Space Syntax Theory: Understanding human movement, co-presence and encounters in relation to the spatial structure of workplaces

Abstract

The theory of space syntax provides a way to formalise the connection between spatial configuration and human behaviour. While originally developed for urban space it has been harnessed for the study of workplaces, providing evidence on how the configuration of office space shapes the activities of people. Within the domain of space syntax, configuration means connecting elements of space into a network using a multitude of representational techniques to enable the measurement of spatial network properties. Paired with methods to capture human activity such as observations, questionnaires and staff social networks, the theory of space syntax allows for hypothesising and proofing how spatial configuration affects human behaviour, and how design might be informed to consider this evidence. The theory and methods are becoming more and more relevant today, as evidence-based design is increasingly sought after by practitioners. This chapter gives an overview of this body of work and summarises insights but also critiques current shortcomings, mainly regarding scattered applications and contradictory evidence in small samples, making generalisation hard. The chapter closes by sketching a vision for how space syntax can be advanced as a fruitful workplace theory for future work on office spaces.