Abstract:
To make an investigation from the result of the assessment of the physical environments of Budget Bureau Building by its users (i.e. government official working in the building). This study also assessed the preference differences of users according to their official ranks, table arrangements, locations in working space, floor levels, and density. The investigated space includes working space, vertical circulation and service core, and parking spaces. The major characteristics of these spaces are as follows: For the open-planned working space with separate rooms for the executives, the densities appeared to be both in according to and higher than the acceptable general design criteria. Most of the working tables, are set in pairs the rest are arranged in groups facing each other and also arranged in a single formation. Working personals are generally located either near the entrance door, the
windows or the circulation area. The working areas are situated on the 3rd, 4th and 5th floors. Although the building is rectangular in shape, there is only DOU single vertical circulation and service core attached to one end of the building. The lobby in the center of area provides access to the staircase and lift, toilets and working space. These spaces are small and crowded. Parking facilities are provided by off-street parking spaces inside and outside the building site. There is no specifically planned parking space available. The results of this study which have been accomplished through the use of questionnaires provided the researcher with the following conclusions : 1.The open-planned working space with separate rooms for the executives and floor levels of the office space are suitable, but the table arrangements which are set in pairs, groups and the single formation, as well as the locations in working areas which are near the entrance door, the window and near main circulation space create many functional problems and are unsuitable. 2. The vertical circulation and service core areas, the staircase and lift are suitable, but the lobby and the toilet are not suitable.3. The parking facilities are most inadequately provided. However, users' assessments differ according to social status and physical setting as follows.
1. Office Space : The open-planned working space with separate rooms for the executives are strongly preferred by the occupants, where as other personals expressed significant differences of opinions. Concerning table arrangements, there are very low preferences for all arrangement: combinations, in pairs, face-to-face grouping; and single units. The arrangement in pairs is, however, least disliked by users, where as the face-to-face grouping and the single formation arrangements are greatly disliked by the users. There are significant differences in the assessment between the former and the latter. All the users who sir near the entrance doors, near the windows and the circulation areas indicated that the location of their working spaces were not suitable. But those who are near the windows and are far from the crowded circulation areas, showed stronger preferences. The users on the 5th floor tended to show the lowest preferences of floor level. 2. Vertical circulation and service core areas. Users in the higher density setting of the 3rd and 4th floor showed higher preferences for the staircase and lift than did users in the lower density -setting of the 5til floor. This is because users on the 3rd and 4th floor have a stouter and better accessibility to the ground floor. However, the users on the 4th floor showed stronger preferences for the lobby and toilet than users in the higher density setting of the 3rd and 4th floor. The inadequacies and suggestions of the users obtained may be used as important information for improving the physical environment of Budget Bureau building. The open-planned working areas are too crowded. Users preferred that the general working spaces for the staff should be partitioned and the future increase of govern¬ment officials should be considered in relation to the space available. The lack of filing space exacerbates problems relating to the offices furniture arrangement. Every user should be supplied with a table, a filing cabinet and an extra chair. Concerning staff locations in working areas, users prefer to sit near the window in order to maintain more privacy. However, the partitions in the open- planned space should provide much more privacy for every location. Working areas from the 2nd to 5th floor, as well as the seminar and the conference rooms on the 6th floor, and the public relation department on the ground floor are thus planned, but the existing single vertical circulation and service core is inadequate. There should also be another one attached to the other end of the building. It should be provided with a 2 meter wide staircase, a 10-12 person capacity lift, a lobby area furnished with sofas and a drinking fountain for guests and a toilet with proper sanitation. Finally, off-street parking spaces should also be enlarged by tearing down the row-houses near the site which would obstruct the development. This research reveals that the physical environment of the building does influence users' behavior, and that the users could assess the physical setting. The results of this study also suggest that there is an urgent need to improve the working space of the Budget Bureau Building. The information compiled may contribute basic facts relevant for future architectural programming and design, suitable for users behavior, and also increasing working efficiency of personnel as a whole.