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The Discovery Mall and the Free Address system
The Discovery Mall is that area of ECHA defined by the glass exterior running along the east face of the top three floors of the building. The colourful part! This entire area is dedicated to research. To ensure the space meets the changing needs of research teams, and is in keeping with the original vision for the building, this space will use a "free address" system. Your APOs have been briefed, and we are pleased to offer the following Q&A on how this will work.
What is meant by "free address"?
Why use the "free address system"?
What does the "free address" system mean within each module?
Will the furniture configurations provide enough seats for our current occupant requirements?
Has the furniture been selected?
Does the selected furniture consider our work style and requirements?
Will we have an opportunity to request changes to this system?
 What is meant by "free address"?
The term "free address", typically describes a space management approach that uses unassigned workspaces. Essentially it means work spaces may be used by more than one person, at different times of course. For the Discovery Mall in the Edmonton Clinic Health Academy, free address also describes flexibility in choosing one's work environment. Why use the "free address" system? "Free addressing" within each occupant group space offers the flexibility required by interdisciplinary teams, and supports more effective communication amongst interdisciplinary research groups. Within occupant group spaces, researchers, including associates, students and support people, will select and/or create the space configuration that best meets their needs. As needs change and evolve, individuals can reconfigure and/or move to other work areas within the occupant space. This approach is widely-used in both academe and the private sector as it enables team access to multiple work area types, helps ensure efficient use of all available space, facilitates the sharing of amenities and encourages collaboration. What does the "free address" system mean within each module? Each module will have common features including centralized permanent filing and storage areas. Surrounding these common elements will be user-adaptable (movable) furniture arrangements that define the work areas available (workbenches for graduate students and visitors, administrative stations, enclosed offices, open and enclosed meeting spaces/work rooms, and soft seating). Occupants can reconfigure these work areas to suit the functional needs of specific research activities. Each occupant will have a personal storage file and will use the shared space as determined by the needs of the research team. Will the furniture configurations provide enough seats for our current occupant requirements? Every effort was made to ensure the seating capacity in each occupant space reflects the numbers in the occupant group. Individuals can opt to work in the space most suited to their contemporary work. Has the furniture been selected? The furniture for the Discovery mall has been selected to ensure that: - common features are included in each module;
- furniture pieces are relatively consistent for each module, thereby allowing for the flexibility discussed above;
- and furniture provides opportunity to enable the free addressing system (i.e. includes a mix of soft seating, meeting areas and traditional spaces).
The furniture selections reflect the varied functions of the work areas required to achieve the vision of interdisciplinary research (workbenches for graduate students and visitors, administrative stations, enclosed offices, open and enclosed meeting spaces/workrooms, and soft seating for the purpose of collaboration). Furthermore, many of the furniture pieces were chosen for ease of movement - so that you truly can move the furniture yourself. Does the selected furniture consider our work style and requirements? Yes. The ECHA planning team designed a forward thinking, flexible, and functional system to support the majority of occupant group functions. Will we have an opportunity to request changes to this system? Yes. We recognize that this approach may not always work for everyone. We do understand that there may be some requirement for limited augmentations to address occupant group functions. Three months following full occupancy, we will offer an opportunity for groups to request or suggest limited augmentations to the free address system. Requested augmentations will be assessed using decision-making principles such as: - Work space must be functional
- Work area will accommodate the flexibility needed to achieve the collaborative interdisciplinary vision.
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