SPACE PLANNING

SPACE PLANNING:

Space planning is an important part of building design and is used to determine

how a space should be laid out and used. It may be undertaken as part of the
building design process, or as a standalone exercise looking at how best to plan
an existing space, or a space that is being developed.

The design methodology process are essentially done in seven sequential steps.
These are:

1) Programming
2) Schematic design
3) Design development
4) Construction documents
5) Bidding or tendering of construction documents
6) Execution or supervision of project
7) Post-occupancy evaluation

 PROGRAMMING PHASE: CREATING A BRIEF OR PROGRAM

 One of the first tasks in the design methodology sequence is the

programming.
 Programming is the systematic approach to gathering information
regarding goals, strategies, priorities and existing problems within the
organization, then analyzing and interpreting this data to determine and
define the client’s goals, requirements and objectives.
 Writing a brief or a program, sometimes also known as “project analysis
report” or “project manual”, defines the direction and the basis of the
proposed project.
 Preliminary goals, priorities and strategies will often require revisions
after the data is analyzed. The final statement, which usually takes the
form of a written document, creates the basis upon which the space
 planner can formulate a concept for the project as well as a
benchmark for both the decision making process and the evaluation
of final solutions.
 It is essential during this programming phase that the designer
adequately consults with the owner/client to develop applicable
requirements of the project and studies the capability of meeting
these requirements within
the constraints of the client’s budget and site.
 However, a clear and well-defined statement of a problem is
fundamental to achieve an appropriate solution. If the objectives
lack precision or clarity, an unsatisfactory solution would be the
result.

 DATA COLLECTION

 Once the goals and objectives are defined, the planner proceeds with
the task of information gathering. The collected data should be
organized in a manner that is both methodical and easily accessible.

a) Personnel: what are the demographics of employees within the

facility; what their work habits, characteristics are; how they
interact with each other.
b) Work function: defining tasks that are to be performed and how
they fit into the organization; what are the needs of privacy;
what special
equipment is required to function efficiently and are there
specific criteria for individual workstations.
c) Departmental and interdepartmental communication: the
primary focus is to establish spatial relationships or
adjacency requirements
between the various elements to determine placement in the
space. Firstly, conducting communication analysis with
individual communication patterns. It is then expected to
expand to task-related group communication and then to larger
groups or departments.
d) Communication with the public: determine the frequency and
nature of the contact, how much interaction there is with the
 whether there are special facilities or service needed for this
contact such as waiting rooms, dining facilities, auditoriums
etc.
e) Communication and information relevant to paper flow:
determine the procedure for document distribution and the
requirements for administrative purposes.
f) Archives and record storage: determine the type and size of
archive
and record storage facilities needed, their preferred
location and whether any of those will be shared.
g) Special facilities and equipments: determine what they are,
what their
primary function is; what furniture and equipment is needed for
areas like mailrooms, conference rooms and lounges.
h) Existing equipment: prepare an inventory of all equipments
and its conditions for re-use.

 REVIEW OF EXISTING DOCUMENTS

 In-depth reviews and analysis of relevant documents including

organizational brochures and management plans and vision
gives the
planners necessary ideas about the organization’s operating
procedures, business strategies and objectives and management
styles.
 It also puts the organization within a context for interpreting its
past, present and future facilities needs.

 INTERVIEWS AND FIELD SURVEYS

 Questionnaires, personal interviews and field surveys are

vital investigative tools and also help to identify
problems with an organization.
 The space planner is also required to conduct field surveys at
different levels of the organization, because the review of
existing documents is
 alone rarely sufficient to achieve satisfactory results. This type of
data collection helps to quantify and clarify the requirements for
work flow.
 An executive or a senior staff member of the organization will
accompany the interviewer on a guided walk-through of the
facility.
 A field survey of an existing building may include photographs
and field measurements.
 Field surveys of existing buildings are an integral part of
the programmatic process as they include essential
information like:
a) Location and size of various structural elements
(columns,
interior and exterior walls) and non-structural elements
(non- bearing partitions).
b) Location and size of architectural elements like
windows, doors, stairs etc.
c) Location and configuration of electrical, plumbing and
other mechanical outlets and systems.
d) Amount of available natural light, views and noise
problems.

 OBSERVE THE PREVAILING CONDITIONS

Analysis of existing conditions and space plans helps in verifying

the information obtained from interviews, questionnaires. It also
helps in getting greater insight of the client’s organization and
identifying strengths as well as weaknesses within the organization
and their impact on the final program.
In addition to gathering information regarding the organization’s
goals and objectives, the development of set of preliminary space
standards needs to be initiated and addressed at this point.
 DATA ANALYSIS: PROGRAMMATIC CONCEPTS

 On the completion of the data gathering process, one has to

proceed with comprehensive analysis of the information
collected. The most critical factors that impact the size and
configuration of the space are area and spatial adjacencies.
 Another important factor is the combination of new technology,
which is necessitated the provision of additional space for
equipment.
 Other influencing factors include identifying future needs,
defining working relationships, including traffic flow of
personnel, visitors and goods, identifying public and private
zones and functions and other issues such as security.
 The analysis process may require revising the existing
organization charts, grouping of functions and scheduling when
the facility is to be used or moved into.

 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: DEFINING THE

PROGRAM

 Goals and objectives of the organization – these include

both the functional and aesthetic goals.
 Organizational structure – includes the primary, secondary shared
and part-time activities like conference room, pantry area or
reception area.
 User requirements – includes the determination of user
characteristics and demographics like age, sex, etc., number and
function of the employees, their personal preferences and
location of activity space.
 Square footage requirements – space allocation and square-
footage needs should be determined by the activity area for each
user group, equipment and type of support function as well as
non-assigned space needs like the circulation area, storage
rooms, toilets, etc.
  Adjacency requirements – spatial relationships for employees,
user groups and support activities, zoning of related activities
are defined.
 Staffing needs – current and projected staffing needs are
established based on projected company growth.
 Furniture and equipment requirements – these should be
carefully selected to incorporate built-in mechanisms that give it
flexibility and adaptability. Furniture should also be capable of
reconfiguration when required and also must possess upgrading
options whenever possible.
 Environmental requirements for the design of electro-
mechanical systems such as lighting, acoustics, ventilation,
heating and cooling.
 Security issues and requirements – the importance of security
has increased dramatically. The traditional office buildings
rarely address security needs adequately.
 Aesthetics, objectives and goals - the internal aesthetic
requirements as seen by employees from within the organization
are not identical to those viewed by visitors and clients.
According few surveys, it has been shown that the aesthetics can
significantly impact an employee’s health and emotional being
within the workspace.

 SELECTING AND EVALUATING THE SPACE

The given space is supposed to be selected carefully and must be
evaluated
as what kind of space it is going to be used as. As space is a very
important aspect, we are not allowed to leave it unusable. There are 4
major categories under which space has to be evaluated under. They
are-

 STATIC AREA – These kinds of spaces are usually the ones that
an individual uses. It usually contains static/immovable
furniture as only a single person uses it and doesn’t need change
in furniture often.
 HIGH-CHURN AREA – These are the areas where there is high
traffic and where frequent changes in the organizational structure
can take place. They can be accompanied with furniture that can
be adjusted to meet personal needs. They also require panels and
screens that can be moved easily without any disruption.
 TEMPORARY/FLEXIBLE AREA – Here, each workstation
combines work surfaces, storage and meeting tables to
accommodate people who can do different genres of work.
Mobile furniture enhances flexibility and can be reconfigured as
needed.
 MOBILE/TEMPORARY AREA – Here, we can have mobile or
free- standing furniture that adapts quickly to new needs and is
very appropriate in to-define conference areas.
SPACE PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS
The Programme data gathered during the Design Process lays the
foundation for space planning.  The Design Programme identifies
the proposed function and the preferred mood and style of the
space.

Intelligent space planning involves consideration of the

following factors:

• Function and zoning
• Dimensions and shape of the space
• Site, orientation and climate
• Economy
• Stretching space
• Circulation patterns (traffic flows)
• Storage
• Permanent fixtures (kitchen and bath spaces)
• Special needs for elderly or disabled users
• Emotion and psychology
• Application of the Principles of Design
• Skillful use of the Elements of Design
1. Function and Zoning

Arguably the most important among space allocation

considerations is a functional analysis of the space.  

The functional use of the space can be graphically illustrated.

Typically, homes have four zones: social zones; work zones
(kitchen, utility, office); private zones (bedrooms, bathrooms);
and storage zones (cupboards, closets and cabinets).   There are
normally functional interrelationships between zones – certain
zones have an adjacency relationship to one another – a kitchen
is traditionally sited close to the dining area and bedrooms are
typically grouped around a shared bathroom.  Other zones may
overlap – the kitchen-diner or ‘great room’ is an increasingly
popular feature of modern homes.  The space-planning process
recognises which areas and functions are to be interrelated; that
is to say, in a well-designed space, activities should flow smoothly
and effectively from one zoned area into another.

Diagramming is the process of placing a two- or three-

dimensional graphical representation of the proposed space on
paper (Nielson et al, p.103).  The schematics are refined in
stages, from rudimentary bubble diagrams to a finished floor
plan, which will form the basis of the blueprints or working
drawings.
 During the Design Process, the schematics evolve in stages, from rudimentary bubble diagrams (1) to
finished floor plans (4)

Stage 1, a crude Stage 2, the bubble Stage 3 is further refined Stage 4, final floor plan drafted to
bubble plan diagram is refined to to show the size and scale defines the exact size and
shows the indicate how zones are shape of the rooms and placement of all architectural
placement of divided into rooms the circulation patterns elements - walls, doors and windows,
zones according and the relationships (traffic flow) between with standardized symbols that make
to function.  between them. them.  the plan intelligible to the contractors.
2. Zoning Dimensions and Shape of the Space

The research phase of the Design Process involves ascertaining the

adequate floor space for each activity area within the building.   Generally,
around 80 per cent of the available area is allocated to living space, 10 per
cent for passage and 10 per cent for storage.  With the aim of creating good
designs for comfortable interior living, the sizes, shapes and spatial
arrangement of the interior spaces should determine the exterior shape of
the building, although in reality the desired style and proportions of the
exterior may constrain the interior shapes or sizes.

Another important consideration is the number of users who will occupy

the space.  The average floor area per household varies between countries:
 the average size of a new home in the United Kingdom is 76m2 (the average
number of residents is 2.3); in the united States it was 201m2 and in Hong
Kong it was just 45m2.1  Countries in more developed regions tend to have
more floor space per person than those in less developed regions.

The shape of the interior space has both horizontal and vertical

dimensions.  Rectangular rooms are the easiest to build and decorate,
but are less architecturally interesting than spaces with curved or
angled walls and ceilings, which may create the impression of greater
space and so serve to visually expand the actual dimensions of the
interior.
 It can be economical to incorporate multi-use areas which can
accommodate more than one activity concurrently, or can easily be
transformed for alternative uses.  Multi-use space is generally open-
plan space, allowing greater flexibility to re-arrange furniture
for alternative functions, and the omission of walls would represent an
additional cost saving.

As modern homes often have less space, it may be desirable to create

the impression of spaciousness.  ‘Stretching space’ to make
areas appear larger, is effectively a space-saving technique and
represents another form of economy.

5. Stretching Space

A number of structural devices can be employed to ‘expand’ the space:

• Open-plans with few structural walls

• Use of half-walls or transparent walls
• Extensive use of windows and glass in doors
• Vertical space, accomplished with vaulted ceilings, 1.5-storey ceilings or
skylights

A number of decorative devices can make small spaces appear

larger:
• Light colours appear to recede, making light-coloured walls seem
further away
• Smooth textures expand
space

• Small-scale furnishings
make the space appear
larger

• Wall-to-wall floor coverings

make the floor area
appear larger

• Floor-length window
treatments can make walls
look taller

• Use of small-scale pattern,

or no pattern at all
• Strong vertical lines direct the eye upwards, making ceilings appear
higher

• Use of horizontal holdings can

give the impression of greater
width

• Furnishings that show their

legs, rather than upholstered
skirts
• Mirrors can be positioned
(e.g. to reflect a view from
a window) so as to expand
space

• Use of glass tables and

other transparent
materials
Conversely, too much space can be as big a dilemma as too little
space.  Areas that are larger than human scale in height or space, can
amplify and echo noise, provide little opportunity for privacy, and seem
unwelcoming.

A number of decorative devices can also make large spaces appear smaller:

• Dark colours make space seem smaller

 • Heavy textures
reduce space

• Furniture can be arranged into a number of functional or

conversational groupings
• Area rugs can divide the space into separate areas or emphasize furniture
groupings

• Use of heavy or large-scale furnishings

• Use of large-scale pattern

• Use of furniture that is solid to the floor, or soft furnishings with

upholstered skirts
6. Circulation Patterns

Circulation patterns are also referred to as ‘traffic flow’.    Space planning

entails careful evaluation of traffic flow between rooms and between areas
within rooms.  Traffic patterns  may be depicted as lines and arrows on a
bubble diagram.  Direct traffic flow should be hindered as little as possible.

Some pitfalls to avoid in managing traffic patterns:

• Rooms that act as hallways, providing the only access to other rooms

• Areas too small to accommodate furniture and circulation
• Door locations that force circulation through conversation furniture
groupings
• Traffic where private areas or untidy work areas are open to view

Heavy traffic areas in homes such as hallways and staircases must be

sufficiently wide to accommodate two-way traffic, typically 1-1.5 metres in
width.   Doors should be placed towards the corner of a room to avoid
dissecting the wall space and to maximize flexibility for furniture placement.
7. Storage

Possessions are hard to part with so storage fills up quickly.  Storage areas
should be located at the point of first or most frequent use.  Storage zones are
required in or near specific locations throughout the home:

• The entrance hall for coats, shoes, scarves, gloves

• The kitchen for food, cookware, crockery, appliances, cleaning products

• The utility or laundry room
for washing machine,
dryer, mops, brooms,
vacuum

• Linen cupboard for towels,

bed linen (often housing a
hot water tank)
• Bedroom wardrobes and cupboards for clothing
• Bathroom cupboards for
toiletries
• Study or home office for books, paper, stationery supplies,
computer equipment

• Tool shed or outside storage for garden and maintenance tools and
equipment
7. Permanent Fixtures

Rooms that contain built-in fixtures require particularly careful

planning.   Permanent fixtures are treated as structural components,
specified by the architect or designer, and included on the floor plan.  
Kitchens, bathrooms and laundry rooms contain permanent fixtures
and other rooms may also contain built-in cabinetry.

The kitchen is often the hub of the family home; the centre for food
storage, preparation, service and dining.  Kitchens have also become
an important centre for entertaining – a setting for hosts to cook and
converse with guests.   A kitchen costs more to outfit in cabinetry,
appliances and plumbing fixtures, than any other room in the home.

Kitchen and bathroom design are specialized fields of interior design.

 Certified kitchen designers consider all aspects of lifestyle when
designing a kitchen for clients, including family traffic patterns, how
many family members prepare the meals, their physical
proportions and any special needs.  When two or more family
members commonly cook together, concepts such as the standard 
working triangle are less applicable.

Planning an efficient kitchen layout involves assigning work zones

to the different activities involved in food preparation.  The three
main activity zones, and the traffic flow between them, are commonly
sited to form a so-called ‘working triangle’:

• Refrigerator zone
• Cooking zone
• Sink/cleanup zone

An important part of kitchen planning is to decide where the

refrigerator, sink and cooker will be sited in relation to one another.
 Walking distance among these three areas should be at least 2
metres, to avoid activities becoming too crowded, and not more than
7 metres to avoid exhaustion.
 • The Working Triangle in some typical kitchen
layouts

9. Special Needs for Elderly or Disabled users

The ageing population, and the growing number of people aged over 65 who
maintain a longer period of independent living, require adaptations in
traditional kitchen design.  Safety considerations are paramount, as well as
comfort and convenience for users who may have impaired movement.  The
kitchen must be planned for accessibility, with no excessively high or low
shelving to avoid bending and work surfaces at a comfortable height.

Interiors for people with disabilities may require particular modifications to

facilitate independent living.  Wheelchair users, for example, require modified
spaces and dimensions.
Space-planning considerations for those with impaired motion
include minimum clearance of 1 metre for wheelchair access, and 1
square metre of clear turning space for wheelchairs.  All kitchen
areas should be accessible to a frontal approach (with space under
the counter) as well as a parallel approach by a wheelchair user,
which requires a minimum distance of 1.8 metres between opposing
cabinets.  Sink and hob controls should be front-sited for easy reach.
10. Emotion and Psychology

Interior designs that are intended to be psychologically or emotionally appealing,

or to evoke a certain mood, can be accomplished by the shape, size and scale of
the interior, as well by the use of certain materials, colours and textures.

Dividing interior space into different sizes addresses different human needs.
 Small spaces provide a sense of security, comfort and intimacy, as well as an
opportunity for users to feel a sense of ownership and belonging.  Conversely,
large spaces fulfil the need to feel free of confinement and tall spaces can cause
us to feel exhilarated by their immensity.

Small space – warm & Cozy

large space – Freedom & luxury

11. Application of the Principles of Design

Effective space planning necessitates careful consideration of the principles of

design – harmony, emphasis, rhythm, balance and scale – in order to create
effective and aesthetically pleasing interiors.  The scale and proportion of
interiors should always be related to the scale and proportions of the human
frame.

12. Skillful use of the Elements of Design

The objective of achieving a balance between functionality and aesthetics in

space planning is accomplished by manipulating the elements of design – shape, 
mass, light, line, pattern, colour and texture.

 POST OCCUPANCY EVALUATION (FEEDBACK FROM

CLIENT)

This is the final stage of the planning process. This evaluation is done to take a final
feedback from the clients post the completion of work. The evaluation team has a set
of valid questions which they communicate to the client and get the feedback from
them.