Metric Handbook Planning and Design Data – edited by David Littlefield
Chapter 1 focuses on the practical information for architects and designers including drawing office practice and dimensional coordination.
Chapter 2 introduces most basic design data that architects should know. People and space are placed in a close relationships. This leads to problems and topics that cut across many fields of design with space, such as Anthropometrics, Ergonomics, Circulation and so on. Special attention is also gvien to disabled people and their use of space.
Chapter 3 looks in the profession’s practice management, specifically the structure of an office and its hierarchy, the problem of administration, human resources and income.
Chapter 4 discusses the construction cost and its importance as it influences design options. The chapter also discusses cost estimating, cost chekcing and who life costs issues.
Chapter 5 looks more into movements of people within buildings, including mechanical items such as escalators or lifts, but also items like wheelchair or walking frame. Domestic activities and furniture are also analyzed in order to illustrate the issue.
Chapter 6 analyzes principles and typologies of Master planning and the processes and activities behind urban design projects.
Chapter 7 is dedicated to Landscape design, discussing landscape features such as walkways, steps, ramps, handrails, seating, barriers, retaining walls, gate and doors etc.
Chapter 8 looks more closely into a specific residential typology – houses and flats.
Chapter 9 through 34 discusses respectively other typologies, specifically:
- Student housing
- Homes for older people
- Hotels
- Offices
- Retail shops and stores
- Industrial facilities
- Industrial storage buildings
- Agricultural buildings
- Restaurants and foodservice facilities
- Indoor sport facilities
- Outdoor sports and stadia
- Community centres
- Schools
- Higher education
- Laboratories
- Primary health care
- Hospitals
- Payment and counselling offices
- Public buildings
- Museaums, art galleries and temporary exhibition
- Libraries and information centres
- Terminals and transport interchanges
- Designing for vehicles
- Studios for sound and vision
- Auditoria
- Places of worship
Chapter 35 places Tropical design in the center of interest, discussing factors affecting human comfort, environmental design strategies, both active and passive measures and introduces readers to the realm of building science data
Chapter 36 discusses building structures
Chapter 37 discusses building materials
Chapter 38 focuses on windows and doors, as well as pipes and cables
Chapter 39 discusses futher the Thermal environment of buildings
Chapter 40 and 41 dischesses the issue of lighting and sound
Chapter 42 and 43 discusses the issues of fire and security, while Chapter 44 discusses Access and Inclusion. Chapter 45 discusses the Access for maintenance. and finally Chapter 46 discusses the Service distribution.
Some take-aways:
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