If by "Workspace" you actually mean it's a "Workset" issue, there is a legitimate reason this is turned off by default. So in AutoCAD, freezing is different than hiding a layer because freezing it also un-loads the demand of the elements on that layer. Same with Worksets in Revit. It's one thing to hide a link, or elements in a model, it's another thing to close the Workset so it un-loads the demand of the objects themselves. We do that on huge architectural models, and if you are doing AV on a big building I'm going to guess it's probably a fine arts building or something else that is architecturally "heavy" in design, as most heavy AV jobs are because of the aesthetics of the building design.
Hope that helps some. -TZ