A specific body of knowledge and skills in architecture of multipurpose business buildings is presented. It explores different influences, ranging from technical to social, which are manifested in architectural artefacts.
The course draws upon recent theories which describe from various perspectives the influences exerted on the architecture of multipurpose buildings. The influences of the new knowledge
are described as “third industrial revolution”, “second modern age”, “information society” or “knowledge society” where surplus value is not generated by capital but rather by productivity and innovation. Both these notions, productivity and innovation, imply the application of knowledge on work activities. The work has changed: it has become more complex and it points to an ever growing need for a swift and comprehensive exchange of knowledge via information and communication technologies, especially via spatial reflections of these processes. The organisation of knowledge entails a preliminary structural analysis of the notion of work and consequently of the notion of the work-intended buildings. The third whole explains the structure and the method of designing such spatial environments. The course specifically focuses on the issues of identity and branding of the new manufacturing centres, on the new work environments, redeveloping of industrial areas and on the matters of productivity and innovation in work environment.