FOURTH EDITION
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There are two major new elements to this fourth edition of Space Planning Basics. The first is its digital content (available at www.wiley.com/go/KarlenSpace4e). All of the illustrations, design programs, and building shell drawings can be brought up on your computer screen, so that you can copy illustrations and floor plans and manipulate and work with matrixes and floor plans in completing the many programming and space planning exercises.
The second new element is the integration of sustainable design concepts and information. Sustainability has become a significant, if not essential, factor in the space planning process. For many, sustainable design is associated primarily with green roofs, solar panels and rainwater collection. The creation of high-quality interior spaces includes concerns for human comfort, social interaction, and productive and aesthetically appealing work spaces, all of which are necessary for sustaining a strong and vibrant quality of life. These issues are not new to those who design interior spaces, but they are not generally associated with the broad concepts of sustainability. The integration of sustainability and space planning demands a collaborative and multidisciplinary approach to the space planning process. The revised text in this edition directs the reader to focus on sustainable design concepts and techniques—such as energy and water conservation, improved daylighting, indoor air quality, integrating active mechanical systems, and engagement with the building envelope—as part of the space planning process. This is clearly the necessary direction for those involved in creating the buildings and spaces of our future.
For the past two years I’ve had the opportunity to team teach a collaborative design studio course at Philadelphia University. This past year the studio consisted of 25 students; 14 of them in Professor Rob Fleming’s Master of Science Sustainable Design Program and 11 of them, in my charge, students in the Master of Science Interior Architecture Program. In addition to Rob and me, adjunct faculty in mechanical engineering, landscape architecture, and construction management were also involved. The students in both programs came from a great variety of undergraduate disciplines. They were grouped in teams of four or five students; each team was charged with solving a large and complex adaptive reuse urban project over the course of one semester. In a truly collaborative effort, the interior architects on each team space planned and designed the interior elements, while the others worked with all of the sustainable design concerns of the project. It was a successful and rewarding experience for all involved.
The extra benefit for me was working with Rob Fleming in planning the course and teaching in the studio together. Rob is a particularly devoted and energetic teacher and program manager from whom I’ve learned a great deal. The students in the collaborative studio made use of the previous edition of this book, but I realized that Space Planning Basics needed an infusion of the sustainable design concepts that they had integrated into their problem-solving techniques. I was pleased when Rob agreed to join me as a coauthor in this fourth edition, so that some of his depth of knowledge and experience in sustainable design could become an integral part of students’ experiences with this book.
In addition to my appreciation for Rob Fleming providing new and critical content for this educational tool, I want to acknowledge the collaborative help of two young architects, Madhura Dhayagude and Pratiksha Patel, who have been invaluable in reconfiguring and digitizing much of the book’s graphic material, from diagrams and matrixes to floor plans and sections. I’m indebted to the designer/architect team of Kate Lyons and Peter Elsbeck, who provided the perspective sketches in Chapters 3 and 6. As always, special thanks to Paul Drougas and Seth Schwartz, my editors at Wiley, who have been consistent supporters throughout the entire process. My hope is that the resulting book is of significant value to students in mastering space planning and stair design skills.
MARK KARLEN
This book is an instructional tool designed to develop interior space planning skills for typical building uses in spaces up to 4,000 square feet in size. Although this book may be used by an individual learner, it is geared for use in a conventional studio classroom setting. It contents are threefold:
Space planning is an inherently complex process. For this reason, a series of planning exercises, starting with very small spaces and building to larger spaces with more complex program requirements, is provided as the primary technique in the development of space planning skills. In addition, basic information about space planning, the use of planning rules of thumb, guidelines for appropriate drawing techniques, and recommended reading and reference sources are included.
As an introduction to space planning, this book is directed primarily to intermediate-level (sophomore and junior levels in a baccalaureate or first professional-degree program) interior architecture and design students. To be more specific, it is assumed that its users possess adequate drafting skills (defined here as basic experience with architectural drafting tools and architectural scales or experience in creating floor plans with software such as AutoCAD) and ease in understanding and preparing orthographic projections (plans and elevations). In addition, users are expected to be competent in planning conventional furniture arrangements within fixed rooms, not including large-scale arrangements of office systems furniture, which is a basic space planning process in itself. Ideally, users have some background in design program development, but that is not necessary for a successful learning experience. Background in the planning of undivided or “raw” space is not required. Although specific direction to prepare for the space planning elements of the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) examination is not an intended purpose here, the basic programming and space planning skills learned are applicable to the practicum portions of that exam.
Space planning is not a simple process involving a single category of information. Rather, it is a complex dovetailing of several processes involving many categories of information related to the organization and construction of buildings. Such processes range from program analysis and use of building code principles to sustainable design principles and the development of desired spatial qualities. Even with space planning problems of relatively small size (a few thousand square feet) and relatively simple programmatic requirements, it is impossible to avoid these complexities of process and information completely. For this reason, such issues will be dealt with in enough depth to provide a realistic context for design problems, while maintaining focus on the central issue of space planning. Over a long period of professional practice, the experienced space planner will gain in-depth knowledge of all these complexities, but it would be counterproductive to attempt to deal with them here except in the simplest manner.
The great majority of professional space planning work lies within existing structures rather than in the interior planning of new buildings still in their planning and design phases. For this reason, the greatest emphasis in this book is on spaces within existing structures. Interior space planning for buildings still on the drawing board requires some experience in the design of structures and building envelopes and therefore demands additional knowledge and skill on the part of the space planner. Those additional areas of professional involvement lie beyond the intent of this text and are discussed in a general manner in Chapter 4, 5, and 8.
Finally, this textbook is meant not only to be read but also to be worked with as a hands-on guide in the development of creative skills. Space planning skills grow from consistently repeated practice and experience; consequently, learners are encouraged to apply sufficient hours of concentrated effort at the drawing board and/or on the computer screen to gain professional-quality technique. The quality of space planning solutions, particularly at the beginning of your experience, is difficult to assess. Unlike some other forms of problem solving, space planning problems usually have many “right” answers. Rarely are there “perfect” answers. Space planning solutions involve satisfying program criteria on a priority basis where the issues at the top of the list must be solved but where some of the issues near the bottom might be solved only partially, if at all. In its simplest terms, space planning almost always involves compromises, where you look for good and workable solutions rather than “correct” or “perfect” ones. Identifying and satisfying high-priority or major planning criteria is part of the learning experience presented here, but the best tools to assess quality in space planning solutions are personal exchange and critique with others. Classroom discussions, both formal and informal, are of great value. Seeking the opinion of fellow students, as well as offering your own critical commentary of others’ work, will help immeasurably in developing strong critical skills. Taking advantage of classroom pinups and critiques, particularly with the expert view of the classroom teacher (and possibly that of a guest critic), is essential in this growth process. In time, as evaluation of your own work and the work of others continues, skills in criticism improve, and you will become a better judge of your own work. At every level of professional growth, value exists in seeing another approach and in hearing objective criticism.
The step-by-step process of space planning described in this text is deliberately geared to the learning of a complex skill. Professionals in the field use many worthwhile and productive planning processes; one process is not necessarily superior to the others. This is true because of the creative element involved in space planning. As your skills grow beyond the learner’s level, you will develop variations in the planning process geared to your individual thinking patterns, and ultimately you will create a complete and personalized design methodology.
Note should be made of the issue of terminology. This text contains many words and phrases that must be considered professional jargon; they are unavoidable. They are also not universal in their use. Words and phrases such as “criteria matrix,” “prototypical plan sketches,” “relationship diagram,” “bubble diagram,” “block plan,” “barrier-free,” “suite,” “rough floor plan,” and “speculative office building” are used by some professionals and not by others. Different individuals may use the same word or phrase to mean different things. The emergence of sustainability as an additional influencing factor adds even more terms. Do not allow this lack of universality in terminology to become a stumbling block in the learning process presented here.
As your space planning skills grow and achieve professional quality, you will find that these new elements in your repertoire sensitize and sharpen other related design skills and bring you several steps closer to the status of the “complete” professional.
Each chapter concludes with a list of recommended readings. Reference sources are denoted by an asterisk (*); works without an asterisk are reading materials. The reference sources provide in-depth information related to basic and recurring planning and design issues and questions. The reading materials are intended to develop knowledge and skills in general planning and design areas and in some cases peripheral to space planning. Personal selections in the reading areas will depend heavily on your previous background and experience.
A concerted effort has been made to keep these lists to essential books only. It is suggested that you prioritize your planned reading efforts while using this book. More specifically, concentrate on the space planning issues and let the less critical influencing factors, such as plumbing, acoustics, and interior construction, wait until later.
Many other worthwhile texts deal with space planning and related information and skills. An Internet search is your best starting point for additional reading and research materials.
The recommended readings that relate to this introduction have been selected for their introductory qualities.