Welcome
I am a social scientist and researcher who works at the intersection of organizations, communities, and design.
Below are examples of my various projects and initiatives undertaken through professional practice and through my role as a research associate at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business.
Current Projects
Civic Place Identity
What happens when an iconic building that is central to a town’s sense of place is threatened with change? The town of Holmdel NJ faced this question when the iconic Bell Labs campus was put up for sale in 2006. The site was subsequently redeveloped as Bell Works – a mixed use community accessible space. In 2022 I published a research report in partnership with the USC Spatial Sciences Institute that studied the evolution of the site and its impact on the local community. The research project continues with a focus on similar redevelopments at other sites around the United States.
Hybrid Workplace Strategy
The role of the office environment has dramatically changed since 2020. Large corporate organizations and institutions are wrestling with big questions about the role of the workplace and the built environment in supporting outcomes such as engagement, recruitment/retention, and business performance. The office has not disappeared, but the role of physical presence at work is continuously studied, debated, and negotiated. I have conducted dozens of workplace strategy engagements over 15 years, and I continue to engage with a network of architects, real estate professionals, and researchers to develop solutions for organizations around the role of place in supporting human thriving and organizational performance.
Workplace Visual Language
A recurring theme across my academic and professional work is an exploration of the role of design and visual imagery in conveying meaning, communicating organizational narratives, and establishing institutional credibility. I spent many years working professionally in an architectural practice and got a firsthand perspective on how this dynamic plays out in everyday life as people experience the built environment. I have also published research findings about how people interpret strategic design cues found in office work environments. This work continues through my current research project that explore how organizations integrate elements iconic building architecture into business narratives, marketing, and strategic messaging.
Past Projects
Streets Ahead
Research and strategies around innovative uses of streetscapes and storefronts that connect communities through commerce
Neuro Architecture
A pilot study of an innovative use of brain wave data to understand the impact of an office redesign on its occupants
Modular Healthcare Architecture
A concept design for a modular hospital system, deployable through multi-modal transportation systems
Thriving Workplace Design
Various studies about the role of workplace design on the joint experience of learning and vitality at work; includes research on coworking spaces
© Peter A. Bacevice