Academic Workspaces as Sites of Production, Adaptation, and Circulation of Knowledge: Introduction

Academic workspaces, such as faculty offices, seminar rooms, and other campus interiors remain a relatively underexplored area of research when taken as sites of knowledge production, adaptation, and circulation. Yet, understanding the significance of these environments is crucial not only for the historical insights they offer but also for informing contemporary debates surrounding campus-development initiatives at universities worldwide. This special issue brings new perspectives to the history of campus design, examining how buildings, corridors, indoor streets, and office spaces have shaped academic life and knowledge practices in Northern Europe and the United States from the early 20th century to the present. Collectively, the contributions highlight the dynamic interplay between materiality, spatiality, knowledge production, and the formation of both collective and individual academic identities—underscoring how meaning is constructed within the academic workplace.