FUNDAMENTAL OF

ARCHITECTURE
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN

Lecture 4
By: Arch. Elyas Shimels
 ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN

• Design is a creative process to solve a problem.

• Design involves a lot of decisions

• It is composed of phases and steps

Phases
• Planning Phase: Research & Data gathering
• Generation Phase: Solution creation
• Evaluation Phase: Testing solution
•
Client Brief

Research
Planning
Design Program Phase
Site Analysis

Zone Diagram

Bubble Diagram
Generation
Schematic Diagram Phase`

Volumetric Study

Preliminary Design
Evaluation
Phase Final Design
 DESIGN PROCESS: CLIENT BRIEF

The client has its own needs, testes and objectives

• Your task is to conceptualize and realize the client’s

needs

• Client brief includes

- Size - Religion - Aesthetical
- Age - Profession - Preference
- Gender - Functional
- Culture - Reference
 DESIGN PROCESS: RESEARCH (LITERATURE REVIEW)

Information gathering about the project

• Sources: books, case study, visit, internet

• Project Research includes

- Function - Spatial Relationship
- Standard Size - Special Requirements
- Furniture - Light, View ,Noise
- Fixture
 DESIGN PROCESS: DESIGN PROGRAM

A table consisting of space (room) types & their area

• Based on design brief and research

• E.g.
- Living + dining rm. …………..30m2
- Kitchen…………………..……12m2
-Master bed rm. ……….….…….20m2

• Consult & check weather you attained the client’s need

 DESIGN PROCESS: SITE ANALYSIS

Identifying site conditions that affects the design

• These factors include

 Climate
 Circulation
 Urban context
 Natural & man made elements
 Sensory features
 Zoning & building codes
 DESIGN PROCESS: ZONE DIAGRAM

• Spaces which have similar & related function form zone

• Zone 1( Living Zone) Lobby, Living Rm, Garage, Veranda etc
• Zone 2( Meal Zone) Kitchen, Dining Rm, Breakfast Rm etc
• Zone 3( Sleeping Zone) Master Bed, Ch. Bed, Bath Rm. Etc
• Zone 4( Utility Zone) Store, Laundry, Traditional kitchen etc

• Zoning helps to decide

-Location - Orientation -Privacy
-Level - Circulation
DESIGN PROCESS: ZONE DIAGRAM
• Zone 1( Living Zone)
• Zone 2( Meal Zone)
• Zone 3( Sleeping Zone)
• Zone 4( Utility Zone)
 DESIGN PROCESS: BUBBLE DIAGRAM
• Zone diagram provides rough layout & arrangement zones
• But it is bubble diagram that provides rooms/ spaces
- Relationship - orientation
- Location - circulation

• Bubbles represent rooms/spaces

• Arrows represent circulation

• Bubble diagrams are floor plans in terms of bubbles

• Try to develop as many bubble diagram as possible till you

meet different design requirements
DESIGN PROCESS: BUBBLE DIAGRAM
 DESIGN PROCESS: SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM

• From the bubble diagram the schematic diagram develops

• Schematic diagram is a one line drawing

• At this point, think also about the appearance of the building

• Spaces start to get exact shape, size and location

• Consider also the impact of design factors

• You try a number of schematic diagram until you attain the

clients needs and tests
DESIGN PROCESS: SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM

Maids toilet bed

kitchen
room room

toilet
dinning room bed
room
garage
lobby Bed
room
Living room

veranda
 DESIGN PROCESS: VOLUMETRIC STUDY

• When the plan gets shape, start to visualize the form

• perspective or isometric drawings
• Volumetric model

• Apply elements of design

• Elements of design
• Principles of design

• Make as many volumetric study as possible to come up with

aesthetical pleasing form

 DESIGN PROCESS: PRELIMINARY DESIGN

• Develop the schematic diagram to preliminary design

• widening walls
• including openings
• structural elements
• adding furniture
• selecting interior and exterior finishing materials
• type of roof

• includes plans, section, elevations, site plan, 3Ds

 DESIGN PROCESS: FINAL DESIGN

• You show the preliminary design to your client

• After getting confirmation from client start preparation of

final design
• Final design includes rendered, dimensioned and labeled:
• Floor plans
• Sections
• Elevations
• Site plan
• 3D: perspective or model
 Design Process: Final Design

Building plans
 Design Process: Final Design

Building Elevations
Design Process: Final Design
 Design Process: Final Design
Building Site Plan
 Design Process: Final Design
Building 3D
 2. DESIGN DETERMINANTS
• The process of identification and systematic organization of Site (Contextual)
factors(criteria) which guide decision making in the design of buildings

• The process of identifying design determinants

is called Site or Contextual Analysis

• Site (Context ) is defined as the

“whole situation”, background

or environment

relevant to some event or product.

• Site isn’t inert ( dormant)

but active network that affects a design of building

• A good design should response to site factors

 DESIGN DETERMINANTS (CONT…)

Objective of Site Analysis

• to enable designer pre-informed about site factors so that he/ she

incorporate these factors in the design process

Specific Objectives of Site Analysis

• to avoid inappropriate design responses to the site

• to develop greater efficiency when designing

• to discover interrelationships between site factors

• to maximize date amount for the design decisions

 DESIGN DETERMINANTS (CONT…)
Site Analysis Elements
• Gather relevant information about the factors of the site, from
topography to climate to wind pattern and vegetation
• Analyze these features and incorporate them into the design

• Site Analysis List

• Sub Surface Analysis
• Climatic Analysis

• Sensory Elements Analysis

• Circulation Analysis

• Natural & Man Made Elements Analysis

• Urban Context Analysis
• Building Codes
 SITE ANALYSIS

Sub Surface Analysis

• these factors include

•Geology: Geological history of the area, bedrock type
& depth etc.
•Hydrology: Underground water table, aquifers,
springs etc.
•Soil Genesis: erosion susceptibility, moisture (pF),
reaction (pH) organic content, bearing capacity etc.
 SITE ANALYSIS
Climate Analysis

 These factors include

• Temperature
• Attitude
• Rainfall and Snow
• Prevailing wind
• Sun orientation
 SITE ANALYSIS

Circulation Analysis

• These factors include

• Vehicular traffic
• Pedestrian Traffic
 SITE ANALYSIS

Sensory Analysis

 These factors include

- View
• Noise Smell + View
`
• View
• Smell

Noise
 SITE ANALYSIS

Natural & Man Made Elements Analysis

• these factors include

• Greenery
• Topography
• Water bodies
• Existing structures
• Infrastructure
 SITE ANALYSIS

Urban Context Analysis

 These factors include

• Height
• Form
• Materials
• Elements of Design
• Principles “
 SITE ANALYSIS

Building Code Analysis

 These factors include

• Height Restriction
• Function Restriction
• Set Backs Regulation
• BAR- Built up Area Ratio
THUMB RULES FOR RESIDENTIAL BUILDING
• Living Room
-Minimum Area = 12m2
- Minimum Width = 3m
- Minimum Door Size = 90cm
- Minimum Window Area = 1/10th floor area
- Maximum Window Sill Height = 0.90 cm
- Require View and South Side Exposure
- Should be at the front of a house and accessible from the front door

• Dining Room
- Minimum Area = 12m2
- Minimum Width = 3m
- Minimum Door Size = 90cm
- Minimum Window Area = 1/10th floor area
- Maximum Window Sill Height = 0.90 cm
- Require View and South or East Side Exposure
- Should be adjacent to Kitchen and Living Rooms
THUMB RULES FOR RESIDENTIAL BUILDING (CONT…)

• Car Port/ Garage

-Minimum Area = 15m2
- Minimum Width = 3m
- Minimum Length = 5cm
- Should be at the front of a house and accessible from the main gate

• Bed Room
- Minimum Area = 12m2
- Minimum Width = 2.7m
- Minimum Door Size = 90cm
- Minimum Window Area = 1/10th floor area
- Maximum Window Sill Height = 0.90 cm
- Require View and East Side ( morning sun) Exposure
- Should be at the quiet part of the site preferably on upper floors
THUMB RULES FOR RESIDENTIAL BUILDING (CONT…)
• Kitchen
-Minimum Area = 6m2
- Minimum Width = 1.8m
- Minimum Door Size = 90cm
- Should be at the back of a house adjacent to dining room
- Orient to north side ( cooler side) & kitchen yard
- Minimum Window area should be 15% of floor area
- Perimeter of work triangle should be between 3.6m to 6m

• Bath Room
- Minimum Area= 4m2
- Minimum Width = 1.5m
- Minimum Door Size = 70cm
- Bath Rooms should be adjacent to bed rooms
- Minimum Window height is 1.5m
- Up to 1.5m height interior walls should be covered with ceramic tile
THUMB RULES FOR RESIDENTIAL BUILDING (CONT…)

• Half Bath Room

- For visitors and contain WC and HWB
- Minimum Area = 2.5m2
- Minimum Width = 1.5m
- Minimum Door Size = 70cm
- Should be near living & dining room
- Minimum Window height is 1.5m
- Up to 1.5m height interior walls should be covered with ceramic tile

• Study Room
- Mini
- Minimum Width = 1.5m
 THUMB RULES FOR RESIDENTIAL BUILDING (CONT…)
• Important Points
- Traffic circulation should follow day today activities
- Avoid traffic circulation through rooms
- If a traffic must pass through a room, arrange doors in such a way that
circulation
affects one side or corner of the room
- The route from Garage to Kitchen be defined and short
- Circulation Area should not exceed 15% of total floor area
- Main Entrance near the center of a house decreases corridor length
- Main Entrance to a house should be emphasized, inviting and accessible
- In front of Main Entrance there should be a transitional space like:
- Veranda, Canopy
- In side a house next to Main Entrance there should be a transitional space:
- Foyer, Lobby, Entrance Hall
- Make the Foyer or Entrance Hall the continuation of the exterior
- Rooms located on west side need sheding
- Locate rooms ( non- sensitive to harsh sun) like WCs, Bath Rms, Store or
Garage on west and south west side
 THUMB RULES FOR RESIDENTIAL BUILDING (CONT…)

• Important Points ( cont…)

- Rooms in a house are grouped into zones
- Common Spaces
- Private Spaces

- Common Spaces: Open to all members of family, active and include

- Living Rm, Family Rm, Dining Rm, Gym, Garage, Kitchen, Utility Rm

-Private Spaces: Require privacy and quietness & include

- Bed Rms, Bath Rms, Study Rm, Pray Rm, Den

- It is important to separate the two zones either by level or location

- With in the common spaces we have two zones
- Living Zone: Living Rm, Family Rm, Dining Rm
- Service Zone: Garage, Kitchen, Store, Utility Rm

- Living Zone should be at the front part of the house

- Service Zone should be at the back part of the house
 THUMB RULES FOR RESIDENTIAL BUILDING (CONT…)
• Residential Rooms Special Requirements
- Living Room
- Open both to the members of the family and visitors
- Located near the main entrance of the house
- Location of Living Room Door should allow direct access to living room as soon

as we enter into the house

-Oriented the living room to capture the best view from the site
- Have big windows ( French Window) facing the main street
- The location of the room should not allow view to private spaces like Kitchen,

Bed Rms, Bath Rms etc

-The location of doors in living room should not allow cross circulation
- South exposure is preferable
- Light interior color is preferable
THUMB RULES FOR RESIDENTIAL BUILDING (CONT…)
• Residential Rooms Special Requirements ( cont…)
- Dining Room
- Open both to the members of the family and visitors
- Located adjacent to Kitchen and Living Rm
- There should be swinging door from Kitchen to Dining Room
-Oriented the Dining Rm to capture the best view from the site
- Have windows facing east direction

- Family Room
- Open only to the members of the family
- Located at back (private) part of the house
-Oriented the Family Rm to capture the best view from the site
- Adjacent to living and dining room
THUMB RULES FOR RESIDENTIAL BUILDING (CONT…)
• Residential Rooms Special Requirements ( cont…)
- Kitchen
- North or East exposure is preferable
- Should be located at the back of the house
- Easy and direct access from kitchen to garage is important
- Kitchen should be next to Dining and Utility Rooms
- Natural light and ventilation is important

-Store

- Near to the room for which it gives service

- Bed Room
- Private spaces and require quietness
- East exposure is best and south exposure is preferable
- Bed rooms should be located near bath room
THUMB RULES FOR RESIDENTIAL BUILDING (CONT…)

• Residential Rooms Special Requirements ( cont…)

- Bath Room
- locate in the private part of the house
- avoid direct view from living room to bath room door
- natural ventilation and light is important

- Office/Den
- Den is private office where the parents work at night
- Office is open for customer
- Den should be located in private space adjacent to master bed rm
- Office should be located near main enterance
THUMB RULES FOR RESIDENTIAL BUILDING (CONT…)

• Residential Rooms Special Requirements ( cont…)

- Guest Bed Room

- Isolated Room with attached bathroom
- located in such a way that it gets privacy
- Garage
- Easily accessible from main gate
- Easy access from garage to main entrance and kitchen

- Circulation Spaces
- Minimum corridor size is 90cm but the standard size is 1.2m
- Minimum veranda size is 1m but the standard size is 2m
 Literature Review (Design Research)
Instruction
Refer any written document on design of Residential Building and write a paper
containing the following issues:
1- Definition of House 9- Balcony, Terrace & Veranda
2- Types of House 10- Parking, Greenery, Play Field
3- Solar & Street Orientation 11- Special Requirements of Spaces
4 Function & Activities of spaces 12- Privacy, view, noise, light, ventilation
5 Furniture & Fixture of Spaces 13- Sample Drawings of Spaces & Furniture
6 Functional Flow & Relationship 14- Solid and Liquid waste disposal
7 Standard Size
8 Entry, Lobby, Corridor & Circulation
Requirement
Full of illustrations (sample drawing) A4 print out and hand sketches
Value
15 marks
THANKS!