How to ensure comfort and well-being in small spaces?
While part of the feeling of comfort and well-being in an internal environment is related to factors external to the building, such as natural lighting and ventilation, another part is directly associated with the internal spatial distribution and the sensations caused in the inhabitants of this space through architecture.
Reconciling all the factors that provide greater comfort and well-being in interior spaces is always a challenge in an architectural project, especially in environments with small areas, where the space must be used to the maximum and there is not always the possibility of provide for large openings to the outside or not even to house all the functions of the program in a conventional way.
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In these cases, a series of solutions can be thought of in architectural terms to promote a greater sense of well-being for the inhabitants of the building. Below are some of the strategies that can be used in small-scale projects to ensure greater comfort in terms of lighting, ventilation, homologation of the space and the well-being of those who inhabit it.
Natural lighting and ventilation
Windows, as one of the main means of connecting the interior and exterior in an architectural project, have the dual function of illuminating and ventilating the rooms. These qualities are highly valued in environments with small areas, so it is important that they are well sized and positioned from studies of ventilation and solar trajectory, combined with the needs of the site.
Renovation: U-shaped room / Atelier tao + c
Roof studio Tapachula / TO
Flexible and versatile furniture
In projects with a small area, flexibility is a key word. Stairs used as cabinets, retractable tables, beds with built-in drawers and furniture with wheels are some examples of recurring solutions in spaces with small area to save space and solve more than one function in a single element.
Apartment 097 –Yojigen Poketto / elii
Department of 28 m2 / studio wok
vegetation
Humanity has an instinctive dependence on nature, which fuels the search to be somehow close to it. In small areas, an alternative to save space and still take advantage of the influence of vegetation on the well-being of the inhabitants is to incorporate it in a suspended way.
Panther Films Workshop / Matú Arquitetura
Apartment Lido 501 / Atelier Aberto Arquitetura
high ceilings
Environments with high ceilings, in addition to allowing greater use of space from the creation of mezzanines and storage spaces of greater height, also help in the ventilation of indoor environments from the chimney effect.
Taller_142 / Atelier Wilda
Family House / Ruetemple
light tones
In a previously published article we showed how colors can alter the perception of interior spaces, and a great example is the use of light colors on the surfaces of an environment as a way to provide a feeling of greater spaciousness.
The Camarin / IR architecture
Spectral Apartment / BETILLON / DORVAL – BORY
hot materials
While light, cool tones can help with the greatest sense of comfort in interior spaces from the greatest sense of spaciousness, warmer materials such as wood, fabrics, and ceramic materials can provide a greater sense of comfort. welcome without necessarily bringing the feeling of living in a larger space.
Architecture Studio / Alina Jerónimo + Paulo Carneiro
Apartment in Saint Andreu / Oriol Garcia Muñoz
Mobile and light partitions
Mobile and light partitions, whether curtains, panels or other possibilities of flexible separation of environments, have a great advantage in small spaces. When fully open, these elements promote greater integration between spaces, while when kept closed, they take up less space compared to traditional room-sharing alternatives, such as masonry walls or plasterboard.
Renovation Apartment Alphonse / Match, architectural firm
Apartment Translucent Spaces / batlab architects
This article is part of the Theme of the Month in ArchDaily: Wellness in Indoor Spaces. Each month we explored a topic in depth through articles, interviews, news, and works. Learn more about our topics. And as always, at ArchDaily we value the contributions of our readers. If you want to apply for an article or a work, contact us.