Counting the number of users is not a matter of cell offices

This response comes because cellular versus open-plan offices has come up in inquiries to the project leader from concerned staff.

Information meetings about the campus development planwill be held on both campuses on Friday. 

Campus Kristiansand Friday 20 September at 12:00 in Auditorium B3 001

Campus Grimstad Friday 20 September at 14:00 in Auditorium A2 085

“Counting the number of users has nothing to do with the construction of the new top floors at Campus Kristiansand. In the two remaining buildings – H and I – a parallel project on the workspace of the future is underway, where the possibility to test a variety of ways of working will be evaluated. The goal is to design the buildings in cooperation with the users, but whether the pilot will be launched depends on the active participation of the staff. This project is independent of the campus development project, but the Norwegian Directorate of Public Construction and Property and Signal, who work on the campus development plan, participate here as well. It is also a matter of expanding the knowledge about user preferences”, Kulien says.  

The questionnaire initiates the extensive information gathering. Several workshops will take place in the autumn, and everyone is invited to ask questions, pitch ideas and give suggestions on the campus development plan page.  

User participation

“User participation is essential to the H- and I-project, precisely because we want to reach the best possible solutions for those who will be working there, now and in the future. The participation of users is exactly what will help us find solutions that work”, says Kulien.

Still, we cannot get away from the fact that the campus development plan must give consideration to national guidelines from the ministry and parliament which require more efficient use of the space. This is why it is so important that the users get involved so we can find solutions that will serve the purpose.

Extensive information gathering

The campus development project is an overarching project which will discuss an overarching framework for long-term solutions in dialogue with the users. That is why students, academic and technical-administrative staff will be asked to respond to the questionnaire, where each group in addition to general questions receives questions which will provide information about the group’s special needs.

The campus development project has adopted a wide range of methods, both quantitative and qualitative, depending on which overall questions we seek answers to, to collect as extensive information as possible. Our approach is open and exploratory. It has not been decided which principles will be used for the future design of buildings and other spaces. 

Involvement in the campus development project:

• The surveys consist of gathering data from the questionnaire, observing building and space usage, and dialogue-based methods like workshops, interviews and focus groups .
• The questionnaire, which was sent this week to students and staff at both campuses, intends to map how users experience the current campus layout.  
• Observations of how the various kinds rooms are being used during a ‘typical’ week (teaching rooms, auditoria, group study rooms and meeting rooms, as well as offices, both during normal usage in the middle of the semester and in the exams period). Her we will do descriptive counts of presence in the various types of rooms.
• Workshops to work on and discuss strategic objectives such as goals and needs, but also thematic workshops connected to defined focus areas we want to study more closely.
• Focus groups and interviews with various stakeholders and key individuals which will give us necessary information.
• The project attaches great importance to dialogue with everyone involved – student representatives, employee representatives and the management among others are actively involved in the project management and execution.