In the Palais des Nations, the importance
of the space concept is of the highest
magnitude: a surface area of 180,000 square
metres and a park of 450,000 square metres,
with a living heritage of about 800 trees.
Responsible for managing this space is
Jean-Jacques Ferret, with the help of the
Facilities Management software, Autocad.
Jean-Jacques was recruited in 1993 as a result of the application of
data processing to the area of
architecture. The plans of the
Secretariat, Council, Assembly
and Library buildings, which
had been computerized by a
service-provider, had to be
maintained by the staff of the
Office. The computer function
as it applied to the Buildings
Unit, had been naturally
becoming an in-house function.
The first assignment for Jean-Jacques was to fit out the Buildings
and Engineering Section
with machines and software
compatible with the computerized plans provided.
Today, computers have found their place among the four project
draughtsmen of the Palais des Nations. Jean-Jacques has become a specialist
in the Facilities Management software, an interfacebetween plans
and offices (type and allocation), staff and the furniture database. He is
the focal point for every request for premises, for modifications to plans,
location of staff in connection with a move. The Information Circular
dated 20 June 2004 “New Rules Governing Space Allocation”
(IC/Geneva(2004/33) presents the standard office lay-outs with the new
ergonomic furniture. However, it does not modify the office areas, which
are attributed according to rank. Jean-Jacques emphasizes that these are
the same since 1976.
According to Jean-Jacques, the Facilities Management system
applied to the UN Office at Geneva
has a good future in front of it.
The software has not yet been
fully developed and holds out
many other possibilities. For
instance, it could manage each
practical element concerning a
staff member, such as the attribution
of office furniture or even
electronic commutation management.
Future in the making.
English version revised by Isobel Lang.
N° 641 June 2005