ONE: Changing Patterns of... The Normative Working Day - ABSTRACT

Changing Patterns of... The Normative Working Day Re-appropriating public space, for public use, through a new network of siesta.

Abstract

Today, there is mushrooming unemployment amidst mountains of useless products. An hour of labour now produces more goods than has ever been the case in the history of humanity.

So why as a society do we continue to exponentially increase the limits of our working day? Instead of working endlessly towards procuring things and a lifestyle we may not even have the time to enjoy, should we rather allow for and encourage daily guilt-free leisure time to become part of our daily routine.

In providing the opportunity to drastically reformat ones normative working day via the addition of leisure time and the subtraction of working hours we will help to resuscitate our global ecology, quell workplace illness and create an unprecedented change in the workings of society. However, I feel that in reformatting the normative working day a greater overarching goal will be achieved in that the quality of leisure time within our lives will better whilst reducing the grand mass of manufactured objects.

The intention of this architectural thesis project is to explore and reconfigure the normative working day by introducing the concept of siesta, an additional midday break, into the working day and culture of Glasgow City Centre and in doing this, re-appropriating the city’s public space for the public. Creating a ‘siesta network’ of spaces, spaces which will seek to enhance social cohesion and the quality of public leisure time. These spaces would also function to expose the public to both natural and manufactured ultra-violet radiation, boosting the public’s intake of Vitamin D and hence contributing positively to general public health as Scotland’s ill health has been scientifically linked to the lack of sunshine.

“If every Man and Woman would work for four hours each day on something useful, that labour would produce sufficient to procure all the necessities and comforts of life, want and misery would be banished out of the World, and the rest of the 24 hours might be for leisure and pleasure.” - Benjamin Franklin