NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY

BY : ARCH. ANALIZA AGLIAM-ARCANGEL,UAP

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

Basic design of interior spaces geared

toward initial understanding of theories
and principles in architectural interiors in
relation to
ANTHROPOMETRICS
PROXEMICS

ERGONOMICS
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
1. know the basics of interior space planning
concepts in relation to
anthropometrics, proxemics and ergonomics
2. use simple concepts of colors and decorative
elements in architectural interiors
3. apply the basic concepts of interior lighting
4. understand the basic materials for interior e.g.
textiles, paints etc.
5. understand the different periods and
contemporary styles
 Course Outline
• 1. Introduction
• 2. Definition : Design in Architecture
• 3. Fundamental tools of space planning, design and analysis :
• Anthropometrics, Proxemics and Ergonomics
• 4. Color Basics, color identification systems and color schemes
• 5. Color illusions and advance scheme principles
• 6. Natural and Artificial lighting systems
• 7. Indicative locations of utility elements e.g. air conditioning units,
• electrical outlets/switches etc.
• 8. Materials for interior e.g. textile, paints etc.
• 9. Furniture, furnishings and other interior elements
• 10. Architectural interiors types
• 11. Period and contemporary styles
• 12. Design presentation
ARCHITECTURAL INTERIORS
• is the process through which the interiors
of buildings are designed, concerned with
all aspects of the human uses of structural
spaces.

• LATIN WORD
ARCHITECTURA PENITUS
ARCHITECTURAL INTERIORS
IS THE UNION OF THREE DISTINCT
DESIGN PRINCIPLES:

• ARCHITECTURE
• INTERIOR DESIGN
• INDUSTRIAL DESIGN
ARCHITECTURE

FOCUSES ON THE BUILDING

FORMS AND SYSTEM
INTERIOR DESIGN

focuses on the
selection of interior
materials, finishes,
and furnishings
pre-manufactured panels
INDUSTRIAL DESIGN

Industrial design is a combination of

applied art and applied science, whereby
the aesthetics , ergonomics and usability
of products may be improved for
marketability and production.
INDUSTRIAL DESIGN
• The field of interior architecture
has a lot in common with
interior design and decorating;
however, it typically focuses on
architecture and construction.
 Architectural Interiors (AI), specifically
mentioned under Secs. 3 (4) (g) and 14 (3) of
R.A. No. 9266, involves the detailed planning
and design of the indoor / enclosed areas of
any proposed building / structure, including
retrofit, renovation, rehabilitation or expansion
work which shall cover all architectural and
utility aspects, including the architectural lay-
outing of all building engineering systems
found therein.
•
 SCOPE OF SERVICES
• In the design of a building, the
Architect works on a
development concept. To realize this,
the Architect develops the design by determining the
size and interrelationship of interior spaces, laying out
the furniture, movables, equipment, built-ins and fixtures
to support the required activities, thus making both the
exterior and interior spaces contribute to the total
concept.
 The Architect plans and designs the
architectural interiors (AI) of buildings such
that they contribute to the physical, visual,
intellectual and emotional comforts of the
intended end-users.
 SERVICES:

• Prescribes space plans,

stacking diagrams/ sections
and computations of areas for
the different activities and
spaces to be integrated in a
building Project.
Space plan
Detailed sections
SAMPLE LAYOUT OF W.I.C
• Lays out and prescribes furniture/ built-ins/
equipment for the project and prepares
specifications of AI components including
all floor / wall / ceiling finishes, doors and
partition systems, hardware, modular or
ready-assembled furniture pieces/ systems,
equipment, furnishings, built-ins, fixtures,
signages and graphic devices, etc.
• Assists the Client in conducting bids
or negotiations with General
Contractors, sub-contractors and
suppliers of building materials,
furniture, equipment, fixtures, etc.
 • Checks and approves samples of materials and
shop drawings of AI components.
•
• Reviews and approves billings of AI
components.
•
• Conducts final inspection and approves
installed AI components and related items.
• The word anthropometry is derived from
the greek word ANTHROS which means

MAN
and ‘metre’ which means

MEASURE
 USES OF
ANTHROPOMETRICAL DATA
 2 TYPES OF
ANTHROPOMETRICAL DATA

•STRUCTURAL
•FUNCTIONAL
STRUCTURAL
MEASUREMENTS
TAKEN WITH THE
BODY IN
STANDARD AND
STILL POSITION.
FUNCTIONAL
OBTAINED
WHEN THE
BODY ADOPTS
VARIOUS
WORKING
POSTURE.
PRIMARY APPLICATIONS OF
ANTHROPOMETRICS
•WORK SPACE
•EQUIPMENT AND
TOOLS
•CLOTHING
PROTOTYPE MODEL
 Ergonomics
• A combination of the Greek ergon
(meaning work) and nomia (meaning
management of organisation) H.Murrell (1940)

DEFINITIONS

• “The fit between man and machine”

• “The interface between humans and their

environment”
 Ergonomics
• The discipline of Ergonomics traditionally covers
all aspects of the interface, ie. physiological,
psychological and sociological.

• Because of this the term “human-factor

engineering” is being used as it focuses on
anthropometric data and usability studies. This
helps to aid the process of making products
easier to use, safer and better matched to the
human body.
PERCENTILE
Percentile Study
 A “percentile” is a unit
comprising th
100 of the
population.
 Percentile Study
F
R
E
Q
U
E
N
C
Y
OCCURENCE
OF PEOPLE OF
A CERTAIN
HEIGHT

5th POPULATION 95th

PERCENTILE AVERAGE (MEAN) PERCENTILE

HEIGHT
 TO THE LEFT OF THE AVERAGE THERE IS A POINT KNOWN
AS THE 5TH PERCENTILE, 5 PERCENT OF THE PEOPLE
(1PERSON IN 20) IS SHORTER THAN THE PARTICULAR
HEIGHT. THE SAME DISTANCE TO THE RIGHT IS A POINT
KNOWN AS 95TH PERCENTILE WHERE ONLY ONE PERSON IN 20
IS TALLER THAN ITS HEIGHT.

Many products are designed to be used by

the users who fall between the 5th and the 95th
percentile. e.g. mass produced clothes

Some products, eg. washing machines, are designed

for the 50th percentile and therefore all tend to be
the same height.
Some products are made adjustable, so they ‘fit’ a
bigger percentile range. e.g. medical clothing,
aprons, hats
EXAMPLES OF SITUATIONS
AIMING FOR WITH DESIGN MEASUREMENTS USERS THAT YOUR
YOUR DESIGN EXAMPLES TO CONSIDER DESIGN SHOULD
ACCOMODATE

EASY REACH ARM LENGTH

SHOULDER HEIGHT

ADEQUATE SHOULDER OR HIP

CLEARANCE TO WIDTH,THIGH
AVOID UNWANTED LENGTH
CONTACT
ERGONOMICS
 ERGONOMICS IS COMMONLY THOUGHT OF
IN TERMS OF PRODUCTS. BUT IT CAN BE
EQUALLY BE USEFUL IN DESIGN OF
SERVICES OR PROCESSES.
 ERGONOMICS HELPS DEFINE HOW THE
PRODUCT IS USED,HOW IT MEETS YOUR
NEEDS AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, IF
YOU,REGOING TO LIKE IT.
Ergonomics
 A combination of the Greek ergon (meaning
work) and nomia (meaning management of
organiZation) H.Murrell (1940)

DEFINITIONS

 “The fit between man and machine”

 “The interface between humans and their
environment”
LITERALLY, IT MEANS THE SCIENCE OF WORK
LIFE W/O ERGONOMICS
PROXEMICS
IS THE STUDY OF MEASURABLE DISTANCES
BETWEEN PEOPLE AS THEY INTERACT . THE
TERM WAS INTRODUCED BY
ANTHROPOLOGIST
EDWARD T. HALL IN 1966.
Edward Twitchell Hall, Jr. (May 16, 1914 – July 20, 2009) was an
American anthropologist and cross-cultural researcher. He is remembered for
developing the concept of proxemics and exploring cultural and social
cohesion, and describing how people behave and react in different types of
culturally defined personal space.

HALL OBSERVED THAT THERE ARE SPECIFIC DISTANCES USED BY

HUMANS IN THEIR TRANSACTIONS WITH OTHER HUMAN BEINGS
AND THESE DISTANCES VARY FROM CULTURE TO CULTURE.
 FOUR ZONES OF TERRITORIAL
DISTANCE
1. The Intimate: (skin contact to about 18 inches)- love
comfort and tenderness

2. The Personal- (18 inches to 4 ft.)- arm’s length away,

reserved for friends rather than lovers

3. The Social-(4ft.-12ft.)-, impersonal business and

casual relationships

4. The public- (12-25ft.) formal and rather detached-

INTIMATE DISTANCE
Intimate distance (extreme close
shots): ranges from skin contact to about
eighteen inches away. This is the distance
of physical involvement- of love,
comfort, and tenderness between
individuals.
PERSONAL DISTANCE
Personal Distance (medium close shot):
It can either be close (.45m-.75m) or far
(1.20m) phases. The close phase is still
for special relationships, while the far
phase is a bit more formal and is use for
conversations of personal interest and
involvements.
These distance tends to be reserved for
friends and acquaintances rather than
lovers or members of a family.
SOCIAL DISTANCE
SOCIAL DISTANCE (medium and full
shot): It is also divided into close (1.2-
2.1m) and far (2.1m -3.6m)-phases. These
phases are normally used for impersonal
business: the close phase usually reserved
for those we work with ; the far phase for
others.
PUBLIC DISTANCE
PUBLIC DISTANCE (extreme long
shot): Distance within which the
individual does not expect to have direct
contact with others.
Extend from twelve feet to twenty five
feet and more. This range tends to be
formal and rather detached.
DISTANCE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN
PEOPLE
 SOCIOLOGICAL HUMAN NEEDS
SOCIOLOGICAL HUMAN NEEDS
People’s perception of their environment influences their social interaction within that environment. Social
interaction can be discussed in terms of four concepts: privacy, personal interaction levels, territoriality,
and crowding.

Privacy is a central regulatory process by which persons make themselves more or less accessible to
others. In an office environment, privacy may be manipulated through the use of partitions which protect
the individual from physical, visual and acoustical intrusion. The plan of an office environment establishes
the privacy level at which the office functions.

Definition of an individual’s interaction levels is one mechanism used in achieving a desired level of
privacy. Besides needing enough space to move about and perform various tasks, each person moves
within a domain that expands and contracts to meet individual needs and social circumstances. The size
of space determines perceptions, experiences, and uses of that particular environment.

Territoriality is means of achieving a desired level of privacy. It involves the exclusive control of space by
an individual or group. This control implies privileges and may involve aggressive actions in its defense.
For the individual, territorial control provides security and identity and is communicated through
personalization and definition.

Crowding occurs when personal space and territoriality mechanisms function ineffectively, resulting in an
excess of undesired external social contact. Sociologically, people respond to crowding in different ways
depending upon the situation. Sometimes humans tolerate crowding , though it may be unpleasant,
because they know it is only temporary. In some situations crowding may be considered desirable, it may
even be sought after it is perceived as “part of fun” or the expectation within a social setting.
PSYCHOLOGICAL HUMAN RESPONSE
PSYCHOLOGICAL HUMAN RESPONSE
Responses to the environment are complex and best understood in terms of three
psychological stages of human behavior :
perception, cognition, and spatial behavior.
Perception of the environment is the most strict sense, refers to the process of
becoming aware of a space by the acquisition of information through the sensations of
sight , hearing , smell, touch and taste. Cognition is the mental processing of this
sensory information. This may involve the activities of thinking about, remembering, or
evaluating the information. Spatial behavior refers to responses and reactions to the
environmental information acquired through perception and cognition or Reactions of an
individual or groups of individuals with relation to the immediate surrounding area .The
designer creates environmental stimuli to direct these psychological stages as well as
the secondary processes of motivation, effect and development. Environmental
expectations, another determining element to be considered by the interior designer, are
developed over time through experience and interaction with the environment.
Sensations, in combination with expectations of the environment, define one’s
perception of space.
Spatial Behavior

Spatial behavior refers to the attempts of

individuals to the physical space around
them.
For example, people move towards or away from a person or object; they
maintain closeness or distance.
Violations of personal space frequently produce
stress. People whose personal space is violated
report feeling tense and anxious. The physiological
signs of stress include increases in galvanic skin
response, pulse rate, and blood pressure. Scientists
can use these responses as indicators of culturally
oriented spatial norms and include them in research
on interperson behavior in a number of physical
settings, such as crowds.
For example, there are distinct patterns in the way
people use the space that immediately surrounds
them when interacting with others. Every culture
develops unwritten codes regulating how closely
individuals can approach each other: South
Americans have narrower personal spaces than do
North Americans, Germans, and the English. Cultural
variations in personal space can have serious
implications in culturally heterogeneous societies or
cities