Week 12 blog: Indoor Building Systems

 Week 12 blog - Indoor Building Systems

Interior systems that impact the design of a successful interior environment are data voice and telecommunication systems, energy control systems, security systems, vertical circulation systems, and how system’s furniture interfaces with the building itself.

Data voice and telecommunications systems

Telephone lines and the internet are necessities in the interior environment. Many clients also request wireless service, which requires careful placement of routers throughout the building. Interior Designers are involved in placement of telephone lines, internet connections, wireless services, and routers. Many clients also request interior spaces dedicated to teleconferencing. Placement of the LED projector and phone jacks is important. 

Projection space planning requires that all occupants of the space can see the projected image. The closest person should be no closer than 2 times the height of the screen and the top of the screen should form an angle of more than 30 degrees from the horizontal sight line of the viewers.

Acoustics also have a huge impact on interior spaces. Acoustic panels can help with this, but it also relies a lot on space planning. The size and shape of the interior environment as well as the materials in the environment will influence the ability to hear clearly.

Energy control systems, security systems

To create a truly sustainable building requires careful monitoring systems to regulate and control energy usage. A complete energy control system will address HVAC and lighting. Space planning issues and visual control deals with sight lines as well as alarm and control systems used for security. Retail stores require lines of sight to entrances and exits as well as cash registers, healthcare requires various visual security methods as well as alarm and control systems. Security control systems include store alarm systems (used when customers try to leave a store with merchandise), lockdown systems, burglar alarms, metal detectors, wand scanners, etc. 

Vertical circulation systems

This is the way in which people move from floor to floor within a given space. Stairs are most common for this. Building codes regulate the specific size of stair treads and riser heights as well as stair widths. Common materials used for stairs include- wood, metal and concrete. There are two types of elevators- hydraulic and electric. Electric elevators require a rooftop mechanical room for the cable traction system that pulls up an elevator, but these systems are faster and used in high rises. Hydraulic systems require a piston and space under the elevator to push the elevator to the next floor. Other vertical circulation systems include escalators, ladders, etc..

How systems furniture interfaces with the building itself

There are various ways to power systems furniture in a building: wall plug receptacle, cellular floor, under floor steel bus duct, flat wire, access from above. System furniture panels can be carefully integrated with a building’s fenestration. Consider the placement in relation to electric lighting will impact user performance as well as the acoustics within and between cubicles. They also must meet existing glazing at mullions and not in the middle of a glass panel. It's important to consider wayfinding and signage as well. 

Benching systems are long, shared work surfaces with minimal partitions, while traditional cubicles are semi-closed, panel-based workstations offering separation and individual storage. The advantage of choosing benching systems is that there is more efficient space because it reduces the square footage required per desk. It also costs less to buy the extra panels and desk systems and supports collaboration between coworkers. Traditional cubicles are great for providing a private and personal workspace. It also helps with acoustical control and sets boundaries in the organized space plan. 

Benching Cubicle Systems examples

Traditional Cubical Examples

Because of COVID-19, there was a necessity for work to get done for a long time over the computer and when people were finally able to go back to work, they had no desire to because they became used to staying at home. Because of this, I believe and so do online resources, that more hybrid offices are going to become the common trend. I think that most people will use their in office workstations about half of the week, and the other half work from home. Because of this, Interior Designers need to create a space in which the average office worker will desire to stay. The more comfortable and inviting a space is, the less that staff members will choose to work from home. These changes made to offices and workstations are probably going to include a greater workspace dimensionally, more space between people for health and social reasons, some people may enjoy social interaction and requests transparent panels and benching workstations, and there will be a focus on improving the air quality, as we learned last chapter that COVID 19 brought an important focus on that. 

How offices will change after coronavirus