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  1. Mind
  2. Beauty and design II

Beauty and design II

Features>Mind>99. Beauty and design II

99. Beauty and design II

Intent: 

To promote occupant comfort and spatial familiarity by designing spacious, familiar and aesthetically appealing spaces.

A beautiful and meaningful space in which design aesthetics are expressly considered can have a positive impact on occupant morale and mood. Elements that provide visual complexity, balance and proportion can impart a sense of comfort, ease and potentially mitigate stress.

Part 1: Ceiling Height

Ceiling height that is proportional to room dimensions provides an expansive, comfortable and open feel to the interior space. Floor to ceiling heights for regularly occupied spaces meet the following requirements:

a.96 Rooms of 9 m [30 ft] width or less have ceiling height of at least 2.7 m [8.8 ft].
b. Rooms of greater than 9 m [30 ft] width have ceiling height of at least 2.75 m [9 ft] plus at least 0.15 m [0.5 ft] for every 3 m [10 ft] over 9 m [30 ft].
c. Rooms that provide a full wall view to the outdoors or an atrium space (with at least twice the ceiling height of the room) have a minimum ceiling height of 2.75 m [9 ft] for a room width of 12 m [40 ft] plus at least 0.15 m [0.5 ft] for every 4.5 m [15 ft] over 12 m [40 ft].
Part 2: Artwork

Integration of artwork to interior space adds complexity to the visual field. A plan is developed that includes a description of how the project incorporates meaningfully integrated artwork in:

a. Entrances and lobbies.
b. All regularly occupied space greater than 28 m² [300 ft²].
Part 3: Spatial Familiarity

Design elements can be used to establish way-finding, aid in orientation and provide spatial familiarity. A plan is developed that includes a description of how the project incorporates way-finding elements in projects with floor plates 929 m² [10,000 ft²] or larger through use of the following elements:

a. Artwork that is distinct in shape and color.
b. Visually grouped zones or areas that use the following unifying design components: (i) lighting, (ii) furniture color and (iii) flooring pattern/color.
c. Corridors over 9 m [30 ft] in length end in artwork or a view window to the exterior with a sill height no taller than 0.9 m [3 ft] from the floor and with at least a 30 m [100 ft] vista.
Nervous

Applicability Matrix

Core & Shell New & Existing Buildings New & Existing Interiors
Part 1: Ceiling Height O O O
Part 2: Artwork O O O
Part 3: Spatial Familiarity O O O
Commercial Kitchen Education Multifamily Residential Restaurant Retail
Part 1: Ceiling Height O O O O O
Part 2: Artwork O O O O O
Part 3: Spatial Familiarity - O O O O

Verification Methods Matrix

Letters of Assurance Annotated Documents On-Site Checks
Part 1: Ceiling Height Architectural Drawing Spot Check
Part 2: Artwork Visual Inspection
Part 3: Spatial Familiarity Visual Inspection

96

The New South Wales Planning Department. The Residential Flat Design Code. http://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/programservices/pdf/designcode/03_part03_.... Published 2002. Accessed September 15, 2014.
99.1.a

New South Wales Department of Planning's Residential Flat Design Code recommends a minimum ceiling height of 2.7 m for all habitable rooms, and a preferred minimum of 2.4 m for all non-habitable rooms.
Features>Mind>99. Beauty and design II