Multi-Coloured Place: Social Connections, Spaces and Purposes in the Chinese Work Environment

Abstract

In China, due to economic restrictions, architectural forms are designed using the three typical characteristics of “high efficiency, low investment, and fast renewal”. The value of labour is far greater than the appreciation of the building envelope. China does not have the time or energy to devote to environmental factors relating to the surroundings of new architectural developments. This problem raises important research questions to be explored in this thesis investigation. Can the goal of “high efficiency” be consistent or balance with “high quality”? Using a real project being developed in China, the thesis investigates the potentials of architecture as a cultural and social product engaging the public community within the Chinese workspace. The selected project is the third phase of Changping Software Park (CS&S) in Beijing, China. The thesis challenges how social and environmental imperatives essential to architecture can be productively applied to resolve the Chinese workspace condition. The aim is to uncover opportunities for architecture to actively reflect and enhance natural interactions in the workplace of China. Overall the research suggests a new type of office building system is possible and even desirable for those working in China.