Timothy Jachna

Building(s), cybernetically

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present a model of the architectural design process as a set of interlinked conversations, to explain the role of the artifacts of the design process in facilitating these conversations, and to demonstrate alternative perspectives on the architectural process enabled by such a model.Design/methodology/approach – Applying concepts and terms of Pasks Conversation Theory, the conventional architectural process is analyzed in terms of the nature of the conversations and artifacts at play within each phase. The implications of a rethinking of the architectural process in terms of Conversation Theory are extrapolated.Findings – A Conversation Theory perspective on the architectural design process reveals the arbitrariness of the convention of the building as a final and fixed product. The introduction of a new class of artifacts in the design process could support a more sustainable and open approach to architecture.Originality/value – The conceptualization of the soft...

An exploration of designer-to-user relationship from a care-orientated perspective

This paper explores the relationship between designers and users from the perspective of care. Methods included a critical investigation of literature about the ideal care relationship, interviews with Hong Kong residential designers about their opinion on “designers as care professions” and analyses of these designers’ strategies for interacting with users. The research reveals that designers tend to view themselves as collaborative partners in satisfying users’ needs from the user-centered design perspective. This design approach leads designers to focus on each individual’s desire. But largely ignored their role as active influencers in changing user’s behavior and improving people’s relationships. This study suggests that designers consider residential design from a care-orientated perspective to build a more harmonious relationship with users.

Understanding the Critical Needs of Older People: An Aging Perspective

Much of the existing research on older people’s needs is based upon a popular understanding that older people are defined by age strata. However, from the perspective of the multidimensional meaning of aging, people’s age is a state that represents a process of change. It cannot be simply defined in years. This concept motivates us to explore the needs of older people from the perspective of aging. This study aims first, to provide a literature review on different aspects of aging in order to better understand the aging process. Second, having considered aging, a critical needs model was proposed. As a result, a design suggestion was made in order for designers to focus their attention on helping people find the meaning of life as a first principle.