Space in project organising: Insights from planning within and between construction projects

Abstract

Projects are discussed as social processes that are bounded in both time and space. Elaborating on space is still scarce in studies on project organising. The aim in this paper is to explore space influence on project planning, to extend our understanding of the relationship between space and project organising. Through two illustrative examples, construction project planning practices were followed within and between projects as the actors sought to handle space. Contribution develops current understanding of how projects are embedded in space and its influence on project planning practices, by shedding light on the recursive relationship between space and project organising. Furthermore, to trace planning practice both within a project and between parallel projects visualise how a broader perspective of the embeddedness is necessary. The findings nuance the current understanding of project's embeddedness, by visualising how planning practices can be directed to both changing space or to maintain space by changing practices.