A Vision for Working Life in a Digital Society Henrique Houayek Clemson University, Hde@Clemson.Edu
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Clemson University TigerPrints All Dissertations Dissertations 5-2009 The Animated Work Environment: A Vision for Working Life in a Digital Society Henrique Houayek Clemson University, hde@clemson.edu Follow this and additional works at: https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/all_dissertations Part of the Architecture Commons Recommended Citation Houayek, Henrique, "The Animated Work Environment: A Vision for Working Life in a Digital Society" (2009). All Dissertations. 376. https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/all_dissertations/376 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Dissertations at TigerPrints. It has been accepted for inclusion in All Dissertations by an authorized administrator of TigerPrints. For more information, please contact kokeefe@clemson.edu. THE ANIMATED WORK ENVIRONMENT: A VISION FOR WORKING LIFE IN A DIGITAL SOCIETY A Dissertation Presented to The Graduate School of Clemson University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in Planning, Design and the Built Environment by Henrique Maria de Mendonça Houayek May 2009 Accepted by: Dr. Keith E. Green, School of Architecture, Committee Chair Dr. Ian D. Walker, Electric and Computer Engineer Dr. Ted Cavanagh, School of Architecture ABSTRACT Dramatic transformations in the nature, place and organization of working life due to increasing sophistication and access of information technologies in the United States suggest a redesign of the work environment as a socially and technologically responsive system occupying both home and office. This thesis examines the process of creation of an “Animated Work Environment” [AWE]. A space in the scale of a cubicle envisioned as an environment-as-responsive- robot; an articulated, programmable interior accommodating a range of digital technologies across fluid assemblages of people working with both printed and digital materials in a variety of locations and settings, searching for a potential sensor based architecture interactivity. As part of a transdisciplinary research team coming from the fields of Architecture, Robotics, Sociology and Human Factors Psychology, this thesis explores previous findings from surveys and ethnographic research with communities of highly educated individuals likely to be heavy users of digital technologies and translates it into the design of an animated workstation; an investigation of why, how and what computing possibilities and robotics can be translated into design patterns and possibilities for work environments, generating a new vision for working life in a digital society. This thesis presents AWE’s iterative design process, which includes the design, prototype, construction and evaluation a fully operational workspace configurable in multiple work scenarios. ii In response to these conditions, this thesis proposes to answer the following questions: (1) How can Intelligent Systems, Information Technology and Robotics become design elements in the creation of work environments? (2) How to design technological spaces supporting positive human interaction? (3) What are the metrics to evaluate such a project? This work counterpoints a vision of architecture as static space, configured for pre-determinate functions, proposing instead the creation of a real-time responsive work environment. Presenting users with the possibility to morph and change its spatial configurations according to their needs and moods. A place where the physical environment becomes subject to constant manipulation, to accommodate different use modes and spatial interactions. iii DEDICATION To Paulo, Hugo and Kelly. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This thesis is for me an odyssey. It represents a journey to overcome multiple challenges; as it comes to an end, I would like to take a moment to mention some of the many people who provided support and inspiration along the way. I would like to thank first Dr. Milton Feferman, my Brazilian mentor, for believing in my potential as an architecture student at Rio de Janeiro, encouraging and recommending me to Clemson’s PhD program. I would like to thank all my committee members for their support during all the progress. I am truly indebted to Dr. Keith E. Green, my dedicated advisor and professor for his patience, help and invaluable comments. My acknowledgements to all members of the AWE research, for their work, effort, and imagination, for believing in a vision for working life in a digital society. To all friends, colleagues, professors, and students who supported me here at Clemson University. To Lauren Sandy for helping me with the language issues, and a special thanks to Eduardo Cervo and Danielle Rossi. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Page TITLE PAGE............................................................................................................... i ABSTRACT................................................................................................................ ii DEDICATION........................................................................................................... iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ........................................................................................... v LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................... viii LIST OF FIGURES.................................................................................................... ix CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................... 1 1.1 From Things-To-Do to Things-That-Think..................................... 2 1.2 Critical Analysis and Opportunities ................................................ 3 1.3 Research Questions ........................................................................ 7 1.4 Animated Work Environment: An Overview.................................. 7 II. CONCEPTUAL FOUNDATIONS............................................................12 2.1Working Life and Work Environments Across History...................12 2.2 Technological Approaches To Intelligent Environments................23 III. ARCHITECTURAL ROBOTICS: OPEN, RESPONSIVE AND PERFORMATIVE SYSTEMS...................................................38 3.1“Open” Architecture.......................................................................41 3.2 The “Performative,” Anti-Architectural Object of 1960’s ..............45 3.3 Current Possibilities in Architectural Robotics and Introducing the Animated Work Environment [AWE].............51 IV. THE ANIMATED WORK ENVIRONMENT...........................................55 4.1 My Research Activities in the Animated Work Environment project .....................................................................55 vi Table of Contents (Continued) Page 4.2 Today’s Workplaces and a Response: an Animated Work Environment ...................................................57 4.3 Social Science Research and Findings for an Animated Wok Environment .........................................................59 4.4 Three Concepts for The Robot-Room of AWE ..............................63 4.5 Awe’s Prototype-1 And Three Scenarios .......................................70 4.6 AWE’s Prototype-2 .......................................................................76 4.7 AWE’s Prototype-3 .......................................................................79 4.8 Workstation Design/Realization ..................................................100 4.9 Usability Test Methods................................................................114 V. DESIGN OUTCOMES ...........................................................................126 5.1 A Broad Analysis of Architectural Robotics ..........................126 5.2 An Analysis of Architectural Robotics Based Specifically on Andrew Feenberg’s Theory of Instrumentalization............131 5.3 Success in Design ..................................................................137 5.4 Architectural Robotics and the Redefinition of Architecture and Architectural Education.............................. 141 VI. CONCLUSION.......................................................................................145 6.1 Future Directions...................................................................146 APPENDICES........................................................................................147 A: AWE DESIGN DETAILS .............................................................................148 B: USABILITY EVALUATION DATA ..............................................................154 C: AWE .CCP SCRIPT.....................................................................................162 REFERENCES.........................................................................................................174 vii LIST OF TABLES Table Page 4.1 Voltages and speeds for each motor ........................................................110 4.2 Use of individual AWE work areas. ........................................................123 B.1 Voltages and speeds for each motor ........................................................153 B.2 Paper Spreading......................................................................................154 B.3 Comparison of Computer-Paper Use and Paper Spreading ......................154 B.4 Percentage of total task time using individual workspace areas................157 B.5 Debriefing: Qualitative questionnaire .....................................................160 viii LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1.1 (A) Ratio of microchips