DESIGN MODULE 1

BASIC DESIGN PRINCIPLES: RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS

Copyright
This is the property of Arch. Pedro Santos Jr., and may not be reused,
redistributed without the author’s consent. For questions, contact the
author at arch.pedrosantosjr@gmail.com.
Residential Types
Single-detached
• A free-standing residential
building
• Physically separated from the
units immediately adjacent to
them
• There are setbacks on all sides
of the house
• The building never touches the
property lines
Single-attached/Duplex
• A home attached to one
property line and has a
firewall or a party wall
• In contrast, a detached home
means that a home is free of
any shared walls and stands
alone.
Rowhouse
• A row of identical or
mirror-image houses
share side walls. Also
sometimes referred to as
linked houses or terraced
houses.
Multi-storey Residential
• Residential buildings several storeys high,
where the units share common partitions
with other units beside them, above them, or
below them
• Code definitions may vary per country, but
typically:
• Low-rise residential = 2 to 4 floors high
• Mid-rise residential = 5 to 12 floors high
• High-rise residential = 12 to 50 or more floors
high
Walk-up Apartment
• A low-rise apartment
building, typically
limited to 4-5 storeys,
without an elevator.
Shophouse
• A shophouse is a vernacular
architectural building type
that is commonly seen in
areas such as urban
Southeast Asia.
• Shophouses are mostly two
or three stories high, with a
shop on the ground floor for
mercantile activity and a
residence above the shop.
Townhouses
• A type of terraced housing ,
often one with a small
footprint on multiple floors,
often non-uniform and larger
and more luxurious than
rowhouses.
Townhouse vs. rowhouse
• These terms are both used to refer to dwellings that are part of
a terraced development.
• Apart from the differentiations provided by the NBC, the two
terms are further differentiated by how they are used in the
industry:
• “Townhouse” typically refers to more upscale developments
• “Rowhouse” typically refers to lower-cost housing that is generally
smaller and less luxurious
Condominium
• A type of real estate
divided into several
units that are each
separately owned,
surrounded by
common areas jointly
owned
Other Terms
“Total project acreage”
The total land area of the project
“Net developable area”
Total project acreage minus open space and
infrastructure acreage
“Gross density”
Number of residential units / total project acreage
“Net density”
Number of residential units/net developable area
Site Planning Considerations
Zoning classification
• Zoning typically determines the following:
• Allowable density (FLARmax)
• Height limits (BHL)
• Required open space (TOSLmin)
• Required planted areas (USAmin)
• Allowable ancillary uses
• Massing criteria
Parking
• For low-density projects, parking is typically provided within or
adjacent to the dwelling unit (typically surface parking).
• For higher-density projects, common parking facilities are
created within or adjacent to the structure (typically multi-level
and/or basement parking).
Orientation
• This affects solar heat gain, ventilation, and light penetration
Entry
• Buildings and units should have a distinct main point of entry,
usually identifiable from a public way
• Avoid locating primary entrances from parking structures or
other ancillary elements
Living room
Design considerations
Living room
• The furniture in a living room
should be arranged not too far
from each other and not too
near each other.
• A good guideline is to use a 3-
meter circle, around which
most of the furniture should be
arranged.
Living room
• The adequate size of living
rooms varies greatly,
depending on size of the
house, economic status and
lifestyle of the users, and
number of users.
Living room
• Recommended minimum
size: 180 sqft, but preferably
at least 200 sqft.
• Recommended minimum
width: 12 ft, but 14 ft
minimum is preferable
Living room
• If the living room and the dining
room are located in one space,
enough space must be
provided to achieve greater
definition or privacy of the two
functions
Living room
• Planning considerations:
• Adequate floor space and wall
space for furniture
• Separation of traffic from
centers of activity
• Ease of access to furniture and
windows
Living room
• Circulation should be direct
and should not interfere with
furniture placement.
• There should be no through
traffic. If such traffic is
necessary, it should be at one
end, with the remaining portion
of the living room a “dead-end
space.”
Living room
• When the living room is
combined with the dining
area, the dining area should
be offset into an alcove or
be clearly identified as an
entity in itself.
Living room
• Distance between a sofa and
coffee table: Allow 18" between the
table and sofa edge to give enough
leg room.
• Coffee table height: Keep the table
height and seat height within 4
inches of each other.
Living room
• Distance between
seating furniture:
Aim to provide
between 3.5' and 10'
between seating
options to help
conversation flow
without crowding a
room.
Living room
• Side table and sofa height: In
general, an end table should
be approximately the same
height as the arm of your sofa
or chair. This allows guests to
set down or reach for drinks
without straining, and it also
lends a more cohesive feel to
the room.
Living room
• Distance between TV and
sofa: This greatly depends
on screen size, but in general,
there should be about 7'
between the TV and seating
options.
Living room
• Allow 900mm for
general circulation.
Living room
• Desks and pianos require a
minimum of 3 feet of
clearance for chairs,
benches, and users.
Living room
• For a user to be able to
extend his or her legs in
front of a seating piece,
about 3 feet of space is
required, depending on leg
length and the degree of
extension.
Furniture sizes
• Most living room furniture have the following dimensions:
• Three-seat sofa: 35 inches deep by 84 inches wide
• Loveseat: 35 inches deep by 60 inches wide
• Armchair: 35 inches wide by 35 inches deep
• Coffee Table: 30 inches wide by 48 inches long
• Square end table: 24 inches wide by 24 inches long
• Rectangular end table: 24 inches wide by 28 inches long
Three-seat sofa
35” x 84”
Loveseat
35” x 60”
Armchair
35” x 35”
Coffee table
30” x 48”
End table
24” x 24”
Rectangular end
table
24” x 28”
Kitchen
Design considerations
Kitchen design
• Keep the basic work area compact, even for larger kitchens.
• Choose finishes that require minimal cleaning and
maintenance.
• Ensure adequate, even lighting. Minimize shadows.
Kitchen design
• Provide adequate ventilation. Use exhaust fans and range
hoods if necessary.
• Provide adequate storage that is easy to reach and access.
Locate items in/near areas where they are often used.
• Consider anthropometrics when deciding on dimensions of
various kitchen elements.
The work triangle
• Composed of the three
most-used workstations
in the kitchen:
–Cooktop
–Sink
–Refrigerator
• These workstations
must not be too far or
too near each other
The work triangle
• Rules of thumb:
–Each leg of the triangle should be between 1200mm (4 feet) and
2700mm (9 feet).
–The total of the three legs should be between 3700mm (12 feet) and
8000mm (26 feet).
–No obstructions should intersect a leg of the triangle (cabinets,
islands, etc.)
–Household traffic should not flow through the triangle.
Further guidelines
• A sink should
have a counter
area of at least
600mm-wide on
one side and at
least 450mm-
wide on the other
side.
Further guidelines
• Allot 400mm-wide
counters on both sides
of the stove.
Further guidelines
• A refrigerator should have at
least a 450mm-wide
counter either on the handle
side or no more than
1200mm across from the
refrigerator.
Further guidelines
• Provide a food prep
area at least 900mm
wide located between
the sink and the ref. If
this is located between
the sink and the stove,
it will require more
travel.
Further guidelines
• Work aisles should be at least 1100mm for one cook, or
1200mm for more than one cook.
Layout: Single-line
• Ideal for small apartments
• Works well with open plans
Layout: Galley
• Highly efficient use of space
• Not ideal if corridor is open at
both ends (traffic congestion)
Layout: L-shape
• Ideal for family kitchens,
flexible
• Can easily accommodate
tables and chairs in the same
room
Layout: U-shape
• Requires plenty of space
• Affords large amounts of
countertop and storage
space
• Ideal if kitchen will be used
heavily
Dining room
Design considerations
Dining room
• The dining room may be a separate room, or may be
combined with the kitchen or the living room or both.
Dining room
• The dining room may be a separate room, or may be
combined with the kitchen or the living room or both.
Dining room
• There should be sufficient storage for china and other dining
articles in the dining room or in nearby storage located in the
kitchen.
Dining room
• The principal factors to be considered in planning the dining
area are:
• Number of diners
• Space used at the table
• Space for chairs and for passage behind chairs
• Seating arrangement
• Size and type of furniture
• Storage space
The dining table
• Place setting at the table:
• 600-700mm width per person
• 350-375mm deep per person
• Width of table: 900mm width is recommended for dining
tables
• Height of the table: 750mm typical
• Height of bar: 925mm approx.
The dining chair
• Chairs are usually at
least 450-500mm
wide, and should be
apart by about
150mm.
The dining chair
Passage behind chairs
• If passage behind the
chair is not required,
leave a minimum of
125mm deep space
behind the chair so that
the chair can be
pushed back when
leaving the table
Clearances around the table
• 24 inches if for passage only
• 32 inches for chairs + access to chair
• 38 inches for chairs + access + passage
• 42 inches for serving from behind chair
• 48 inches from table to base cabinet
Dining room ergonomics
• Anthropometry is the study and measurement of the human
body and its movements
• Ergonomics is the study of people and their relationship with
the environment around them
• When anthropometric data is used to make informed design
decisions for the built environment, this is ergonomics.
Bedrooms
Bedrooms
• Minimum recommended bedroom size: 10’ x 12’, exclusive of
closets
• If master bedroom, minimum recommendation is 12’ x 16’,
exclusive of closets
Bedrooms
• Children’s bedrooms should be located away from the living
room, because conversations in the living room may prevent
the children from sleeping
Bedrooms
• Visual and acoustic privacy are primary concerns for
bedrooms
• Closets should be used bedroom all bedrooms wherever
possible
Bedrooms
• Aside from sleeping, the bedroom is the center of dressing
and undressing activities
• An interrelationship exists between dressing, storage of
clothes and the bedroom
Bedroom clearances
• 42 inches from side or foot of bed for dressing
• 36 inches in front of dressers, closets and drawers
• 24 inches for major circulation paths (door to closet, etc.)
• 22 inches on one side of bed for circulation
• 6 inches between side of bed and side of dresser or chest of
drawers
Philippine mattress sizes
Master suite/bedroom
• It is recommended that a master bedroom be planned to
contain:
• At least one double bed or two single beds
• A crib, if necessary
• One dresser
• One chest of drawers
• One or two chairs
• Two night tables
• A small desk or table
Master suite/bedroom
• Incorporate space for seating or
conversation.
• A single chair and ottoman is a good
alternative to sitting on the bed for
reading or conversing.
• Consider a conversation area with
sofas or love seats and comfortable
chairs. Support them with end tables,
lamps, magazine racks, or case piece
furniture such as a bookshelf.
Master suite/bedroom
• A small home office desk or hutch can be placed in the master suite.
Placing a full-scale home office in a room adjoining or close by the
master bedroom makes working at odd hours much less dreaded.
• Walk-in closets adjacent to the master bathroom are also generally
expected.
• Master bathrooms ideally should have double lavatories (his and
hers). Separate areas for the bathtub and the shower are common
as well.
• A sit-down vanity area with drawers, mirrors, power outlets, and
lighting are also common additions.
Bathrooms
Design Considerations
Bathroom considerations
• A complete bathroom would typically have the following:
1. Grab bar and soap dish at the bathtub
2. Toilet paper holder near the water closet
3. Soap dish at the lavatory (may be integral with the lavatory)
4. Towel bar
5. Mirror and medicine cabinet or equivalent enclosed shelves
6. If there is a shower head, a door or a shower curtain rod
Bathroom considerations
• Arrangement: furniture should be conveniently arranged and
should be given adequate clearances.
• Lighting: For grooming, it is essential to light the face from all
angles. Clerestory window provide good general daytime
illumination without sacrificing privacy.
Bathroom considerations
• Ventilation: essential to reduce humidity and dispel odors.
Exhaust fans are recommended, and essential for interior
bathrooms.
Bathroom considerations
• Sound control: Acoustical privacy is one of the most common
complaints with regard to bathrooms. Noise can be reduced
by locating the bathroom properly relative to other rooms, and
by using closets and storage walls as sound barriers.
Bathroom considerations
• Storage: Adequate storage located where the stored items are
likely going to be used is very important. Mirrors can serve as
cabinets. Closets inside or near the bathroom is convenient as
they can store bathroom linens and supplies.
Bathroom considerations
• Mirrors: Mirrors create an atmosphere of spaciousness and
luxury. A full length mirror is always desirable. Medicine
cabinets usually have mirrored doors.
Bathroom clearances
• Lavatory
• Centerline to adjacent
wall: 20-22 inches
• Front to opposite wall: 34-
36 inches
Bathroom clearances
• Bathtub
• Side of bathtub to opposite
wall: 30-34 inches
Bathroom clearances
• Toilet/water closet:
• Centerline to adjacent wall: 16-22
inches
• Centerline to side of lavatory: 14-16
inches
• Front edge to opposite wall: 24-30
inches
• Front edge to opposite tub: 24 inches
• Front edge to opposite lavatory: 24-
30 inches
Fin
References
• Beamish, Parrot, Emell, & Peterson (2013). Kitchen Planning: Guidelines,
Codes, and Standards. (Second Edition). Hoboken: John Wiley and Sons, Inc.
• Steiner, F. and Butler, K. (2007). Planning and Urban Design Standards.
Hoboken: John Wiley and Sons, Inc.
• De Chiara, J. and Crosbie, M. (2001). Time Saver Standards for Building Types
(Fourth Edition). New York: McGraw Hill.
• Ramsey, C. and Sleeper, H. (1981). Architectural Graphic Standards. Ed. Robert
T. Packard. USA: John Wiley and Sons, Inc.
• Moss, L. (16 June 2011). Dimensions to Follow: Proper Furniture Spacing
Basics. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/dimensions-to-follow-proper-furniture-
spacing-basics-149156