Reflections of environmental management implementation in furniture

The purpose of this paper is to present an overview of environmental management initiatives in the furniture retail area. The specific aim is to present reflections of participants implementing environmental initiatives in an Australian furniture retailer, Living Edge, in alignment with a secondary snapshot of environmental initiatives from other furniture retailers. Design/methodology/approachPrimary reflections from the retailer’s manager and external consultant, both involved in the implementation of environmental initiatives, are enriched with secondary review of environmental management system trends and examples from regions active in the designer furniture sector, including Europe, Southeast Asia and North America. FindingsAn integrated view has been distilled around environmental impact in the furniture supply chain and consumer pressure to minimise the impact. Stakeholders require furniture retailers to improve efficiency and profitability amid the countervailing market demand for environmental sustainability. Retailers may seek competitive advantage through effectively applied and communicated environmental management. The voluntary adoption of systems, international standards and innovative practices that conserve natural resources are amongst the key to success. A live case example of Australian experience is added to the knowledge base for the global retail furniture industry. Research limitations/implicationsOne Australian retailer is exemplified to highlight the lived experiences of implementing environmental initiatives. The secondary global review presents a cross-section rather than an in-depth analysis of furniture sector retailers. Originality/valueThere are limited Australian perspectives of designer furniture and its intersection with environmental issues, thus, the paper addresses this gap in the literature and adds to informed practice in a global industry.

Extensive, economical and elegant : the habitus of gentility in early nineteenth century Sydney

This paper challenges the modern expectation that mahogany furniture and silver cutlery were self-evident indicators of gentry status in colonial Sydney through close analysis of a bundle of middle class household inventories of the 1840s. They are considered as evidence of habitus--the structuring interaction of mentality with the material world--in order to demonstrate the active principle of consumption in the claim or assertion of bourgeois standing, which was particularly lively in the colony. A range of competences can he seen in the practice of gentility, which suggests that the possession of rosewood rather than mahogany, or imitation silver rather than sterling, was a variation shaped not merely by wealth but by cultural capital. This exposes strands of contingency, competition and compromise in middle class expression.

User participation in the performance assessment of school buildings : a study of six primary schools in the Bellarine Peninsula region

Young children spend a significant portion of their lives at primary school. This research traces the development of school facilities in Victoria and examines the performance of six primary schools from the users' perspective. Performance assessments were carried out using participatory evaluation methods that included Touring Interviews with small groups of students aged from six to twelve years. The study found that participatory evaluation methods with both student and staff users generate significant information to improve school facilities. User comments were analysed with respect to 14 aspects of building quality and serviceability including character, thermal environment, privacy and flexibility. The study concludes that school buildings do not meet a number of key user requirements. Children expressed dissatisfaction with furniture and equipment in their classrooms and the playground, and to a lesser extent with student toilets, security of their school bags and personal privacy. Staff were dissatisfied with the provision of withdrawal areas and specialist spaces. Department of School Education facilities guidelines do not address the concerns of school users or meet user needs.

Glassimations

Glassimations, an exhibition of contemporary Australian artworks that bridge the materials of glass and animation to produce works with qualities that are unique to these two mediums and yet create a dialogue between them. The exhibition includes the work of a variety of artists. Lee Whitmore paints on glass to achieve an animated image that metamorphs with its own unique movement; Tom Moore animates his blown glass creations into their own world; Deirdre Feeney animates onto her glass architectural forms to produce places of light that condense time and are full of intangible narrative; Mark Eliott and Jack McGrath collaborate to bring their understanding and skills of glass and animation together, creating works that are founded in the production processes of both materials; and Lienors Torre and Alastair Boell collaborate to create animated films that become objects of glass and furniture, able to occupy real spaces in our domestic lives.

Vivienne screaming

Displayed during the Glassimations Exhibition at Deakin University Art Gallery 6 Jun - 14 Jul 2013

Library spaces designed with students in mind: an evaluation study of University of Queensland libraries at St Lucia campus

This paper identifies the design qualities of library spaces that matter the most foruniversity students. Drawing upon the data from an online survey made available to students from the University of Queensland, Australia, a number of design-related considerations are examined including: acoustics, furniture, interior architecture, lighting, and thermal comfort. 1505 students completed the survey, which aimed to assess how effective and responsive library spaces are in meeting students’ needs and supporting their learning experiences. The survey included ‘Likert scale questions’ requiring students to rate their levels of satisfaction with different aspects of library spaces and ‘open-ended questions’ asking students to elucidate their ratings. Findings revealed that the qualities of physical spaces were ranked as the third mostsignificant category of reasons accounting for students’ preference for certain library buildings over others, and for their frequency of visit (behind “location” of the library building and then “access to books and course-related materials or resources”). Design-related themes which emerged from qualitative analysis highlighted students’ awareness of the impacts that the design of spaces and furniture can have on their learning experiences. The study concludes with recommendations informed by students’ expectations, needs and preferences in relation to the qualities and features of library spaces.

Evaluation of University of Queensland Library Spaces: three case studies at St Lucia Campus

Introduction: The paper reports on an evaluation study of spaces in the Social Sciences and Humanities (SSHL), Biological Sciences (BSL) and Walter Harrison Law (WHLL) Libraries of the University of Queensland (UQ). The study was part of an evaluation of the quality and patterns of use of spaces in UQ libraries, which aimed to propose recommendations for future improvements and decision-making. This paper presents a study of areas of weakness in existing SSHL spaces, and impacts of the refurbishment of spaces at BSL and WHLL on students’ experiences. The findings evidence a link between students’ learning experiences and the quality of library spaces.Methods: An online survey, “Students’ Experiences and Perceptions of Library Physical Spaces”, was designed to collect data from students. The survey questions addressed seven topics: (1) overall satisfaction with spaces in the UQ Libraries; (2) welcoming nature of the library entry; (3) lighting; (4) acoustics; (5) furniture; (6) wayfinding; and (7) preferences for different space types in the library.Results: 1505 students completed the surveys, with 1098 responses recorded to open-ended questions on why students visited the libraries and the physical characteristics of the spaces that influenced their experiences. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of the data elucidated key design challenges and considerations. In particular, the data suggested that the provision of individual quiet study spaces remains an important role of academic libraries, with Studying Alone identified as the most important reason for student visits.Conclusions: The findings highlight the importance of individual study spaces and propose a number of recommendations in relation to physical space design and management.Relevance: Academic libraries face the challenge to keep pace with change in relation to students’ demographics, pedagogy and technology. In doing so, it is important to have an understanding of the evolving patterns of students’ learning behaviours, space uses and preferences through ongoing evaluation of library spaces.

Op-Objects

The work relates to Australian history in that it reconfigures the found objects - furniture, paintings and narratives - to move implicate the viewer in unexpected ways.

Adolescent identity formation and the school environment

The chapter presents an interpretation of identity formation during adolescence that informs the development of school environments which are responsive to adolescents’ developmental needs. A review of literature on adolescent identity formation and schooling for identity development was conducted to set the grounds for further exploration of design-related implications of adolescent identity formation for schools’ physical environments. The chapter opens with a review of some definitions and theories of identity formation and crucial factors and experiences involved in this developmental task of adolescence. Implications of the processes of identity formation for education of adolescents are then explored. Analysing and synthesising the outcomes of the two strands of literature review, two key characteristics of schools that support adolescent identity formation are identified and associated factors and issues elaborated. Three major processes involved in adolescent identity formation are identified: (1) separation orindividuation process; (2) social integration or relational connectedness; and (3) developmental exploration. Schools that contribute to these identity formation processes are suggested to have two characteristics: (1) they have a supportive school environment addressing adolescents’ needs for individuation and social integration; and (2) they offer opportunities to adolescents fordevelopmental exploration. The chapter continues with examining implications of these characteristics for physical spaces of schools through a review of research and practices of learning space design. Four secondary schools in Australia which represented an innovative approach to learning space design are considered as case studies to provide insights into the design-related implications of adolescent identity formation and better understand issues and challenges associated with them. The chapter concludes with proposing five design principles which supports adolescent identity development through contributing to processes involved in identity formation: (1) downsizing schools or adopting design strategies to support the idea of smallness; (2) creating social spaces; (3) maximising flexibility; (4) addressing considerations for design and arrangement of furniture; and (5) promoting transparency and visual connections.

Feasibility and acceptability of reducing workplace sitting time: a qualitative study with Australian office workers

BACKGROUND: Office workers spend a large proportion of their working hours sitting. This may contribute to an increased risk of chronic disease and premature mortality. While there is growing interest in workplace interventions targeting prolonged sitting, few qualitative studies have explored workers' perceptions of reducing occupational sitting outside of an intervention context. This study explored barriers to reducing office workplace sitting, and the feasibility and acceptability of strategies targeting prolonged sitting in this context.

METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a convenience sample of 20 office workers (50 % women), including employees and managers, in Melbourne, Australia. The three organisations (two large, and one small organisation) were from retail, health and IT industries and had not implemented any formalised approaches to sitting reduction. Questions covered barriers to reducing sitting, the feasibility of potential strategies aimed at reducing sitting, and perceived effects on productivity. Interviews were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. Data were analysed using thematic analysis.

RESULTS: Participants reported spending most (median: 7.2 h) of their working hours sitting. The nature of computer-based work and exposure to furniture designed for a seated posture were considered to be the main factors influencing sitting time. Low cost strategies, such as standing meetings and in-person communication, were identified as feasible ways to reduce sitting time and were also perceived to have potential productivity benefits. However, social norms around appropriate workplace behaviour and workload pressures were perceived to be barriers to uptake of these strategies. The cost implications of height-adjustable workstations influenced perceptions of feasibility. Managers noted the need for an evidence-based business case supporting action on prolonged sitting, particularly in the context of limited resources and competing workplace health priorities.

CONCLUSIONS: While a number of low-cost approaches to reduce workplace sitting are perceived to be feasible and acceptable in the office workplace, factors such as work demands and the organisational social context may still act as barriers to greater uptake. Building a supportive organisational culture and raising awareness of the adverse health effects of prolonged sitting may be important for improving individual-level and organisational-level motivation for change.

The lost room

Solid cast glass house, polished and sandblasted with cast glass furniture and mirrored walls. Metal stand with light fitting. "Two seperate spaces: a hidden interior extends into infinity; a visually transparent but material house form radiates a third space, an exterior scene of a forest. The three places co-exist within the one object, their boundaries blurred."

Impact of an 8-month trial using height-adjustable desks on children's classroom sitting patterns and markers of cardio-metabolic and musculoskeletal health

During school hours, children can sit for prolonged and unbroken periods of time. This study investigated the impact of an 8-month classroom-based intervention focusing on reducing and breaking-up sitting time on children's cardio-metabolic risk factors (i.e., body mass index, waist circumference, blood pressure) and perceptions of musculoskeletal discomfort. Two Year-6 classes (24 students per class) in one primary school were assigned to either an intervention or control classroom. The intervention classroom was equipped with height-adjustable desks and the teacher was instructed in the delivery of pedagogical strategies to reduce and break-up sitting in class. The control classroom followed standard practice using traditional furniture. At baseline, and after 8-months, time spent sitting, standing, stepping, and sitting-bouts (occasions of continuous sitting) as well as the frequency of sit-to-stand transitions were obtained from activPAL inclinometers and the time spent in light-intensity physical activity was obtained from ActiGraph accelerometers. Demographics and musculoskeletal characteristics were obtained from a self-report survey. Hierarchical linear mixed models found that during class-time, children's overall time spent sitting in long bouts (>10 min) were lower and the number of sit-to-stand transitions were higher in the intervention group compared to the control group, while no changes were observed for musculoskeletal pain/discomfort. No significant intervention effects were found for the anthropometrics measures and blood pressure. Height-adjustable desks and pedagogical strategies to reduce/break-up sitting can positively modify classroom sitting patterns in children. Longer interventions, larger and varied sample size may be needed to show health impacts; however, these desks did not increase musculoskeletal pain/discomfort.