The Furniture Design Strategies Based on Elderly

Body Size

Qiuhui Wang and Aihui Yang

School of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Tianjin Polytechnic University,

Tianjin, China
{wangqiuhui,yahfighting}@126.com

Abstract. How to meet the elderly people’s needs with their body size is an
important furniture designs direction for population aging. So, according to
physical characteristics and their body size of the elderly, this paper analyzed the
national standard of furniture size, and the market furniture size. And it was
focused on the high definition for the furniture. It was found that high-scale of
furniture is a major problem for the elderly furniture designs. According to the
body measurements of the elderly people and theoretical analysis about the scale,
this paper proposed furniture design strategies about the bedroom, living room,
kitchen, bath room and study room for the elderly people.

Keywords: The elderly people, Body size, Furniture design.

1 Introduction

The world aging population is already a global problem, and the aging are integrated
into national development strategies of social and economic, put in the work of the
main agenda of governments [1]. The elderly as a specific user groups of environmental
space, and the barrier-free design in living space should be meet the physical and
psychological needs of older persons, the elderly. And it can be more convenient to
travel home and daily life. It is the social development needs of aging [2]. Home space
furniture is essential appliances for old people everyday work, study, rest and other
activities, and it is an important component of indoor facilities factors. The size is an
important part of the furniture design, the design must meet the physical requirements
of users, especially vulnerable groups and to meet the requirements of little user.
Furniture design based on a reference measurement size is inseparable from the
human body, so the human size of furniture to meet the users can meet people's
requirements. In the social environment of the aging population, how to meet the
elderly living space furniture requires physical size of the furniture design is an
important research direction in future. So, this paper built model based on the body size
changes, and analyzed national standard furniture and facilities of the aging. And put
out the elderly living space furniture design strategies meeting the aging.

J. Luo (Ed.): Soft Computing in Information Communication Technology, AISC 158, pp. 501–509.
springerlink.com © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2012
502 Q. Wang and A. Yang

2 Methods
2.1 Body Scale Analysis
2.1.1 Changes in Body Functions of the Elderly
The body size data are important for the work space design, machine equipment and the
control devices. It is directly related design rationality to the spatial layout and tool. It
should be reduced fatigue to improve work efficiency, so that the operator can be safe,
comfortable. According to surveys, when the people were older, the physiological
function is recession [3]. Due to physiological function, with the elderly age
increases, the body’s height continue to lower and shorter5% -6% than the youth. Due
to contraction of the spine, the aging started hump, and the body became smaller and
smaller. While the weight and lateral size become bigger, sensitivity decreases, arm
strength and physical decline, visual loss, hearing loss, the body organs is lower.
Body size of the elderly. Body size is an important basis for the older elderly living
space furniture design. But the GB10000-88 only provides a body size of Chinese adults
[4]. In 1989, the GB10000-88 shows body size based on data standards about the 18-55
years male and the 18-60 years female adult. They are height, weight, arm length,
forearm length, thigh length, and calf length. And it is given out the standing and sitting
body size data.
This old body size data from the static size of the sample test results [5-6] and related
literature on changes in body size of the elderly. Because the time, economic and
human problems are relative lack , the project only collected 100 samples from the
elderly people, all the dress sizes after the data is static size. In the investigation, there
are also individual body size is a big gap between the theoretical analysis. The
individual size increases nearly 10-20cm, than the theoretical analysis. And the
maximum abdominal circumference body up to 127cm. In fact, the greatest change in
the elderly because the contraction of the spine, so the most obvious changes in the
elderly is body size, as shown in figure 1, figure 2.

Fig. 1. The male body size changes

Fig. 2. The female body size changes

 The Furniture Design Strategies Based on Elderly Body Size 503

According to GB10000-88 body size, the elderly contraction height, body

characteristics, the paper analyzed the standing and sitting middle-aged body size, as
show in table 1, table 2. This paper selected body size for environmental space data,
listed percent 1, percent 5, percent 50, percent 90 and percent 99 of the older male and
female standing, sitting and static size of the body changes [7].
Table 1. The older male body size

Old male (mm)

P1 P5 P50 P90 P99
standing GB10000-88 6% contract size
height 1450 1488 1577 1649 1705
Eye 1349 1386 1474 1544 1602
height
Shoulder 1169 1204 1284 1349 1404
height
Cubits 869 897 967 1014 1060
height
Hand 617 639 697 740 778
height
sitting
Sitting 786 807 854 890 920
height
Eye 685 704 750 786 816
height
Shoulder 507 524 562 593 619
height
GB10000-88 10% increase size
bust 83.8 87.0 95.4 103.8 111.9

Table 2. The older female body size

Old female (mm)

P1 P5 P50 P90 P99
standing GB10000-88 6% contract size
height 1362 1396 1476 1542 1595
Eye
height 1257 1289 1367 1431 1501
Shoulder
height 1096 1123 1195 1253 1302
Cubits
height 821 845 902 948 987
Hand
height 592 611 662 701 731
sitting
Sitting
height 742 760 804 838 865
Eye
height 637 653 695 727 755
Shoulder
height 474 487 523 550 573
GB10000-88 10% increase size
bust 789 820 908 1011 1106
504 Q. Wang and A. Yang

The used human body size in furniture design. According to person for engineering
principle, furniture scale determines whether man-computer system safety and
efficiency [8]. Human body size is main basis for old furniture dimension design.
Therefore, all kinds of equipment height, such as furniture, must base on the user's body
scale to design. Operating side height is the most important scale relations to furniture
design. And it related directly to the factors system [9]. The body height, eye height,
calf height, cubits height, sitting height, sitting depth are the most commonly used
furniture design, and also are the important human body size factors. Cubits height
determines the operating side, desktop height; the cur’s height determines the seat
surface height.
According to old people standing hand activity space analysis when old people no
loading, the old male size percent 1, percent 5, percent 50, percent 90 to percent 99
are1850 mm, 1840 mm, 1980 mm, 2080 mm and 2130mm. And older women hand
lifted in turn for 1730mm, 1740mm, 1860mm, 1940mm and 2000mm, as shown in
table 3.

Table 3. Old people hand lifted height (mm)

percent P1 P5 P50 P90 P99

Old male 1840 1850 1980 2080 2130
Old 1730 1740 1860 1940 2000
female

According to old people sitting activity space analysis, the old male size percent 1,
percent 5, percent 50, percent 90 to percent 99 are350 mm, 360 mm, 390 mm, 420 mm
and 440mm. And older women hand lifted in turn for 310mm, 320mm, 360mm, 380mm
and 390mm, as shown in table 4.

Table 4. Old people sitting height (mm)

percent P1 P5 P5 P9 P9
0 0 9
Old male 350 360 390 420 440
Old 310 320 360 380 390
female

3 Results
National standards and the market furniture scale analyzing. About furniture scale
problems, national standards and market existing products not unified.
GB3326-3328-82 showed the standard furniture scale, the ministry 04J923-1 showed
the old residential building standard atlas "[10] gives toilet and kitchen furniture scale,
as shown in table 5. GB3326-3328-82 formulate: the work desk height 780mm, the bed
 The Furniture Design Strategies Based on Elderly Body Size 505

height 480mm, chair height 440mm: 04J923-1 Atlas provides the standard measure of
，
home space facilities: the toilet seat height 450mm chair height 450mm, bathroom
wash basin height 850mm, width 450-550mm, basin height of wheelchair disabled
800mm. The market furniture Operation height as follows, computer desk height is
，
790mm dining table height is 790mm, sofa height is 450mm, bed height is 450mm,
tea table height is 470mm, and bedside cabinet is 450mm, as show in table 6.

Table 5. National standards furniture (mm)

GB3326-3328-82 GB04J923-1
length width height depth length length width height
1000- 550-
desk 780 — — — — —
1500 850
chair 400 400 440 420 — — — —
Wardrobe 200 600 — — — —
Double bed 2000 1500 480 — — — — —
single bed 2000 900 480 — — — — —
Cupboard — — — — — — — —
Toilet — — — — 600 500 450 —
Work table — — — — — — 800 —
Wash basin — — — — — — 850 —
wheelchair — — — — — — 800 —
Wash basin

Table 6. Market furniture (mm)

length width height

Computer desk 1400 700 790
Bookcase 2200 470 2200
Dining table 1300 800 790
Wardrobe 2430 640 2220
Double bed 2190 1510 450
Big tea table 1400 700 470
sofa 2210 880 450
Dining table 550 500 450
Bedside cabinet 710 470 450

From the little older men and older women’s body size analysis showed that the
national standards and the market scale of existing furniture can not fully meet the
needs of the users. Especially since furniture seat height and high-handed operation
height, increasing the difficulty of older operations. As an example, the toilet 450mm
height exceeds the limit the ability of older users. From the perspective of spatial
analysis using the toilet, 50 percentile for height toilet old male is 390mm, suitable for
older women toilet height is 360mm. According to ergonomics principle, low design
can effectively reduce the pressure inside the disc users, in line with the requirements of
barrier free design. So the old furniture should be designed to accommodate the elderly
limit the ability.
506 Q. Wang and A. Yang

Furniture size design strategies. According to the elderly scale modeling evaluation
and analysis about the old people body size changes in physical condition, and the
home of the national standard atlas space for facilities, this paper proposed furniture
scale strategies.
Bedroom furniture
As show in table 7, bedroom double bed, single bed, bedside cabinets designed for
height 390-400mm, large wardrobe depth of 650mm, so this can easily accommodate
large fat coat, and double and single bed width to retain the existing size.

Table 7. Bedroom furniture (mm)

length width height Seat height

Double bed 2000 1500 750-800 390-400
single bed 2000 9000 750-800 390-400
Wardrobe 2000 605 1700-2000 -
Bedside cabinet 400 400 - 390-400
TV cabinet 1200 700 120-400 -

As shown in table 8, according to percent1, percent 5, percent 50, percent 90 and

percent 99 old people using large closet space analysis, the hand touching height of
wardrobe were 1550,1650,1750,1850, 1860mm. The size wardrobe elderly women
were 1500mm, 1550mm, 1700mm, 1750mm and 1780mm.

Table 8. The Wardrobe height(mm)

percen P1 P5 P50 P90 P99

t
male 1550 1650 1750 1850 1860
female 1500 1550 1700 1750 1780

Living room furniture. Living room furniture is clean single, it includes sofa, coffee
table, cabinets, corner cabinets, and TV cabinets. The sofas number is three sofas, two
sofas or corner sofa, coffee table, TV cabinet and corner cabinet depth should be
according to the spatial decision.
As show in table 9, in living room, the sofa, seat height were 390-400mm, total
height should be controlled between 750-800mm. So it is easy to rely on for the elderly,
but also it should avoid the environment space feeling crowded. The corner cabinet
height is 710mm, and the table height is 400mm. The height of TV cabinet should be
designed for the elderly based on the eye height and TV size. The new large-screen TV
is usually large, so the TV cabinet height should be designed 120-400mm.
 The Furniture Design Strategies Based on Elderly Body Size 507

Table 9. Living room furniture (mm)

Seat
length width height
height
Sofa 2000 820 750-800 390-400
Tea table 1000 600-700 400 -
Conner
- 500-600 710 -
cabinet
TV cabinet 1200 500-600 120-400 -

Kitchen furniture. The Kitchen furniture typically includes cabinets, wall cabinets,
vegetables pool, console, and kitchen stoves, general requirements should be set neat
and orderly, as show in table10. Because the elderly body size reducing, the kitchen
cabinet and console should be reduced 50-100mm than the young people using. And it
should be reduced 100-150mm than the national standard, and always control in
650-710mm. Refrigerators, washing vegetables pool, console and stove should be
placed in turn within the region in recent. So it is reduced the times of elderly people
move to reduce their fatigue. To meet the 50 percentile older women’s needs, a separate
design should be considered their own house size.

Table 10. Kitchen furniture (mm)

length width height

Cabinets 1000- 600 650-710
Wall cabinets 1000- 450 600-700
Vegetables 700 400-500 650-710
pool
Console 1000- 600 650-710

Dining room furniture. Dining room furniture main is the dining table, chairs, buffet.
It is should be consideration of its scale of the older user's body height, especially elderly
women of smaller body size. To satisfy older people of percent1, percent 5, percent 50,
the chair height should be designed 750mm, seat height 400mm, table height 710mm.
The buffet height as long as the hand can reach both scales, as shown in table 11.

Table 11. Dining room (mm)

Seat
length width height
height
Dining table 100-120 70-80 71 -
Dining chair 40-42 40 75 40
Dining buffet 100-120 50-60 120-150 -

Bathroom furniture. Toilet facilities and furniture mainly consists of vanities and
countertops, toilets, vanities and countertops, bath. According to body size
characteristics of the elderly, proposed facilities, bathroom furniture scale strategies,
such as shown in table 12, the basin installation height is 710mm, toilet installation
height is 360-400mm, bath height is 360-400mm.
508 Q. Wang and A. Yang

Table 12. Bathroom furniture (mm)

length width height

Basin 100 45-60 71
Toilets 70 40 36
bathtub 150-180 70-80 36-40

Study room furniture. Study furniture includes desks, office chairs and bookcase.
According to the old physical size we design the furniture, as shown in table 13, the
desk height is 710mm, office chair seat height is 400mm, for more convenient, office
chairs can be designed to be adjustable, between 360-450mm in height.

Table 13. Study room furniture (mm)

Seat
length width height
height
Desk 1000-1200 700-850 710 -
office
400-420 400 750 400
chairs
Bookcase 1500-2000 350-450 1700-2000 -

4 Conclusion
This paper analyzed to compare the national standard of furniture and the market
existing furniture based on the elderly physiological characteristics and changes in
body size. And it is main focus on the furniture height. It is found that it is a problem for
the furniture height. Because that the furniture size is too high to the older people.
According to body size theories of older people, this paper established vector model to
evaluate and compare the rationality, and proposed the design strategy of the living
space furniture size for the older people. This paper proposed the furniture size design
strategies about the bedroom, living room, kitchen, dining room, bath room and study
room. It is presented low height design size than youth furniture to meet the
requirements of older people.

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