Architecture and Leadership: The Nature and Role of Space and Place in Organizational Culture

163 Pages·2022·7.32 MB·English

by  Mark Roberson, Alicia Crumpton

Architecture and Leadership
From cathedrals to cubicles, people go to great lengths and expense to design
their living and working environments. They want their spaces to be places
where they enjoy being, reflecting who they are and what they care about.
The resultant environments in turn become loud, albeit unvocal, leaders
for people occupying those corresponding spaces. The design and use of
work and living spaces typifies and thematizes expectations for the group.
Essentially, the architecture of rooms, buildings, and cities creates cultures
by conveying explicit and implicit messages. This is evident when people
approach and walk into St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow, the Forbidden City
in Beijing, the Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia, the Jewish Museum
in Berlin, or the Rothko Chapel in Houston, to name some examples.
W hile leaders oftentimes lack the resources to have their spaces mirror
the greatest architectural achievements of the world, they are in a position to
use the art and science of architecture, at whatever scale is available, to their
advantage. The creative and intentional use of space and place advances
and promotes cherished values and enhances organizational effectiveness.
This book explores the essence of good architecture and establishes relevant
connections for leaders and managers to strategically design and use the
organizational workplace and space to support their mission and purpose,
and create esthetically meaningful work environments. It equips leaders to
be culturally astute on what defines good architecture and to incorporate
principles of beauty in their leadership practices accordingly and will be of
interest to researchers, academics, professionals, and students in the fields
of leadership, organizational studies, and architecture theory and practice.
M ark A. Roberson is the Founding Dean of the College of Architecture,
Visual Arts & Design at California Baptist University, USA.
A licia Crumpton is an operations and leadership consultant, researcher,
and writer.
Leadership Horizons
Series Editors
John Shoup, California Baptist University, USA
Troy Hinrichs, California Baptist University, USA
The original and timeless research on leadership is situated in the classical
works associated with the humanities. Great literature, art, theatre,
philosophy, and music provide both existential and visceral insights to
the drama of leadership beyond what traditional approaches to leadership
studies have been able to furnish up to now. The classics in the humanities are
didactic commentaries on universal themes associated with the challenges
and hopes of good leadership. Knowledge of the classics provides a way
of appreciating historical and contemporary cultures and a framework for
thinking deeply about what is true, good, honorable, and beautiful. Returning
the classics to the leadership genre equips leaders with a culturally informed
language and narrative to develop the often ignored aesthetical aspects of
leadership. This series connects lessons from various great works in art,
literature, philosophy, theatre, and music to specific leadership research and
contemporary leadership challenges. The series weaves the art and science
of leadership studies and equip readers with multiple frames of reference
to become aesthetically pleasing, engaging, and culturally astute leaders to
make the right things happen the right way.
L eadership Horizons is relevant to students and researchers across business
and management, organizational and institutional studies, and the humanities.
B ooks in the series:
H istory and Leadership
T he Nature and Role of the Past in Navigating the Future
M ark E. Blincoe and John R. Shoup
A rchitecture and Leadership
T he Nature and Role of Space and Place in Organizational Culture
M ark A. Roberson and Alicia D. Crumpton
For more information about this series, please visit: www.routledge.com/
Leadership-Horizons/book-series/LH
Architecture and Leadership
The Nature and Role of Space and Place
in Organizational Culture
Mark A. Roberson and
Alicia D. Crumpton
First published 2023
by Routledge
605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158
and by Routledge
4 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2023 Mark A. Roberson and Alicia D. Crumpton
The right of Mark A. Roberson and Alicia D. Crumpton to be identified as
authors of this work has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and
78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or
utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now
known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in
any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing
from the publishers.
Trademark notice : Product or corporate names may be trademarks or
registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation
without intent to infringe.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Roberson, Mark, author. | Crumpton, Alicia D., author.
Title: Architecture and leadership : the nature and role of space and place
in organizational culture / Mark Roberson and Alicia D. Crumpton.
Description: New York, NY : Routledge, 2023. | Includes bibliographical
references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2022042659 | ISBN 9780367763619 (hardback) |
ISBN 9780367764005 (paperback) | ISBN 9781003166788 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Architecture—Human factors. | Organizational behavior. |
Leadership.
Classification: LCC NA2542.4 .R59 2023 | DDC 720.1/03—dc23/
eng/20220916
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022042659
ISBN: 978-0-367-76361-9 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-0-367-76400-5 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-003-16678-8 (ebk)
DOI: 10.4324/9781003166788
Typeset in Times New Roman
by Apex CoVantage, LLC
Contents
List of Tables ix
List of Figures x
Acknowledgments xii
Preface xiv
Interdisciplinary Approach xv
How This Book is Organized xv
How This Book Can Be Used xvi
References xvi
1 Architecture and Leadership Connections 1
Introduction 1
S ignificance of the Topic 3
Architecture’s Influence 5
Chapter Summary 9
References 9
2 Built Environment as a Place of Identity, Meaning,
and Purpose 11
Introduction 11
Spatiality 12
Experienced Space 13
A rchitecture, Space, and Place 15
Chapter Summary 18
References 18
3 Defining Architecture as “Good” 20
Introduction 20
A rchitecture’s Powers of Creative Formation 20
vi Contents
From Abstraction to Habitability 22
Good or Bad Architecture 27
Test of Time 29
Firmness, Utility, and Delight 30
Firmness 30
Utility 31
Delight 32
A pplication to Place and Space 36
G ood Architecture is Vital to Wellbeing 36
G ood Architecture has Affordances 38
Chapter Summary 41
References 41
4 Critical Components of Architecture: Building Elements
and Design Principles 43
Introduction 43
C ritical Components of Architecture 45
Building Elements 46
Design Principles 48
F oundational Design Principles: Context, Story, and
Fittedness 50
Context 50
Story 57
Fittedness 64
Chapter Summary 65
References 65
5 Three Categories of Specific Design Principles 67
Introduction 67
Group A: Order, Rhythm, and Proportion 67
Order 68
Rhythm 70
Proportion 72
Group B: Balance, Scale, and Circulation 74
Balance and Symmetry 75
Scale 77
Circulation/Transition/Boundary 80
Group C: Harmony, Color, and Sensory Engagement 83
Contents vii
Harmony 84
Color 85
Sensory Engagement 88
Chapter Summary 89
References 90
6 Leadership and Use Strategies 92
Introduction 92
Organizational Identity 93
Organizational Culture 94
Organizational Climate 95
Organizational Structure 96
Leadership Challenges 98
Articulating Human and Architectural Values 100
Contribution 103
Community 103
Collaboration 104
Creativity 105
Communication 105
Context 106
Use Strategies 107
Instrumental 108
Physical Requirements 108
Social/Symbolic 110
Esthetic Spiritual 111
Spatial Network 112
Chapter Summary 113
References 113
7 Architecture and Leadership in Action 117
Introduction 117
Dougherty Art Center: Austin’s Cultural Living Room 118
Esri: The Science of Where 122
Gensler: Creating a Better World Through the Power of
Design 127
Siemens Healthineers: Breakthroughs in Healthcare. For
Everyone. Everywhere 131
St. Ignatius: Gathering of Different Lights 134
viii Contents
I mportance of Architecture and Leadership 136
Conclusion 138
References 140
Index 141
Table s
6.1 Human and Architectural Values 102