Page 17 - Designing Ways 264

Shazia Dudhia

Shazia Dudhia investigated how Building Information Modelling
(BIM) technology drives competitive practices for Johannesburg-based
interior designers. This study is positioned within the Fourth Industrial
Revolution (4IR) paradigm, representing a disruptive era that impacts
our human relationship with technology. Although BIM is a technological
breakthrough that emerged in the third industrial revolution and evolved
in the 4IR, the study’s findings revealed barriers and obstacles in practices
that adopt BIM technologies. The two most prominent results show
that a lack of education and understanding of BIM technology hampers
effective and efficient implementation and that sustainability opportunities
have not evolved significantly with the introduction of BIM systems. The
study concluded that BIM technology drives competitiveness amongst
Johannesburg-based built environment practices, but it is a significant
barrier to overcome in the interior design industry. Interior designers must
continuously update their BIM knowledge and skills to remain competitive.
Marisca Deminey and Amanda Breytenbach supervised the study.

Jéan Wiid’s

Jéan Wiid’s study explored place satisfaction in corporate atriums by conducting an
indicative post-occupancy evaluation. Two recently completed corporate buildings,
One Discovery Place (Sandton) and 144 Oxford Road (Rosebank) in Johannesburg
were used as case studies to explore occupant place satisfaction. The findings identified
an interconnected relationship between the physical and non-physical attributes
influencing the occupant’s place satisfaction. Daylight and interiorscapes were the
two primary physical attributes highlighted in the study, and social interaction and
a connection to nature/outdoors were two primary non-physical attributes. The
study concluded that the corporate atrium creates a space for occupants to connect
with nature whilst having social interactions with colleagues. It is a breakaway
space, meeting and socialisation area that connects occupants with nature. Amanda
Breytenbach and Marisca Deminey supervised the study.

Shazia Dudhia

Cherisé Walter’s study investigated the 4IR technology spheres
that advocate a multi-discipline approach and extrapolated findings
appropriate to the interior design discipline. The three 4IR technology
spheres described by Klaus Schwab and explored in this study are physical,
digital and biological. The work and collaboration methods of well-
known international designers and architects Neri Oxman and Achim
Menges were used as case studies. The findings suggest that the technology
spheres, as presented by Schwab, advocate a multi-discipline approach,
which can actively inform the interior design industry when participating
in collaborative projects and design teams that address the complexities
associated with the contemporary built environment. Marisca Deminey
and Amanda Breytenbach supervised the study.

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