Flexibility as a design aspiration: the facilities management perspective

Resumo

The concept of flexibility as a design aspiration is often discussed in architectural literature.  However, it is invariably the facilities management profession that inherits the building solution: it is these professionals who incur the consequences of inflexible or flexible solutions. In this respect, buildings are not a one-shot process, but an evolving solution. A flexible building design is one that can adapt in response to changing circumstances. However, the dilemma for the designer is in anticipating likely changes. As such, the designer acquires the role of futurologist; “technological forecaster” or foresight analyst. The purpose of this paper is to present the facilities management perspective of flexibility. It indicates how designers can assist in producing a more pliable design solution. It suggests that the concept of universal flexibility is both technically and economically unachievable. Design for flexibility requires an understanding of multiple future states, both possible and probable.