DESIGN 3: INTRODUCTION

Course Name
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN 3 - CREATIVE DESIGN IN ARCHITECTURAL INTERIORS
 
Course Description
Design exercises stressing the value of programming, orientation, and inter-relationship of interior
spaces
 
Number of Units for Lecture and Studio
Lecture – 1unit
Studio – 2 units
 
Number of Contact Hours per week
Lecture - 1 hour
Studio – 6 hours
 
Prerequisite
Architectural Design 2 & Theory of Architecture 2
 
Course Objectives
At the end of the course, the students should be able to:
Learn architectural forms emphasizing on the development and manipulation of the interior spaces
Perform architectural programming
Appreciate the concept of territoriality
Apply architectural relationships of various interior spaces
 
Course Outline
Importance of Climatological, Ecological, Solar & Wind Considerations Day lighting to Design
Basic Space Programming, Basic Proximity Matrices Complex Space Programming, Detailed
Proximity Matrices
 
Studio Equipment
Drafting Table and various drafting tools
 
Suggested Textbooks and References
Textbooks:
Architectural Graphic Standards: McGraw Hill. Latest Edition
Building Types: Time Savers: McGraw Hill. Latest Edition
 
References:
Architecture and Identity: Responses to Cultural and Technological
Change. Abel, Chris. 2000.
Architecture and Landscape: Barragán, Luis. 2003.
Architecture and the World Outside. Woud, Auke van der. 2001.
Architecture as Environment. Conti, Flavio. 1978.
Architecture: Form, Space & Order. Ching, Francis D.K.

GRADING SYSTEM

CRITERIA PRELIM MIDTERM FINAL

Class Standing 70% 70% 70%
Design Process 20 20 20
 Design Presentation 50 50 50
Exam/Esquisse² 30% 30% 30%
Total 100% 100% 100%
PRELIM RAW SCORE (PRS) = Class Standing + Major Exam/Plate
PRELIM GRADE % = (PRS/2) + 50
 
MIDTERM MOVING RAW SCORE (MMRS) = Class Standing + Major Exam/Plate
MIDTERM RAW SCORE (MRS) = (2 X MMRS + PRS)/3
MIDTERM GRADE % = (MRS/2) + 50
 
FINAL MOVING RAW SCORE (FMRS) = Class Standing + Major Exam/Plate
FINAL RAW SCORE (FRS) = (2 X FMRS + MRS)/3
FINAL GRADE % = (FRS/2) + 50
 
Note:  Passing Raw Score is 50; Passing Grade is 75%

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES

Upon the completion of the course, students will have demonstrated basic understanding
of fundamental issues related to architectural design such as the notion of space, form,
use, site, and construction, acquired knowledge of architectural design in relation to
space, form, use, site, and construction at a fundamental level, mastered basic model-
making, graphic and computer aided design skills to conceive, study, explore, articulate,
and present design ideas, and developed a method of work from conception to realization
at a fundamental level of complexity.

Principles of Architecture
The following list was developed to establish some fundamental precepts basic to
understanding architecture. While each lesson emphasizes certain principles, there may
be aspects of all of the principles in each of the lessons.

Design is accomplished by composing the physical characteristics of size, shape, texture,

proportion, scale, mass and color.

Order is the arrangement and organization of elements to help solve visual and functional
problems.

Visual relationships are determined by light, shadow, edges and contrast.

Balance is the creation of visual harmony through the use of color and the manipulation of
form.

Form follows function is a design approach where the form of the building is determined
by the function of its spaces and its parts.
Nature is a model for architectural forms and shapes.

Mass creates form, which occupies space and brings into being a spatial articulation.

Symbolism is an important means of visual communication for architecture.

Visual thinking is a key to awareness of the built environment.

Sustainable design of the built environment protects the natural environment.

Social structure, culture and the built environment have a direct influence on one
another.

Design is experienced through human sensory perception.

The creative process is basic to design.

Aesthetics is the artistic component of architecture.

Climate and the natural environment influence design decisions.

Architecture satisfies emotional and spiritual needs in addition to physical needs.

Past, current and future technologies influence design decisions.

CLIMATE AND SITE ANALYSIS

This section focuses on inspiration and how to amplify talent or that which drives creativity and
innovative thinking. This includes curiosity, playfulness, spontaneity, appetite, and a capacity to
see—to observe things, people, and behavior in full color and at high resolution. Going against the
grain, embracing the unknown, or looking at life in a manner different than that of the majority is
crucial.

You will find some collective wisdom and even synergy that may be of real value in your practice
of architecture.
I. Importance of Climatological, Ecological, Solar &
Considerations Day lighting to Design
Introduction
Indoor thermal environment is one of the criteria in sustainable building. This cr
important in ensuring a healthy indoor environment for the occupants. The conside
environmental concerns at the early design stage would effectively integrate the sust
of the building environment. Global climate changes such as global warming do affec
comfort since people spend most of their time and activities in the building. Occupants
more conscious the importance of sustainability for a better quality of life. Good
environment is essential for human wellness and comfort. The global warming incr
earth’s temperature and greenhouse emission to the atmosphere cause adverse
the outdoor environment.

As an indoor environment is influenced by the outdoor condition, the factors affectin

thermal environment are crucial in improving a comfortable and healthy environ
buildings. The microclimatic of a site such as temperature and relative humidity, a
movement led to the variation of indoor thermal environment in the building.
Tropical Climate and Its Building Context
Tropical region known with warm and humid climate condition lies within the Tropics of Cancer
and Capricorn between latitude of 15°South and 15°North. These regions cover the areas of
Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, India and northern Australia, part of Africa and
Latin America. Tropical climate generally characterized as high humidity, abundance of rainfall
and large amount solar radiation.

A building is an enclosure for the improvement of human habitation, employment or

recreation. A building in the tropics means a confrontation of construction and function with
extreme climatic condition. The climatic elements in tropical climate have both negative impact
and positive impact to the building design. The most common impacts caused by the climatic
parameters of tropical climate are temperature, relative humidity, solar radiation, rainfall and
prevailing wind.
High humidity and temperatures reduce moisture evaporation rate from the human skin. In
achieving thermal comfort, cooling effects and ventilation are always necessary. In tropical
climate the solar heat and rainfall initiate continuous evaporation of the human body due to
high amount of solar radiation received in the equatorial region. These excessive solar
radiations cause discomfort condition of indoor environment in buildings. Solar control design
should be incorporated into building to reduce heat surplus from solar radiation.
The optimum orientation of residential building area in tropical climate is facing east or north
and its major openings can greatly influence the solar heat gain. North and east orientation has
less direct solar direction towards the building envelope. More windows should be placed at
this orientation in order to allow natural ventilation.

In the indoor environment, natural ventilation the strategies could be the categorized into cross
ventilation, single sided ventilation and stack ventilation to induce air movement in the
building. Wind movement is the source for natural cooling strategy in the tropics. Low or still air
movement with high temperature and relative humidity can cause thermal discomfort. Wind
might be unpredictable parameter and variations in its velocity, thus the building orientation
towards the direction of the local prevailing wind will enhance the natural ventilation for
cooling purposes.
Buildings in warm and humid climate should be open and filter the climate in a multitude of
ways that requires optimization of the relationship between the site, climate and briefing
requirements. Kondrat'ev and Volkov in their study suggest that open-design apartment is the
variant for minimizing the space, makes use the space in an optimal way and creates a feeling of
wide spaces and convenient. Tropical climate dominated by high rainfall and there is one or two
dry seasons in a year. Heavy rainfall at periods of the year and high temperatures increased the
relative humidity.

The concern of the openings design in tropical climate is also to avoid the penetration of rain
and strong wind. Heavy and frequent rainfall in urban areas would cause to flash flood and
other environmental problem. Drainage system from roof and paved surfaces is important for
water runoff because it will influence traffic flow in urban areas. Maintaining green areas and
microclimate strategies within surrounding urban areas can improve indoor thermal comfort
condition. Passive strategies make use of climatic elements to adopt modification in building
design that response to local climate characteristics.
Indoor Thermal Environment in Residential Building
In designing comfortable room condition, there are many factors need to be considered. These
factors are including microclimate condition such as humidity, radiant temperature, air
temperatures, air movement, and human physiological aspects like body metabolic rate, level
of activity and clothing of the occupants. Good indoor thermal condition will create comfortable
(without heat stress or thermal strain for the occupants) and healthy environment to sustain
occupants’ living quality.

Thermal comfort is one of the basic physical and biological needs of human. The human body
temperature needs to be maintained at a constant 37±5°C regardless of the prevailing ambient
condition. It is important to keep thermal conditions in buildings within acceptable limits in
maintaining maximum human productivity and performance. The indoor thermal environment
are much affected by local climate, and air movement through the building is necessary to
decrease indoor discomfort due to overheating conditions in tropical climate. Indoor thermal
environment much affected by environmental factors such as air temperature, air movement,
humidity and radiation.
In warm and humid climate, external air movement assist in controlling the indoor
environment. Jamaludin et al. (2013) found that linear arrangement of building layout has
restricted the employment of day lighting and natural ventilation in the room and affected the
indoor comfort level of the occupants. The optimization of climate response building would
help to improve indoor thermal environment and reduce energy consumption. The large ratio
of external window area/ external wall area increases the penetration of solar radiation into
building. The orientation of buildings during the design phase in mitigating solar heat gain and
an important factor for saving the energy cost of the buildings.
Therefore it is important to continuously sustain the fundamental nature of climatic
understanding into contemporary building design solution. The thermal performance of
building envelopes in tropical climate would be greatly affected by the amount of solar
radiation that is absorbed and penetrated through the openings. Building envelopes designs
need to be considered in evaluating energy efficiency during the design process.

Conclusion
Occupants comfort and health are important in sustainable building design. The indoor thermal
environment should be designed to maintain maximum human productivity and performance.
In a warm and humid climate, indoor thermal performance will be improved by eliminate (if
possible) heat surplus from solar radiation. The local climatic parameters have great influence
in providing thermally comfortable environment. Climatic characteristics of a site have an
obvious impact on building performance, especially its energy performance, indoor thermal
environment and impacts on its surrounding. The key characteristics are temperature,
humidity, air quality, potential pollution source, solar intensity, wind pattern, soil conditions
and site drainage.
Sustainable building design function impact to human productivity, building operational
efficiency and effective use of natural resource. The integration of the building site location,
building orientation and geometry, building envelope, layout arrangement and local climatic
characteristics are all essential elements that have distinct impact on occupants’
environment and building efficiency.
CLIMATE AND SITE ANALYSIS
An understanding of the site and its environment is an integral part of a building program and is
a prerequisite for good design. The building location on the site is basically established by one
of two different viewpoints. In one, the building location is given by the client. In the second
and most advantageous, the building site is revealed by a thorough site analysis. A site analysis
is the gateway to energy conscious design and environmental responsive architecture.

Site analysis
Site analysis is a predesign research activity which focuses on existing and potential conditions
on and around the building site. It is an inventory of the site factors and forces, and how they
coexist and interact. The purpose of the analysis is to provide thorough information about the
site assets and liabilities prior to starting the design process. Only in this way can concepts be
developed that incorporate meaningful responses to the external conditions of the site.

The typical site analysis includes the site location and size, neighborhood context, zoning, legal
aspects, geology, physiography (natural and man-made features), hydrology, soils, vegetation,
wildlife, climate, culture, pedestrian and vehicular circulation, access, utilities, historic factors,
density, sensory stimuli, and any other factor deemed appropriate for the particular site.
An understanding of these issues is important in designing a successful home that not only
meets its internal responsibilities, but also relates well to its external environment. The home
should last for many years, so the analysis of the site should take into account the site's existing
and future problems and capabilities.
The secret of using the site analysis is to design a good relationship between the building and
the site itself. The building design should be in harmony with those beneficial site conditions
and strive to save, reinforce, amplify, and improve on what is existing. The analysis will identify
those site conditions which may be altered, eliminated, covered up, disguised or reformed.
Basically, take advantage of the good things nature has to offer and protect against the bad
aspects of the site. It is important to make these decisions deliberately and thoughtfully so that
the effects of the building on the site are deliberate rather than accidental or incidental.

All the factors needed for a complete site analysis can generally be categorized into aesthetic,
cultural, and natural forces. Aesthetics has to do with what the person who will live on the site
thinks is beautiful (the designer has the responsibility to educate the client to possibilities);
culture is the background of the people living in the area; and the natural factors are the
background of the environmental elements. For the purpose of energy-efficient design, natural
factors need to be investigated and understood. The natural factors which are most important
for thermal comfort in this analysis can be listed under climate and microclimate.

Microclimate
Each specific site has its own unique climatic characteristics that need to be analyzed. The
climatic aspects of the specific site or areas on the site are called the microclimate. The specific
characteristics of the site are analyzed only after one has a good understanding of the
macroclimate and general climatic characteristics which give an overview of the climate for
your region. The microclimate must be studied not only for the natural elements, but for how
any man-made elements, such as buildings and landscaping are affecting and/or will affect the
site. For example, a windbreak that protects against the winter winds can change the
microclimate of the site significantly.
Climate Elements
Sun
The sun's movement on the site will be the same as that shown in the sun diagrams.

Existing elements (natural or man-made) on and around the site will have definite shading
patterns. Understanding those patterns can help in determining the building location and
configuration. For any given spot on the site, one can draw the existing elements on the sun
graph grid. Just as the sun path was plotted by knowing the azimuth and altitude of the sun,
existing site elements can also be drawn on the graph from any one spot on the site. The
diagram now shows which locations on the site receive sunshine and shade. These same
diagrams can be used to determine shadow patterns to be drawn in plan.
Wind
Wind at the site and at different locations on the site can vary from the general wind data given
for your area. A better understanding can be obtained by testing a true scale model of the site
and buildings in a wind tunnel. When wind testing is not feasible, the designer can understand
wind direction and speed by using five basic principles of air movement: velocity, direction,
pressure, density and the venturi effect.

First, as a result of the friction, air velocity is slower near the surface of the Earth. The cause of
this reduction in velocity is the roughness of the ground, including contour changes and
vegetation configuration. Ground wind velocities measured at the site are frequently much
lower than those measured at the top of an airport tower. Likewise, exposed sites or buildings
at altitudes higher than the airport tower are likely to experience much higher wind velocities.

The second principle is that air tends to continue moving in the same direction when it
encounters an obstruction. As a result it tends to flow around objects like water flows around a
rock in a stream, rather than reflecting off the objects.
Third, air flows from high-pressure to low-pressure areas. For example, cross ventilation is
created by a positive pressure being built up on the windward side of a structure and a negative
pressure being created on the leeward side.

The fourth principle of air movement is convection, which involves the temperature and
density of the air. For example, air flowing from a forested area to a meadow will tend to rise
because air in the meadow is exposed to more solar radiation, making that air less warm and
dense.

And finally, when the air flow is channelled and restricted, the pressure rises and the velocity
increases. This is called the venturi effect.
By using these principles and understanding how air moves and acts similar to a fluid, like
water, we can visualize wind patterns on different sites and in different conditions.

The wind pattern near large bodies of water is generated by the heat gain, heat loss, and heat
storage variations between land and water. Water will have more stable temperatures. The
wind is usually moving toward the land during the day when the land is heating up faster than
the water and when the water is absorbing solar heat. At night the direction is reversed, with
the breezes flowing from the land, as it cools, to the water, as it radiates stored heat to the
night sky.

In valleys, the wind moves uphill during the day as the sun warms the air, causing it to become
less dense. At night, air flows back down the valleys like a river, as it cools and becomes heavier.
Pockets or lakes of this cool night air can be damned just as water can.
One of the more important principles for ventilation is that high pressure and low pressure
areas develop around an object that obstructs the path of air flow. Some of the aerodynamic
principles that result are that the windward side usually creates a high pressure area as air
stacks up and attempts to move around the object, creating a cavity of negative pressure (low
pressure area) on the leeward side of the object. The velocity of air movement increases as it
rushes around and over an object, and it can also create a dead air space on the leeward side of
the object.
Humidity
Sites located near large bodies of water or rivers tend to be more humid than inland areas.
Wind direction also affects humidity. Downwind from the water is more humid than up wind.
Vegetation will also increase moisture in the air. Water vapor is a gas that occupies the same
space with other gases that together constitute air. But in some ways, water vapor acts
independently of the air. For any given temperature and degree of saturation, water vapor in
the air exerts its own vapor pressure. It flows or migrates from areas of higher vapor pressure
toward areas of lower vapor pressure in air or in materials. Moisture, driven by vapor pressure,
can even travel through porous materials through which air cannot pass.

Temperature
The microclimate temperatures of the site may be different from the general data collected at
the airport and can vary significantly at the site. Again, large bodies of water will tend to
stabilize temperatures on the land adjacent to them.
Through evapotranspiration, trees and other vegetation cool the air around them. A moist lawn
is 10° to 15°F cooler than bare soil and 30°F cooler than unshaded asphalt. The shade
temperature of a large tree can be 10° to 15°F cooler than the unshaded lawn during a summer
day.

Sites with a more southern slope will be warmer than a flat site because radiation from the sun
is more perpendicular to its surface. Likewise, a northern sloping site would not receive as much
radiation and would therefore be cooler.
BASIC SPACE
PROGRAMMING
Programming is essentially a process of analysis; planning
(and design) is essentially a process of synthesis.
Transition from the analytical mode of programming to
the creative mode of planning will never be easy—a gap
will always exist. Ideally, one makes the gap as small and
manageable as possible. This "synthesis gap" will be
narrow to the degree that one's programming results are
complete and thorough.

What is architectural programming? Architectural

programming is the research and decision-making
process that defines the problem(s) to be solved by
design. Architectural programming is basically a research
process to gather, analyze and document relevant
information (human factors, functions & activities,
relationships, cost, ordinances, site, climate…etc.) and
then reach a conclusion. Architectural programming
establishes the appropriate criteria for the proper
design solution (a guide), to identify the forces that
influences the design (both internal and external).
WHAT IS PROGRAMME?

Programme, put simply, is what happens on or within a building, site, or wider area.

It's the activities and functions of the building - from the everyday public activities to the
periodic maintenance requirements. In practice, programme often refers more specifically to
how the elements, zones and spaces are organised.

In this section, it will look at what programme is, and how you can use, test, and have fun with
it in design. It will also explain some basic ways of thinking about programme on your project,
and different techniques architects often use to explore and explain programme.

ISN'TTHEPROGRAMMEJUSTTHESAMEASTHEBRIEF,THEN?

This is a sticky point, and if you search google or wikipedia you're bound to find yourself in a
muddle between these two, wondering if programme and brief are just different words for the
same thing.

There is some suggestion that 'program' is an American term, where the rest of the world
prefers 'brief'. While the programme and the brief have some overlaps, they aren't just
synonyms for the same thing.

It gets even more confusing because a project brief will typically include a proposed
programme. In larger, more complex projects, this is often provided in the form of a Schedule
of Accommodation.

But a good, thorough brief usually extends beyond the programme, providing a wider range of
aspirations and requirements beyond the physical requirements of space and activity. These
might include:

 cultural response,
 building longevity,
 aesthetic drivers,
 sustainability,
 materials and finishes,
 Or even more broadly, a goal for how to project relates to the wider context.
And a very good brief will allow some flexibility around the programme, enabling the architect
to put forward their own agenda through design, to consider alternative arrangements,
overlaps, and flexible spaces, or to extend the programme from the purely private into the
public realm.

UNDERSTANDING PROGRAMME

“A program is never neutral [...] the first thing an architect needs to do is to dismantle
that program and redirect it.” — BERNARD TSCHUMI, PRAXIS 8

Depending on the project, the programme can often be highly complex, involving many different
elements that have different spatial requirements.

Even a seemingly simple programme such as a house can become complex when you begin to
consider how the programme might shift over time, or how public and private aspects of the
programme might intersect.

PROGRAMMATICELEMENTS
There are many different techniques for thinking through these complexities. One of the simplest
places to start is to understand the programme by breaking it into elements.

From a relatively simple starting point, you essentially 'unpack' the programme as you delve
deeper into the project, and as you build up more complex understandings of the requirements.

ELEMENTLEVEL1:
Key Use
E.g. Stadium.

The top level - Key Use - gives a general understanding of the building use - this is the term we
might use to describe the building to a friend. It might be a gallery, a house, a bank or a
restaurant.

This broad terms encompasses and roughly sets out the range of activities that take place, and
 the users you need to consider.

Defining the key use often overlaps with a sister architectural concept: typology.

ELEMENT LEVEL 2:
Key Zones
E.g. Public & Private.

The second level - Key Zones - allows you to begin to understand the general relationships and
spatial requirements of the building or site, and to develop an overall strategy for how these fit
together.
ELEMENTLEVEL3:
Individual Spaces
E.g. Ticket Booth, Seating Aisles, Bathrooms.
The third level is where the programme is finally broken down into each individual space - but
with the benefit of Level 2 allowing you to understand interrelationships.

Here you want to be sure to account for all the requirements, and understand any flexibilities. You might also
DESIGNING FOR PROGRAMME
1.USINGTHE5'F'STODESIGNFORPROGRAMME

Once you have all your key programmatic elements figured out, you can begin thinking through
what your design needs, wants, or could do to the programme through design. Use the 5 Fs to
understand the key items needed to be aware of and make decisions about when designing for
programme.

FUNCTION
Can each required activity take place? Do the spaces operate adequately?
FIT
Can you adequately accommodate the spatial requirements for each activity?

FLOW
Is the sequence between activities that make up the programme correct? Is there a clear,
designed relationship between spaces? Can people move from one activity to the next in a
logical way?
Here you might consider: The 'drawcard' element, which is usually most closely aligned to Level
1 (In the Stadium example, it might be the field or pitch), Front of House, Back of House,
Amenities, Entry and Exit.
FORM

How does the arrangement of spaces generate or relate to a form? Is the relationship between
programme and form reciprocal, indifferent, conflicting?

FURNISHING

Furnishing is often an afterthought. But we design space for activities, and to be inhabited, so
thinking about furnishing is fundamental to making the programme work. Showing furnishing
can also be an easy way of communicating the programme of a space - e.g. a bedroom - in a
drawing without relying on using text.
2. UNDERSTAND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PROGRAMME AND THE
OVERALL DESIGN CONCEPT

The ideas around programme and concept can be developed together, alongside the form and
massing of the building. In some cases, one may precede the other - making you have to work
hard to achieve ‘fit’ - or to otherwise deal with other difficulties or lack of efficiency that comes
from not quite fitting.

The key thing here is to have an agenda!

Know what you stand for, take a side, and promote change: it's up to you. Programme is never
neutral - how you decide to arrange your spaces will always affect the way the building is
understood, and have potentially political implications.

You can be quite tactical in your approach, and having a defined agenda means you'll be much
better able to make decisions about programme, and explain them convincingly to others. And
with a clear agenda, you'll be able to test ideas, alternatives and possibilities beyond the known
and expected.

CONCEPT PROGRAMME TESTS & TACTICS:

 Invert the programme!

Think about what is expected - toilets at the back, practice rooms in the middle, staff
offices up higher, public spaces on the group - and invert it! Playing with expectations
can allow you to make bold new statements about how we live, relate to others, and
even understand what goes on inside a building.

For example, you might make people walk past practice rooms and offices to get to an
exhibition space, or place the normally hidden practice or production areas in full view -
so people on the street can see orchestras practising or bread being kneaded - not just
the final product!

 Cross-programme!

Another way of playing with expectation is to add, mix, or intersect different

programmes that we wouldn't usually expect to go together. The idea of 'live-work'
spaces, where people's houses are also their offices or studios is becoming more
common, but can you take this to a new level? Can a supermarket also be a childcare
centre? A gym be an art gallery? A butchery be a library? 8
3. DEVELOPING YOUR OWN DESIGN METHODS FOR THINKING ABOUT PROGRAMME

Because programme is usually considered very early on in the design process, and is often a
complex beast, you'll quickly find that diagrams are your programming best friend.

Diagrams are playing an increasingly important role in architecture and city planning. They help
to make complex ideas, systems and relationships easy to visualize and help to communicate
these, crossing linguistic and cultural barriers. Diagrams illustrate bold visions and unexpected
approaches and are a key component for developing complex construction projects – and they
thus play their part in realizing these projects successfully. What is more, they don’t just serve
to provide information – they are also miniature, individually designed items that bear the
signature of their creator. They are a new, inspiring art form.

Test out:

 Bubble Diagrams (understand how zones or areas of different activities might relate or
overlap)
 Cluster Diagrams (consider which programmatic zones relate to others - what do you
need adjacent to or supporting a space, or how can you be efficient about plumbing, for
example?
 Sectional Zone Diagrams (Remember - it's not just about the plan! How do spaces relate
vertically? How do you move between them?

 3d Massing or Stacking Diagrams (once you understand the volumes and areas, how
can you mass, stack, relate these? Remember this is a diagram, not necessarily the final
aesthetic design!)
 Cross-programming Diagrams (make spaces function in multiple ways, across time and
event). The architectural space is related to but does not determine the specific
meanings being made in the space.

 Inversion Diagrams (make the opposite of everything!). Open/close, inside/out,

bright/dark, etc.
Of course, diagrams aren't the only way - but they can be a great starting point, and can be as
useful in a rough-and-ready initial sketch as they are in a refined presentation.
Types of diagrams:
So, what is programming again…?
1
BASIC PROXIMITY
MATRICES
BASIC SPACE PROGRAMMING

 
Basic Proximity Matrices

Diagrams are essential in the preliminary stages of

design for understanding distributive aspects and
assisting the decision-making process. By drawing a
schematic graph, designers can visualize in a synthetic
way the relationships between many aspects: functions
and spaces, distribution of layouts, space adjacency, and
influence of traffic flows within a facility layout, and so
on

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ARCH 1123: ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN 3 – CREATIVE DESIGN IN ARCHITECTURAL INTERIORS

Prelims Duration: Weeks 5 - September 21 – 25, 2020

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Learning Content Basic proximity matrices
Learning Outcomes  Understand distributive aspects and assisting the decision-
making process.
 Visualize in a synthetic way the relationships between
many aspects.
 Consider design as a problem-solving.
 Formulate theories, methods, and tools that will help them
to “predict” the results.
 Careful analysis of the preliminary requirement
documents, which make it possible to define the number
of functional spaces needed.
 Define a relationship matrix that allows a systematic
evaluation of the relation between functions and spaces.
 Analyse criticism of any layout distribution and can be a
valid method for re-designing existing configurations.
Learning Content Adjacency Matrix
Learning Outcomes  Shows what spaces should and should not be near to each
other on plan.
 See what the adjacencies of two spaces are.
 Ability to read an adjacency matrix to filter out the visual
noise.
Learning Content Criteria Matrix
Learning Outcomes  Make a distinction between analysis and interpretation.
 Make a penetrating and ingenious interpretations of a
programmatic information.
 Make invaluable evaluations and recommendations.
 Provide a comprehensive graphic translation of the verbal
document.
 Categorize and group data in relation to the project’s
adjacency requirements.
 Identify the most critical planning considerations.
 Verbally and visually organize design program
requirements in a concise form.
 Demonstrate how the criteria matrix can be used with
larger and more complex planning and design problems.
 Understand the critical importance of square meter figures
and how they can be quickly approximated.

3
 LEARNING CONTENT:

BASIC PROXIMITY MATRICES

Diagrams are essential in the preliminary stages of design for understanding distributive aspects
and assisting the decision-making process. By drawing a schematic graph, designers can visualize
in a synthetic way the relationships between many aspects: functions and spaces, distribution of
layouts, space adjacency, and influence of traffic flows within a facility layout, and so on.

INTRODUCTION
In the design process understanding which layout distribution is suitable for a particular context
is a complicated task, especially regarding the design of complex buildings that are highly
influenced by the functional types (such as airports, hospitals, industrial factories, and so on).
Obtaining an optimized distribution in terms of minimization of connections between spaces in
advance could give the designer an important advantage.
To achieve a layout distribution it is possible to use the analogy of the cinematic system where
spaces, represented by circles or spheres, are inserted in a specific universe governed by dynamic
laws. These cycles are attracted or rejected in accordance with the strength of the springs that
connect the barycentre of the circles.
The ontological relations between spaces or functions are expressed through a relationships
matrix that considers the adjacency preferences (adjacency, proximity, inclusion separation, and
so on). These preferences are converted into different forces of attraction or repulsion, through a
dynamic system.

STATE OF THE ARTS

According to Kalay, design can be considered as a problem-solving activity and “the problem it
sets out to solve arises from the inability of a current situation to satisfy some needs” (Kalay,
2004). He continues by proposing a series of questions: “How can we tell if a proposed
design solution will achieve them? How can we measure the “goodness” and uncover its
undesired side and after-effects before constructing the buildings? How can we begin the search
for design solutions in the first place?” (Kalay, 2004 p. 205).
An answer can be found in the history of architecture. In particular, research into “best
practice in design” has perplexed philosophers and architects since Ancient Greek times. In
the first century BC, Vitruvius offered some answers to this question, giving a “good
solution” through specific geometrical proportion. Since then, architects and researchers have
tried to formulate theories, methods, and tools that will help the designer to “predict” the
results (Edwards, 1979).
In recent eras, the starting point for many design methods has been the notion that design is a
process of searching for a solution that satisfies a given set of goals and constraints. One possible
tool to use in architecture (or indeed in any field that requires similar design activity) is to
represent the problem through graphs and diagrams. In fact in the work of Hellen Do and Nigel
Gross they explain “graphs and diagrams are the essential representations for thinking,
problem solving, and communication in the design disciplines in an abstract form” (Do &
Gross, 2001). This abstraction allows the designer to “distil the meaning of the message,
focusing attention on its salient characteristics […] which details are preserved, and which
ones are omitted, depend on the subject of communication, on its purpose, on the knowledge
of the receiver, on the connect of the commutation, and on the medium used for its
transmission” (Kalay, 2004, p. 88).
If we refer to a layout distribution, for instance, it is possible to represent the same floor plan in
two different types, as depicted in the figure below.

Second floor plan of the Gropius House

A high degree of abstraction, therefore, makes communication more efficient, though not
necessarily more effective. Abstraction can help to highlight certain specific features to capture
the receiver’s attention. Clearly the balance between the loss of information and abstraction
has to be decided in accordance with the knowledge of the receiver, because this form of
representation omits a series of information that must be completed by the receiver.
“Design synthesis methods are typically inspired by the analogies and guided by the
architect’s own or another designer’s previous experience” (Kalay, 2004, p. 255).
Techniques of trial and error are usually the basis for a heuristic approach to a solution. In fact,
this technique is closer to the “search-and-evaluate” process used in architectural design
than any other type. For synthesizing the design solution, one of the most common heuristic
methods is to “borrow” from other knowledge areas, which appear to hold some relevance to the
problem. Philip Steadman in 1974 was the first to propose borrowing the metaphor from
electrical networks to guide the computational synthesis of architectural form. He found a
surprising similarity between a specially constructed graphical representation of architectural
floor plans and the physics of electricity, as expressed by Kirchhoff’s law of electrical flow.
A similar metaphor was presented by Arvin and House, which made an analogy with mechanical
springs, applying “the principle of dynamic motion and geometrical deformation to rigid and
non- rigid objects for the purpose of simulating realistic behaviour and visual effects” (Arvin
& House, 2002). Topological design objectives such as adjacencies between spaces and
relationships between them could be expressed by the strength of a spring that is linked into the
barycentre of a space.
METHODOLOGY

Usually the preliminary design phase begins with a careful analysis of the preliminary
requirement documents, which make it possible to define the number of functional spaces
needed. Moreover, the designer has to think of a solution which is compatible with the standard
laws, both architectural and urban, and convert the idea into a “boundary condition
volume”, in which it is possible to allocate the spaces previous defined. In this moment the
process of searching for the best design solution starts, by proposing several layout
configurations. One possible method is to define a relationship matrix that allows a systematic
evaluation of the relation between functions and spaces. The designer assigns a value to a
specific spatial relationship. This spatial relationship could, for example, be subdivided into a five-
point scale such as “close proximity essential”, “close proximity desirable”, “separation
desirable”, “high separation desirable”, and “no spatial relation”. The value is indicated in the
intersection of the rows.

Example of a relationship matrix

The matrix is reviewed for its critical relationships and is represented graphically through a
diagram created to illustrate these relationships spatially. In addition, the “mathematical
relation” (adjacency) can be represented in a graphical form through a diagram as shown
in the figure below.
 Example of a graph

Through this method one can study different issues related to the preliminary design. It is
possible to represent the geographical exposition of spaces (north, south, east and west), the
access to daylight or different type of user flows. In this last category, for instance, different
types of flows within the building can be identified, subdividing them into public or private users,
suppliers, workers, hazardous materials, and so on. Through the graphical overlapping of all of
these, it is possible to highlight design criticism and intervene in the decision-making process to
achieve a better design solution.

Relationship matrix, starting configuration and one possible layout

Influence of the initial position

The collision simulation starts from a circular disposition. Initial position influence can be avoided
using a “trick” that consists of reducing and increasing the radii of circles during the
simulation. Different speeds of increasing and decreasing during this simulation can be tested to
achieve a “shaker” effect. To improve the result it is advisable to increase and decrease
radii with a linear function. If more than one layout configuration exists, different optimized
layouts may be achieved in increasing and decreasing cycles with different radii of the circles.
 Different layout configuration

In the figure, an example of this simulation can be seen. From the same initial configuration it is
possible to achieve different optimized layouts.

CASE STUDIES
The case studies taken into account are related to a particular typology: the hospital. Different
layout distributions on different detail scale (urban, architectural, department scale) and
compared them with the theoretical model were analysed. The theoretical model was gathered
from the available Italian literature¹ concerning the definition of the ontological relations
occurring in a hospital with particular reference to the “Guide to technical, organizational
and managerial principles for the construction and management of high-tech hospitals and
assistance
- Final Report”. In this document it is possible to extract important information for
assembling the relationships matrix, according to the scale of the object that we would like to
study. As an example, the layout achieved from the implemented method was reported. The
following analysis will compare the optimized layout achieved from the theoretical relationship
matrix with the urban distribution of the main Hospital in Florence: A.O.U. Careggi. Careggi is
one of the biggest health centres in Italy and it has a structure composed of a spread pavilion,
situated in a unique district of the city. Recent master plans have commissioned a partially
completed general renovation process that provides, in addition to the substitution of some of
the old pavilion, the realization of an underground tunnel that allows most of the pavilions to
be connected.
The relationship matrix involves four connections: close collaboration, frequent collaboration,
occasional collaboration and no relationship. These relationships have been implemented as
attractive springs with a stiffness in ratio 3:2:1:0. For the simulation, circle areas have been set
equal.

Process of generation of layout for A.O.U. Careggi

The figure shows the relationship matrix, the initial graph and two of the possible optimized
layouts. In figure below, a comparison between the actual layout configuration and one of the
possible optimized layouts was performed.

Comparison between the existing layout and an optimized layout for Careggi

The comparison between the two layouts shows some similarities regarding the central core, and
some differences mainly due to the position of orthopaedics and paediatrics, whilst the latter
includes several internal departments.
 CONCLUSION
In addition to being an important tool in driving the decision making process for the preliminary
step in architectural design, the tool presented can be used for analysing criticism of any layout
distribution and can be a valid method for re-designing existing configurations. Although the
method elaborated is in a preliminary version of development, it shows interesting results and
contributes to the assessment of layout solutions. Currently this method allows a free-form
layout, dependent only on spatial relationships links. Further development will be on
implementing alternative methods that address the optimized layout, towards an architectural
specific shape. Moreover, the development will be oriented towards implementing solar
preferential orientation and achieving a multi-floor layout optimization, without specifying the
level in advance for each space.

THE ADJACENCY MATRIX

The programming phase of your project is complete! Lists have been made of required spaces,
questions have been asked, preliminary concepts approved, and now you sit with a blank
building footprint, trying to draw the first wall.

Moving from programming to schematic design is difficult. It’s about taking abstract concepts
and requirements from your client and shaping them into a usable preliminary plan. Luckily, tools
exist to help bridge the gap between program and plan. One of these tools is called The
Adjacency Matrix.

In this case we use the word ‘adjacent’ to mean: “lying near, close, or contiguous; adjoining;
neighboring.” In simple terms, to be adjacent is to be near to something. In interior design an
adjacency matrix is a table that shows what spaces should and should not be near to each other
on plan.

Spending the time to draw this matrix means that you no longer have to leaf through your
program every time you can’t remember if the client wants the Board Room close to the Break
Room. If done correctly, all of that information is right at your fingertips. The adjacency matrix is
not particularly useful as a space planning tool, but is useful as a reference. You use it to easily
make sure you are giving the client what they want when you move on to space planning via
bubble diagrams and block diagrams.

Reading an Adjacency Matrix.

All programmed spaces are listed on one side of the table. When you need to see what the
adjacencies of two spaces are, you locate the two area names and then follow their rows of
boxes to where they intersect. The box at the intersection will contain a symbol associated with
different adjacency types. Most commonly are the following: Primary Adjacency (spaces must be
directly next to each other), Secondary Adjacency (spaces must be close to each other), and
Undesired Adjacency (spaces should not be close to each other). Obviously you can expand on
this if desired, but for most projects this three tier adjacency rating is sufficient.
Now, let’s see what this actually looks like. Here
is a simple matrix for a residential project:

Solid Circle = Primary Adjacency Circle Outline = Secondary Adjacency

Horizontal Line = Undesired Adjacency

Start by looking at the space requirements for the Master Bedroom and Master Bathroom. Here is that same t

Interpret and Diagram the Data (Complete Program)

As they relate to programming, a fine line often exists between analysis and interpretation.
Despite the similarities in their meaning, value is derived in making a distinction between the
terms. “Analysis” here refers to creating an understanding of the problem that is directly
deduced from the gathered data, while “interpretation” refers to insights about the problem
that have been gained through the unique perspective of the trained designer. Designers often
have the opportunity to get to know their clients’ needs in great detail and are subsequently
able to make penetrating and ingenious interpretations of the programmatic information. Those
interpretations are often among the most creative contributions a designer has to offer within
the problem-solving process. The nature of the insights gained can range from a relatively small
and internal process to a major shift in the client’s organizational structure.

Although significant new perspectives cannot be guaranteed, they are not uncommon, since the
designer comes to the problem from a fresh, outsider’s point of view, unfettered by the
history of the client’s circumstances, and is asked to see the organization as a whole. From this
unique vantage point, the designer can make invaluable evaluations and recommendations, since
no one else is in a position to gain that special perspective.

Another form of interpretation that occurs during the programming process is in the
translation of the verbal program content into diagrams. The use of this diagramming
technique is well established and is a part of many design programs.

A wide range of graphic styles is used, and a great deal of verbal terms identify these styles, from
“adjacency diagrams” and “bubble diagrams” to “space adjacency studies” and “program
analysis studies.” Despite the graphic quality of these diagrams, they are still clearly part of the
pre-design process, since they are a graphic abstraction of the written program and not an
attempt to realistically create a design solution. Particularly with larger scale projects, diagrams
are often drawn of both the entire organizational structure and various segments or departments
within the organization. Often a series of diagrams will accompany the written program to
provide a comprehensive graphic translation of the verbal document. As every designer knows,
the graphic view can say precisely what words may still leave unclear. Later in this lesson, a
graphic technique, a relationship diagram, will be described and recommended as an integral
part of the pre-design process.

When the entire programming process is complete, a great deal has been accomplished. Most
importantly, the designer has a complete and documented understanding of the problem. It
should be noted that it is not uncommon for the programmer and the designer to be different
people; in those cases it is particularly important for the program’s language to be clear and
free of personalized idiosyncratic words and phrases. The program document is the ideal tool to
communicate both broad conceptual issues and the detailed planning concerns of the project to
the client. In many cases, client response to the program document may require revisions to the
program before the design phase begins. Once the design process has begun, the program serves
as the primary guide for space planning and design considerations.
Despite this, the program cannot be slavishly followed; many new and worthwhile ideas related
to planning and design are likely to emerge during the design process, and it would be foolish to
ignore them just because they are not contained in the original program document. As planning
and design solutions take form, the program becomes the designer’s best evaluation tool
for measuring the success of the solution. In other words, has the design solution met the
carefully programmed needs or requirements of the program?

CRITERIA MATRIX
Whether the designer has personally compiled the program or has it presented by the client in a
completed form, it is typically a multi-page document in a format that is far from ideal for space
planning purposes. This is usually true in the classroom also, where students are given a lengthy
verbal description of a space planning problem that is difficult to immediately translate into
space planning terms. The designer needs a concise and abbreviated format, with program
elements organized in a practical sequence, to find information without flipping constantly
through many pages of data, and where spaces, rooms, or functions are categorized and grouped
in relation to the project’s adjacency requirements.

The matrix format is a widely used technique for visually organizing information of a variety of
factors that is sometimes referred to as a chart or table. The criteria matrix, described in the
following paragraphs, is a useful technique to condense and organize the conventional written
design program. It is applicable to both small and large projects and is adaptable to both tight
and open time frames and deadlines. When time permits, the matrix can include all the
project’s design criteria; when time is tight, the format can be condensed to identify only the
most critical planning considerations.

In this context, the word “criteria” refers to the program requirements, and the word “matrix” is
best defined as a “rectangular arrangement of elements into rows and columns” (Webster’s
New Collegiate Dictionary). The criteria matrix attempts to verbally and visually organize design
program requirements in as concise a form as possible, achieving an overview of the problem in
an “at-a-glance” format. In its most basic form, it is a rectangular grid of notation spaces with
names of rooms or spaces (or functions) listed in the column to the left, and columns for verbal
and/or numerical indications of program requirements in the succeeding columns to the right. A
hand-drawn, indicating notation columns for the most critical space planning factors:

(1) Square footage needs,

(2) Adjacency requirements,
(3) Public access,
(4) Daylight and/or view,
(5) Privacy needs,
(6) Plumbing access,
(7) Special equipment, and
(8) Special considerations.
When time and the designer’s interest permit, the criteria matrix can be expanded to include
a broader range of factors, including furnishings, HVAC requirements, lighting design, color,
materials and finishes, and future planning needs. When appropriate, the privacy factor can be
split into two columns, one for “visual privacy” and the other for “acoustic privacy.”

When project size requires it, rooms or spaces (or functions) can be grouped or clustered in
departments or divisions. Further on in this lesson is a demonstration of how the criteria matrix
can be used with larger and more complex planning and design problems.

The degree of complexity or completeness of the criteria matrix can be adjusted to meet the
needs of the size and scope of the project, as well as the amount of time available. Even when
time constraints are unusually tight, the matrix approach can be used as a rapid organizer of
basic planning data. The matrix can be hand-drawn or computer-generated with one of many
available chart-producing software programs; this is a decision in which time availability and the
size and complexity of the design problem are contributing factors.

The one aspect of the matrix that involves more than fundamental intellectual analysis is the
development of square footage figures. The process for assigning figures to that column is a skill
unto itself. Before attempting any of the suggested criteria matrix exercises, it is necessary to
understand the critical importance of square footage figures and how they can be quickly
approximated.