Abstract
Within the area of sustainability and materials, this thesis explores the dialogue between people and materials in public spaces, with the Life Science Building as the applied case. The explored research question is “How can we understand the dialogue between people and materials in public buildings?” with the two sub-questions “How are materials experienced in public buildings?” and “How are materials manifested in public buildings?”. In order to explore materials within public buildings, different methods are conducted which involves different groups of stakeholders. Systems Thinking is applied as theory, and Systems Oriented Design is the applied methodology. Within the methodology, the method for GIGA- mapping is combined with interview, observation and collaborative booklets. The interview and the GIGA-mapping workshop involved architects and other key informants related to the Life Science Building. The booklets involved participants representing the role of visitors of a public space or building, and the observations let me explore public spaces through the role of a visitor. These methods are analyzed using thematic analysis, content analysis and ZIP- analysis. A meta-analysis is conducted to connect the data from the different methods, where the spheres of sustainability is applied as a framework. Conducting these methods and involving different stakeholders have helped me to gain an understanding of how materials are experienced and manifested in public buildings. The composition of the spheres helped to map out the building as a system, consisting of social, economic, environmental and political elements, through the viewpoints of experiencing and manifesting materials. Including several methods and stakeholders led to a dialogue with a building and an understanding of a building as a system. In order to understand the dialogue between people and materials in a building, the role and context of the dialogists should be addressed.