INTRODUCTION TO ARCHITECTURAL INTERIORS 4.

Response to Context - depending on the

environment and the meaning of the structure in that
LESSON 1
environment.
Design – is the practice of creating things. It is a diverse
5. Building Envelope – the imaginary shape of a building
practice that draws from synthesis, analysis,
indicating its maximum volume.
engineering, culture and art.
• Interior Spaces – are formed first by a building’s
– used to create visual environments,
structural system, further defined by walls and ceiling
information, interactions, products, services, buildings,
planes, and related to other spaces by windows and
infrastructure and technology.
doorways.
Architecture – is the planning, design and construction
• Structure – refers to the selection of and arrangement
of buildings and other large structures. It includes
of interior elements such that their visual relationships
elements of engineering and art.
define and organize the interior space of a room.
Architects – may also require understanding of
ARCHITECTURAL SPACE – Geometric elements of point,
sustainability, culture, law, business, materials, physics
line, plane and volume can be arranged to articulate
and other sciences.
and define space.
Interior Design – an interdisciplinary practice concerned
1. A column makes a point in space and makes
with the creation of a range of interior environments
it visible.
that articulate identity and atmosphere...
2. Two columns define a spatial membrane
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN INTERIOR DECORATION
through which we can pass.
AND DESIGN
3. Supporting a beam, the columns delineate
A. Interior Decoration – the process of arranging a
the edges of a transparent plane.
room so that its component parts are
independent of each other and the relationship 4. A wall, an opaque plane, marks off a portion
is maintained only with the use of color of amorphous space and separate here from there.
harmony and coordinated arrangement of
5. A floor defines a field of space with territorial
furniture and decorative objects.
boundaries.
B. Interior Design – shaping and conditioning of
space for the optimum physiological and 6. A roof provides shelter for the volume of
psychological environment that affects the space beneath it.
users of the interior.
DESIGNED ENVIRONMENT
GENERAL CATEGORIES BY WHICH CONCERNS AND
ISSUES LESSON 2

1. Functional Zoning – the need for adjacency. A. Designed Environment – Results when a design
2. Architectural Space – a concretization of problem is approached holistically
man’s existential space. • Uses the designer’s approach of:
• Space – is the most influential aspect of
design problem solving. o Analysing the clients’ basic needs
• The designer – must know what activities, o Translating these needs to architectural terms
conditions and people he is planning for
3. Circulation and Building Form – circulation • Requires that the designer know his role in the project
may be conceived as the perpetual thread that in order to create the best designed environment
links the spaces of a building or any series of
interior or exterior spaces together.

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B. A holistic design approach should consider: • Identify users’ needs and preferences

1. The building’s structural system • Set goal- functional aesthetics

2. The spatial form created by structure C. WHAT IS POSSIBLE

3. Light and patterns of light and dark patterns it creates • For alterations

4. The surface treatment of floor, wall and ceiling planes • Permitted/ allowed/ prohibited Limits: time,
economic, legal, technical.
5. The acoustic nature of the room’s surfaces
5. SYNTHESIS – Conceptualization through graphic
6. The activities to be performed in the space
solutions, matrices and diagrams
3 CATEGORIES OF QUESTIONS THAT A DESIGNER
– Requires knowledge and understanding
SHOULD ASK HIS
gained through experience and research,
1. Practical Questions - questions that deal with intuition and imagination
functional or spatial considerations.
• CREATIVITY- the process of coming up with new ideas.
2. Aesthetic Questions- concerning taste, style and
3 MAIN POINTS OF CREATIVITY
color preferences.
1. IDEATION- the mental process which gives
3. Budgetary Questions- questions that deal with
the ability to think or ideate
financial considerations or limitations.
2. IDEA QUANTITY- the capacity to produce the
THE DESIGN PROCESS
largest number of ideas in a given unit of time
1. PRE-STATEMENT – Statement of the given
3. IMAGINEERING- the process of letting
problem/s; usually states what space is to be designed
imagination soar and then engineering it back to reality.
giving very little information regarding the related
requirements. CAUSES OF LIMITATION IN CREATIVITY

2. INFORMATION GATHERING – Researching 1. PERCEPTUAL BLOCKS- biological or physical

information and details related to the problem through impairment
review of related literature, ocular inspection of the
2. PHYSIOLOGICAL BLOCKS- stem from the
space, direct observation, interview/ survey with the
need to be accepted by a peer group; may be conscious
users, secondary information.
or unconscious
3. PROBLEM STATEMENT – Identification and
3. SELF-SATISFACTION
presentation of the problem based on data gathered.
CREATIVE PROBLEM-SOLVING TECHNIQUES
4. ANALYSIS OF THE PROBLEM – Defining and
understanding the nature of the design problem which 1. ALPHABETICAL LISTING- begins with listing all
will be essential to the solution the letters of the alphabet. Then for each letter, list a
word or phrase that begins with that letter and pertains
WHAT TO ANALYZE: factors that affect the formulation
to the problem you are attempting to solve or potential
of preliminary solutions
solution to it.
a. WHAT EXISTS
2. FUNCTIONAL VISUALIZATION- thinking about
• Physical/ cultural context what functions the object will perform instead of
thinking how it will look like.
• Existing architectural/ interior elements
3. MORPHOLOGICAL SYNTHESIS- making a list
• What can be changed/ cannot be changed
in a more direct manner to seek alternatives
B. WHAT IS DESIRED
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 4. INVERSION- instead of thinking of how to and textures are balanced without exact duplication. It
improve the situation, think of how to make it worse so is not as ordered as symmetrical balance and can be
that you are give a new set of perspective or concepts more complex and interesting.

5. BIONICS- “back to nature” solutions • Radial balance is achieved when there is a

central focal point with other elements radiating from it
6. DESCRIPTION BY ASSOCIATION- offering a
or around it.
description of the object by associating it with
something else. Rhythm – in design is all about creating patterns of
repetition and contrast to create visual interest. You can
7. TRANSLATION – Graphic representation of
achieve this by using the same color or shape at
solutions such a s sketches, drawings, models
different intervals. Its purpose is to move your eye
8. EVALUATION – Critical review of alternatives around the room.
and careful weighing of the strengths and weaknesses
Harmony – is created when all the elements act
of each proposal
together to create a unified message. Just as rhythm
DESIGN CRITERIA can create excitement, harmony creates a sense of
restfulness.
1.FUNCTION AND PURPOSE -the intended
function of the design must be satisfied and its purpose Emphasis – A room where everything gets equal
must be fulfilled importance will seem either scattered or boring. You
need an anchor. Architectural spaces often have points
2. UTILITY AND ECONOMY- a design should of interest such as a fireplace or a window with
exhibit utility, honesty and economy in its selection and beautiful view.
use of materials
Scale – refers to the relationship between two or more
3. FORM AND STYLE- the design should be objects.
aesthetically pleasing to the eye and other senses
– is key in architecture and interior design as
4. IMAGE AND MEANING- the design should these disciplines work with several
project an image and promote associations standardised measurements such as bench
which carry meaning for the people who use and heights, hallway widths and chair sizes.
experience it. Proportion – usually goes hand in hand with scale but is
BASIC DESIGN INTERIOR PRINCIPLE subtly different. Where scale describes the comparison
of objects to one another, proportion is more about the
LESSON 3 way furniture and objects look in a space, as well as in
Balance – In design, balance creates a feeling of relation to one another. Getting proportion right is
equilibrium. It is all about equalizing or approximating tricky and is quite often chalked up to someone having
the visual weight of objects an ‘eye for design’ that results in a feeling of comfort
and harmony.
– Balance is created not just through shape,
but through color, pattern, and texture as Contrast – in interior design is the practice of putting
well. two elements in opposition to one another. There are
many ways this can be executed, but a common way is
There are three different kinds of balance: by the use of color.
• Symmetrical or formal: Traditional or What is space planning?
formal spaces call for symmetrical balance
where the space is evenly split into two sides Space planning is an in-depth analysis of how physical
that mirror each other. space is used in structures. It considers the purpose of
• Asymmetrical or Informal: The visual spaces and who will use them.
weights of lines, color, forms,
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Space planning is a process that takes several steps, and • How can spaces be related to one another?
it's an important component for the work of interior
• Space within a space
designers and architects.
• Interlocking spaces
Space planning helps ensure efficient use of floor space
without wasting it. It also accounts for all possible uses • Spaces linked by a common space
of a given space and it can result in a comprehensive
space plan. • Adjacent spaces

Design – is the practice of conceiving and planning what Organizing the space – You can consider a varying forms
doesn't exist. It is a broad term that can be applied to of spatial organisation, some of which are more
creating structures, environments, interfaces, products, naturally suited to particular uses than others:
services, features and processes. • Centralised organization
Design analysis – is essentially a decision-making • Linear organisation
process in which analytical tools derived from basic
sciences, mathematics, statistics and engineering • Radial organisation
fundamentals are utilized to develop a product model • Clustered organisation
that can be converted into an actual product.
• Grid organisation
• Design analysis is the systematic process of
developing a design including all information discovery, Part 4 – Create the solution
planning and communications. This can be applied to
Once the spaces have been considered and the
any type of design including the design of physical
requirements have been studied it is time to start
things such as buildings and intangible things such as
sketching out relationship diagrams. The relationship
software, information and processes.
diagram takes your design from data to a more visual
Key processes to space planning: look at physically planning out your space. It is abstract,
and rough but enables you to develop your
Part 1 – Collect information – The design of a building understanding of the requirements and visualize how
or space will have numerous requirements from the the spaces will work together and how the circulation
client or end user. may flow between them.
Part 2 – Interpret requirements – build the brief Part 5 – Review and revise
• When we look at how to create spaces and Once some solutions have been sketched out it is then
accommodate humans in those spaces we can consider possible to review these solutions and look for areas
some universal concepts relating to how people interact that require improvement. Things to consider when we
with their environments. look at a residential scheme.
• Insider vs outsider Anthropometrics – is the comparative study of the
• Individual vs community measurements and capabilities of the human body. It
derives from the Greek words 'anthropos' (meaning
• Invitation vs rejection human), and 'metron' (meaning measure).
• Openness vs enclosure In making a building design by measuring
• Integration vs segregation anthropometry

• Combination vs dispersion Comfort Level

Part 3 – Consider spaces and spatial • To achieve a good comfort level in a building, the
dimensions of the rooms have to fit the dimensions of
Relationships and Spatial Relationships the people inside them.

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Space Requirements and how we arrange objects and ourselves in relation to
space.
• Another method of using anthropometry in
architectural design is using human sizes to estimate the Four areas of personal territory
approximate amount of space that is required for
various furniture in the living spaces ❑ Public Space: >12 feet (3m) • The public zone is
generally over 12 feet. That is, when we are walking
Buildings and Variations around town, we will try to keep at least 12 feet
between us and other people.
• Along with accommodating room sizes and furniture
space, you also have to plan for the purposes the ❑ Social Space : 4 - 12 feet (1.5m - 3m) • Within the
building it serves. social zone, we start to feel a connection with other
Difficulties people

• The difficulties of using anthropometry in ❑ Personal Space : 1.5-4 feet (0.5m - 1.5m) • In the
architectural design are that you have to incorporate a personal space, the conversation gets more direct, and
lot of different elements. this is a good distance for two people who are talking in
earnest about something.
In anthropometry the size of the human body varies
according to age, gender, race and even socioeconomic ❑ Intimate Space< 1.5 feet (< 0.5m) • When a person is
factors. within arm’s reach or closer, then we can touch them in
intimate ways.
1. Gender • Generally men have a larger body
dimension than women. ❑ Public territory: a place where one may freely enter.
This type of territory is rarely in the constant control of
2. Age • The size of the human body will develop from
just one person. However, people might come to
birth to 17 years. And finally it will decline when it is 60
temporarily own areas of public territory.
years old.
❑ Interactional territory: a place where people
3. Ethnicity • By being influenced by the geographical
congregate informally.
location where humans live, dimensional variations will
occur. ❑ Home territory: a place where people continuously
have control over their individual territory
4. Work • With the intensity of daily work also causes
differences in the size of the human body. Sociofugal :(of a grouping of people) Arranged so that
each can maintain some privacy from the others Tends
Two basic areas in Anthropometry
to keep people apart and suppress communication.
1.Static Anthropometry
Sociopetal :(of a grouping of people) arranged so that
• The measurement of body dimensions’ state and each can see and interact with the others. It brings
physical characteristics of humans in a static mode or at people together and stimulates.
rest.
Types of space
2. Dynamic or Functional Anthropometry
Proxemics defines three different types of space:
• The measurement of conditions and physical
characteristics of humans in a state of movement or ❑ Fixed-feature space : This comprises things that are
attention to movements that might occur while doing a immobile, such as walls and territorial boundaries.
job. ❑ Semifixed-feature space: This comprises movable
Proxemics is the study of people's territory, and the objects, like mobile furniture, while fixed-furniture is a
implications of space in relationships with others. fixed-feature.
Basically, proxemics is the study of space and how we
use it, how it makes us feel more or less comfortable,
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❑ Informal space: This comprises the individual space interests and backgrounds. - Contact is an indispensable
around the body, travels around with it, determining part of the process.
the personal distance among people.
2. GROUP MEMBERSHIP - being or not being a part of a
❑ Posture -gender identifiers : This category relates the definite social group is one way people define
postures of the participants and their gender-man themselves and is thus a matter of importance to most
prone, man sitting or squatting, man standing, woman people.
prone, woman sitting or squatting, and woman 3. PERSONAL SPACE - Strong feelings people have about
standing. controlling access to their persons manifests in the
❑ The sociopetal-sociofugal axis: This axis denotes the spacing or separation that people maintain when
relationship between the positions of one person’s dealing with other people.
shoulders and another's shoulders. Nine primary 4. PERSONAL STATUS - People use different techniques
orientations are defined: face-to-face, 45°, 90°, 135°, to establish their own self-definitions, and for defining
and back-to-back. themselves to others.
❑ Kinesthetic factors : This category deals with how 5. TERRITORIALITY
closely the participants are to touching, from being
completely outside of body-contact distance to being in • Territorial feelings of human merge with other
physical contact, which parts of the body are in contact, feelings about personal space and concern for personal
and body part positioning status.

• Territorial feelings may relate to individual or group

❑Touching code : This behavioural category concerns
belongings, or to assumed rights and privileges.
how participants are touching one another, such as
caressing, holding, feeling, prolonged holding, spot • Territoriality can be divided into these principal
touching, pressing against, accidental brushing, or not categories: Personal
touching at all.
a. Person to Person ̶territorial friction arising
❑ Visual code : This category denotes the amount of over personal belongings ̶can be minimized by marking
eye contact between participants eye-to-eye contact to personal possessions clearly and eliminating the
no eye contact at all. possible causes of friction.

❑ Thermal code : This category denotes the amount of b. Boundaries ̶disputes over territorial
body heat that each participant perceives from another boundaries can often be traced to ambiguity lines; can
conducted heat detected, radiant heat detected, heat be minimized by: Making boundaries clear and self-
probably detected, and no detection of heat. evident Indicating clearly what is shared and what is
private
❑ Olfactory code : This category deals in the kind and
degree of odour detected by each participant from the c. Group Territory ̶the feeling of sharing
other. “ownership” through membership in a group.

❑Voice loudness : This category deals in the vocal d. No one’s Territory ̶places for which no one or
effort used in speech. Seven sub-categories are defined- no group develops territorial
silent, very soft, soft, normal, normal+, loud, and very 6. COMMUNICATIONS – Architects and planners can
loud. create places where communication occurs.
MOTIVATING FACTORS THAT ARE AFFECTED BY THE Personal Communications - To facilitate
ENVIRONMENT communications between people, designers must
1. FRIENDSHIP FORMATION - Friendships are formed on recognize that conversations take place wherever
the basis of shared people meet.

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• Communicating with design - Design characteristics of • Ergonomics is the process of designing or arranging
a building are capable of communicating any message workplaces, products and systems so that they fit the
people who use them Proxemics.
7. CUE SEARCHING – The need to know what is going on
in the world around us in order for us to conduct our Universal design – is a framework for the design of
personal affairs safely, expeditiously and with a living and working spaces and products benefiting the
minimum of wasted effort or embarrassment widest possible range of people in the widest range of
situations without special or separate design.
Abstract Cues ̶ are cues that inform us about social
status and create the mental image we hold both of – The term “universal design” was conceived
people and institutions. by Ron Mace, an internationally renowned
architect, product designer and educator.
8. PERSONAL SAFETY – People need help in identifying
Universal design (UD) is also called inclusive
those aspects of their environment that may be
design, design for all, or life span design.
hazardous even though the hazard is not obvious.
– universal design is, "a process that enables
Principal categories of hazards that are frequently and empowers a diverse population by
encountered in interior environments: improving human performance, health and
wellness, and social participation" (Steinfeld
a. Clearance hazard and Maisel, 2012).
b. Object hazard The Principles of Universal Design The "Principles of
c. Collision hazard Universal Design

d. Stability hazard PRINCIPLE ONE: Equitable Use –The design is useful and
marketable to people with diverse abilities.
Ergonomics – is a branch of science related to the
design of workplaces products and systems to best fit PRINCIPLE TWO: Flexibility in Use – The design
those who use them. It is an area of study in design accommodates a wide range of individual preferences
involves in making the work environment safer and and abilities.
more comfortable for workers using design and PRINCIPLE THREE: Simple and Intuitive Use – Use of the
anthropometric data. The term is derived from two design is easy to understand, regardless of the user’s
Greek words, ‘ergon’ meaning work, and ‘nomos’ experience, knowledge, language skills, or current
meaning natural laws. concentration level.
KEY TERMS PRINCIPLE FOUR: Perceptible Information – The design
• Space Planning: is an in-depth analysis of how communicates necessary information effectively to the
physical space is used in structures. user, regardless of ambient conditions or the user’s
sensory abilities.
• Anthropometry: involves the systematic
measurement of the physical properties of the human PRINCIPLE FIVE: Tolerance for Error –;The design
body, primarily dimensional descriptors of body size and minimizes hazards and the adverse consequences of
shape accidental or unintended actions.

• Static Anthropometry: where people are measured in PRINCIPLE SIX: Low Physical Effort –The design can be
unmoving, defined postures. used efficiently and comfortably and with a minimum of
fatigue.
• Functional Anthropometry: measurement of
conditions and physical characteristics of humans in a PRINCIPLE SEVEN: Size and Space for Approach and
state of movement Use –Appropriate size and space is provided for
approach, reach, manipulation, and use, regardless of
user’s body size, posture, or mobility.

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Eight Goals of Universal Design

Body fit. Accommodating a wide a range of body sizes

and abilities

Comfort. Keeping demands within desirable limits of

body function

Awareness. Insuring that critical information for use is

easily perceived

Understanding. Making methods of operation and use

intuitive, clear, and unambiguous

Wellness. Contributing to health promotion, avoidance

of disease, and prevention of injury

Social integration. Treating all groups with dignity and

respect

Personalization. Incorporating opportunities for choice

and the expression of individual preferences

Cultural appropriateness. Respecting and reinforcing

cultural values and the social, economic and
environmental context of any design project.

Public spaces include facilities open to the public such

as stores, restaurants, amusement parks, parks and
other recreation facilities, street rights-of-way, and
transportation systems.