ID 2 Exam 2

Stretching Space

A space-saving device is a method of making space appear larger, for example: • The use of open plans with few structural walls. Many homes have been remodeled to remove walls. However, a general contractor should be consulted first to determine if walls can safely be removed without posing a threat to the structural soundness of the building. In no case should load-bearing walls be removed.

Indoor-Outdoor living

A well-designed yard can be an extension of the living spaces. The visual expanse of an outdoor living space seen through windows and doors makes the interior seem larger. A pleasant view, even of a small patio or backyard, can make indoor living psychologically more enjoyable. An indoor-outdoor traffic flow and outdoor seating can at least double the space for entertaining and gracious family living.

Accessible Design

Accessible design works well for everyone, whether impaired or not, and has the added benefit of making the design more sustainable.

Entry or Foyer

An entryway allows for traffic to flow to all areas of the house without having to cross a main or formal living space.

Brainstorming

Brainstorming exactly what should occupy those zones is next. Brainstorming is a useful tool for putting down on paper a list of everything that is needed or wanted in each zone. One important rule of a brainstorming session, no matter how many prospective users participate, is that every idea be recorded for further consideration and no one be allowed to say anything negative about anyone else's idea, no matter how absurd it may appear.

Codes and Restrictions

Codes and restrictions are laws established by federal, state, and local governments and their agencies for the health, safety, and welfare of the user. Codes provide requirements for mechanical systems that will function both safely and properly and for fire and occupational safety with certain types of materials, equipment, and structures.

New Construction

Cons: Costs for new construction are almost always higher than the costs of buying existing structures. Both material and labor costs have risen sharply in the past decade. The time frame typically extends longer in reality than in the estimate. This can cause frustration and problems with moving or current occupancy. • Travel to and from the site is time consuming. • The need to oversee the construction, even with a general contractor, is real. The owner should be a part of the process to determine if the interim results are satisfactory.

Remodeling

Cons: Living with the mess is an emotional and physical strain. It may cause people to be irritable and put strain on relationships. Moving out during a remodel is often advisable, depending on the extent and location of the remodel. This also requires effort, is expensive and time consuming, and is difficult for everyone involved. • The presence of subcontractors in the work or living space impinges on privacy and disrupts routines. • Removing walls sometimes yields a surprise. It's not uncommon, especially in older buildings, to discover unexpected conditions, such as a hidden fireplace or chimney flue, rotted floorboards or ceiling joists, or a complete change in building methods. These will require more time and money to correct and at times may completely alter the master plan; what you thought you could do may not be possible after all. • Whether or not there are unhappy surprises, making decisions and discussing the project as it progresses is necessary, takes time, and can be stressful.

Flow

Consideration of space also extends beyond the functional measurement of actual space needs to the psychological realm of perception. Not only should there be adequate space for movement and circulation within a space, but the designer should also consider how the mind moves through a space.

Contract Consideration

Contract design has a greater emphasis on the preparation of contracts and agreements between the client and the designer. This is the reason nonresidential design is often referred to as contract design. However, contracts for residential projects are not uncommon today. Preparation of bids is a more common procedure in contract design. The specialties in contract design are diverse, including health care, hospitality (hotels and restaurants), commercial (stores and businesses), and office planning. The profile for a contract design may be more generic.

Conceptual Drawings

Demonstrate the ideas or concepts for the design without the time-consuming precision of finished drawings. They include scaled drawings showing furniture placement.

Retail Stores

Department store zones should be clearly marked with graphics or signage so that shoppers can find their way in, find what they need, and find their way out. • Smaller shops or boutiques generally have a more open layout, where the entire store may be visible from the mall or street entrance. Notice, however, how fixtures and signage separate the merchandise into zones. • Merchandise checkout or payment stations should also be obvious, as should important support stations where functions such as repair, customer support, or gift wrap are located.

Process of Design

Design is the process of solving problems. Good interior design solutions have the power to make people feel positive in their surroundings.

Human Functions

Determinations should be made regarding every space and its use. For example, a bedroom could accommodate study or sewing space as well as sleeping.

Contract Considerations

Each area—medical facilities, hospitality, business and office space, retail space, and production plants—has highly complex and specialized considerations, often based on local or state building codes.

Economic Factors

Economic factors are some of the most important considerations because they have such an impact on the extent of the design. Economic considerations will govern all aspects of the interior design—from the time allotted to research, develop, and execute the design to the quality of materials and furnishings.

Economy

Economy is an important consideration in planning space. In most cases, new construction will have a fi nancial limit (a maximum amount that can be spent) imposed by the client or by the lending institution. Therefore, the architect, designer, and builder, as well as the client or homeowner, need to make careful and wise decisions concerning the amount of space.

Space Planning and the Principles and Elements of Design

Effective space planning incorporates careful consideration of the principles and elements of design (discussed in Chapter 3) in order to create interiors that are pleasing and effective.

Environmental Factors

Environmental considerations—such as climate, weather, and physical location (site, view, prevailing winds, solar exposure, noise, environmental hazards)—must be examined as part of the programming process.

Family Bathroom

Family bathrooms are often a point of contention, with one person locking the door and staying for lengths of time, often just grooming, while others grow impatient.

Finance

Financing the project often entails taking out a loan. The amount of money a person or family can borrow is based on credit history plus guidelines and ratios for debt management.

Function First

Functional analysis is perhaps the most important of the space planning criteria. Function means the intended use of the space. ) However, in the home, there are typically four zones. These zones may be planned in one area each in a floor plan, or they may be planned in separate areas as needs dictate. Work zones include the kitchen, the laundry, and other task areas such as sewing, tool or repair, and craft or hobby areas, as well as an area or office for taking care of household organization, bill paying, and family scheduling. Social zones include entryways; formal living and dining spaces; and informal family rooms and dining spaces, great rooms, multipurpose or recreation areas, media or home theater rooms; as well as solarium or outdoor living spaces. Hallways may be part of the social zones. Private zones are those allotted for private living: the bedrooms, bathrooms, and private sitting or retreat areas. Zone within zone may be a feasible solution for specifi c tasks. For example, a work zone involving a computer may be placed in a social zone (living, dining, or family room) because space is available there; this arrangement is convenient and doesn't take the user away from the center of family activity. Or a work zone may be placed within a private zone. A computer station, for instance, could occupy a corner of a bedroom or a private retreat area.

Open Floor Plan

Has several areas that are open to one another without walls or with only partial walls or dividers. The cost to build may be less, and the space seems much larger than with a closed plan. There is flexibility in the use of the space. The disadvantages lie in the lack of privacy that may result and the transmission of more sound than is desirable. These floor plans may open vertically (high ceilings), horizontally (few walls), or both.

Demographics/Psychographics

Household demographics can be determined through interviews of the principal users or by means of a questionnaire developed by the designer. This would include statistical information about numbers and kinds of residents.

Shopping Malls

In shopping malls, both general large entrances with clear signage and entrances to the anchor stores and larger retail shops. • Open (one- or two-story) central mall spaces with benches and perhaps fountains and other nonretail images for resting the eye and body and meeting other shoppers. • Open food court, where order and pickup counters can be seen from all seating/dining areas. Notice that the shape, architectural detail, and furnishings of this open space are often interesting—the atmosphere needs to be emotionally nourishing, even fun.

Problem Statement

Indicates the basic nature of the project—as a primary residence, vacation house, office, clinic, retirement center, restaurant, hotel, or clothing store. Might also include the location of the project and even a specific address. The person or group commissioning the project could also be named in a design statement.

Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (the ADA)

It is no longer satisfactory to provide separate facilities for people with disabilities; they must be integrated into facilities planned for the general public

Lifestyle and Function

Lifestyle is a term frequently used in residential design to describe part of the program for a home. It represents the constantly changing way a person or group of people live and how they use their time. Individual needs should be assessed in terms of the kinds of functions a user envisions for a space, as well as the kinds of furnishings and equipment required.

Formal Living

Living rooms, dining rooms, and showcase dens or libraries seen from the entry or foyer are considered formal living spaces. Formal living spaces are typically separated from the kitchen and other work spaces. This allows them to stay more tidy, and precious furnishings placed in them can be protected. • Formal spaces are ideal for reclusiveness and study, music listening or rehearsal, formal gatherings and dinners. They provide a restrained, subdued atmosphere and encourage seemly behavior. • Formal living spaces may be occupied so infrequently that they are economically difficult to justify.

Library

Location: Location: A library can be a separate room with doors that close (consider pocket or French doors) or can be incorporated into the family room section of the great room or be a part of the home office or the master suite. A formal living room can double as a library, and so can a formal den just off the entryway. Formal dining tables are often underutilized, so dining rooms can make good libraries with the addition of an armchair or other comfortable seating beyond the dining table.

Design for hearing impaired

Many of the problems associated with hearing loss center around noise and sound reverberation, as well as adequate light for manual communication (signing and lip reading).

Home Office

Office space in the home has become a necessity for a great many individuals and families as telecommuting, home-based businesses, and computer management of personal finances continue to rise in popularity. As with other space planning, it is best to consider function before making other decisions about the home office. Where to locate the home office; On the main floor, just off the entry. This is a good location if the office will never be untidy and if clients are expected to come to the front door. • At a separate entrance, if the office accommodates many clients or delivery personnel or an employee or two.

Closed Floor Plan

One in which most or all of the rooms are units that are opened to others only by a door, and when the door is shut, the room is completely enclosed. This gives privacy and control over sound, yet often it creates a chopped-up floor plan without flexibility.

Hobby and Special-Use Areas

Other rooms to consider in the wish list include rooms where hobbies or special activities take place: • Art studio for painting or printmaking, graphics, ceramics, stained glass, or other artisan skills or crafts • Darkroom and processing area for photography • Music practice and study room; sound or recording studio (sound-insulated) • Workshop for building or working with machinery or devices or making a product for sale.

Letter of Agreement

Outlines the responsibilities of the designer and the financial obligation of the client to reimburse the designer for services rendered.

Design for motion impairments

People with impaired motion may be ambulant-disabled, meaning that difficulty in walking may require the use of crutches, a cane, or a walker.

Design for Visual Impairment

People with impaired vision rely heavily on the senses of hearing and touch. Consequently, tactile indicators and acoustics are critical for day-to-day activities in familiar environments and for navigating in unfamiliar public spaces.

Rethinking the Box

Planning for fl exibility is the wisest sort of planning. Consider some of these potential changes in the needs of a family: • A couple with no children can use space in any way they want and can adapt any extra bedrooms for their own personal needs. • As children become a part of the family, spatial needs vary dramatically. Not only is the bedroom the child's world, but the entire home becomes his or her playground unless limits are placed on where and how the child can interact with his or her surroundings.

Remodeling

Pros: Relocation can be avoided. This is a major reason why most people remodel. Business location or residential neighborhood, friends, schools, and proximity to shopping and services may be so advantageous that there is no desire to uproot and move. • Changes in an existing plan can take place one at a time, over a long time, with much less pressure to accomplish than new construction. There is time to live with the idea, plan it out carefully, execute it in a way that suits the owner or occupant, and control the size or scale of the project. • Remodels can be accomplished in stages or in parts of the structure and by various individuals or teams. A general contractor or re-modeler may do the work, or the owner may hire professionals, such as a framer, plumber, electrician, drywall installer, or painter, or may elect a do-it-yourself approach. • The cost may be less than that of new construction, depending on the extent of the remodel, who does the work, and how it is accomplished. • The area to be remodeled may not dramatically affect living or working in the space. • The great features of a building or home can be kept while upgrading. This often produces a very satisfying result. There is no need to give up what works or what you love about the space; just improve it to work out the little things that may be causing current frustration or not meeting a need. • Older homes, with their vintage charms and historical character, often need upgrading of the structure or of electrical, plumbing, or HVAC systems. They may also have too many small rooms for today's lifestyles, or the owner may desire to remove previous remodeling to restore the home or building to a prior or original floor plan. Historic buildings and homes are often adapted to new uses; an old warehouse can become new offices, an old home can become a boutique, or a barn can become a home through the process of remodeling.

New Construction

Pros: The location and orientation of the home on the site can be custom selected. • There is satisfaction in designing and building a unique, personal space that has never before been occupied. • The plan can be completely customized as to number, placement, and shape of rooms, site orientation, exterior style, and window and door openings. • New construction can incorporate the newest developments in building materials, technology, wiring, heating and cooling and communication systems, plumbing and other fixtures, and finish materials. • New materials require less upkeep because of their newness. Wisely chosen, they can be relatively maintenance free and aesthetically pleasing for many years to come. • The space is unoccupied during construction. There is no need to live with or work in the mess.

Writing The Program

Putting the research information into written form is the last step in the critical programming phase of the design process. The resulting document is the key to a successful design solution.

Medical Centers

Reception and patient waiting zone, checkout area • File storage and retrieval, support-staff stations, insurance processing and billing desk area • Patient exam rooms for doctors or non-Western healers • In-office lab space; general weigh-in area, rest rooms • Doctors' personal office space • Surgery area • Support/supply areas In healing centers there may also be: • A sauna and/or spa treatment area • Massage, exercise, and other therapy areas including exercise equipment • Group instruction rooms or areas, in both seated classroom and open space for yoga/exercise.

Post occupancy evaluations

Reveals how well the design functions. The evaluation can be accomplished by on-location interviews and open-ended questionnaires. It might seem that the information from such evaluations would be too late to be of any value. The value lies in future improvements and in the benefit of information that can be implemented in other projects. The evaluation is a tool that helps the designer perform better because of the added insight it provides.

Children's Spaces

Small bedrooms that adjoin a playroom allow for a separation of sleep and play areas. • Larger bedrooms that are carefully planned with action or move-about space make a child's world private. • Planning a desk with good lighting and perhaps builtin shelves encourages children to study. Most parents will want each child to have computer access. Not all, however, will choose to connect children's computers to the Internet, as there are concerns about online content that conflicts with family values and about the effect of extensive Internet use on children's development of social skills and family relationships.

Living with Less Space

Smaller seems to be the direction of the future. This is not necessarily bad, since large spaces demand upkeep and extra furnishings and can pose not only cleaning burdens but security problems as well.

Storage

Storage is a precious commodity; it fills up so quickly and is difficult to empty because possessions are hard to part with. A cardinal rule is that storage should be located at the point of first or most frequent use.

Implementation

The execution is the implementation of the design. During the execution, demolition is done, the actual construction begins, and the materials and furnishings orders are finalized. Ordering can be time consuming, yet like each step in the design process, it must be done with great care and accuracy. When working to meet a deadline, nothing is more frustrating than receiving fewer materials or different furnishings than expected.

Specifications

The furnishings and materials to be used in the design must be itemized and documented in lists called specifications. • Identification of the item • Its manufacturer • Pricing per unit and extended total; labor costs • Quantities and types of materials • Standards of durability or fire resistance • Types of finishes • Special instructions for construction or installation • Dimensions (sizes) and shipping weights • Any other necessary data.

Media and Entertainment Rooms

The home theater or media room can employ the following space planning concepts: • A fl at-screen television with ample storage space for videos or DVDs and audio CDs • Blackout window treatments or a room without windows. A slanted or stepped (terraced) fl oor to afford everyone viewing the "big screen" an unimpeded view • Surround sound wired in during construction • Dimmable lights; usher lights low on the walls • A kitchenette or snack bar (check building codes ahead of time to determine what is allowed) Entertainment rooms beyond the media or home theater room might include: • Active game tables: Ping-Pong, foosball, billiards • A dance floor.

Kitchen and Great room

The kitchen has long been the hub of the home, but in recent decades it has taken on a multifaceted role. No longer a room where all cabinetry has to match or the single working triangle is the norm, today's kitchen is the room where a majority of living and interacting takes place, and it is designed with space and equipment for a variety of activities. A great room is an area that comprises three formerly separate spaces: kitchen, dining, and family room. The following suggestions may be just a beginning; many good books on kitchen planning are available. Certified Kitchen Designers (CKDs) or Certified Kitchen and Bath Designers (CKBDs) can create optimum kitchen and great room spaces.

Laundry

The laundry room most often contains an ironing board—perhaps the builtin variety, which is excellent for saving space and keeping iron and board accessible and orderly. Drawers or cabinets can hold clothes to be ironed or mended as well as mending supplies. Most typical is to locate the laundry near the kitchen. Some smaller homes and apartments have the washer and dryer in the kitchen itself, although ideally, the laundry needs to be in a place where clothes sorting can take place and where the door can be closed on the mess if necessary. A second location is in a basement. The third location is in the bedroom wing, next to the family bathroom.

Master Suite

The master suite is one area in which money can be invested with an assurance of a return if the home is resold. A bit of upscale luxury in the master suite is a major trend, perhaps because two-career couples feel they need a private place to unwind after a long day.

Programming Process

The process of programming is accomplished by gathering, compiling, analyzing, and verifying the information necessary to understand the problem and solve it.

Shaping the Space

The shape of the interior space has horizontal and vertical components. Although a rectangular room is the easiest to build and simplest to decorate, it can also be the most boring architecturally. Angled or curved walls, vaulted or curved ceilings, half walls or transparent walls, or even cutout sections between rooms can add interest and visually expand the actual dimensions of the room.

Site, Orientation, and Climate

The shape of the space may also be dictated by the limitations or special considerations of the building site. Look carefully at the direction of the prevailing breezes in both summer and winter, the slope of the lot, any natural vegetation, the location and types of nearby buildings, and property values of surrounding architecture. Also consider the orientation, or direction the site faces, so that solar aspects and fenestration can be incorporated. The orientation is also important in relation to the climate.

Single Family Types

The single family residence, or a home with a yard, has the greatest potential for individuality. Although some are rental units, the majority of homes are owner occupied. Ownership means that the plan can be originated or remodeled to fit the needs of the owners.

Working Drawings

The working drawings are the finished mechanical drawings or plans prepared for use by the contractors in making bids and completing the construction of the design. The working drawings are often prepared in blueprint form showing the details as they are to be executed. The complete set of working drawings (also called construction drawings) might include a title sheet, an index, perspective drawings, site plans, floor plans, electrical plans, reflected ceiling plans (showing lighting, ventilation, and other ceiling fixtures), sections (a view sliced through the building), elevations (straight-on views), detailed drawings of architectural elements, fixtures, or cabinetwork, and schedules (listing types and finishes of architectural and design elements).

Environmental Issues

These should also be considered along with sustainability and green design. Poor indoor air quality (IAQ) affects the health and productivity of users, and well-planned lighting and carefully specified windows can conserve energy.

Attached Dwellings

Those that share walls, with or without a yard. Apartment buildings are multistory buildings where multiple units are housed on each floor, accessed by stairs and in high-rise complexes also by elevators. Twins homes. Luxury apartments or flats.

Making Large Spaces Seem Smaller

Too much space can be as big a dilemma as too little space. Feelings of unfriendliness and insecurity are common in areas that are larger than human scale in height and/or horizontal space. Noises are often amplified, or they may echo or reverberate, particularly when there are large areas of hard surfaces.

Traffic Patterns

Traffic patterns may be drawn in lines and arrows on the diagram or floor plan, indicating where people will be walking or where objects will be moved regularly through the space.

Interrelating function

When functions interrelate, or fl ow smoothly from one zone to another, and when the design program is well executed, the result is quality interior design.

Relationships of Rooms

When the functions for each space have been assessed, the relationships of each function must be determined. Important lines of communication and the need for proximity must be identified. The consideration of relationships should even extend to the location of areas outside the building. For example, the convenient relationship of garbage containers to the kitchen or of kitchen to patio or garden is important. For bringing in groceries, the relationship of the garage or parking spaces to the kitchen or pantry is significant. Identifying these types of relationships facilitates efficient use of space and makes the design more effective because of its convenience. Well planned relationships also smooth lines of communication, cut building costs, and make traffic patterns more efficient.

Adjacency Matrix

adjacency matrix is a table that shows what spaces should and should not be near to each other on plan

Features and Benefit

an extensive list of the features the users want and the reasons why they want them. It is important to take a hard, realistic look at the "why" during this brainstorming stage. As the best designs are based on wants justified by needs, the "why" will determine how seriously a given feature is needed. An attractive or fashionable feature that will be only rarely used by anyone in the household is probably not a good investment.

Construction Documents

floor plans exterior elevations schedules site plans foundation drawings framing plans cross sections utility plans interior elevations details specifications sub contract.

Universal Design

implies that well-planned designs will meet the needs of every user without drawing attention to persons with disabilities.

Combination

n (open and closed) plans have both open and closed areas or areas that can be opened to permit a flexible use of the space. This can be accomplished with double doors (such as a pair of pocket sliding doors, French doors, or accordion doors) and with some areas with high ceilings that open to areas such as lofts or balconies or other living space.

Green Design

selection of materials that produce a sustainable environment—the materials have come from a renewable source and removing them will not harm the earth's environment.

Floor plan

the finished product that indicates specific and exact placement of walls and systems within the home. Floor plans are drawn to scale (usually ¼ inch equals 1 foot) and consist of symbols that make the plan understandable to the general contractor and subcontractors. Other components of the construction documents are discussed later in this chapter.

Sustainability

thinking about creating buildings and interior environments now, but also considering how they will be used 50, 100, or more years from now.

Perspective sketches and renderings

three-dimensional pencil, pen-and-ink, or full-color representations of the proposed space or how a portion of the interior will appear upon completion.

Debt-to-income Ratio

where debt including housing costs plus other long-term debts (more than ten months to repay) should not exceed 36 percent of the gross monthly income: Housing costs + Debts = 36% or Less Gross Income

Refinement

—this step could take up to several overlays, the laying of tracing paper over the previous graphic to tighten and refine the sketch, or it could be accomplished through CADD software tools.

Bubble planning

• Bubble planning—the placement of zones on paper according to function. • Size and shape determination—the allocation of square footage and cubic footage and the shape of rooms and areas.

Buying an existing home

• Buy a home that meets your present and future needs. If you expect to increase or decrease your family size, operate a home business, or add luxury features, choose a plan that will allow modifications without major remodeling. • Consider upkeep. You'll never regret buying a home with materials and systems that are relatively maintenance free. • Look for warranties on the environmental control systems (heating, air-conditioning, plumbing, electrical). • Check for structural soundness in construction— framing, roofing, walls and windows, doors, flooring.

Hospitality

• Hotels and motels are planned with one or more open seating areas in the reception area, some within view of the check-in counter. • In multistory hotels, elevator banks constitute a zone, generally located near stairs or escalators. • Luggage bellhop stations and luggage storage/holding rooms.

Hospitals

• In addition to the above, hospitals have more surgery space and areas for specialties such as obstetrics, laboratories, X-ray and nuclear medicine, various forms of therapy and counseling. • Patient rooms and support facilities. • Nurses' stations. • Administrative areas including an extensive business office. • A kitchen, cafeteria, pharmacy, and chapel are figured into most hospital plans.

Other factors that affect economy in planning home space

• Interest rates, Environmentally sound building and furnishing materials, The cubic footage, simple building shapes, long-range space planning, avoiding unusable wasted space or poor traffic patterns, proper scale and proportions in rooms in relation to interior space, size of rooms allows the user to function without crowding and frustration, double-up purposes in an area (multi-use area) to make space appear larger than it is.

Office Buildings

• Multistory office buildings have a lobby area with a directory of businesses per floor. • Elevator banks and stairwells; rest rooms. • Lobby areas on each floor and entrances for each business that typically include a reception area, waiting area, support facilities and administration, offices, and conference rooms.

Restaurants

• Reception/payment, waiting area including some seating, coat rack or check • Open seating at tables and booths, sometimes a bar zone (less formal dining), possibly al fresco dining area • Take-out area (casual or fast-food eateries) • Self-serve buffet area (less formal dining) • Rest room zone • Food preparation and storage zone, delivery and receiving area.

Public Transportation

• Train stations, bus stations, and airports need specific areas to function: check-in at counters and curbside, spaces to manage crowds and long lines, and security checkpoint areas. • Elevator, escalator, and stairs. • Public rest rooms. • Administrative and customer services; baggage-hold offices. • Baggage-processing areas connecting or convenient to planes, buses, or trains. • Shops and casual dining. • Signage and connecting walkways and trams.