DESIGN THOUGHT

Making Best Use of Space

A.K. Jain

Insight into judicious usage of space while designing a house

he house should be a machine for living. These are words of the well known architect Charles Eduardo Jenneret, better known as Le Corbusier. Today this statement seems more logical as time and space are becoming increasingly precious. A houses purpose is determined by its design. The most important aspect of its design is how best and for how long the given space is utilised. Spatial composition is

another fundamental premise in the act of designing. Whether a house, a office, factory or shop there is always a shortage of space. Especially in the metropolitan cities, like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, where demand of space is much higher than the supply, there is no option but to use every inch of space. The family keeps growing but space remains static. Expanding the space is a major challenge of house design.

Figure 1: A House tucked in a corner of a street

The cleverer I am at miniaturizing the world, the better I possess it. But in doing this, it must be understood that values become condensed and enriched in miniature. Platonic dialectics of large and small do not suffice for us to become cognizant of the dynamic virtues of miniature thinking. One must go beyond logic in order to experience what is large in what is small. Gaston Bachelard, 1958

28 ARCHITECTURE - Time Space & People February 2011

In a tight space or a small plot, it is always logical to start planning on a modular grid. The size of the grid is determined on the basis of minimum room sizes required for various functions, economy of structural frame (columns, walls, beams, slab, etc.), standard sizes of various components available in market (e.g. roof sheet, windows, doors, modular kitchen, bathroom fittings, tiles, etc.) and building bye-laws requirements. The modular grid offers flexibility to expand the house at a later date, as well as making changes in the plan which may be necessary in the future. Strict functional planning of space, does not mean designing without any consideration for aesthetics, style and psychological needs of openness and freedom. An important aspect of design is to create a feeling of freedom and spaciousness. The design should evolve from a simultaneous consideration of functional activities to which a room will be put, and the personal and aesthetic requirements. Any space, particularly a house is not just a container of activities, like, sleeping, eating and sitting combined with entertainment, working and cooking, but is a place for building relationships, and is a channel of communications. A vital element in making the limited space work efficiently is its ability to function for multiple activities. For example, a dining area can also be used as a study or a designers studio. The drawing room can become a guest bed by converting the sofa into a bed at night. Alternatively a bed can be jacked into the wall niche to create a sitting room during the daytime. A childrens room can have a double decker bed to save floor space by half. A basic premise of multiplying the space is to save the floor space as

much as possible. About one-fourth of the floor space is consumed by the walls. It should be explored if some non-load bearing walls can be avoided or removed to create more space. By erecting columns and providing lintels, load bearing walls can be avoided to provide valuable space. This needs careful planning, keeping in view structural safety. Sometimes people compartmentalise a big room into smaller spaces and cubicals. This destroys the feeling of spaciousness and is counter-productive. Instead, it is preferred to avoid full height partitions and divide the space by built-in furniture. In this way the functions can be defined and privacy can be obtained without sacrificing the spaciousness, openness, light and ventilation. This also allows flexibility of space and its multiple use.

Many items which clutter the floor can be arranged in a sideboard, on shelves and other forms of vertical storage. Even the partitions may be three dimensional and can provide precious storage, sitting or display space. Shelves can be put in the alcoves, across the fixed windows and in the corners of room. Valuable space can be extracted in the form of loft below the ceiling. The rooms with high ceiling can have a mezzanine or a loft. This can be very useful for keeping unused goods. For the goods which are not in use so frequently, deep shelves can be created above the circulation area or under the staircase. It is a common practice to project out the masonry niche for almirahs, so that it does not occupy the floor space. Sometimes, particularly in old houses, the staircase landing is too big, which can be put to

Fig: 2 A 36 sqm (400 sq. ft.) modest house designed on modular basis, framed structure and channelled double roof, standard doors/windows make it economical and fast to erect.
February 2011 ARCHITECTURE - Time Space & People 29

Figure 3: To work out minimum dimensions is always wise to follow a grid based on anthropogenic module
30 ARCHITECTURE - Time Space & People February 2011

store books, decorative items etc. As far as possible, the circulation space should be limited. It can be done by careful planning and wherever possible these should open outside. Old fashioned, bulky, heavy and fixed furniture occupies lot of space. In place of such furniture, lightweight, modular and multi- purpose furniture should be preferred. Furniture on wheels or casters makes the organisation of space more flexible and easy. Some openings can be either without a door or with sliding shutter to gain more space. If a room is not well well lighted, then a partially or fully glazed door can be used. Sliding and folding doors also save valuable floor space. Fold open type door consists of two vertical leaves, which fit within the door. As it opens, the leaves fold together for which only half the space is occupied. In a bay window seats can be built, either with or without storage. It is essential to provide proper ventilation and lighting to every nook and corner. It is often seen that large amount of space becomes waste area in absence of proper lighting or due to wrong position of the fans. Lights, fans, switches and electric points can have enormous impact on the use of space. These should be well planned and strategically placed so that the space is used to full potential, is comfortable and efficient to work. Visual spaciousness is articulated by the effect of colours and patterns. Shade and tone of the colours immensely effect the impression of spaciousness. Light, plain, pale colours and small patterns reflect the light, hence the room looks larger. On the other hand, dark, bright colours and large, broad patterns advance and give a closer look. The stripes make a low ceiling appear higher. Breaking up of the surfaces, walls and floors in differ-

ent colours, patterns or shades by way of materials, colours or texture makes a room to appear smaller. Highly reflective paints and mirrors can extend the space. Less can be more, if the space is designed meticulously.

A StAble Structure
An earthquake proof structure should preferably be a framed structure, i.e. columns and beam structure. This will be able to withstand the lateral thrust that seismic forces exert. The cross section of a house is essentially a rectangle, i.e. the angles between the floor, walls and roof are at right angles. A lateral thrust on the side of the house will tend to distort this rectangle into a parallelogram. Therefore, the structural design of the columns and beams should withstand the distortion. To counteract earthquakes, the bracing of the columns and beams

is required, together with tying up the foundation and lintels. Special attention is required for designing the foundation with tie beams. The brick work also needs attention. The corner joints in brick work, i.e. where the brick walls turns at right angles, are susceptible to come apart during an earthquake. These joints have to be finger-stitched together, like a mortise tendon or a tongue and groove joint in wood joinery. This means that alternate brick courses have stretchers coming to the end of the corner from both sides. This stitches the corner wall, preventing it from splitting during an earthquake. The advances in construction engineering provide prefabricated technologies, and small prefabricated elements can be adopted for design and construction of houses, which are cheaper, efficient, faster and need lesser maintenance.

Fig: 4: Basic components for construction with small elements

February 2011 ARCHITECTURE - Time Space & People 31

the living room deSign

In India, the concept of drawing room in a house is not very old. Drawing rooms among the princely or aristocratic families, used to be the most splendid and spectacular showpiece of the house. These were decorated with an assemblage of coloured glass, gold filigree, crystal chandelier, showpieces of ivory and silver, plush velvet chaise, lounge mirror, cut glass, marble statues, fireplace, paintings, Prussian or Kashmere carpets, walnut, rosewood and Burma teak furniture. It was a statement of the socio-economic status and personal and aesthetic aspirations of the owners. In

traditional Havelis, Baithaks used to be the exclusive domain of the males. Thus the Baithakanas were planned on the outside of the main house. The visitors are received and entertained in this room, which is furnished with cushions, covered with white spread sheet, bolsters and pillows. With the passage of time and changing patterns of living, the drawing room concept has become an integral part of the dwelling, albeit it is based on the functional considerations. Perhaps starting with the Bungalows and staff quarters designed by the British during the Raj era, the concept of drawing room has under-

gone a dramatic transaction. Now with squeezing homes, changing social patterns, and with a fast pace of urbanisation, the form and functions of the living or drawing room have been redefined. It has dual functions first; the social where one entertains the guests, and secondly, the private, where the family gets together. The fulfilment of these two diverse functions should be the cornerstone of designing the drawing room. The designer should be able to identify the two areas, i.e., the sitting area and the living area. In a large room, the delineation of functional areas may be more than two, which may include dining, card playing, childrens

Figure 5: House with a Jharokha, Plot area 264 Sq.yard The front balcony in the shape of Jharokha gives a unique identity to the small house
32 ARCHITECTURE - Time Space & People February 2011

Figure 6: A Small compact house of 1400 Sqf. Area Deviation from parallel walls gives this small house a spacious look

corner, dancing etc. In case the room is too small, the functions may overlap by way of multipurpose furniture, etc. Besides functional aspects, one should remember that the drawing room is the reflector of the personality of the family and it is a showwindow of the house. Being the most visible part of the house, it should be designed with vision and flair. The drawing room, its artefacts, mementoes, paintings, furniture, furnishings, colour scheme, lighting, etc, should merge in a total concept and theme. It should not be a museum of various artefacts, designs and patterns unrelated with the overall form. The drawing room should be inviting and comfortable. The furniture in

the room should be comfortable and compatible to the style of decor. If the room is large, various functions can be separated by treatment of flooring pattern or levels. But in a small room, it breaks the space and gives a constricted look. For a spacious look, the drawing room should not be overloaded with too much furniture and furnishings. Its circulation should be direct, consuming the minimum area. For example, the dining area should be adjacent to the kitchen. The dining table should be selected or designed according to the shape and size of the space available. It is not necessary that the table should be rectangular it can be round, hexagon, octagon, or any other ir-

regular shape, having four, six or eight chairs. For a small flat, one could even dispense with the formal dining table. A stone slab or ledge can be built-in somewhere between the drawing room and the kitchen. Where the space is at a premium, its optimum utilisation should be the first priority. It should therefore be necessary to scrutinise closely whether the circulation can be improved and space could be saved by replacing, shifting or shutting a wall, partition, door or window. A framed steel or concrete structure planned on a modular basis, with channelled roof, standard doors and windows and modular kitchen, bathroom fittings, etc. can save space, time and money.

Figure 7

Fig 8: A House on 500 sqm plot Compact from inside and open to outside, this house interface inside-out
February 2011 ARCHITECTURE - Time Space & People 33

Fig: 9: House on 500 Sqm. Plot. The house with a small basement (Cellar), Drawing room, dining room, sitting area provide space for a party for 100 persons. A synthesis of traditional and modern design is reflected in details of doors, windows, boundary wall, gates, etc.

Fig: 10: A House at Dehradun. This is six bedroom house for a joint family, which is compact yet spacious. Curved R.C. roof gives the house an organic look

Fig: 11 A futuristic House on 96 sqm Plot. The design envisages prefabricated insulated units which can be assembled on the site
34 ARCHITECTURE - Time Space & People February 2011

Fig: 12 A Farmhouse Villa- small. Compact and functional

Fig: 13: A twin house in Rural Kashmir It is necessary to understand the local living patterns and topography to avoid the planting of an align design

Fig: 15: Low Income Housing , Dwarka, New Delhi Architect A.K. Jain

Fig: 14 : Laurie Baker Houses- simple, local materials, optimum use of space, cool and comfortable Flowing internal spaces, minimum doors/windows, use of exposed brick walls and jalis, reinforced brick concrete roof, arches and minimising the use of cement and steel make Laurie Baker houses economical yet beautiful.
February 2011 ARCHITECTURE - Time Space & People 35

Fig: 16 Low cost houses should be designed in a cluster, that gives economy , sizable courtyard and promotes community interaction and privacy. Vasna Housing Development, 1975, Kirtee Shah (after V. Bhatt and P. Seriver)

Fig: 17 Low cost Housing- Typical Floor Plan of 18 sqm built up unit. Common walls, service areas and minimising neutral circulation area are key to economy.

Fig:18: Ground Floor Plan Plot Area 26 sqm. A small Rehabilitation Scheme plot demands best use of limited space and low cost, innovative construction technology, based on the following: Maximise livable area, A Framed RC structure saves wall area Built-in-almirahs in walls Basement and 3 upper floors will provide a dwelling of about 800 sq. ft. (3BR) If possible, project 1.2 m wide balcony on upper floors Staircase to be compact with 175-200 mm riser
36 ARCHITECTURE - Time Space & People February 2011

Fig: 19: Skelton Housing (32 sqm. Dwelling units). Indea faces a huge challenge of low income group housing. Prefabricated dwelling units with common open space provide the house skeleton in 4 story walk-ups, where the families common open space provide the house skeleton in 4 story walk-ups, where the families finish and furnish their homes according to their taste, resources and needs.

Fig: 20: Precast concrete modular units for boundary wall can create magic of light and shade, solids and voids, colour and form

Fig: 21 : Concrete block for perforated walls

Fig 22: Brick is a universally available, humble and cheap building material. It can be creatively used in unlimited designs, to give beauty to a wall, together shading it from rain, dampness and sun.

Fig: 23 Rainwater Harvesting In most of the regions in India, water is a critical problem. By rainwater harvesting, waste water recycling, primary treatment and checking of leakages, the problem can be mitigated to a great extent.\

A.K. Jain is an architect town planner who as Commissioner (Planning), Delhi Development Authority, worked on the Master Plan for Delhi-2021, Conservation of Delhis Heritage and Planning for the Commonwealth Games (2010). He is a member of the editorial Board of the IJES, member Advisory Board UN Habitat ( HS Net). Extract from the book A Practical Guide to House Designs by A.K. Jain, Nabhi Publications, New Delhi, 2010. Illustrations: Courtesy the Author.

February 2011 ARCHITECTURE - Time Space & People 37