Topic 11: Designing More Fitting Environments

What is social design? Social design research involves studying how settings can best serve human desires and requirements. Social Design versus Formal design

Social Design vs Formal Design Formal design favors an approach that may be described as:- large scale, corporate, high cost, exclusive, authoritarian, tending to high-tech solutions, and concerned with….. style, ornament, the paying client, and a national or international focus.

Social Design vs Formal Design Tendency of a Social Design: small scale, human oriented, low cost, inclusive, democratic, tending to appropriate technology, concerned with meaning and context, the occupant as well as the paying client, a local focus

Architecture as Art Environments should, of course, be both beautiful and functional for their occupants

The principal players in building include the client (who puts up the money) the designer (architect, planner) the engineer (on larger projects) the everyday building user, occupant, or visitor

Social design research has become necessary in industrial and postindustrial societies. Its Roles are: To establish and to facilitate communication among the principal players in the design process. To remind everyone involved that the everyday building user is one of the principal players

Social Research in the Design Process The Goals Social design researchers & practitioners goals are to: Create physical settings that match the needs and activities of their occupants (habitability, congruence, or goodness of fit Satisfy the building users Change behavior Enhance the occupant’s personal control Facilitate social support Employ imageability

Stages in the Design Process Programming (Analysis) Design (Synthesis) Construction (Realization) Use (Reality Testing) Evaluation (Review): Post occupancy Evaluation–Dimensions

Stages in the Design Process 1. Programming (Analysis) Understand users by analyzing the users’ needs This analysis should involve multiple methods such as surveys and interviews of occupants

Stages in the Design Process 2. Design (Synthesis) Formulating Design Guidelines  six workplace design guidelines Shelter and security Social contact Task instrumentality Symbolic identification Growth Pleasure Guidelines must be transformed into building plans

Stages in the Design Process 3. Construction (Realization) Building the project and modifying plans under changing constrains The architectural plans are turned into wood, concrete, glass and steel Designers oversees construction  ensure plans are faithfully executed

Stages in the Design Process 4. Use (Reality Testing) Moving in and adapting the environment Building are finally occupied

Stages in the Design Process 5. Evaluation (Review): Post occupancy Evaluation–Dimensions Monitoring the final product in terms of objectives and use  ideally to be translated into future design criteria. Post occupancy evaluations vary along four dimensions: Size Generality Breadth of focus Application timing