Rengel + Nussbaumer, Chapter 3

As mentioned in Chapter 3 of Rengel, which discusses the design process for interiors, the process is more like solving a jigsaw puzzle. This is a very true statement, in that objects constantly change in the planning stage and you must prioritize spaces. When space planning, one might want to include a new wall to route a way out of a lobby, however if this wall blocks the restrooms, the wall cannot be added. This way of problem solving comes in handy much later in the design process.

Fig. 1- A conceptual design of an office
environment with diagrams.

To effectively think about problem solving interiors like this, the books notes to start with a very conceptual design (Fig. 1). This is very effective because one only knows so much information in the very beginning. A tip to always remember would be, "general to specific." You generally know what a client would enjoy, would need, and how he or she move around the space in the start of a project. A successful designer will take this information and hone it to become efficient for the client's needs while, pleasing the client aesthetically. Rengel mentions that diagrams are a helpful way to visualize this. Diagrams are constantly used to explain concepts behind site context, allocating spaces, circulation, and solids and voids in a project. Arrows, bubbles, and boxes are all methods to visually represent a designer's idea in a diagram and can contribute to helping a client understand the designer's thinking.

Fig. 2- A matrix adjacency helps to see which
spaces are best for collaboration.

Adjacency diagrams helps a designer to effectively figure out if spaces' uses can work well next to each other. Two types of adjacency diagrams are the matrix diagram and the bubble diagram.
Matrix diagrams look very alarming at first to me but it is very useful for the designer to figure out layout for a space (Fig. 2). A matrix diagrams help to organize spaces' uses and if they can work well together. This diagram is mainly used for more complex projects whereas a bubble diagram (Fig. 3) would be used for a much simpler project.

Fig. 3- A bubble diagram is used to
generally describe the new spaces.

In Chapter 3 of Nussbaumer, ergonomics and safety are most of concern. Ergonomics is defined as the study of workplace design. This includes office furniture design (Fig. 5), as well as preventive exercises (Fig. 4).

Fig. 4- Stretches are a way to help prevent
muscle pain in the office.

Ergonomists are people who study the effect certain pieces of furniture in a workplace would have on users. Knowing ergonomics and how they relate to safety in the workplace in important for designer who create spaces people use everyday. Back injuries are fairly common in the U.S.; more than one million take place each year. To do a through job, designers need to account for users' overall safety, that means factoring in what kind of furniture to use in an office. Ergonomics must be applied correctly in order to have a cost-effective design for both societal and economic needs. Overall ergonomics helps to get the job done!

Fig. 5- A chair designed with ergonomics in mind,
can be comfortable and productive.