Space Planning - CH 2 (Human Factors)

Question 1

Landscape architect Michael Laurie explains human behavior in environments in terms of what three categories?

Answer 1

1) physical
2) physiological
3) psychological

Question 2

What is meant by the physical factors?

Answer 2

Explores the relationships between the physical characteristics of people and the measurements of the human body and how it moves.

Question 3

What are physiological factors?

Answer 3

Addresses the interaction of our biological conditions with the physical environment. Of concern here are basic needs related to survival, such as food, air, water, and livable climatic conditions, in additional to physical safety.

Question 4

What are psychological factors?

Answer 4

Encompasses human aspects related to behavior patterns and social needs. Specific personal needs in this category can vary according to such factors as age, social class, cultural background, and past experience.

Question 5

Laurie classifies human needs into 5 general need groups. What are they?

Answer 5

1) social
2) stabilizing
3) individual
4) self-expression
5) enrichment

Question 6

What needs are included in the category “social needs”?

Answer 6

Needs for social interaction, group affiliation, companionship, and love. Environmental attributes to address those needs may include particular arrangements that draw people together and that encourage interaction.

Question 7

What are stabilizing needs?

Answer 7

Address our need to be free from fear, anxiety, and danger. Included here is our need for clear environments that help us feel oriented and free from the anxiety of feeling lost. Also addressed are human needs to shape the environments and to leave a mark.

Question 8

What are individual needs?

Answer 8

Concern the specific needs of humans as single individuals. One crucial need in this category is the need for individual privacy. In addition are needs related to self-determination, the expression of personal uniqueness in the environment and the ability to select from available options. People have an opportunity to express their unique sense of identity when there are choices in the environment, such as selection of seating in a public area.

Question 9

What are self-expression needs?

Answer 9

Include the needs for self-assertion, achievement, esteem, and power. In terms of the physical environment, these often translate into issues of territoriality, which is concerned with the areas allotted to (or defined by) individuals or groups and their location. The study of how much space we need and optimal distances between ourselves and others is of relevance here. One aspect of note is that territorial and separation needs have been determined to vary somewhat based on cultural background and nationality.

Question 10

What are enrichment needs?

Answer 10

Included here are needs for knowledge, creativity, and aesthetic experience. Environments that are aesthetically pleasing and that promote creativity can thus make important contributions to the positive manifestation of user’s enrichment needs.

Question 11

As designers, we should offer choice in the environment in what ways?

Answer 11

Structure, while allowing for some freedom
Opportunities for both social interaction and retreat;
A sense of order but with variety and intrigue;
A sense of orientation, but not in rigid military fashion;
Both stimulation and repose;
Both personal and collective expression;
A sense of both stability and adaptability;
Security and control, but with some freedom;
Spatial comfort without being wasteful.

Question 12

What are the 6 principal activity modes that designers need to address in order to accommodate a user’s needs?

Answer 12

Standing, sitting, walking, running, moving and lying down.

Question 13

What may a user reasonably expect from an interior environment? List the items in the User’s Bill of Rights.

Answer 13

1) . Reasonable access and accommodation for people of all abilities and backgrounds;
2) Safe space sheltered from the elements;
3) Arrangements that facilitate required function(s);
4) Provisions for privacy;
5) Some degree of control;
6) Some degree of flexibility;
7) Access to natural light and views;
8) Healthy ambient conditions;
9) Connection to other relevant parts and spaces;
10) Safety from external threats;
11) Clear orientation;
12) Efficient emergency egress;
13) Reasonable comfort;
14) Reasonable overall convenience;
15) A pleasant environment;

Question 14

What are the most important human factors in planning an interior space?

Answer 14

Privacy
Territoriality
Personal Space

Question 15

The social scientist Alan Westin identifies what 4 types of privacy?

Answer 15

1) solitude - being alone
2) intimacy - being alone with someone else
3) anonymity - blending in with the crowd
4) reserve - using psychological barriers to control intrusion

Question 16

As designers, how do we address the need for privacy?

Answer 16

Walls (thick, thin, solid, transparent)
Screens
Distance
Other real or symbolic territorial demarcations to achieve various degrees of privacy.

Question 17

What is meant by personal space?

Answer 17

The space or bubble surrounding our individual body and designating the area that is off limits to all but (perhaps) our loved ones. When encroached by others, it causes us discomfort and triggers a reaction of alert. This extent of personal space varies from person to person and across cultures and backgrounds.

Question 18

What are proxemics?

Answer 18

Introduced by anthropologist Edward T. Hall. It’s the study of the distances between people as the interact.

Question 19

What are the four distance categories addressed in proxemics?

Answer 19

1) . Intimate distance - 6” to 18”
2) Personal distance - 18” to 48”
3) Social distance - 4’ - 12pm
4) Public distance - 12pm’ -25’

Question 20

Of the 4 categories of distances, which are the most relevant to interior designers?

Answer 20

Personal and social distances

Question 21

What is territoriality?

Answer 21

A certain extent of space to which a person or group lays claim. The boundaries may be clearly marked or somewhat ambiguous, and users belonging in the territory will defend it against intrusion. People need to have a sense of their own territory.

Question 22

What are the 4 different classifications of territory?

Answer 22

Attached territory - refers to one’s own personal space
Central territories - highly personalized (a bedroom, a cubicle)
Supporting territories- shared but close to home so that people have a sense of ownership and may personalize them (common lounges, sidewalk in front of house).
Peripheral territories - clearly public and people use them but without having a particular sense of ownership over them.

Question 23

What is the concept of defensible space?

Answer 23

Arrangement (spatial or otherwise) that increases territorial definition and opportunities for surveillance and that fosters a sense of joint ownership and control of particular territories. (Lobby of apartment building where each apartment has window into it to watch for strangers).

Question 24

What is a sociopetal arrangement?

Answer 24

In this arrangements, the elements (say seating) face each other to promote face-to-face contact.

Question 25

What is a sociofugal arrangement?a

Answer 25

Allows for proximity while discouraging (without preventing) interaction (back to back seating in a waiting room; seats all facing forward in a classroom)

Question 26

Before determining the size of a room, which furniture to provide, how to arrange it, and how to relate this to other adjacent spaces, what must the designer first understand?

Answer 26

The nature of the activities in the rooms; specifically the number of people (from one to many) and the kind of activity being performed (from task-related to leisure).

Question 27

List important factors that play an important role in the quality of one’s experience in interior environments.

Answer 27

1) Properly sized rooms having human scale; not too large, not too small
2) Good room-to-room contents (e.g. furnishings) proportion;
3) Properly sized objects and fixtures at comfortable heights;
4) Comfortable furniture;
5) Convenient routes and travel distances;
6) Control of unwanted noise;
7) Good natural light
8) Good artificial light
9) Good ventilation, natural and otherwise;
10) Good relation to the sun (shade or sun penetration as appropriate)
11) Good exposure to external (and internal) views

Question 28

What are two of the most important environmental factors when designing a space?

Answer 28

Sound/noise control

Utilization of natural light

Question 29

What are some design solutions to address acoustical problems?

Answer 29

1) in acoustic-sensitive areas, take dividing partitions all the way to the underside of the floor or roof above to reduce sound transmission
2) Place noisy equipment in isolated rooms;
3) Place very loud equipment in rooms as far away as possible;
4) Plan the location of doors carefully to reduce flanking sound transmission;
5) Separate quiet rooms and loud ones into different zones away from each other or with neutral rooms providing a buffer zone between them.

Question 30

What are anthropometrics?

Answer 30

Measurements of the human body used to determine design standards in relation to range of motion. Design standards aim at serving 90% of the user population, usually between the 5th percentile to the 95th percentile.

Question 31

What is universal design?

Answer 31

These 7 principles aim to make environments, products, and communications user-friendly to people of all abilities. Universal design is design that’s useable by all people to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design.

Question 32

Name the 7 principles of Universal Design.

Answer 32

1) Equitable Use
2) Flexibility in Use
3) Simple and Intuitive Use
4) Perceptible Information
5) Tolerance for Error
6) Low Physical Effort
7) Size and Space for Approach and Use

Question 33

What is meant by Equitable Use.

Answer 33

Providing the same means of use for all users: identical whenever possible; equivalent when not;
Avoid segregating or stigmatizing any users;
Provisions for privacy, security, and safety should be equally available to all users;
Make the design appealing to all users;

Question 34

What is mean by Flexibility in Use?

Answer 34

Provide choice in methods of use;
Accommodate right- or left-handed access and use;
Facilitate the user’s accuracy and precision.
Provide adaptability to the user’s pace.

Question 35

What is Simple and Intuitive Use?

Answer 35

Eliminate unnecessary complexity;
Be consistent with user expectations and intuition;
Accommodate a wide range of literacy and language skills;
Arrange information consistent with its importance;
Provide effective prompting and feedback during and after task completion;

Question 36

What is Perceptible Information?

Answer 36

Use different modes (pictorial, verbal, tactile) for redundant presentation of essential information;
Provide adequate contrast between essential information and its surroundings;
Maximize “legibility” of essential information;
Differentiate elements in ways that can be described (i.e., make it easy to give instructions or directions).
Provide compatibility with a variety of techniques or devices used by people with sensory limitations.

Question 37

What is Tolerance for Error?

Answer 37

Arrange elements to minimize hazards and errors: make the most used elements the most accessible; eliminate, isolate or shield hazardous elements;
Provide warnings of hazards and errors.
Provide fail-safe features;
Discourage unconscious action in tasks that require vigilance;

Question 38

What is Low Physical Effort?

Answer 38

Allow the user to maintain a neutral body position;
Use reasonable operating forces;
Minimize repetitive actions;
Minimize sustained physical effort;

Question 39

What is Size and Space?

Answer 39

Provide a clear line of sight to important elements for any seated or standing user;
Make reach to all components comfortable for any seated or standing user;
Accommodate variations in hand and grip size;
Provide adequate space for the use of assistive devices or personal assistance;

Question 40

What are the ADA requirements for navigating space through doorways and hallways?

Answer 40

Doors on accessible routes - 32”
Minimum door widths of 36”, larger clearance when accessible route turns 180 degrees.

Vertical level changes should be avoided whoever possible

While minimum width for wheelchair accessibility is 36”, building codes usually require a minimum width dimension of 44” for egress corridors.

Question 41

What are the ADA rules for door clearances.

Answer 41

Clear opening of 32”, measured between the face of the door and the opposite stop at the frame.
Clearances of 12” on the push (latch) side, and 18” on the pull (hinge) side

Question 42

ADA rules for accessibility to restrooms and drinking fountains.

Answer 42

Plumbing fixtures need appropriate clear space to allow their use by wheelchair-bound users;
Toilets and bathtubs must have grab bars to assist users with unnecessary transfer back and forth from the wheelchair.
Clear floor space at toilets may be arranged for either a left-handed or right-handed approach;
Standard toilet stalls with a minimum depth of 56” require wall-mounted toilet fixtures;
If the depth is increased by a minimum of 3”, a floor-mounted toilet fixture may be used.
Alternate toilet stalls are allowed only when providing a standard stall is in feasible in instances of alteration work.

Question 43

Name some considerations when designing residential projects

Answer 43

1) Divide the residence into active and quiet spaces, separating the bedrooms and other areas for quiet work or concentration from noisier living areas by placing neutral rooms, corridors, or other buffers in between.
2) Zoning functions carefully in relation to the surroundings, taking advantage of good view, natural light, and other site amenities while avoiding things like noise from the street
3) Providing efficient and functionally sound circulation systems. Planning your spaces in a way that requires the shortest distance possible to move back and forth. Planning your traffic patterns and door location so as to avoid having users walk through, say, the living room in order to get to the bedrooms or the kitchen
4) . Arranging individual spaces and their elements to maximize furnishability. Arranging walls, doors, and windows in ways that will permit appropriate furniture placement, preferably allowing for multiple options.
5) . Practicing economy by avoiding waste, sharing resources (walls, plumbing) and providing spaces that can work in more ways than one.

Question 44

What are the average square footages for the main rooms in a residence?

Answer 44

Living Room - 200 to 350 SF
Dining Rooms - 150-225 SF
Kitchens - 120-200 SF
Bedrooms - 120-300 SF
Bathrooms - 40 - 120 SF

Question 45

What are two ways you can accomplish economy or efficiency when residential planning?

Answer 45

Making use of a closet for washer and dryer;
Back to back arrangement of plumbing fixtures.
Avoiding wasted space, such as unusable portions of rooms and unnecessarily long corridors (hallways)

Question 46

What are qualities of a good entry space?

Answer 46

A good entrance greets, provides a functional transitional space, and distributes traffic in appropriate direction.

Question 47

What are some good options upon entering a house, and what are undesirable options?

Answer 47

One option may be to walk in, face a wall or screen (with something interesting on it) and then turn one way to proceed in.
Another may be to offer a partial glimpse of the main public areas ahead upon entering.
Because the entry space is a transition from the outside to the inside, providing a coat closet is common practice.

It is undesirable to enter directly into the living room and have to walk through it to get to their areas of the house.

Question 48

List desirable attributes of a living room space.

Answer 48

Comfortable, well-grounded seating;
A focal point;
Visual connections to the other interior spaces;
Views to the outside;
Natural lighting;
A good room-to-contents proportion;
An orderly, uncluttered appearance;
Good traffic patterns

Question 49

What are two common living room design problems?

Answer 49

Fragmented seating

Clutter

Question 50

What are two of the main objectives when designing a bedroom zone?

Answer 50

Use the smallest amount of circulation space possible to get to the rooms
Give the best possible acoustic separation between rooms (by sandwiching closets and bathrooms between bedrooms to provide a buffer)

Question 51

What is a work triangle?

Answer 51

The idea that arrangements produce an efficient triangular relationship between elements with short travel distances that promote efficient movement. In the kitchen, the essential elements to consider are the stove/oven, the sink, and the refrigerator.

Question 52

What is an important consideration for kitchen design?

Answer 52

How it relates to adjacent spaces and the exterior.

Strive to kitchen spaces that connect with their surroundings effectively.

Question 53

What are features of an accessible kitchen?

Answer 53

Require proper dimension for wheelchairs to get in and out,
Proper turning dimension for maneuvering comfortably;
Alternative designs to base cabinets in order to provide leg room for the wheelchair user

Question 54

What is the most important concept to stress for bathroom design?

Answer 54

The idea of economy.
Whenever possible, try to share resources, serving two adjacent bedrooms;
When adding a bathroom to an existing house, search for locations close to existing plumbing lines to reduce length of new plumbing lines.
When planning multiple bathrooms and other spaces requiring plumbing, such as kitchens and utility or laundry rooms, try to locate them adjacent to one another.