Course Description:

Introduction to the methods used for interior programming as a part of the pre-design phase of any design project.

Program evaluation sheet (part of an architectural or interior program)

author: Krista Waitz

Synopsis/ Executive summary/overall concepts and issues

Table of contents

Introduction (mission of client, history, existing facility, role of the new building to the community, users, client, etc.)

Philosophy toward new project (goals and objectives, these can be general and/or specific in relation to form, function, economy/$, time)

Users (general description, physical and psychological conditions, job, relationship, goals and objectives of the various users, this is a description not just a list. For example, a restaurant will have a specific targeted audience or an elementary will have different goals and objectives in relation to the students, parents, staff and community)

Project comparison (brief summary of other examples of your facility type to show similarities and differences, who is the competition and what should we repeat, change or improve on. Note that the detailed walk through and building evaluations should be in the appendix)

Project summary (list of primary space categories, including individual secondary space names, number of each space type, overall size (NSF, USF, GSF), group sizes (conference room for 12 people, vestibule for 25 people), matrix of relationships (matrix or adjacency diagram of entire complex, or site and facility). The areas must be determined by an evaluation of the user needs and activities in the space, not simply guessing or repeating what is existing.

NSF: net square footage includes activity area and internal circulation but no external/main circulation. This includes the circulation inside a workstation from the main corridor.

USF: usable square footage includes internal and external circulation (except emergency egress). Not gross areas such as columns, elevators, and restrooms. typically a 1.35 to a 1.45 circulation factor is multiplied to NSF to accommodate external circulation. The guidelines are as follows:

NSF x 1.25 to 1.30 is tight and allows for 20% to 23% of the total space allocated for circulation

NSF x 1.35 to 1.45 is probable and allows for 26% to 31% of the total space allocated for circulation

NSF x 1.50 to 1.60 is high; this provides 33% to 41% of the total space allocated for circulation. however, this wouldn't even come close to providing enough space for public facilities such as airports, museums and malls.

RSF: rentable square footage, this is typically determined by the building owner of a leased facility and is the USF x a factor (typically 1.15 to 1.25). This allocates to the leaser a portion of the restrooms, elevators, main emergency corridors and in some circumstances a portion of the exterior park or seating area associated with the building. Due to the exterior allocations the total rentable can be higher than the gross square footage of a building.

GSF: gross square footage includes all built areas of a facility, including external wall thickness. The factor used to multiply the USF to GSF is called the gross-up. This can range from a factor of 1.33 to 2.0. R&D facilities typically fall in the 2.0 range with a dormitory around 1.66 and a spec. Office building around 1.43. a factor of 1.33 is typically a warehouse space (a building with a single floor and little services). The reverse of gross up is the efficiency ratio. this indicates the ratio of the USF for general use/USF for services. 1 2.0 gross up is a 50/50% efficiency ratio, 1.66 equals 60/40% and a 1.33 equals a 75/25%, which indicates 75% of gross space for general activities and personnel and 25% GSF for emergency egress circulation, mechanical, walls, partitions, and structure, public toilets, janitor closets and unassignable storage.

Basic concepts and design intent (what, why and how as appropriate. this includes but is not limited to design guidelines, general activities, general occupant requirements, general ambiance, general site considerations, large scale spatial relationships within the facility, and to the outside community. For internal and external linkages (utilize diagram tools such as arrows to show adjacencies, thick lines for strong adjacencies and dotted lines for minor) provide information on general materials, requirements over and above code requirements (children with handicap's have additional needs in a pre-school beyond code, same issues with the aged population).

Section introduction (space title, simple statement of paragraph introducing the reader to each major section. Based on the determined organization (the specific organization within the general organization of the document) for example- detailed space criteria, key programming concepts, public areas, private area, or appendix.)

Individual space name (provide a title on every page including detailed space titles and project titles)

Introduction and philosophy, goals and objectives of individual spaces (describe the goals and objectives (and rank them) of an individual space as it relates to the overall architecture form and facility, client and user goals and objectives. For example, an entry vestibule of a specific restaurant type might have specific goals and objectives as follows: provide space for small groups (2-6 people) conversations, seating for 15 and standing areas for 20. Provide minimal visual access to the main dining area. Emit an image of fun and excitement with high noise levels acceptable. In this example the goals would be different for the restroom or kitchen.)

Space summary (space within larger space categories, individual space names, number of spaces of each type, overall size (NSF/USF/GSF), sub group sizes. For example a restaurant dining area would have a determined number of tables per each size, serving stations, circulation for service and circulation for general customers. These can be listed and diagramed.)

Basic design concepts (description, images, drawings and /or diagrams of the individual space. For example- if two areas in the same facility have very different guidelines, goals and images, this is where you would present each image as it relates to each space.

Performance criteria (following specification numeric)

1.0 Occupants/ users (name, physical and psychological condition description)

2.0 Activities/time (peak times, client access and presentation areas versus general office areas, or back of house areas)

3.0 Performance requirements/criteria

3.1 Technical requirements (guidelines and criteria can be found in various interior and architectural manuals. for example 1992 ADA compliance guide book, graphic and interior design standards, and architect's room design data handbook. for each requirement list the criteria and specific information which the architect will use to determine which materials or product to purchase, what psychological and physical goals and objectives should be considered. for example, the door hardware for an elementary school should be located at child's scale and conform to a child's strength and possible adult height as well. alarm systems may or may not be required, glass visual panels may be at a child's height (some schools flip the standard door creating a lower glass panel). lighting requirements for general circulation and computer terminals is very different. different lighting can focus the view on specific areas in a facility. materials can transform the perception of an area entirely. the design of a program is not in a list of criteria but in how the criteria are to be applied to architectural guidelines and form generation.)

3.1.1Safety/fire safety requirements

3.1.2 Structure (structural properties, strength of materials, connections and durability attributes.)

3.1.3Sanitation (element of plumbing trash containment, and trash ventilation)

3.1.4 Electrical (existing adequacy as well as future flexibility)

3.1.5 Materials/finishes (durability, construction, physical and psychological)

3.1.6 Exterior walls

3.1.7 Roofs

3.1.8 Interior finishes

3.1.9 Ambient environment

3.1.9.1 Acoustics (ambient level of sound, the transmission of sound between areas, reverberation, and specific areas such as machine noise and auditorium acoustics.)

3.1.9.2Lighting/illumination (quality and quantity of illumination or evaluation of natural lighting effects, is daylight introduced? is there a view out?)

3.1.9.3 Heat and cool (environmental control systems, thermal comfort)

3.1.9.4 Ventilation, airflow

3.1.9.5 Olfactory

3.2Functional requirements (access for personnel and equipment, security, parking, and adequate spatial capacity for the activities to be accommodated).

3.2.1 Human factors (dimensions and configuration of the designed environment to match building occupants' psychological needs and physical dimensions

3.2.2 Storage (type, size, location, and distribution of storage)

3.2.3 Communication and workflow (adequacy of traffic flow, areas of congestion or cross traffic)

3.2.4Flexibility and change (adequacy or provisions)

3.2.5 Specialization within building types and direct competition

3.3 Behavioral elements of building performance (link between occupants' activities and satisfaction with the physical environment)

3.3.1 Proxemics and territorial (ability to obtain culturally acceptable interpersonal distances and ability to define territory, define preferred places or territory within the space)

3.3.2 Privacy and interactions (control of access to an individual or group territory, including physical, visual and aural access)

3.3.3 Environmental perception (relationship of scale, detail, size, color, lighting, and acoustics to occupant groups)

3.3.4 Image and meaning (a space's shape, size, materials, detail and decoration form a language, what meaning should the space convey to the users)

3.3.5 Environmental cognition and orientation (orientation, way finding)

4.0 Locational requirements (spatial relationships within facility, external linkages, adjacencies, desired views and image bases for location etc.. describe adjacencies between spaces, for example, dining area to kitchen, dining area views, view from reception to general dining, circulation paths)

5.0 Occupant/ room equipment requirements

6.0 Special requirements

7.0 Codes/agency requirements

8.0 Area

9.0 Diagram

Site analysis (basic site analysis for example, a store location may be determined to limit the site to a mile from bus routes, subway or highway. A school may require visual access to a main city street but have a setback beyond typical commercial retail. restaurant dining views can be very important.

Appendix (handicapped criteria, typology study, code requirements, detailed walk thoughts or building evaluations, meeting notes, literature reviews if noted and valued by the client, data gathering instruments, references/sources)