When your architectural design firm receives the first iteration of a new project’s 3Dw interior design brief with a list of requirements, many questions arise. But out of all these questions, one fundamental question tops them: how will the space be lived in and used? This is where using space planning to visualize 3D floor layouts enters the picture.
This article delves into space planning in visualizing 3D floor plan layouts.
Table of contents
What is space planning?
Space planning refers to laying out and identifying a space’s proposed uses in architectural projects. Space planning must be carefully based on the functional requirements of the client. This is also the perfect chance to integrate space planning as a critical element of the project’s architectural concept.
Aside from serving as an interpretation of the desires and preferences of the client, space planning also comes with more questions about spatial design that should also be considered. What type of space is in question (i.e., 3D floor layouts)? Will it be for private or social use? Is a storage area required? Will it involve resting or working?
These questions might have challenging and complex answers. For instance, a room may be used for working and resting, and at the same time, a storage area may also be necessary. Spaces with multiple functions will also trigger more considerations for the overall design. The different anticipated activities in a particular space will also affect choices like exterior and interior entrances, access to the rest of the rooms, and lighting, to mention a few. 3D floor plan rendering services can help architectural design companies with space planning projects.
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Importance of space planning
Have you ever experienced cooking in a poorly designed kitchen? The cleaning and cutting areas may be too cramped, while the distances between the sink, stoves, and fridge are too long. It could also be that mold formed because of the wrong finishing material for the counter or inadequate ventilation or natural light in the room. These aspects can make the space uncomfortable, eventually avoiding its use altogether.
Space planning is essential for 3D interior design services because it allows them to foresee and fix all these before they become serious problems. The ultimate goal of space planning is to make the design invisible. Once the users start living in the space, they should be able to do it intuitively and fluidly. When you ask the right questions and make the right decisions based on them, you can expect results that will be more appreciated and enjoyed by those who will use and live in them.
What does space planning influence?
Regarding 3D interior rendering services and interior design, space planning also influences a series of choices in an architectural project. The following are some of the main categories that space planning influences, together with several vital decisions they may trigger:
- Floor plan layout options
These options consider the rooms’ adjacency, relative size, connivance and continuity between them, the circulation in the space, balance and main focal points, and privacy levels. It also involves the physical and visual need for connections with the outdoors, the arrangement of required furniture and fixtures, the placement of windows and doors, and the flexibility of the original scheme for future growth. 2D drawings and floor plan design services can help clients visualize the floor layouts and flow between various areas of the home.
- Lighting options
Considering the anticipated use of every space, it’s also critical to identify the levels of artificial and natural lighting, the disposition and selection of appropriate lighting artifacts, and the arrangement of places for light and electrical plugs.
- Material options
Continuing with the example above, it deals with correctly identifying the finishing of humid zones and work surfaces, the flooring in terms of expected visual and transit perception of the space, and the materials and colors of decoration and walls.
- Technical options
These mainly pertain to aspects of sustainability and climate comfort, such as room orientation, the requirement of technical spaces for air conditioning, and decisions regarding legislative and budget requirements, including the disposition of rooms in one or a few stages. It also involves space accessible to people with disabilities, where 3D floor plan design services can be helpful for space planning.
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How the space planning process improves 3D interior design strategies
Thoughtful and good space planning allows 3D interior design services to add more complexity and depth to an architectural concept. If you always use the requirements and existing conditions as an opportunity rather than a constraint, space planning can make your 3D interior design strategy thrive and stand out.
Space planning often begins with the so-called bubble plan. A schematic plan diagram delineates the different functions to be accommodated in the 3D floor plan design and 3D floor plan layouts. The iteration is usually progressive, from the general down to the specific. The bubbles start vague, with interest given only to how they are related to each other. From there, the focus shifts to the shape and size of each one.
Once the 3D floor layout feels comfortable enough, it’s time to sketch 2D drawings and floor plans with provisional furniture, fixtures, and walls. It can be manually done using movable paper cutouts and pen or 3D floor layouts. In this case, 3D floor plan renderings are more suitable for faster and flexible work. Dimensions and square footage will now be more precise for every space.
The preliminary 2D-floor plan will serve as the basis for the rest of the new decisions concerning the furnishing and interior lighting of spaces, the location of doors and windows, and the designation of floor materials. This is also typically when you triangulate with sections, render mockups, and sketches to evaluate the appearance of the different decisions on design.
Fundamental principles of space planning
Space planning has five fundamental principles that are taken into consideration when visualizing 3D floor plan layouts, and these are the following:
- Try to have a margin all the time
Sometimes, getting the best out of the available surface can be too tempting. Unfortunately, it may result in an overcrowded floor plan with many small spaces. Regarding legislative conflicts or restraints with pre-existing conditions, it will be better to allot a square footage reserve that lets you make the spaces more architecturally exciting and human.
- Have a clear list of the priorities and requirements of the clients
When you move a piece in a gameboard, something will always change in the rest of the pieces. It will help to take note of the most critical points and keep them handy to save you from the trouble of juggling them in your head when going about with the design.
- Prioritize the efficiency of square footage
A vast space will be useless if 50% of the floor will be corridors that look like labyrinths and mazes. Circulation must be synthetic and transparent to offer the best moving experience possible.
- Let the sun in
For climate comfort and lighting alike, the position of every space when it comes to sunlight opening will significantly affect the final result. Whether incorporating the best indirect illumination or catching the cozy morning sun, window proportions, and room orientations play a crucial role.
- Always consider the whole when designing a part
Although the kitchen may already be flawlessly functional on its own, the experience of its usage might be completely ruined if it is right beside the main bedroom. Always consider the relationship between the different spaces, how they are linked, the contradictory nuances of their usage, and the specific activities they are meant to host.
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Factors for space planning
Space planning may trigger a series of design options. These are mostly made up of material, lighting, technical, and layout choices. Here are other factors that must be taken into consideration when using space planning to visualize 3D floor plan layouts:
- Accessibility
- Economy
- Existing patterns of circulation
- Existing features
- Function
- Light
- Site
- Size
- Storage
Space planning is made up of numerous questions, factors, and considerations. From the general down to the specific, from the most ordinary to the rarest, the process is almost always a matter of answering question after question.
Hire the best 3D interior design services at Cad Crowd
3D floor plan layout visualization isn’t done overnight, nor should you entrust it to anyone you find. With the help of Cad Crowd, architectural design firms will now be able to hire floor plan design professionals who know how to use space planning to create the best 3D floor plan renderings, 2D drawings, and floor plan layouts. These floor plan design professionals can also visualize 3D layouts while considering the available space and using them to the fullest without cutting corners or compromising quality.
