Often, teams spend a lot of time focusing on the exciting areas of the building when thinking about the end user experience and the renter. However, they should not overlook some of the major components to the ergonomics of the building that are not as flashy or glamorous.
Consider two back-of-house areas: loading and trash. No one wants money spent here, but if these areas do not function at a high level, it can throw off the entire project; especially for the residents. These may seem like simple spaces to account for, but the coordination effort that need to go into these spaces is extremely high. To start, consider height clearances. Does zoning require a specific height? Does the height align with the proposed moving, delivery, and trash trucks that will service the project? What is the structure, and does it require any deeper beams or thicker slabs in order to span the large open space that trucks require to turn around and move throughout?
When looking at all these factors, the decisions made can start to ripple up the building. If the columns are shifted for the trucks, how does it affect the unit above? If a beam is added to increase the span, how does it affect the plumbing coming down from the above unit? If the trash compactor is moved to function better with the truck movements, how does it affect the access rooms above for the residents and does it modify a unit layout? The back-of-house functional spaces can significantly affect the coordination for the overall ergonomics of the building, which in turn, drive the residential experience.
Conclusion
Design teams can select the right materials and design around them, they can think about modularity and panels, but it must culminate in a place where people want to live—a place people will call home. Design efficiency is important, end user experience is important, but finding that median, the balance between the two, is the key to a great final product. It is vital to have these conversations as early as possible, avoid the surprises, not compromise resident experience due to lack of resources and rushed decisions, and above all, coordinate with everyone involved.
Author
As an associate principal at KTGY Tysons, Brian Fraser is an open collaborator who never loses sight of the end goal. Specializing in production for mid- and high-rise multifamily developments, Fraser works directly with clients to produce deliverables that exceed expectations. He emphasizes that design, production, and the client are all one team. Clients rely on him to anticipate their problems and he uses his 15 years of experience to guide them through the very specific regional challenges that they face. Working in tandem with the designers, Fraser makes his expertise available from schematic design through construction administration.
