Housing, Interiors and Environmental Design
Housing, Interiors and Environmental Design
This domain covers the functions of housing, site and plan choice, ventilation, lighting, sanitation, space zoning, kitchen planning, colour and furniture arrangement, and safe waste and water management.
Core rules
- Functions of housing: shelter and protection, privacy, space for rest, work and social life, storage, hygiene and family interaction.
- Cross-ventilation needs openings on opposite or adjacent walls so air flows through; a single window gives a draught but poor air change.
- Zoning: separate noisy social areas from quiet sleeping areas; keep the kitchen near the dining area and away from bedrooms.
- Kitchen work triangle links sink, cooker and food store; the three legs should total roughly 4–8 metres to cut walking.
- Colour: warm colours (red, orange, yellow) advance and make a room feel cosier; cool colours (blue, green) recede; light colours suit small or dark rooms.
- Sanitation: safe water, a handwashing point, covered bins, and a latrine or toilet sited away from the water source.
Worked example
A family complains that their kitchen is hot and smoky. Reasoning: check ventilation (high-level and low-level openings), stove position, a chimney or smoke hood, and roof insulation. Recommend two changes: add a window opposite the door for cross-ventilation and fit a smoke hood over the stove. Justify each by linking it to air movement and smoke removal.
Traps
- Claiming one window gives good cross-ventilation.
- Placing a kitchen door directly into a sleeping area.
- Choosing dark colours for a small, north-facing room.