Residential Space planning

Space Planning is the process of

organizing furniture and functions to
work effectively together while using
space efficiently.
Also, considering the workgroup function
the building codes and regulations,
lighting, teaming requirements, inter-
communication, and storage to make the
best use of available space.
Space Planning Process
Part 1 – Collect information
The design of a building or space will
have numerous requirements from
the client or end user. It is important
in the very early stages of design to
carry out in depth research and
consider as many aspects of the use
of the spaces as possible. Some
considerations can include:
• Do the spaces have specific functions or need to be
particular shapes or forms?
• Do the spaces need to be flexible?
• Is it possible to create a sequence of spaces (offices,
museums for example)?
• Do the spaces have different requirements in terms of
light, ventilation, view, accessibility?
• Do the spaces need to have access to external spaces?
• Must any of the spaces have particular security or
privacy?
• Is there any hierarchical requirements of the spaces?
• What relationships must each space have with one
another, and the external environment?
• How should the spaces be connected?
• Which rooms need to be adjacent to one another and
which rooms need to be apart?
An example of some questions to consider if you
are designing a residential unit:

• What is the family size and structure

• Location of site
• Number of levels
• Family or individual interests and activities

The more information and data that can be

collected in these earlier stages, the easier it will
be to make the leap from data to diagrams and
drawings as you proceed through the space
planning process.
Part 2 – Interpret requirements – build the brief
With these factors in mind we can start to develop a plan of
requirements, extract from the data we have collected the necessary
functions these spaces will be fulfilling.

• Insider / Outsider
• Hierarchical Arrangement
• Individuals vs. community
• Invitation vs. rejection
• Openness versus enclosure
• Integration vs. segregation
• Combination vs. dispersion

When we look at how to create spaces and accommodate

humans in those spaces we can consider some universal
concepts relating to how people interact with their
environment.
Individual / Community
Invitation / Rejection
Openness / Enclosure
Integration / Segregation
Combination / Dispersion
Part 3 – Consider spaces and spatial relationships
How can spaces be related to one another?
Consider some of the following as you plan out
your spaces:

• How does the envelope affect the

internal spaces?
• How will the contents of the room be
arranged?
• Do the rooms connect?
• What is the flow of the circulation?
• Are the proportions of the spaces
comfortable?
5 Principles of
Room Design
• What size and shape
should this room be?
• What furnishings and
accessories are needed?
• How should these be
arranged?
• How should people enter
and move through the
room?
• How should the room
connect to the exterior?
Shape & Proportion

• Not many shapes and

proportions will produce a
good room.
• Rectangular rooms are the
most common.
• Avoid overly long and
narrow rooms.
• If the length of a room
exceed its width, the
proportion becomes
uncomfortably narrow in
relation to its length.
Developing circulation
How people move around the building from room
to room is just as important as the destination.
When developing a circulation structure we can
look at a few basic principles.

• How efficient is the circulation in getting from

point A to point B
• Is the circulation discrete?
• What is the fluidity of the circulation? Is there a
smooth flowing route or a more direct route?
• Does the circulation route clash with furnishing
requirements?
Circulation
• Entry point
• Main space
• Clearances
• Exit points

Strive for efficient, fluid

and discrete paths that
allow multiple furniture
configurations
Circulation Principles
Windows
• Always consider the windows when
placing furniture
• Provide views, natural lighting, but can
also cause glare, too much heat or a bad
view
• Decide on a case by case basis
Part-4 Create Solution
Once the spaces have been considered and the requirements
have been studied it is time to start sketching out relationship
diagrams. The relationship diagram takes your design from data
to a more visual look at physically planning out your space. It is
abstract, and rough but enables you to develop your
understanding of the requirements and visualize how the spaces
will work together and how the circulation may flow between
them.
Part 5-Evaluating the plan

Traffic patterns
 How do you move from room to room?
 Does traffic flow through the conversation
areas?
 Does traffic flow through meal preparation
area?
 Does guest traffic flow through private areas?
 Is there a good flow from a service entrance?

Note: when evaluating a plan or home, don’t let the beauty of

the architecture, furnishings and accessories distract your
judgment.
 Look for poorly located doors, windows and closets.

 Are these conveniently located or do they interfere with good

furniture arrangements and traffic patterns.
 Is there adequate storage space inside and out?
 Is the plan effectively oriented on the site?

 Climate control
 Privacy/views
 Garage door openings (to side)
 Look for adjacencies of rooms.

 Do they function in relation to each other?

 Is the space appropriately allocated?
Common traffic considerations

 Kitchen, garage, mud room

 Dining room to kitchen
 Kitchen to service entrance
 Laundry to bedrooms
 Bedrooms to bathrooms
Traffic pattern pitfalls/problems

 Rooms that act as hallways

 Door locations that force circulation through
conversation areas
 Spaces that are too small to plan
 Traffic pattern through work areas that tend
to be messy
 Hallways less than 3’ (ideally 3’-6”)
 Doors should open against a wall.
 Residential Zones
Social::
Public area and most used
portion of the home.
Comprised of the entry, family
room, living room, media
room, game room, etc.
Private::
Areas such as the bedroom,
bathrooms, etc.
Work:
Kitchen, laundry, HVAC,
storage, office, etc. Most of
these areas should not be in
direct view of guests (except
the kitchen).
Considerations by area:

Entry:
Provides the first impression.
 No direct views into the
private zones or work
zones from the entry.
 Should have a coat closet
 Should not open directly
into living area
 Approximately 35 sq. feet
 Ability to view visitors
 lighting
Living areas, dining rooms, home offices

 Should be viewable from entry

 Should have a focal point
 Good traffic flow – not through conversation area
 Access to a guest bath or powder room
 Should have ample wall space for furniture
placement
 Should not have direct view into private zones-
should have a corridor that leads to the private zone
 Should not have direct view into work zones
 Dining Rooms should be
near the kitchen for ease
of clean up
 Surface, sideboard for
utensils, food etc.
 Consider how family eats

 Formal sit down

 Informal sit down
 Buffet style
 Meals on the run
 Young children
 Kitchen
 No traffic through the work
triangle (sink, cooktop and
refrigerator)
 Garage access is nearby
 Appliance doors and
cabinet doors do not
collide
 Pantry is provided
 Kitchen should not be
viewable from entry
 Storage:
 Recommended 10% of
total sq. footage
 Location is convenient
 Separate closets for men
and women – walk-in ideal
Bedrooms
(1/3 of our lives is spent in bed!)

 Must have an operable window

 Closets can act as sound
barriers
 Locate remotely as possible
from social areas for privacy
 Sound insulation needed in
walls if adjacent to social areas
 Adequate wall space to plan
furniture layout
 Door swings against wall
 Split plans are ideal
Bathrooms
(ideally a 3 bedroom should have 2 full
baths)
 Located in private zone, close to
bedrooms
 Use back-to-back plumbing
 Compartmentalize in family
bathrooms
 Consider privacy in regard to
windows (not on front of house
 Look at door swings – shouldn’t hit
anyone standing at a vanity
 View into the bathroom ideally
should not be a direct view of a
toilet
 Nearby linen storage needed
 Master suites often have separate
tub and shower
 Minimum size is 5’ x 7’

FYI: Water closet is another name for a toilet

Laundry room
 Venting access
(25’max)
 Out of view
 Acoustic insulation
 Drain and tile floor
recommended
 Utility sink and clothes
rod
 Ironing station
 Folding area
 Can serve as a mud
room
 Freezer storage
 Clothes drop in 2-story
homes or second floor
laundry room
Floor Plans
Open plans – concept developed by Frank Lloyd Wright

 Less expensive to build

 Space seems larger
 Flexible layouts
 Ideal for accessibility
 Lacks privacy
 sound
Floor Plans
Closed Plans

 Spaces walled off and

have doors
 Provides more privacy
 Creates chopped up
plans
 Can control HVAC to
areas not used often
 Not easily accessible
 Less flexible for furniture
layouts