staff

13

International Centre for University Policy Research

(ICUPR)3

Professional Services9

Visiting Fellows8

Total Floor Area: 1040m2

Total Number of People: 106

NEW PROPOSAL

DESIGN STAGES1. Zoning and Grouping discussed and agreed with the Director

• 12 Max-packs proposed (approx. 2 months)

2. Working with Departments• Getting a brief from the Head of Department• Requirements discussed in detail• Proposal issued including design solution suggestions• Revisions requested • Final revision signed off

3. Design Process• Working with one Department at a time• Understanding client’s needs, values and priorities• Any special needs and requirements• The nature of research of the department• Need for meeting space, privacy and confidentiality• Storage and library space• Understanding grouping within teams• Regular meetings with the Director and Project team

4. Final Proposal Signed Off (20th Revision)

VIRGINIA WOOLF BUILDING LEVEL 1APPROVED PROPOSAL

VIRGINIA WOOLF BUILDING LEVEL 1DEPARTMENT GROUPING

Pension Policy Institute (PPI)14

Social Care Workforce Research Unit (SCWRU)

19

Humanitarian Futures Programme (HFP)

6

International Centre for Security Analysis (ICSA)

15

UK in a Changing Europe (ESRC)

8

Ramphal Institute5

Media Standards Trust (MST)6

King’s Policy Institute (KPI) – Core staff

13

International Centre for University Policy Research (ICUPR)

3

Professional Services9

Visiting Fellows8

NORTH END VWB1 AGREED/APPROVED LAYOUT

SOUTH END VWB1 AGREED/APPROVED LAYOUT

STORAGES & SIDE FILLERS - TAYLOR MADE

Side fillers and storages

act as a cable management

KITCHEN – SOCIAL GATHERING/INFORMAL MEETING/REST AREA

ESRC, ICSA, HFP & SCWRU DEPARTMENTS

ESRC, ICSA, HFP & SCWRU DEPARTMENTS

INTERNATIONAL CENTRE & KPI DEPARTMENTS

MAIN RECEPTION

INTERNATIONAL CENTRE & KPI DEPARTMENTS

INTERNATIONAL CENTRE & KPI DEPARTMENTS

LARGE MEETING ROOM

VISITING FELLOWS AREA

FINAL OUTCOME

KPI, PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, ICUPR DEPARTMENTS & VISITING FELLOWS AREA

MEETING ROOMS,KITCHEN, POD & MAIN RECEPTION

ESRC, ICSA, HFP & SCWRU DEPARTMENTS

PPI & SCWRU DEPARTMENTS, LIBRARY & KITCHEN

OPEN PLAN OFFICE FOR ACADEMICSLESSONS LEARNED

1. Get the Decision Maker on your side

2. Understand your client, their needs and requirements

3. Define the need in order to find the solution quicker

4. Include Academics in your project

• Design process

• Decision making

• Ask what they want to achieve

• Values and priorities

• Approval

5. Process is time consuming, cannot be rushed

POST-OCUPANCY FEEDBACKQ&A’s

1.    What is your personal opinion of the design process and of the final outcome? 

Excellent – the designer delivered the brief of creating an open, transparent, creative space.

2.    How did your academic staff feel about the proposed scheme and how well did they settle into the new working environment?  

To begin with there was some uncertainty, but now people are settled in and there are no negative comments.

3.    What are your favourite features? 

The space, light and colour scheme.

4.    What could have been done better? 

The only thing that could have been improved is if everything could have been completed in a shorter time frame.

5.    Do you have further comments on any aspect of the project? 

Overall the project went very well.  We are all delighted with the outcome.

 Jonathan GrantDirector & Professor of Public Policy

The Policy Institute at King’s

• King’s has acquired the Bush House Building (ex BBC World Service and 2 neighbouring buildings, providing approx 30,000 sqm NUA of space for expansion.

• We are currently working with the faculties to ensure that lessons learned in this project are carried forward.

NEXT STEPS

THANK YOU