Exercise 16: Exploring Function

For this exercise I decided to look at the office of a friend and neighbour of mine who runs a Tree Surgeon business. His office needs to have the following features:

• space for John to work in peace and quiet;
• space for John and his brother/partner to work together and also for Sharon the accountant who comes in once a week;
• space for filing;
• some storage space;
• toilet and facility for making drinks etc;
• heating.

In many ways the property meets these needs although it is a small industrial unit designed for use as a workshop but adapted by John to use as an office. Consequently one wall in the outer office is made of a rolled shutter which is not ideal and heating is minimal as it is designed for people being active. There is however the flexibility to have an inner office (John's preserve for quiet work) and a larger outer office/workshop where Jim, when he is in the office, Sharon and occasionally John are able to work together. The property does have a toilet facility and a small kitchen.

In the pictures below I have tried to show both inner and outer office. The first larger image shows John working in the inner office and both he and the room are pleasingly lit with light coming through the window in front of him. I have been able to show the filing cabinet and drawing board behind him. The outer office can be seen behind him.The shot below shows both John and Jim at work in the outer office.