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So, constant questioning is the philosophical basis for
how the office works. Does it also have an influence on
the daily work of the architects and engineers?
D.M.
This continual questioning is a far from abstract
concept; through the strict organisation that it requires,
on a practical level it offers a physical structure to the
office. A whole set of operational rules organises and
supports the development of projects, while the use
of management tools (such as team reports and the
annual management report) allows us to see where
the office stands with respect to its various objectives.
Three elements constitute the pillars of the organisa-
tion – the structuring of knowledge, communication
and the system for classifying information.
P.S. (Philippe Samyn)
As far as knowledge is con-
cerned, we have four libraries of books and other print-
ed materials located around the office – each providing
answers to specific types of questions. These libraries
cover the following themes: architectural programmes,
construction elements (classified by function – frames,
chairs, etc.), materials (classified by form and type) and
performance (specifically the tools used to define per-
formance – theoretical and abstract areas of knowledge
such as sociology and history, but also applied technical
knowledge such as material resistance and the physics
of the building).
These libraries are genuine reference tools, and we add
to them by every modern means possible, including
the internet, although the internet will never provide
a substitute. The physical contact with material and
the ability to spread out documents on the table is an
unequalled means for comparing the elements that
the architectural creation seeks to combine. Multiple
computer screens, even if placed side by side, would
not replace the global vision that is necessary for the
emergence of a new synthesis. In contrast to the
rigidity of the screen, paper’s flexibility offers an indis-
pensable freedom in the search for solutions for each
new project. In addition to the four basic libraries, we
have supplementary collections, including architectural,
urban planning and construction magazines, commer-
cial documentation and a ‘materials library’. The latter
consists of representative samples of various materials
that we like to use in our projects. Every element in
the libraries and collections is classified using the
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system.
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We will talk more about this system later.
D.M.
Communication is the only vector of our activity.
Ours is a service profession, and we produce only
information. Each of our transactions is designed to
be communicated to other stakeholders in the project
– the contracting authority, consulting engineers, con-
tractors, government departments, and so on. Each of
these is also the source of a large flow of information
that we must manage. It is crucial – as much for the
quality of the architecture as for the company’s survival
– that communication is completely explicit, transparent
and easily traceable. To this end, we have put some
simple rules in place. These include a single e-mail
address for the entire office, a double check of every
outgoing document and the fact that the owner of the
company, Philippe Samyn, validates every incoming
and outgoing document, whether paper or electronic.
This way of working has the additional beneficial effect
of encouraging continuous contact between team
members.
In an office such as ours that is constantly changing,
the classification system – whether for reference works
or for the material produced by the office – is crucial. If
we cannot instantly find the information we need, and
without putting the information that we produce in a
logical, known place, how could we create? How could
we build? Communicate? The
ci
/
s
f
b
system is a sort
of Esperanto, understood by both the office staff and
the various professions that come together to create
the work itself. It allows the men and women of the
various teams to work in great intellectual alliance and
with daily interaction. In addition, although it requires a
certain amount of effort, it means that newcomers can
very rapidly integrate into the team, since the underly-
ing structure for each project is the same.
Practically speaking, it is an alphanumeric coding sys-
tem that takes the form of tables; the most frequently
used tables are those for construction elements and
materials, which are classified according to type and
form. Other tables classify architectural programmes
and site activities. Each new team member is given a