ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the dependent connection between the production process and its physical place and location. More specifically, it focuses on the role of architecture and how social theories influence the design of manufacturing spaces. The chapter presents a variety of typologies for factories and workshops, illustrating them with various examples including AEG turbine plant, Fagus shoe factory, Inmos Microprocessor Factory, and Apple’s headquarters. Work environments embody dynamic relationships between employers, their employees, and their products, which are each influenced by various elements including the physical design of the place, the technology of production processes, the terms of employment, and global competition. As such, work environments are complex arenas that always leave a mark not only on the people who work in them, but also on the landscapes of cities. Developers and architects alike have dramatically evolved in their conceptualization of work spaces.
