Planning is our ABC's and times tables! I have always contended that it is the single item that all occupants interact with on a daily basis. People do not discuss the design inspiration, but notice if spaces do not function adequately to contain their activities.
This is even more important as we discuss the need for sustainable designs. If a building is poorly planned, there will be unnecessary square footage and volume to be built, paid for, heated, cooled, maintained... How is that a sustainable practice?! Strong planners will be the successful architects of our future. Their buildings will be economical to build and operate. This is sustainable!
I feel fortunate to have had an incredibly in-depth and well-conceived education in planning. It consisted of 2-semesters of work at IIT with Erdmann Schmocker. As simple as it sounds, we began by inventorying a house, room-by-room. Once we established what was necessary for each room we would start to consider physical needs around those items. As an example: How big is a bed? How much space is needed to make that bed? Does it need to be accessible from more than 1-side? Can it be in a corner? As items were placed in relationships to each other, per the rules that we established a room could then be determined. We were tasked with making them as efficient as possible. In other words, as small as possible.
Small does not mean inadequate, but should mean appropriate. What space is truly necessary for the proposed use?! In today's language, sustainable. We were working 'green' in the mid 80's!
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