From cubicle to bean bag, from white collar to t-shirt; the office has transformed rapidly from a professional to a personalized environment. Today your personality is part of your job, which has radically changed the nature of workspace. As a response to this evolution a group of researchers and architecture students will explore and propose a new balance between personal and social work, between individual and collective.

For two weeks participants will engage in the research based design workshop ‘Space Program’ which is followed by a conference and public exhibition. The workshop and research takes place in the San Francisco Bay Area, which pioneered the info-society and is a hotbed for disruptive ideas. From visiting the most innovative work places around the bay, and analysing the most crucial spatial components within each environment, the research gives a unique understanding for how the design of workspace can change the basis of our human relationships. This first hand research in combination with seminars and in-depth discussions with key individuals across different professional fields gives the Space Program group new tools for tackling one of the fastest changing forms of architecture – the office. By experiencing the existing condition in person and focusing on the social effects of spatial qualities, it becomes possible to design strategically in an era of tech companies and sharing economy phenomena.

Space Program San Francisco is organised by the AA School of Architecture and directed by Martin Brandsdal, Magnus Casselbrant and Jesper Henriksson, founders of the London-based architectural practice Hesselbrand. The concluding conference will have keynote speakers from the fields of art and architecture, and include round table discussions based on the research and designs of the Space Program workshop.

To join the workshop and team of researchers, apply online through the Space Program website. It is open to architecture students and architects form around the world. The workshop will take place in the San Francisco Bay Area from March 24 to April 7, and the registration deadline is March 10. The public exhibition and conference concludes the workshop on the final day, and tickets will be available through the Space Program website.