Comments on: Sheffield’s helter skelter office

By: Rob

Rob — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 13:49:37 +0000

to add to that – bland doesn’t always have to stay that way.

You can already see (through the giant windows) in the EW that the sectioned offices have already started to bring very different views to their workspaces with vinyl montages, nice (and distinct) office furniture and work spaces. Its clear to me that the management of the Digital Campus can see the potential here, or they wouldn’t let it happen.

By: Rob

Rob — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 13:43:31 +0000

As someone who works in the eLearning sector, I’d say we were a pretty creative bunch. I’d love to work in the electricworks building (or even building 2.0) simply because we’re stunted in terms of freedom of expression in our workspace. The management of EW seems to go hand in hand with people who want to maintain a fairly free office environment. This is, in my opinion, quite cohesive in maintaining my forward thinkingness (if that is even a word) as I’m able to relax better and feel more comfortable in my surroundings in a social context.

Look at the Pixar and Google model?

By: Article Magazine

Article Magazine — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 13:31:10 +0000

Hi, thanks for the link. It’s a nice site.

We didn’t actually mention electricworks (alloneword) in particular, because it is doing something different, to its credit. However, this seems to be due more to a management company’s very shrewd management of the building rather than being a reflection of the city as a whole.

It’s obviously positive if this is something which attracts business to the city, but I’m slightly uncomfortable with the one repetitive line that Sheffield is creative, industrious, unpretentious etc.. Even if it’s true, it’s pretty much meaningless if it’s only brought into being at the level of corporate office space. The thing that baffles us is how the ‘creative industries’ can be so institutionalised and planned for, as if culture was an economic entity which will trickle down to the rest of the population.

Most importantly, electricworks is only 1/6 (!) of the total planned digital campus, the rest of which will not be fitted to the same high specification. Just look at the building next door – Building 2.0. So, if the “post-industrial economy is more than just modern office buildings” then what are we building for?

Article.