Space Planning and Programming
Space Planning and Programming
This domain tests how you turn a client brief into a quantified, testable space program and then into a layout that works. Expect questions on net vs. gross area, circulation allowances, adjacency and separation, clearances, and the sequence from programming to blocking to final planning.
Core rules
- Net assignable area is usable area inside a room; gross area includes corridors, walls, mechanical, and structure. Gross = net ÷ efficiency; office efficiency often runs 70–80%.
- Program first: list rooms, users, equipment, area targets, adjacency (must be near), separation (must be apart), and growth.
- Blocking tests sizes and relationships before furniture; bubble diagrams test adjacency only.
- Circulation is not leftover space: allow 25–35% in open office, plus clearances at doors, storage, and workstations.
- Accessibility clearances: 36 in accessible route, 60 in turning space, 32 in clear door width; verify the applicable edition.
Worked example
A 24-person open office needs 50 nsf per workstation. Workstations: 24 × 50 = 1,200 nsf. Add 30% circulation = 360 nsf; add 15% support = 180 nsf. Net = 1,740 nsf. At 80% efficiency, gross = 1,740 ÷ 0.80 ≈ 2,175 sf. Reasoning: circulation and support are added before dividing by efficiency because efficiency converts net program to total leased or built area.
Traps
- Mixing net and gross or applying efficiency to the wrong base.
- Using code minimums as design targets; they are legal floors, not comfort standards.
- Forgetting wall thickness, columns, and door swings in room fits.
- Drawing furniture before testing adjacency and egress.