“It is immediately clear that this is not the usual manual—or, rather, that it is not a ‘manual’ at all. This is a book to be read, not consulted. Gone is the fanatical, sermonizing tone typical of books driven by a thesis. There is none of the naïve unveiling of a radiant modernity or a redemptive future. No tables, parameters, or diagrams. Along the transversal thread of ‘office work,’ this book develops, with sober concision, a reflection grounded in the history of written communication, its processing, organization, and dissemination. It examines their formation and transformation, their settings, and their social implications. High-tech experiences, bio-integration, extreme flexibility, ‘intelligent buildings’—or, rather, ‘intelligent design’—gradually lead to the assertion of the need for an integrated approach to design. This concept of integrated design, presented as the most effective tool for maximizing the overall quality of the workplace environment, should be regarded as the defining element of the entire volume.”
[from the introduction by Mario Bellini]
“The recent evolution of architecture and workspaces, under the influence of changes brought about by the extraordinarily rapid and continuous development of information technology, has by now rendered much of our knowledge obsolete and traditional design concepts outdated. Today, it is possible to glimpse new building typologies, unprecedented design solutions, and, above all, a new design methodology that places two fundamental components at the heart of its philosophy: people, as the determining factor in defining needs; and time, understood as the mobility and continuous, dynamic transformation of spaces and equipment for the tertiary sector.”
[from the foreword by Massimo Roj]