INTRODUCTION
Anthropometry (from Greek anthropos, "human", and metron, "measure")
refers to the measurement of the human individual. An early tool of physical
anthropology, it has been used for identification, for the purposes of understanding
human physical variation, in paleo-anthropology and in various attempts to
correlate physical with racial and psychological traits. Anthropometry involves the
systematic measurement of the physical properties of the human body, primarily
dimensional descriptors of body size and shape.
Anthropometry, the measurement of the physical characteristics and abilities
of people, provides information that is essential for the appropriate design of the
occupational, public and residential environments as well as for the design of the
consumer products, clothes, equipment, tools etc. It is a basic discipline for
problem-solving in matters related to growth, exercise, performance and nutrition.
The area has been defined as the quantitative interface between anatomy and
physiology. It puts the individual athlete into objective focus and provides a clear
appraisal of his or her structural status at any given time, or, more importantly,
provides for quantification of differential growth and training influences.
Today, anthropometry plays an important role in industrial
design, clothing, design, ergonomics and architecture where statistical data about
the distribution of body dimensions in the population are used to optimize
products. Changes in lifestyles, nutrition, and ethnic composition of populations
lead to changes in the distribution of body dimensions (e.g. the obesity epidemic),
and require regular updating of anthropometric data collections.
Fig: Anthropometric data for men and women
Anthropometry related to Architecture
Anthropometry deals with the measurements and proportions of the human
body, and anthropometrics is the comparative study of these measurements. The
use of these practices in architecture means that the designs must fit the human
body, rather than the people fitting the building. Human dimensions inspire the
dimensions of the building.
For every person to be as comfortable as possible in a building, the
dimensions of the rooms have to fit the dimensions of the people inside them. That
involves making sure that ceilings are high enough, doorways and hallways are
wide enough and rooms are large enough to accommodate the people inside them.
To do this, architects must take into account average heights and widths of the
company's employees, then go an extra couple of inches up and out to make sure
that everyone can walk through the building with ease.
Another way of using anthropometry in architectural design is using human
sizes to estimate the approximate amount of space that is required for various
furniture in the living spaces. For example, when designing bedroom spaces, we
have to verify that there is enough room for a bed, a set of dressers and a
nightstand to fit inside the room. To make sure that there is enough room in
residential areas, we have to think about all of the necessary elements like seating,
dressers, counters and sinks of residential housing.
Along with accommodating room sizes and furniture space, we also have to
plan for the purposes the building serves. If we are designing a hospital, we have
to verify that there is enough space in the hallways for gurneys and people
alongside it to walk quickly and comfortably. Also, if the building is a public area,
ADA-compliant handicapped ramps and bathrooms must be included into the
design. There should also be enough space for the elderly to be able to get around;
elevators should also be in the design for both the elderly and the handicapped.
Besides, the useful relation of anthropometry to architecture there may some
difficulties also. The difficulties of using anthropometry in architectural design are
that we have to incorporate a lot of different elements. According to The Hindu,
"The size of human body varies based on age, sex, race and even socio-economic
factors. Any direct attempt to apply the standardized dimensions may not reflect
the true need of the space requirements. At the same time, very minute details on
human dimensions may be useful only for the likes of fashion designers, make-up
artists, hairdressers and so on and not for architects and interior designers."
Architects must think about human dimensions while an individual is in motion
and participating in different activities.
Anthropometry in design of Residential Building
Anthropometry is the qualitative measurement of human scale dimensions
and space requirements. Its applicability to the design process is seen in the
physical fit, or interface, between the human body and the various components of
interior space. The use of anthropometric data, although no substitute for good
design or professional judgment should be viewed as one of the many tools
required in the design process. While designing the residential building structure
anthropometric measurements along with the size of the family, knowing about
family members and their activities should be taken into the mind. After that only
the anthropometric design process begins.
Here in our report we have researched on such anthropometric space
requirements in designing and collected some necessary and basics data.
Some general requirements:
Layout
All rooms shall be of useable shape and proportion. Furniture and fittings layouts
are to be shown on any submitted plan and for this purpose the following
assumptions are to be made:
Kitchens
In addition to the items specified below, kitchens will be required to have space
for an automatic washing machine.
Living Rooms or Living Room Areas
Will be required to have space for a table and straight back chairs together with,
for a single person unit, either three easy chairs or one easy chair and a two seater
settee and, for a two person unit, four easy chairs or two easy chairs and a two
seater settee.
Bedrooms Space for either a single or double bed, as appropriate, a wardrobe and
either table or a dressing table.
Furnishing and fitting are to be shown on plans submitted solely to
demonstrate that the proposed scheme is workable. The fact that furniture and
fittings are to be shown on the plan does not imply any requirement for them to be
provided in the finished scheme or to be placed in the location.
Access Ramps and Stairs
Stairs and access ramps are commonplace in most offices, residential houses
and industry workplaces when an elevator is not available to travel from floor to
floor.
Access Ramp
• Maximum slope: 1:12 (for every 1" of rise, 12" of run); 1:16 or 1:20 are
preferred
• Maximum rise for any run should be 30"
Stairs
• Uniform riser heights
• Uniform tread widths with no less than 11" width (from riser to riser)
Landing
• Should be at least the width of the ramp or stair
• Minimum of 60" clearance (60" x 60" if there is a change in direction)
Handrails
• If rise is greater than 6" or horizontal projection is longer than 72", there
must be a handrail on both sides
• Handrail must be parallel to ground surface
• 1.5" clearance between wall and railing
• Mounted 34-38" above ground surface
Dining Room
• Distance between the walls and the dining room table: Ideally, provide at
least 36" between the dining table and any walls or other furniture on all
sides to allow seats to slide out easily.
• Distance between the dining table and entrance: Provide around 48" between
the table and an entrance to allow people to enter and exit the room with
ease.
• Area rug and dining table: A rug should span about 36" wider on all sides of
a dining table to allow chairs to pull out easily without catching.
• Space between dining chairs: Ideally provide about 24" between chairs to
prevent hitting elbows and to allow people to slide chairs in and out without
any collisions.
Living Room
• Distance between sofa and a table should be around 18" between the coffee
table and sofa edge to give enough leg room but to be able to set down
drinks or reach appetizers without straining. Coffee table heights vary
greatly, but a good rule is to keep the table height and seat within 4 inches
each other.
• Distance between seating furniture aim to provide between 3.5'- 10' between
seating options to help conversation flow without crowding a room.
• An end table should be approximately the same height as the arm of our sofa
or chair. This allows guests to set down or reach for drinks without straining,
and it also lends a more cohesive feel to the room.
• Distance between T.V and sofa should be about 7'.
• Area rugs and furniture: too often area rugs end up feeling like bath mats. To
keep area rug from feeling random, at least the front two legs of a sofa or
chair should rest on the rug.
• Distance between room size rugs to wall: Allow about 24" between the wall
and room size rug in a large room, and between 12"-18" in a smaller room.
Corridors and Passageways
• In locations required to be accessible to wheelchair users, corridors and
passageways need to be wide enough to allow for wheelchair movement and for
other people to pass.
• Elements such as columns, radiators and fire hoses should not protrude into
the corridor, or where this is unavoidable a means of directing people around
them, such as a visually contrasting guardrail should be provided.
• Unobstructed width should be at least 1200mm excluding any projections
into the corridor.
• Where the unobstructed width of the corridor is less than 1800mm, passing
places should be at least 1800mm long and 1800mm wide at reasonable
intervals to allow wheelchairs to pass at corridor junctions and similar.
• A floor is classed as level if the gradient is no steeper than 1:60.
• Corridors of gradient between 1:20 and 1:60 should have rise no more than
500mm without a level rest area at least 1500mm long.
• If the corridor is 1:20 or steeper, refer to ramp details.
• Any door opening towards a corridor which is a major access route, should
be recessed so that when fully open it does not project into the corridor.
Bedrooms
• Effective clear width of the door from the access corridor should comply.
• Swing doors on wardrobes etc should open through 180 degrees.
• Handles on hinged and sliding doors should be easy to grip and operate and
contrast visually from the door.
• Room numbers should be indicated in embossed characters.
• The wheelchair accessible bedrooms should be located to provide a choice
of location and be on accessible routes to all the facilities.
• They should be of the same standard as all other bedrooms.
• The entrance door to the bedroom and to the en suite facility should comply
and have a maximum opening pressure of 30N.
• Open able windows and window controls should be located between 800mm
and 1000mm above the floor and be easy to operate without the need to use
both hands simultaneously.
Sanitary accommodation
• The combined toilet, shower and changing room (CP facility) should be at
least 3m wide and 4m long, with a ceiling height of 2.4m.
• The doorway should have a minimum clear width of 1000mm, with a level
threshold.
• The space needs to be fitted with a full room cover overhead fixed tracked
hoist system.
• The room should have either a mobile or fixed changing bench, in each case,
height adjustable, and capable of operating at a safe working load of 125kg.
• Large sanitary disposal bins and waste bins, should, where practicable be
recessed into the wall, to avoid being an obstacle to assistants.
• The CP facility should be heated as users might be undressed for long
periods.
• A power-operated, height-adjustable wash basin should be provided.
• A CP facility should contain, as minimum, the fittings and accessories.
CONCLUSION
Anthropometry is the measurement of the physical characteristics and
abilities of people, provides information that is essential for the appropriate design
of the occupational, public and residential environments as well as for the design
of the consumer products, clothes, equipment, tools etc. it is very much important
in design of various buildings. While designing, the data should be taken out and
based on it. In design of residential all the important things to be taken. The use of
anthropometric data, although no substitute for good design or professional
judgment should be viewed as one of the many tools required in the design
process.
