Housing and Interior Space Planning
Housing provides shelter, privacy and a setting for family life. The exam tests the functions of a house, site and plan principles, space standards, zoning and the principles of interior design.
Core concepts
- Functions: protection, privacy, rest, family interaction, hygiene, storage, work and status.
- Site selection: drainage, sunlight, ventilation, water, transport, neighbourhood, soil and cost.
- Planning principles: orientation, cross-ventilation, privacy, easy circulation, flexibility, sanitation, safety and economy.
- Zoning: public (entrance, living), private (bedrooms) and service (kitchen, utility, bathroom). The kitchen should be near the dining area and service entry, and bedrooms away from noise.
- Areas: carpet area is usable floor; plinth area includes walls; super built-up area adds a share of common areas.
- Interior principles: balance (symmetrical or asymmetrical), rhythm, proportion, emphasis and harmony or unity.
Worked example
A 60 m² flat allocates 15 m² to living, 10 m² to the main bedroom, 8 m² to the second bedroom, 6 m² to the kitchen, 2 m² to the bathroom, 5 m² to circulation and 14 m² to storage and walls. The kitchen is placed next to the dining space and service shaft, and bedrooms are on the quieter side. The reasoning is to zone first, size rooms by activity, then check circulation and cross-ventilation.
Traps
Treating carpet and plinth area as the same; ignoring ventilation; mixing balance with harmony; placing the kitchen far from dining; forgetting storage.