Space Planning

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Space Planning
For use in the course Foundations of Interior
Design

• Written by Helen Hawver
• Georgia CTAE Resource Network
• 2010

• Reference http//www.cam.k12.il.us/hs/teachers/la
  wtonj/interior_design/plan/plans.htm

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FCS-FID-6. Students will discuss space planning
and traffic patterns.
a) Describe the typical rooms in a residence and
the desired characteristics of each. b) Identify
the space requirements for each basic room and
the concept of planning for people. c) Identify
traffic patterns in a floor plan.
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Continued
d) Describe the advantages and disadvantages to
different floor plans and arrangements of
furniture, as it relates to traffic
patterns. e) Analyze the design process of a
variety of rooms with existing constraints, and
how to best utilize the space.
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Typical Rooms in a Residence

• Rooms can be broken into three different
  categories
• Private
• Service
• Public/Social

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Private

• These rooms provide a get away space for family
  members. Guests should not venture to these
  personal areas unless they are identified as
  specific guest spaces.
• examples are the bedrooms and bathrooms

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Service

• These rooms are where a task or service take
  place such as, cooking, laundry, shop work, etc.
• examples are the kitchen, laundry, utility, and
  garage

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Public and Social

• These rooms are common gathering rooms where
  families socialize with each other and with
  guests. These areas should be open to all traffic
  patterns
• examples are the dining room, living room, deck,
  patio, family room and entrances

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Space

• Room Relationships
• Dictate how functional a space will be
• Examples
• Dining area adjacent to the living room for
  convenience in entertaining
• Kitchen should be adjacent to the dining room for
  ease in serving food.
• Bathrooms should be located close to bedrooms for
  convenience and privacy.

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Traffic Patterns and Circulation

• Circulation is the route that people follow as
  they move from one place to another in the home.
• 3-4 feet of space should be allowed for
  circulation paths. Avoid excessive hall space.
  Persons with disabilities should be taken into
  consideration. Wheel chairs and walkers need more
  room to turn corners and maneuver.
•  

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Traffic Patterns and Circulation Continued

• Circulation Frequency refers to the number of
  times a route is repeated in any given period of
  time.
• Routes with high circulation frequency are short
  and direct in a good floor plan
• Related rooms should be close together, so those
  patterns should automatically be short in
  distance
• Rooms should not be cut in half due to
  circulation paths

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Types of Circulation

• Family
• Follows each member of the household throughout
  home most complex
• Not every family member will need to take the
  same patterns
• Work
• The kitchen is generally the hub of work
  circulation
• Work Triangle
• Route between the sink, refrigerator, and range
• Should not exceed 22 feet in length

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Types of Circulation Continued

• Service
• Relates to the movement of people in and out of
  the home as they make service calls, deliver
  goods, read meters, take garbage out, etc
• Service areas generally bypass the private spaces
  in a home
• Guest
• Involves movement from the entry to the coat
  closet and to the living room with access to a
  powder room
• Overnight guests will need access to the guest
  bedroom and bathroom.

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• Lets take a look at this floor plan with the
  traffic patterns marked
• http//www.cam.k12.il.us/hs/teachers/lawtonj/inter
  ior_design/plan/traffic.jpg

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Evaluating a Floor Plan

• Would all members of your household have enough
  space to satisfy their needs?
• Are rooms grouped according to function?
• Are quiet areas away from public view and
  traffic?
• If a multipurpose room exists, can it be used for
  all intended purposes?
• Are eating areas close to the kitchen?
• Is space provided for entertaining as well as
  day-to-day living?

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Evaluating a Floor Plan Continued

• Are the entrances conveniently located?
• Are the traffic patterns safe and convenient?
• Is the house free of barriers?
• Is there ample storage space?
• Does the plan need to be modified for people with
  disabilities?