The writing is on the wall
Posted on May 10, 2009
Filed Under Managing Environments
In Saturday May 9th’s Globe & Mail there is a “Blueprint for Prosperity” by Tavia Grant. She outlines 3 building design themes that successful organizations have adopted or will adopt: Going Green, Close Quareters, and Lifespaces. Going Green is pretty straight forward, it’s the latter two that I think might be a bit more of a challenge for libraries.
If you didn’t click through and read the brief article, or listen to her podcast, I’ll give you the quick notes. She attributes increased innovation and communication to close quarters. Google Inc. uses open floor plans, desks arranged in pods, and gatherings over free lunches in the cafeterias as a way to bring people and ideas together.
Lifespaces, are “versatile, comfortable and homey public spaces” or “community hubs” and can be found at companies such as MediaCom canada’s Toronto office which includes “an airy, open-concept bistro” where people from different departments can meet in a common area promoting better communications, an exciting atmosphere, and increased productivity.
It’s very exciting to think about some of these ideas as our libraries, particularly our regional headquarters and central libraries, try to reimagine their physical public spaces to better serve our communities. Unfortunately I haven’t heard many library discussions about redesigning work areas so we serve our communities better - I’m sure they are happening, just not very loudly.
Well I do run across the occasional library reference to work areas, Stephen Abrahm shared a great product in his post Cool Paint.
Use IdeaPaint to transform office walls, desks, and hallways into collaborative spaces. With IdeaPaint, work environments become areas of increased functionality that evoke creativity and impromptu teamwork and cultivate innovation by providing a dry-erase writing surface without seams, borders, or restrictions. IdeaPaint can be used in a myriad of ways including in open work areas, conference rooms, offices, hallways, and even on columns.
I’m so keen on it I’m going to use it at home - not sure for what. I just like the idea of writing big and messy all over the wall and then wiping it clean!
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2 Responses to “The writing is on the wall”
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So cool! My idea of a dream workspace has been somewhere with comfortable chairs, good coffee, music, flipcharts and markers - I now revise this to IdeaPainted walls - and folks that would participate in the idea creations!
I believe the whole aspect of visual learning and creativity is increasingly eroded in “traditional” work environments. Bring on the changes…
Hi! I stumbled across your blog by accident, but I am so excited because I want to be a librarian eventually. I live in Victoria, and we have a library branch which is sort of organized like a ‘lifespace’. Check it out!
http://gvpl.ca/about_the_library/branches_and_hours/Goudy_Branch.php
http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=ea7b9f00-08e3-4304-8ff0-3b887a595c57