Furniture Configurations Research Articles

Design preferences for learning spaces among rural primary school students in China: a case study

ABSTRACT This study investigated the design preferences of rural primary school students with regard to learning spaces in Lianyungang, Jiangsu Province, China, focusing on spatial layout, physical attributes, technology and furniture arrangements. The research aimed to identify the critical needs of rural schools and students, especially in the context of China's education reform strategy. A combination of a tailored card-sorting activity and semi-structured interviews, specifically suited to the cognitive levels of primary school students, were used to gather data from 36 students across six grades in three case study schools. Findings revealed that students prefer flexible spaces equipped with modern technology and ergonomic furniture. Lower-grade primary school students favoured colourful, interactive spaces, while upper-grade primary students preferred more personalized learning and social spaces with advanced technology. The study emphasizes the need for future rural schools designs to incorporate updated technology and flexible furniture configurations to support the evolving teaching and learning methods. These findings also provide practical guidance for architects, educators and policymakers involved in the renewal and retrofitting projects of rural school buildings in China in the development of learning spaces aligned with Chinese education reforms and UNESCO’s Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4).

A multi-objective reinforcement learning approach for furniture arrangement with optimal IEQ in multi-occupant offices

Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) concerns several aspects of environmental comforts, such as thermal, visual and acoustics comfort. In particular, IEQ plays a relevant role in workers’ satisfaction since it strongly influences health, well-being, and productivity. Specifically, it has been demonstrated that the furniture configuration in working spaces affects the occupant’s comfort perception. Nevertheless, IEQ has been either neglected or partially addressed in the context of interior design. The contribution of this paper is to introduce a novel method for furniture layout optimisation in terms of IEQ requirements in multi-occupant offices. In particular, we explore the furniture arrangement task as a Multi-Objective Markov Decision Process (MOMDP), which is solved by a reinforcement learning (RL) agent. The goal is to determine optimal workstation positions that maximise workers’ IEQ satisfaction and functional aspects of working spaces under analysis. Firstly, we formulated the furniture layout task as a MOMDP problem by defining reward functions in terms of thermal, acoustics and visual comfort. Then, we train the RL agent to produce optimal/suboptimal layout patterns through a Q-learning-based algorithm. We conducted experiments in two different offices. The experimental results demonstrated that the proposed multi-objective RL approach is able to determine optimal furniture arrangements that provide a balance among office occupants in terms of IEQ satisfaction. Moreover, numerical results show that the proposed approach can be a valuable tool for evaluating the conformity to the environmental comfort standard of working environments during the furniture layout design phase instead of applying corrections during the post-occupancy evaluation.

Furniture configurations in an active learning classroom make further differences in student outcomes

PurposeThe aim of this study is to understand the effect of class configurations in an active learning classroom (ALC) on students' self-perception of experiences and learning outcomes, namely participation, performance, motivation and creativity.Design/methodology/approachA self-administered survey (N = 131) was conducted in seven classes from the varied disciplines of communication, interior design and architecture. During the first half of the semester, all selected courses were conducted in traditional classrooms, whereas those in the second half were conducted in an ALC. ALC was designed to be used with several furniture configurations which could be easily set up by members of the learning community themselves. The survey was conducted at the end of semester before final exams, when students have a clear idea of the experiences in both the traditional and the new (ALC) classrooms, having spent equal time in each of these learning environments.FindingsThe main finding of the study is that students were eager to have future classes in the ALC rather than in traditional settings since the students experienced better learning outcomes in the ALC. During the second half of the semester, students who were in classes conducted following active learning (AL) pedagogies, with its supportive spatial configurations, were more aware of the learning outcomes facilitated by the physical environment. Further, the authors found that the increase in the number of furniture configurations has a statistically significant positive impact on learning outcomes.Originality/valueAL pedagogy is often studied as a way of teaching and rarely with its associated classroom environments. In most of the existing studies, the configuration of furniture has often been overlooked within an AL environment by a learning community. This study fills the gap in emphasising the spatial aspects of the ALC by focusing on the specific pedagogy being followed.

Trading Spaces, Pedagogies, and Technologies: Developing a University Active Learning Center via Public-Private Partnership

ABSTRACT Faculty in higher education are challenged to change their instructional approaches in outmoded, stagnant learning spaces to meet the needs of 21st century learners. Traditional learning spaces on most college campuses consist of locked, rowed seating and desks designed to maximize room capacity and accommodate large numbers of students. The physical constraints of these spaces often limit the use of more innovative teaching methods that allow students to assume greater ownership of their learning. For more active, student-centered learning to occur, greater mobility in the physical learning space may be necessary to allow for improved connection, collaboration, interest, and engagement. In this paper, we share experiences in forging a public-private partnership to transform a 46-seat computer lab into a 32-seat active learning center (ALC) in which mobility is a signature feature. Upon using the ALC for the first time, options for space and furniture configuration allowed instructors to create, and re-create, work groups to facilitate student collaboration while digital technology and active learning tools allowed students to share information easily and often. Most students rated their experiences in the ALC favorably, though not all participants embraced the active learning approach and instructional space with immediacy. Original research would help to understand students’ experiences and isolate the effects of space on student learning and engagement. Our successes and challenges in building and using the ALC may be used to meaningfully inform other public-private partnerships in higher education to transform teaching and learning through active instructional design approaches.

Optimization of furniture configuration for residential living room spaces in quality elderly care communities in Macao

The living conditions in Macao are characterized by a dense population, a land shortage, and old residences, especially on the Macao Peninsula. This work investigates the demands and living conditions of different types of aged residents of the Youhan Community of Macao through a questionnaire survey and research analysis. The demands and living conditions are then classified and summarized through quantitative analysis, and their correlations are identified. Based on ergonomics and the physical, psychological, and behavioral patterns of aged people, issues that require attention when configuring furniture for different types of aged people in their residential living spaces are identified. Finally, several criteria for interior furniture configuration for different types of aged people are proposed by integrating the demands of different types of aged people with the concerns that need attention. A preliminarily quantifiable model is then proposed for living room furniture configuration from the perspective of aged people.

Indoor environment and student productivity for individual and collaborative work in learning commons: a case study

PurposeThis study investigates the relationships between the built environments of learning commons and user productivity, such as collaborative and individual work productivity and overall environmental satisfaction.Design/methodology/approachA case study was conducted in a learning commons building at a higher education campus in the USA. The data collection and analysis were conducted with the survey responses of satisfaction with indoor environments and perceived productivity as well as the objective indoor environmental quality (IEQ) measurements. Statistical analysis was performed, including descriptive analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), regression analysis and ANOVA test.FindingsThe study presents that satisfaction with noise level is positively associated with individual productivity. The results imply that the spatial properties of open-plan commons, such as visibility and accessibility, are associated with space users' interactions and collaborative productivity. Overall satisfaction is in a positive relationship with lighting satisfaction, study supporting artifacts and furniture configuration. The results of this study reveal the importance of meeting the standards in IEQ factors on individual productivity and the spatial features preferred by space users that facilitate tasks and activities.Originality/valueThe mixed-method approach, including subjective and objective data collection of IEQ, is rarely utilized to show the relationships with perceived productivity. This study investigates a unique building design feature such as step seats in relation to space use and perceived productivity. The findings inform library leadership about environmental characteristics related to the user experience in learning commons, a new format of academic libraries.

The environment of open-plan workspaces: space utilization, user satisfaction, and environmental measures

ABSTRACT This paper aims to identify how indoor environmental factors are associated with space utilization and user satisfaction in flexible open spaces in an academic building. Data were collected through mixed methods, including a survey, observation, and objective environmental assessment. The mixed-methods assessed users' environmental perception and satisfaction, types of activities, types of users (group vs. individual), lighting, noise, temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide level in five open-plan spaces with different furniture configurations. The subject spaces were identified as underutilized because there was a mismatch between the demand and supply of furniture and spatial settings. Even though all subjective spaces were open-plan settings, students preferred space with shared-furniture or a combination of different types of furniture with individual-oriented furniture only. The findings of the study suggest a reevaluation of space planning and programming for increased spatial efficiency. The users were generally satisfied with the subject spaces, although ambient environmental measures were slightly outside the industry standards. The present study provides evidence of user preferences of spatial settings based on the type of users (group vs. individual) and type of activities performed in the space (i.e., paper-based work, laptop, phone/tablet, eating, resting, talking).

공간 효율성을 위한 소형아파트의 가변형 가구 제안 - 몽골 올란바토로 지역을 중심으로 -

In the past 70 years there has been rapid urbanization in Mongolia. In particular, the urbanization rate in Mongolia’s capital Ulaanbaatar increased to 44.7% in 2014 and 67% in 2018, currently 68.5%, and more than half of the Mongolian population resides in Ulaanbaatar. Due to urban concentration, housing shortages occurred in Ulaanbaatar from the late 2000s. As a solution to the housing shortage, the Mongolian government implemented projects such as the construction of 40,000 houses in the capital and the construction of houses for the elderly and newlyweds. However, compared to people’s purchasing power, apartment prices are very expensive, so they are not achieving good results. To solve this social problem, buyers such as newlyweds, children and couples chose and purchased small apartments. According the result of survey on the area of apartments and houses for 600 Mongolian houses in 2017, 43% of respondents said they want to purchase a 50-60m² area of 2 rooms. With the increase in small apartments, the need for furniture suitable for small apartments is increasing. Mongolian apartment types and variable furniture that can change the shape or size of the furniture according to the needs of the residents are needed, and Korea is focusing on developing variable furniture with various functions to secure space efficiency of small apartment. Therefore, purpose of this study is examine the types to Mongolian small apartments, analyze user behavior, and analyze the preferences of residents of small Mongolian apartments for the type configuration of variable furniture, and propose a flexible furniture configuration for space efficiency in Mongolian small apartments.

Detailed measured air speed distribution in four commercial buildings with ceiling fans

The layout of ceiling fans in buildings is challenging because of the need to co-ordinate with other elements in the ceiling space, and because the resulting airflows within the occupied space interact with furniture. This study conducted detailed air speed measurements in four buildings with different room sizes, furniture configurations, ceiling fan types, and ceiling-fan-to-floor-area ratios. We measured air speeds across the occupied spaces at four heights while varying ceiling fan operation modes such as fan rotational speed, operating direction, and the number of operating fans. In total, we collected 207,080 air speed samples at 343 sites under 20 test conditions. This paper presents the magnitude and distribution of air speeds, cooling effects, and their influencing factors. The Airspeed Coverage Index (ACI=Fanairspeed(SF)×Fandiameter(D)Averageareaservedperceilingfan(A)) describes the combined effects of multiple influencing factors on the magnitude of air speed. ACI is employed to predict the average air speed and occupant cooling effect, yielding regression confidences higher than 0.95. When designing a space to a target airspeed or cooling effect, the ACI can help to determine parameters such as fan density required for fan choices. The measured data are compared with predictions from the CBE fan tool that had been developed from laboratory tests under simplified conditions. The comparison displays the blocking effects of the furniture, lowering the average air movement in the space, as well as reducing the air movement at the ankle level while increasing it at higher heights. The blocking effect increases with the density of the furniture. We also visually present fan interactions in which triplets of fans are arranged linearly or diagonally, showing that the diagonal layout of ceiling fans increases average air speed and improves its uniformity.

Automatic Interior Design in Augmented Reality Based on Hierarchical Tree of Procedural Rules

Augmented reality has a high potential in interior design due to its capability of visualizing numerous prospective designs directly in a target room. In this paper, we present our research on utilization of augmented reality for interactive and personalized furnishing. We propose a new algorithm for automated interior design which generates sensible and personalized furniture configurations. This algorithm is combined with mobile augmented reality system to provide a user with an interactive interior design try-out tool. Personalized design is achieved via a recommender system which uses user preferences and room data as input. We conducted three user studies to explore different aspects of our research. The first study investigated the user preference between augmented reality and on-screen visualization for interactive interior design. In the second user study, we studied the user preference between our algorithm for automated interior design and optimization-based algorithm. Finally, the third study evaluated the probability of sensible design generation by the compared algorithms. The main outcome of our research suggests that augmented reality is viable technology for interactive home furnishing.

Environmental behavior analysis of social housing units in Surabaya, Indonesia

ABSTRACT Due to the space requirement in the small units of social housing, the occupants extend the size to have a comfortable living. Although the size has been extended, it remains inhumane, gives a slum impression, and occupies public spaces around the building. The study was conducted in the oldest social housing in Surabaya. Data were collected through observation, demonstration, photographs, and informal interviews. One unit was selected to describe the fulfilment of the service area. The space usage analysis was done to figure out the area requirement and room function for a day. Furthermore, the way of occupants utilizing their space requirements in the public area was evaluated. This study found that the lack of space encourages occupants to extend the size against the local government regulations. The space requirement established three main areas and room functions. The space analysis confirmed the public area is a multi-function area. It reveals the imbalance of space usage and the lack of privacy. Furthermore, the furniture configuration found highly needed rooms. Thus, the study suggests that a possible solution for this case is a flexible unit in a flexible social housing to meet the various activities (households) and future needs of occupants.

전통시장의 업종별 다기능 가구 구성 전략 : 상인의 판매행위, 지원행위, 작업행위를 중심으로

전통시장의 업종별 다기능 가구 구성 전략 : 상인의 판매행위, 지원행위, 작업행위를 중심으로

A nZEB housing structure derived from end of life containers: Energy, lighting and life cycle assessment

The Directive 2010/31/EU is stimulating new approaches in building design process and renewable energies exploitation through the concept of nearly Zero Energy Buildings (nZEB). The paper reports an attempt of designing nearly zero energy buildings using end-of-life shipping containers named HPP, which can be used for emergency housing scopes, but also for forestries and low cost housing projects. These devices were analyzed from an energy, environmental and lighting point of view using respectively EnergyPlus, SimaPro and DIALux. For each case study, three different floor areas, i.e. 14 m2 (S type), 7 m2 (XS) and 5.6 m2 (XXS), and three wall coatings (Corten steel, Corian and wood) were considered. The key aspect of HPPs is the use of moving furniture attached to horizontal rails fixed on the ceilings; it allows to modify the room usage by changing the allocation of the indoor elements. Each HPP is equipped with PV modules and a rainwater recovering system. Energy demand of HPPs was simulated in unsteady regime taking into account thermal insulation of the envelope and HVAC system characteristics. Lighting systems were designed to guarantee adequate indoor illuminance values considering different furniture configurations and the effect of natural and artificial light. A cradle-to-grave Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of the HPP module was performed to assess the potential environmental impacts in terms of primary energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions. Sound insulation of one HPP configuration was also assessed. The simulations demonstrate that the HPP modules solution can be considered a nearly zero energy building and they are also able to guarantee a comfortable living not only for short-term periods, in particular the largest one.

Randomised controlled trial comparing two school furniture configurations in the printing performance of young children with cerebral palsy

This randomised controlled trial compared the same-session effects of two different school furniture configurations on printing legibility. A total of 30 school-age children with ambulatory cerebral palsy participated in this study. Each child provided one near-point printing sample of up to 34 letters while positioned on Mandal-type specialty school furniture and on standard school furniture. An assessor who was unaware of the intervention assignment scored printing errors. No significant difference in legibility score mean values between the interventions was detected and the effect size was small. Compared with standard school furniture, the use of specialty school furniture did not lead to immediate gains in printing legibility and other printing performance areas for children with cerebral palsy. Further study of the influence of functional abilities, other contextual factors and the longer-term use of school furniture on handwriting performance is recommended.

Transport of airborne particles within a room

The objective of this study is to test a technique used to analyze contaminant transport in the wake of a bluff body under controlled experimental conditions for application to aerosol transport in a complex furnished room. Specifically, the hypothesis tested by our work is that the dispersion of contaminants in a room is related to the turbulence kinetic energy and length scale. This turbulence is, in turn, determined by the size and shape of furnishings within the room and by the ventilation characteristics. This approach was tested for indoor dispersion through computational fluid dynamics simulations and laboratory experiments. In each, 3 mum aerosols were released in a furnished room with varied contaminant release locations (at the inlet vent or under a desk). The realizable k approximately epsilon model was employed in the simulations, followed by a Lagrangian particle trajectory simulation used as input for an in-house FORTRAN code to compute aerosol concentration. For the experiments, concentrations were measured simultaneously at seven locations by laser photometry, and air velocity was measured using laser Doppler velocimetry. The results suggest that turbulent diffusion is a significant factor in contaminant residence time in a furnished room. This procedure was then expanded to develop a simplified correlation between contaminant residence time and the number of enclosing surfaces around a point containing the contaminant. Practical Implications The work presented here provides a methodology for relating local aerosol residence time to properties of room ventilation and furniture arrangement. This technique may be used to assess probable locations of high concentration by knowing only the particle release location, furniture configuration, inlet and outlet locations, and air speeds, which are all observable features. Applications of this method include development of 'rules of thumb' for first responders entering a room where an agent has been released and selection of sampler locations to monitor conditions in sensitive areas.

The built environment and mental health.

The built environment has direct and indirect effects on mental health. High-rise housing is inimical to the psychological well-being of women with young children. Poor-quality housing appears to increase psychological distress, but methodological issues make it difficult to draw clear conclusions. Mental health of psychiatric patients has been linked to design elements that affect their ability to regulate social interaction (e.g., furniture configuration, privacy). Alzheimer's patients adjust better to small-scale, homier facilities that also have lower levels of stimulation. They are also better adjusted in buildings that accommodate physical wandering. Residential crowding (number of people per room) and loud exterior noise sources (e.g., airports) elevate psychological distress but do not produce serious mental illness. Malodorous air pollutants heighten negative affect, and some toxins (e.g., lead, solvents) cause behavioral disturbances (e.g., self-regulatory ability, aggression). Insufficient daylight is reliably associated with increased depressive symptoms. Indirectly, the physical environment may influence mental health by altering psychosocial processes with known mental health sequelae. Personal control, socially supportive relationships, and restoration from stress and fatigue are all affected by properties of the built environment. More prospective, longitudinal studies and, where feasible, randomized experiments are needed to examine the potential role of the physical environment in mental health. Even more challenging is the task of developing underlying models of how the built environment can affect mental health. It is also likely that some individuals may be more vulnerable to mental health impacts of the built environment. Because exposure to poor environmental conditions is not randomly distributed and tends to concentrate among the poor and ethnic minorities, we also need to focus more attention on the health implications of multiple environmental risk exposure.

New directions in commercial fluorescent lighting

It is shown how compact fluorescent lamps and smaller luminaires using deeper shielding can now meet, better than traditional commercial lighting approaches, the requirements of lighting the newer space configurations and seeing tasks that did not exist a few years ago. Design approaches are shown that will optimize lighting cost and effectiveness in matching the new hardware and the new lighting needs. Luminaire patterns are shown in various room and furniture configurations. Their effectiveness in delivering light into panelled workstations and practical methods of predicting the delivered light are discussed.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>

Factors Involved in the Ignition of Cellulosic Upholstery Fabrics By Cigarettes

Experimental cigarettes that approach the lower practical limits in tobacco density and circumference of that which can be produced were tested for their ignition propensity in three mock-up furniture configurations on 33 cellulosic fabrics over polyurethane and untreated cotton batting substrates. The three configurations were: flat, L or tight crevice-cigarette placed at the junction of the horizontal and vertical panels, and V or open crevice-cigarette placed in the crevice between a vertical panel and a second panel at a 20° angle. The cigarette heat outputs ranged from about 700-1,500 cal/cig and the fabrics covered the typical types (prints, weaves, velvets) and weights from 4.0-22.8 oz/yd2. For 18 of 33 fabrics over polyurethane all cigarettes in all configurations produced either no ignitions or 100% ignitions. The most important variables which influenced ignition propensity over polyurethane were yarn "smoldering proclivity" which showed a statistical correlation with the alkali metal content of the fabric, fabric density and fabric weight. Cigarette heat output influenced ignition propensity over polyurethane only in the L and V configurations and only over a narrow range of weighted fabric characteristics. Over cotton bat ting, all cigarettes produced nearly 100% ignitions in the L and V configura tions. In the flat configurations over cotton batting the combined K+ and Na+ level of the fabric and fabric density showed a significant effect whereas cigarette heat output again had an effect only over a narrow range of weighted fabric characteristics.

Seven American Utopias: The Architecture of Communitarian Socialism, 1790-1975

From the time of its discovery, the new world was regarded by American settlers as a new Eden and a new Jerusalem. Although individual pioneers' visions of paradise were inevitably corrupted by reality, some determined ideatists carved out enclaves in order to develop collective models of what they believed to be more perfect societies. All such communitarian groups consciously attempted to express their social ideals in their buildings and landscapes; invariably, ideological predispositions can be inferred from a close study of the environments they created. The interplay between ideology and architecture, the social design and the physical design of American utopian communities, is the basis of this remarkable book by Dolores Hayden.At the heart of the book are studies of seven communitarian groups, collectively stretching over nearly two centuries and the full breadth of the American continent-the Shakers of Hancock, Massachusetts; the Mormons of Nauvoo, lllinois; the Fourierists of Phalanx, New Jersey; the Perfectionists of Oneida, New York; the Inspirationists of Amana, Iowa; the Union Colonists of Greeley, Colorado; and the Cooperative Colonists of Llano del Rio, California. Hayden examines each of these groups to see how they coped with three dilemmas that all socialist' societies face: conflicts betweeft authoritarian and participatory processes, between communal and private territory, and between unique and replicable community plans.The book contains over 260 historic and contemporary photographs and drawings which illustrate the communitarian processes of design and building. The drawings range in scale from regional plans showing land ownership, access to transportation, and availability of natural resources, through site plans of communal domains and building plans of dwellings and assembly halls, down to detailed diagrams of furniture configurations. To aid readers in making comparisons, a series of site and building plans drawn at constant scales has been provided for all seven case studies.