Traffic Areas and Patterns

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Traffic Areas and Patterns

• Chapter 9
• Architectural Design

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Index
Traffic Areas Patterns
Traffic Patterns
Halls
Stairs
Materials Lighting
Size and Shape
Entrances
Function and Types
Location
Decor
Size and Shape
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Traffic Areas and Patterns

• Traffic areas provide passage
• From one room to another
• Within a room or area
• Planning is not extremely complex
• Efficient allocation of space is important

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Main traffic areas of residence

• Halls
• Entrance or foyers
• Stairs
• Areas of rooms that are part of traffic

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A well-designed, attractive stairway. Note the
use of both artificial and natural lighting.
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Traffic Patterns

• Traffic patterns should be carefully considered
• Minimal amount of space should be used
• Avoid extremely long halls
• Avoid traffic through rooms

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Compare the next two designs
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• Efficient and functional
• Minimum amount of wasted space
• No boxed-in appearance
• Access between areas without passing through
  other rooms

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• Poorly Designed Plan
• What is inefficient about this design?

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Halls
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Halls

• Highways and streets inside buildings
• Provide controlled path
• Connects various areas of house

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Halls contd

• Need to be carefully planned
• Eliminate or minimize traffic in rooms
• Avoid long, dark tunnel-like halls

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Halls contd

• Hallways should be
• Well lighted
• Light in color and texture
• Match décor of whole house

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Although this hall is long. The space is broken
up by bookshelves, a gallery, and by light
variations
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Halls contd

• Minimum widths determined by code
• Minimum of 36
• Practical use suggests wider
• 42
• Wide enough for people and furniture movement
• Also wheelchair access

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Channeling Hallway Traffic

• One way without solid walls
• Use dividers
• Planters, half walls, louvered walls, and even
  furniture used to channel hall traffic without
  the use of solid walls

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• Next slide shows basic principles of efficient
  hall design

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Stairs
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Stairs

• Stairs are inclined hallways
• That provide access from one level to another

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Stairs contd

• May lead without a change of direction
• Or may turn 90 or 180
• By means of landings
• Points at which stairs change direction.

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Stairs contd

• There are several types of stairs
• The next illustrations show the Basic Types of
  Stairs

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Materials Lighting

• Stairs can now be supported by many different
  devices
• Newer, stronger building materials
• New techniques
• No longer need to be enclosed in restricted areas

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• Stairwells (areas for stairs)
• Should be lighted
• At all times when in use
• Natural light is best
• Windows work well
• Use three-way switches
• Top and bottom of stairs

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Size Shape

• Many variables to consider
• Major components
• Treads
• Risers
• Width
• Headroom
• Landings

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• The Tread
• Horizontal part of a step the part upon which
  one walks.
• Part upon which you walk
• Covered with non-slip surfaces

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• Tread contd
• Average run
• Depth, distance from front to back
• Average distance 10

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• Riser
• Vertical part of a stair step.
• Average height 7 14

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Width

• Distance between stair railings
• Minimum of 36
• Preferably 42

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Headroom

• Vertical distance between top of each tread and
  top of stairwell ceiling
• Minimum of 66
• Better 70

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Landings

• Points at which stairs change direction.
• Generally determined by
• Size of stairs
• Space for stairwell
• Provide more clearance for doorways onto landings

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Landings contd

• Use when
• stairs have more than 16 risers
• Or there is limited run (length for stairwell)
• Located at center between levels
• To eliminate long runs

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Entrances
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Entrances

• Divided into several different types
• Site entrance
• Main building entrance
• Service entrance
• Special-purpose entrances

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Entrances contd

• House entrances
• Usually have outside waiting area
• Porch
• Marquee
• Lanai
• Separation (door)
• Inside waiting area (foyer)

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Entrance Function Types

• Provide for, and control, the flow of traffic
• Different types of entrances have different
  functions
• Depending on design of structure

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Site Entrance

• Attention must first be given to
• Space from street or road to house
• Includes
• Driveway
• Walkway
• Adjacent parking or turnaround for vehicles

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• Driveways
• Connect street or road to
• Walkway
• Garage or carport
• Should be easily identified from street

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• Driveways contd
• Different shapes
• Designed to lead directly to garage or front door
• Blend well with site

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• Driveways contd
• May be straight or curved
• Depends on landscaping and land contours

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• Circular Drives
• Circular or semicircular drives
• Allow a car to return to street
• Without driving in reverse
• Or turning around

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• Turning and Parking apron
• Apron Part of the driveway leading to the
  garage.
• Provides a means to exit driveway
• Without backing up

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• Curved Driveway contd
• To avoid double backing
• Turning radii shown must be strictly followed

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• Gates
• Some driveways need to be gated for security
• Example to protect pool area

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• Walkways to front entrance
• May either connect house entrance with street or
  sidewalk
• Or lead to driveway
• Or both

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Main House Entrance

• Main entrance provides access to the house
• Where guests are welcomed
• Where all major traffic patterns radiate

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Main Entrance contd

• Main entrance should
• Be easily identifiable
• Provide shelter for anyone awaiting entrance
• Provide way to see callers from inside

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Main Entrance contd

• Planned to create a desirable first impression
• Direct view of other areas of house from foyer
• Concealed but not sealed off
• Also conceal exterior parking areas

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Main Entrance contd

• Include closet
• Storage of outdoor clothing
• Both family and guest use

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Service Entrance

• Used for any entry or exit that would be
• Inappropriate or inconvenient at main entrance
• Use to enter parts of service areas
• Garage, laundry, workshop, kitchen

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Special-Purpose Entrances

• Do not provide for outside traffic
• Intended to move
• From inside living areas
• To outside living areas
• Example sliding door from living area to patio
• No street or sidewalk access

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Location

• Main entrance should be centrally located
• Provide easy access to each area
• Conveniently accessible
• From driveways, sidewalks, or street

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Location contd

• Service entrance located
• Close to driveway and garage
• Near kitchen or food-storage areas

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Location contd

• Special purpose entrances and exits often located
• Between bedroom and quiet patio
• Between living room and living patio
• Between dining room or kitchen and dining patio

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Decor

• Try to create desirable first impression
• Main entrance
• Easily identifiable
• Yet be integral part of architectural style

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Décor contd

• Total design of entrance
• Consistent with overall design of house
• Directly related to lines of the house

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Décor Open Closed Planning

• Open planning is desirable for entrances
• View from main entrance to living area
• Visually separated
• But not boxed-in
• Foyer should not look like a dead-end

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Décor Open Closed Planning contd

• Extensive use of decorative items can create
  inviting impression
• Glass
• Lighting
• Other

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Décor Open Closed Planning contd

• Can also use louvered walls or planter walls
• Change in line of sight
• But not complete separation
• Can change elevation of floor

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Décor Open Closed Planning contd

• In formal or closed plans
• Entrance (foyer) is either partially or fully
  closed off

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Décor Surface Materials

• Outside portion of entrance
• Weather-resistant wood, stone, brick, or concrete

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Décor Surface Materials contd

• Foyer deck
• Easily maintained
• Resistant to mud, water, and dirt
• Such as asphalt, vinyl, rubber tile, stone,
  flagstone, marble, terrazo

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Décor Surface Materials contd

• Use of different materials in foyer
• Helps define separation of areas
• Inside materials
• Paneling, masonry, murals, glass are common

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Décor Surface Materials contd

• Walls of exterior portion
• Consistent with design of house

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Décor - lighting

• Entrance must designed to function day and night
• Natural lighting is best for daytime
• After dark
• General lighting, spot lighting, accent lighting

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Décor lighting contd

• Lighting can be used to accent distinguishing
  fature
• Provides most of the light by reflection
• Helps identify and accentuate entrance at night

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Size and Shape

• Depend on the budget and type of plan
• Outside covered portion of entrance
• Large enough to shelter several people
• Provide space to open doors

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Size and Shape contd

• Inside of foyer
• Sufficiently large for several people
• To move around
• Removing coats, etc
• Minimum 6 x 6
• Average 8 x 10
• Desirable 8 x 15

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Size and Shape contd

• Foyer must be large enough to allow for door swing

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Size and Shape contd

• Checklist
• Adequate space to handle traffic flow
• Access to all three areas of a home
• A guest closet
• Bathroom access for guests

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Size and Shape contd

• Checklist contd
• Consistent décor
• Outside weather protection
• Effective lighting day and night
• Avoid traffic through the living room center