Republic of the Philippines

ISABELA STATE UNIVERSITY

City of Ilagan, Isabela

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, ARCHITECTURE & TECHNOLOGY

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN 4 – SPACE PLANNING 1

Semester/A.Y.: 2nd Semester, SY 2021-2022

NAME: BECHAYDA, TRISTAN JERALD B. BSA – 2A

ASSIGNMENT NO.1 RSW 1

Research Work
Research Title: Space planning

1. What is space planning?

Is it simple for you to go from one room to another in your

home? Is there a huge window in your bedroom that allows in a
lot of light, and does it have easy access to the bathroom? If
that's the case, these characteristics aren't likely to have
occurred by coincidence. They were most likely the consequence
of careful planning.

Space planning is an essential component of architectural

design since it specifies how a space (or spaces) should be
constructed and utilized. It may be done as part of the building
design process or as a standalone exercise to determine how to
effectively plan an existing space or a space that is being built
(for example, a tenant selecting how to fit out their portion of
a new property) (for example, a tenant determining how to fit
out their part of a new development). It may be utilized for
everything from tiny settings like hotel rooms to huge industrial
organizations.

Efficient space design may improve the comfort and

productivity of a location's occupants.

Before commencing planning (and occasionally reviewing

existing spaces), designers may meet with the client to
determine their requirements for the space, frequently by
addressing issues such as:

• Budget and time constraints.

• The categorization of activities.
• The space's intended use(s).
• The total number of inhabitants.
• The amount of space necessary per person.
• The space's key focus points.
• The need for or the availability of windows and doors.
• Access into and out of the area, as well as the function of
neighbouring places
• Movement within the space.
• Disabled people's access to and usage of the place.
• The need for furniture, fixtures, and fittings
• The amount of persons who will most likely utilize the
place.
• Whether the room should be balanced and symmetrical,
imbalanced or a mix of the two.
• Privacy, security, and safety.
• Legislative mandates.
• Lighting, information technology, and other building services
needs.
• Energy objectives and needs for long-term viability.
• Environmental needs such as noise, lighting, ventilation, and
temperature, among others. Environmental safeguards.
• Social services.
• Views.
• Colors and logos.
• Planting.
• The need for future development or flexibility.

After the above-mentioned issues have been addressed, a

space design may be developed.

A space plan may be created using a variety of ways. The

'bubble plan' is a typical early approach. This entails creating a
design of the area and utilizing 'bubbles,' or circles, to loosely
outline the different activities that will take place, which will
overlap depending on their connection.
 After the activities have been identified and positioned in
relation to one another, a more comprehensive scale plan may
be created to demonstrate the arrangement of specific things
inside the area. This procedure may be done by hand, using
movable paper cut-outs, or with space planning tools like
computer assisted design (CAD) software or building information
modelling software (BIM).

By permitting the automated application of pre-defined rules

to the whole space, parametric modelling may simplify space
design. For example, if the color scheme for a certain area of
the space is altered, every item with that color property will
change as well. Other parameters could include; location data,
dimensions, algorithms defining shape, and so forth.

Space syntax, for example, may enable the links between

spatial arrangement and human behaviour to be simulated and
examined in depth in very complicated locations. This might be
advantageous in the design of a station when a large number of
competing applications utilize the same area, for example.

2. Types of Space Planning in Architecture

1. Mix it Up for Collaboration

Small-group enclaves and phone rooms should be used to
supplement today's open workplace models. For scheduled
and unplanned gatherings, combine high-tech smart boards
with white boards.

2. Create Visual Destinations

Create corridor sightlines that lead to a goal, such as
artwork or a vista. Desks should not be placed with their
backs facing the passageways.

3. Think Multipurpose for Flexibility

Make the standard lunch and break room into a social and
 meeting place. Include additional flexible or multifunctional
areas that may be used for future expansion.

4. Put Wellbeing First

To encourage health, provide access to natural light and
windows, as well as bike storage and showers. Consider
standing workstations that team members may check out
as required.

5. Stand Out by Standardizing

Standardizing furniture systems and workplaces really allows
more freedom to alter workstations and develop.

3. Space Planning Principles

What should you keep in mind every time you begin the
space planning process? There are five crucial recommendations
to help you with the space planning component of your design.

3.1. Remember the prospect and refuge theory. Put simply,

we think of spaces as having two distinct functions and these
can either be augmented or limited depending on what the
client wants and/or how much space is available. Prospective
spaces look out into other areas or outside and refuge areas
are designed for rest and retreat. Sometimes a space can
include both functions.

3.2. The design needs to be human, which means it must

include more than just interesting decorations or architectural
decisions. Instead, it also needs to fulfil psychological needs and
help promote good mental health, physical health, etc.

3.3. Layered lighting is a great way to give rooms multiple

uses and easily change the appeal within the room with the
simple flick of a switch (or roll of a dimmer knob).

3.4. Consider more than just a single room at one time

when space planning. Sometimes the relationship between
multiple rooms will be partially decided for you due to their
proximity or connection to other rooms that have a very
specific purpose or access to another room. For example, you
likely wouldn’t use a room adjoining a kitchen as a library,
especially if they are directly connected. Instead, it’s more
natural for this area to be a dining room.

3.5. Write everything down before you start planning! This

will make it easier than trying to go back later and move
things around to fit in an important request that was previously
forgotten. Catalogue your client’s requests and the decisions that
you’ve made together so that they can be referenced whenever
needed.

4. Importance of Space Planning

One of the most significant parts of interior design is space

planning. It may have a major influence on a room's
functionality. A room without proper planning can be awkward at
best and disastrous at worst. Knowledge of furniture sizes and
space allowances, as well as some creativity and a sense of
composition, are quite beneficial. A well-planned room makes
the most use of available space. The demands and functions of
the room are considered, and any challenging places or problem
areas are addressed. Your objective is to do this in such a
beautiful, comfortable, classy, and graceful manner that the
arrangement of all the things in the space seems both evident
and unexpected.

An optimal space planning makes a tremendous difference to

where you live and work just as any piece of furniture,
equipment or the colours of the walls can create. When we are
talking about space planning for a residential property, we have
to consider a lot of crucial variables. For example if our
bedrooms are too tiny to fit both a king sized bed along with
numerous furniture pieces then how will you handle them?
Likewise, if your kitchen is too tiny then how will you be able
to walk about freely and battle claustrophobia? But one of the
most crucial things to consider about is how you will design
your interiors according to you individual wants and
requirements.

The ideal solution to all of these issues along with many

other queries is space planning. This comprises optimal
utilisation of all available space in the efficient and effective
way according to the client’s unique demands and requirements.
If we look at them from a financial viewpoint, it is apparent
that space is one of the most important assets for everyone,
with prices per square foot growing all the time. Hence the
reason why it is vitally crucial to employ the space you have
in the best and most practical or fashionable manner possible.
Again, these items are relevant for private residences as well as
business structures and workplaces.

A scaled floor plan is like a map - it depicts where you're

going and how to get there. With a decent floor plan, you'll
know the correct sizes of furniture to buy, and where to place
any existing pieces that you currently have. You'll know how to
put the furniture for best utilization and comfort with a nice
feeling of order.

For the greatest space planning, you would preferably have

to use expertise and knowledgeable specialists, who have been
offering these services effectively for many years. A small area
may be handled successfully in different methods or layouts
with their guidance, but a vast space can be mismanaged
without their skill.

Lacking efficient space planning, projects or whole houses and

buildings might lack a unified sense of form and function that
makes them appealing and functional. Functional areas may be
over-decorated, which is a typical mistake without good space
design.

These faults could be visible or they might be more subtle,

steadily lowering a client’s satisfaction in their environment
because it’s not best suited to their requirements or because it
makes ordinary tasks more difficult. While the difficulties
addressed by space planning may seem apparent, it can really
be an easy blunder to ignore that element of the process.
 Space planning can assist interior designers make and explain
choices that may not otherwise be apparent – particularly to
clients. These judgments might include things like the following:

1. Lighting placement, fixtures, and brightness.

2. Furniture selection and orientation.
3. Material options. Tile vs. Carpet in a location with frequent
traffic, or where shoes will be utilized.

If those selections have been influenced by thoughtful and

purposeful space planning, you’ll be much surer that the
finished product actually satisfies client requirements today and
in the future.

5. Space Zoning Architecture

Homes are often divided into four zones: social zones, work
zones (kitchen, utility, and office), private zones (bedrooms and
baths), and storage zones (cupboards, closets and cabinets).
There are often functional interrelationships between zones —
some zones have an adjacency connection to one another – for
example, a kitchen is typically located next to the dining area,
and bedrooms are typically gathered around a common
bathroom. Other zones may overlap — the kitchen-diner,
sometimes known as the 'great room,' is a prominent element
of contemporary houses. The space-planning process determines
which regions and functions will be interconnected; that is,
activities in a well-designed space should flow seamlessly and
efficiently from one designated area to another.

What does it really mean by zoning?

Zoning is used in passive solar architecture to assist manage

temperature in a dwelling. Room layout may conserve energy
and boost comfort by considering how the rooms will be utilized
in various seasons and at different times of day. The layout of
rooms and interior zones–which may contain more than one
room–is especially significant in buildings with passive solar
elements.
Passive Solar Home Plan: Winter Plan

Passive Solar Home Plan: Summer Plan

 Space Planning to Curtail Heat Ingress

Aside from functional arrangements, room connections, and

privacy needs, the following things should be addressed while
planning a building's floor plan:

What time of day will the room be occupied?

Is the room critical, or is it an auxiliary space?

Important rooms should be situated in areas with favorable

climatic conditions. In warmer regions, for example, a bedroom
should be positioned on the east side, where it is reasonably
cool in the evening, while the living room should be put on the
northern side. Auxiliary spaces should be positioned on the
poorer sides, primarily on the west. Kitchens and other areas
with a high internal heat load should be separated from the
main rooms.

The dwelling might have separate day and night zones. The
day zone would be a substantial structure that would preserve
the cold of the night and would be directed westward. The night
zone would be a light structure that cools fast after sunset and
faces east. Similarly, variety in living areas utilized in the
summer and winter may be given - a notion that is only
practicable in temperate zones.
 6. Space Planning Concept

Space planning is a complicated procedure with several

variables to consider. Space planning concepts include meeting
established requirements on a priority basis — as a
consequence, space planning is typically about compromise. That
being said, there is often more than one method to planning
out a building's space needs.
Following are some of the most important steps in space
planning, as well as the questions you should ask your clients
and yourself, and how to turn this knowledge into space
planning diagrams.

6.1 Collect information

The customer or end user will have several needs for the design
of a structure or area. In the early phases of design, it is
critical to do extensive research and explore as many elements
of space usage as feasible. Some things to think about are:
• Do the spaces serve a certain purpose or need specific
shapes or forms?
• Do the areas have to be adaptable?
• Is it feasible to establish a succession of places (for
example, offices or museums)?
• Do the areas have differing lighting, ventilation, view, and
accessibility requirements?
• Do the places need to have access to the outside world?
• Do any of the locations need special security or privacy?
• Do the spaces have any hierarchical requirements?
• What connections must each space have with one another
and with the outside world?
• How should the spaces be linked together?
• Which rooms must be near to one another, and which must
be separated?
• Here are some questions to think about if you're creating
a residential unit:
• What is the size and structure of the family?
• Site location
• The number of levels
• Personal or family hobbies and activities
• The more information and data gathered in the early
phases, the simpler it will be to transition from data to
 diagrams and drawings as you go through the space
planning process.

6.2 Interpret requirements – build the brief

When considering how to design places and accommodate

individuals in such areas, we might examine certain universal
themes pertaining to how people interact with their
surroundings.

• Insiders vs Outsiders • Enclosure vs openness

• Individual vs. social • Segregation vs integration
• Rejection vs. invitation • Dispersion vs. combining
With these variables in mind, we can begin to construct a
requirements plan, extracting the essential functionalities from
the data we have gathered.

In certain circumstances, creating a matrix/table that

displays the needs of each space in terms of privacy, daylight,
access, equipment, and so on, as well as laying down any extra
criteria or specific considerations for each room, is appropriate.
This knowledge will come in handy as you move through the
areas in each room and begin to create some sketch diagrams.

6.3 Consider spaces and spatial relationships

6.3.1. Relationships in Space

What is the relationship between spaces?

• An area inside an area
• Interlocking areas
• Spaces that are connected by a shared space
• Adjacent areas
6.3.2. Organising the space

There are several styles of spatial organization to examine,

some of which are more naturally suited to certain applications
than others:

• Centralised organisation
• Linear organisation
• Radial organisation
• Clustered organisation
• Grid organisation
6.3.3. Increasing circulation

• The manner in which individuals go from room to room inside

the structure is just as significant as the destination.

• When designing a circulation structure, we might consider a

few fundamental concepts.

• How effective is the circulation in moving from A to B?

• Is there a distinct circulation?

• What is the circulation's fluidity? Is there a more direct way

or a more flowing route?

• Does the circulation path conflict with the furnishing

requirements?
6.3.4 Create the solution

Once the spaces have been considered and the

requirements have been studied it is time to start sketching out
relationship diagrams. The relationship diagram takes your
design from data to a more visual look at physically planning
out your space. It is abstract, and rough but enables you to
develop your understanding of the requirements and visualise
how the spaces will work together and how the circulation may
flow between them.

At this stage the diagram does not need to represent the

building size or space, more a look at how each room relates to
one another, sizes and so on. Let’s look at some examples:
 CAs your sketch diagrams develop you can begin to build a
rough sketch plan of your spaces, this is sometimes known as
bubble diagramming. The bubble diagram helps you make the
connection between basic spatial requirements and a fully
drafted floor plan. It is essentially a trial and error method of
exploring the configuration options. If you are working within
the constraints of an existing building you can print out the
floor plan and work within that. However, if you are designing
a new building the bubble diagram can often be connected with
your concept and site analysis to develop the design. During this
process it is important to keep referring back to the initial
data collected and the relationship diagram to ensure you are
considering all aspects of the design requirements.

This is an opportunity to try both safe and standard ideas

along with more erratic options as you are carrying out fast
sketchy ideas.

At this point it is often useful to have a general idea of

size requirements of certain areas. For example, in a residential
house, it is useful to know a rough size of a double bedroom,
or an average living room size in order to start making sense
of the spaces. Books like The Metric Handbook Planning and
Desing Data by Littlefield and Neufert Architects Data are a
great reference and contain stacks of data that would start you
off in the right direction. (See the end of this article for
recommended reading).

You can almost build a small library of ‘rule of thumb’ plans

that you can refer to in order to speed up your space planning
time.
Try different options and configurations, sketch your ideas and
how the spaces will connect to one another. As you work
through the different options, make notes on each one as to
any pros and cons, benefits etc, so that later you can easily
disregard options that you don’t think will work at a later
point.

6.3.5. Review and revise

Once some solutions have been sketched out it is then

possible to review these solutions and look for areas that
require improvement. Things to consider when we look at a
residential scheme:

 How will the occupants move from room to room?

 Does the circulation cut up the space?
 Does guest traffic flow through private areas?
 Are the doors and windows in suitable positions? Do they
interfere or add to the overall spatial plan?
 Does the plan orientate itself correctly with the site?
 Do the rooms work well in relation to one another?

Once you have reviewed your initial sketches and ideas the
plans can be developed further by adding more detail and
refining your drawings. It is key to refer to any building
regulations, codes and standards that will have an impact on
your space planning to ensure that your design is compliant
from an early stage.
There is so much more to space planning that what I have
touched on in this post and there are some truly inspiring ways
people are presenting their ideas and findings. I have set up a
new Pinterest board that is full of space planning ideas and
styles that will really help inspire. Please check it out and
follow the board! Or better still, follow all my boards!
 7. Ergonomics in Architectural Planning

7.1. Ergonomics Incorporated Into Architectural Planning

The International Ergonomics Association (IEA) defines

ergonomics as "the scientific discipline concerned with the
understanding of interactions among humans and other elements
of a system, and the profession that applies theory, principles,
data, and methods to design in order to optimize human well-
being and overall system performance."

Ergonomics is typically divided into three classes of

interaction: physical, cognitive, and organizational. The first is
concerned with the physical characteristics and dimensions of
the human body. Anthropometric, anatomical, physiological, and
biomechanical characteristics associated with human physical
proportions and activities are included. The second is concerned
with mental processes associated with interactions between
humans and their artificial products, such as data perception,
interpretation, and reasoning. The third is concerned with
optimizing organizational structures, hierarchy, processes, and
system flow. Physical and cognitive issues are associated with
the human side of the interaction in this categorization of
human-product interaction, whereas organizational aspects are
more associated with the side of products and their internal
and external systems.
 The system mentioned in the IEA's definition is interpreted
as the built environment that directly surrounds humans in the
context of this paper. It consists of furniture, structural
elements, spaces, buildings, landscape elements, and the urban
environment. The primary goal of incorporating ergonomics into
architectural design is to optimize human-built environment
interactions in order to increase human satisfaction with their
built environment and improve building performance. All types of
ergonomics have an impact on architectural design: physical
ergonomics can help create more human-entertained spaces;
cognitive ergonomics promotes place making and social
sustainability; and organizational ergonomics helps optimize
building performance. The ergonomic approach to architectural
design may be defined within the scope of this paper as the
extrapolation of future expected scenarios of post-occupancy to
analysis of existing settings in spatial design. This includes
user-space interaction research and analysis, as well as their
impact on spatial planning and form making. The method also
makes use of scenario-based design to optimize building design
in terms of quality, functionality, adjustability, and adaptability.
The predicted future scenarios are typically a combination of
event-based scenarios and simulations of potential user
circulation and behaviour.

Anthropometrics is commonly associated with the discipline

of ergonomics. The latter is primarily concerned with human
body measurements and their effects on product dimensions,
scale, and proportions. While anthropometrics primarily
influences product design static settings, ergonomics incorporates
time and motion considerations. It adds health, comfort, fun,
efficiency, and even entertainment considerations to the basic
anthropometrics-based engineering design. While anthropometrics
and ergonomics are widely used in interior design, automotive,
computer, mechanical, and industrial engineering design,
examples of ergonomics being used as a design generator or
catalyst in architectural design derivation are rare. The majority
of these efforts are concentrated on healthcare facility design,
working environment or office design, intelligent buildings, and
the connections between architectural ergonomics and
sustainable design. Even in existing scholarly efforts of
ergonomics-based design, the area of incorporating ergonomics
principles into the early stages of schematic planning,
programming, processing, and conceptual formation of residential
design remains underrepresented.

7.2. The importance of ergonomics

Ergonomics is concerned with ensuring a good fit between

people and the things with which they interact. This could
include the objects they use or the environments in which they
live. Every product, system, or environment should take
ergonomics into account.

Early in the design process, ergonomics should be

prioritized. Ignoring ergonomics can result in designs that are
unlikely to succeed commercially because they do not meet the
needs of the user.

Ergonomics is a critical component of product development

research. Its goal is to improve the safety, comfort, and
performance of a product or environment, such as an office.

Ergonomics is the use of anthropometric data to determine

the optimal size, shape, and form of a product and make it
easier for people to use.

Ergonomists can assist you in determining which user

characteristics to consider during the design process. This is
significant when you consider how much individuals differ in
terms of:

 body size
 body shape
 strength
 mobility
 sensory sensitivity
 mental ability
 experience
 training
 culture
 emotions
 When ergonomic methods are used early in the design
process, they can frequently identify opportunities for innovation.
Learn more about the process of user-centered design.

7.3. Ergonomics classifications

Ergonomics is divided into three broad categories:

Physical ergonomics

The study of the relationship between human anatomical,

anthropometric, physiological, and biomechanical characteristics
and physical activity is known as physical ergonomics. Among
these are the following:

 working postures
 manual handling
 repetitive movements
 musculoskeletal disorders
 workplace layout and environment

Psychological ergonomics

Psychological ergonomics is the study of mental processes (for

example, perception, cognition, memory, reasoning, and emotion)
as well as how people interact with products, systems, and
environments. Among these are:

 mental workload
 decision-making
 human-computer interaction
 human reliability
 attitudes
 stress
 motivation
 pleasure
 cultural differences
Organizational ergonomics

Organizational ergonomics is concerned with the optimization

of socio-technical systems' organizational structures, policies,
and processes. This includes the following:

 communication
 work design
 staff resource management
 working time patterns
 co-operative work
 quality management
 organisational culture

Ergonomists should be an integral part of your design

development team to ensure that you always keep your end
users' needs in mind.

PLEASE SEE THE FOLLOWING LINKS FOR THE RESOURCES:

 https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Space_planning

 https://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-space-planning-basics-
architecture.html#:~:text=Space%20planning%20is%20an%20in,of%20inte
rior%20designers%20and%20architects.

 https://www.firstinarchitecture.co.uk/space-planning-basics/

 https://www.landmass.co.uk/news/the-importance-of-space-
planning?locale=en

 https://www.longdom.org/open-access/applied-human-factors-in-
residential-architectural-design-54782.html

 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1474034620301336
#:~:text=Zoning%20is%20the%20grouping%20of,for%20zoned%20building%
20spatial%20designs.
 https://www.innodez.com/architectural-zoning-principles/

 https://www.selserschaefer.com/5-space-planning-trends/

 https://www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/content/importance-ergonomics

 https://fairconditioning.org/knowledge/passive-design/zoning-and-
space-
planning/?fbclid=IwAR287RhE7OJb5LQlHlJ3N8OEftdmUONT6UdFvGB7C8QN
x1QXID_x5WDn_s0#1500296799565-408a1441-895b