Ergonomics in functional and spatial shaping of

Ergonomics in functional and spatial shaping of bedrooms Przemyslaw Nowakowski Wroclaw University of Science and Technology Faculty of Architecture [email protected]

Abstract. Households currently serve as people’s main living environment, as householders spend there approximately 2/3 of their time. Fulfilling of basic human needs and, in particular, higher level needs requires i.a. providing of sufficient living space. Some of the housing needs and not considered or are omitted by architects and designers as a result of various reasons, mainly the economic ones. Many of the inconveniences emerge as early as at the designing stage, while others appear during the exploitation of a dwelling. Optimal usage qualities of a dwelling place are attainable not only thanks to its considerable size, elevating of the technical standard of the finishing and equipment, but also by increasing its functional efficiency. Such efficiency may be ensured by, among others: optimization of the size, proportions and shapes of space and usage programme of a dwelling, adjusted to, i.a. users spatial and motion requirements. Bedrooms are the most private rooms in houses, as they are places of fulfilment of such needs as: sleeping, passive relaxation (regeneration), as well as isolation from the surrounding environment. Oftentimes bedrooms are the smallest rooms in a house, at the same time beds are among the biggest pieces of furniture, which makes it difficult to use them in cramped spaces. Designing a bedroom requires a detailed preparation of a functional programme and spatial requirements connected with performing routine activities. Free access to the entire equipment depends on providing optimal usable space, proportion of the interior and furniture arrangement. Keywords: house design, bedroom, accessibility, human factor in design

1

Introduction

Leisure area (together with individual bedrooms for adults and children) belongs to the private part of a dwelling. An uninhibited realization of individual needs requires providing of, among others: appropriate usable, social and symbolic space, comfortable psycho-physical conditions, appropriate furnishing and technical equipment and favourable conditions connected with guaranteeing of safety and privacy. The above tasks are realized by i.a.: meeting of spatial and movement requirements of users, as well as selection and appropriate arrangement of both fixed and mobile equipment.

2

Space covered by the elements of equipment and space required for their usage

All appliances and devices located in a house cover certain area whose measurements (covered space and volume) result directly from forms, sizes and placement of particular pieces of equipment. The majority of furniture requires additional space connected with its usage and handling. In a bedroom those are in particular beds and units used for storage (mainly of clothes). The freedom of their usage results from their mutual placement and sizes as well as mobility of their users [5]. Optimal furniture arrangement aims at providing comfortable movement in a room and freedom of performance of routine activities. However, it is necessary to assume spatial requirements of tall, well-built users (anthropometric features of men measuring in 95th centile). Useful data concerning body shapes can be found in anthropometric atlases published in numerous countries. Nevertheless, data presented there is not full, as it lacks the measurements of people assuming dynamic positions (in motion), especially positions leaning forward, sideways, squatting, kneeling, reaching on tiptoes, grabbing of items located on various heights with one or two hands [4, 5]. When designing for users with disabilities the extreme variant is assumed – conditions for movement of a tall man on a wheelchair – as it requires the most space in order to move freely. What is more, the choice of a wheelchair model also influences the way of manoeuvring and movement (turning radius, ease of turning).

3

Bed accessibility

During the initial stage of designing, the assumed measurements for a single bed are 100 x 200 cm, while for a double bed 200 x 200 cm. The space in front of the bed and on its both sides should amount to 75 cm, which enables, among others, assuming a squatting or kneeling position while making a bed and is known as ‘service space’ which, together with the space covered by the bed, is necessary for the usage of this piece of furniture [1, 4].

Fig. 1, 2. The size of available space next to and around a single bed in various arrangements (author’s drawing)

Single bed should be accessible from at least both sides. Such solution enables an easy access to the bed and making the bed (usually in leaning or kneeling position). Therefore, the floor space connected with the use of a single bed requires the measurements of approx. 175 x 275 cm (Fig. 1). For people who are chronically ill and require constant care it is necessary to grant the access to the bed from three sides (similarly to the hospital beds). Thanks to such a solution free access to the bed is provided from both longer sides of the bed. In such case, the required service area has the dimensions of approx. 250 x 275 cm (Fig. 2). The most space of a bedroom it taken by a double bed, which may have dimensions of up to 200 x 200 cm, which covers 4 m² of the space of a bedroom. Such bed should be accessible from three sides (Fig. 3). Meeting of this criterion provides a possibility to lie down and get up without disturbing the other person. Required dimensions of a bed together with the access (service) area may amount to 350 x 275 cm (approx. 9,6 m² of space), which, in many cases, takes up the entire room [1, 4]. During the process of designing a double bedroom it is recommended to provide a possibility to place there one double bed or two separate single beds. Placing beds apart might be recommended in case of an illness or disability of one user of a bedroom. The rules of flexible shaping of the bedroom zone should enable placing of beds in various arrangements within one bedroom (Fig. 4).

Fig. 3, 4. The size of available space next to a double bed in various arrangements (author’s drawing)

The space next to a bed of a disabled person should enable free maneuvering with a wheelchair (the minimum width of 150 cm, enabling a full turn at least on one side of the bed) [2, 3]. What is more, moving from the wheelchair to the bed is easier when the height of the bed is similar to that of the wheelchair. The need of availability of free space with the width of 150 cm from two perpendicular sides results from various ways of moving from a wheelchair into a bed (Fig. 5). Oftentimes a bed of a disabled person needs to be accessible from three sides (a hospital bed). The width of available space along the second longer side should also amount to minimum 75 cm, which enables the access to a sick person from all sides (Fig. 6, 7) [2, 3]. Some of space can be ‘regained’ thanks to use of i.a. sofa beds or wall folding beds. When folded, the furniture takes up little space. The space gained that way may be used for daily activity. However, the opened bed can take up almost the entire room and obstruct moving around it. Additionally, opening and closing of such a big piece of

furniture is burdensome and usually requires great effort. That is why such beds are not fit for children, elderly people and people with disabilities.

Fig. 5. Various ways of moving from a wheelchair into a bed (author’s drawing)

Fig. 6, 7. The size of free space next to a single and double bed of a person on a wheelchair (author’s drawing)

4

The role of bedrooms for household members and in the structure of a dwelling

Bedrooms form the private part of a dwelling, which is also often called the zone of night rest. Approximately 1/3 of a day is spent in a bedroom on relaxation and sleeping. The sense of privacy and even desired solitude plays an important role and realization

of those needs is fulfilled by the possibility of isolation from other household members. That is why it is recommended for every member of the family (except spouses) to have a separate bedroom. Separate bedrooms are necessary for adolescents, not only for those of opposite sexes. Small children, on the other hand, may sleep in parents’ bedroom. Common rooms are useful also for small children. Bedrooms should be functionally separated from both other parts of a house and exterior noises. It is advised to place a wardrobe or a walk-in wardrobe and especially a bathroom in the vicinity of a bedroom. Thanks to such a solution moving between the rooms will not require walking through the so-called noise zone – living room and the area common for all householders and their guests. Realization of the sleeping function is usually accompanied by such daily activities as: changing clothes (changing day to night clothing and the other way round), storing clothing and linen, taking out and putting away linen and making bed. What is more, bedroom in also a place of various additional activities: certain tasks (writing letters, crocheting, etc.), listening to the radio, reading books, doing makeup, etc. The equipment necessary for sleeping includes: a bed or a convertible sofa, duvets and other bedclothes and pillows, a night lamp, a bedside table or a shelf used for putting away such items as a plate, a book or an alarm clock, a piece of furniture used to put away clothes (a chair, a shelf), a container for sheets (a linen chest or a convertible bed). Among the additional equipment there are: a table and chair used for simple activities, a vanity, a mirror, a TV stand, wardrobes and walk-in wardrobes. As a result, bedrooms might have a really diverse equipment, which, together with limited space, often results in tight for space and limiting of free movement, as the additional equipment covers the necessary communication and service space. Ergonomic designing of sleep space is a complex activity because it has to take into consideration the economical and construction limitations. On the other hand, the freedom of fulfilment of diverse and changing needs has to be assured. What is also important are the conditions of storage of a considerable number of possessions (especially clothes). Among the key factors deciding on the size and proportions of rooms of a dwelling there are:  number, types and sizes of fixed and mobile equipment distributed in a room,  freedom of access to the equipment related with the movement area of an individual (size and mobility),  the way of distribution of equipment (furniture arrangement),  providing of conditions for safe and comfortable usage of a room and individual pieces of furniture,  providing of conditions for changing of the arrangement (changing of placement of equipment or its replacement),  social, cultural and psychological requirements. 4.1

Double bedroom

The possibility of flexible arrangement of beds together and separately, as well as additional equipment oftentimes requires more space than is usually made available (especially in multi-family buildings). In a small bedroom a double bed is placed in the corner of a room (Fig. 9) and it is accessible only form one side, which makes it difficult

to lie down and get out of the bed, as the person lying next to the wall has to move over the other person. Furthermore, the bed is located directly next to the window, which is especially not recommended during winter time, when the cold air coming out of the window causes discomfort and oftentimes even results in getting common colds. Another key factor is the size of the room. Appropriate placing of a bed together with adjacent service area requires also designing right proportions of a room as well as correct placement of windows and doors (Fig. 10), which also influences the location of additional equipment, e.g.: a wardrobe, a chair, a bedside table or a desk. Nevertheless, the size and proportions of a double bedroom are mainly determined by the possibility of placing of two beds together or separately.

Fig. 9, 10. Examples of faulty and correct arrangements of a double bedroom (author’s drawing)

4.2

Single bedroom

Single bedroom is usually used by a child or an elderly person. It is usually the smallest room in a house. Nevertheless, children and elderly people (also people with disabilities) have additional needs connected with enlarged movement space. A child needs more space in its room for e.g.: playing, hobbies, storage of toys and entertaining friends. While an elderly person may need more space for rehabilitation exercises or for having guests. Typical bedrooms are usually small and narrow; their width often amounts to merely 2.2 m. As a result, in a narrow room the bed has to be placed perpendicularly to the longer wall (parallel to the window) or along the side wall. A bookshelf is placed parallel; when entering a room its side is visible (Fig. 11, 12). Free space is limited to a narrow passage along the furniture. Softening of such ‘passageway’ arrangement requires placing the bed perpendicularly. In such case the bed may be placed only under the window. A room with correct proportions should cover space enabling a free placing of a bed parallel or perpendicularly to the longer wall (Fig. 13). In an appropriately wide room the parallel placing of a bed enables, among others, to free a considerable space in the middle. Perpendicular placement may lead to a similar effect or enable a division of a room into smaller functional zones. In a small room for a teenager it might be favourable to use a bunk bed. The space freed in that way might be used for e.g.: storage of clothing and toys or placing of a desk with a chair.

Fig. 11, 12, 13. Examples of faulty and correct arrangements of a single bedroom (author’s drawing)

5

Summary

Functional and spatial designing of dwellings is a challenging task for architects, as it requires taking into consideration the economical and construction limitations, as well as specific requirements of the users. Such difficulties concern mainly the smallest rooms and functional zones of a dwelling (i.a. bedrooms). Space limitations may be alleviated by better proportions of rooms. Appropriate arrangement of furniture may lead to, among others: effective and economical management of space devoted for their placement and usage. Necessary free (service) space around the furniture might be reduced by its overlapping, for instance in case of the following pairs of pieces of equipment: bed – wardrobe, wardrobe – table, book case – desktop. Therefore, determining the areas and sizes of rooms during the designing stage should be a derivative of, among others: various arrangements of furniture together with consideration of necessary space for its handling. That is why it is necessary to remember about the following postulates:  freedom of placement of a single bed and grating its accessibility from at least two sides (three sides in case of an ill person),  freedom of placement of a double bed and its accessibility from three sides,  possibility of various arrangements of one double bed or two separate single beds,  accessibility of storage furniture also in squatting and kneeling positions,  limiting of inaccessible space and space with a limited access (especially for users with disabilities). Spatial and mobility requirements of people with various levels of fitness should be assumed as benchmarks used for shaping of living space and ways of distribution of elements which fill it. What is vitally important is taking into consideration of particular needs of people with lower mobility (disabled people, children, the elderly and people suffering from obesity). The possibility of rearrangement of furniture within single rooms or functional zones determines the level of flexibility of adjustment of dwellings to changing needs of their users.

Spatial limitations of contemporary dwellings result in a necessity of rational management of space required for arrangement of furniture. Since, in average houses there are a lot of pieces of furniture, which results from numerous needs of householders as well as owning numerous possessions. Free arrangement of sleep zone together with placement of a door and a window influences the way of arrangement of other pieces of furniture (wardrobe, desk, etc.). It also influences the shape and size of free space in a room, which has not only a practical and usage (performing of routine activities) meaning, but also plays an important psychological (privacy, detachment from the environment) and social (spending time in solitude as well as with other people) roles.

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