As we continue to develop and advance as a society, there has been a greater emphasis placed on efficiency and convenience across nearly all facets of life. Food is delivered to our homes, cabs pick us up irrespective of our location, and in the context of construction and their architectural designs, our homes are now being tailor-made to meet our specifications largely as a result of methodical and well-planned space apportionment. This article aims to explore the concept of space apportionment and how it affects customer satisfaction.
What is Space Apportionment?
This term is used to describe the strategic allocation and organisation of spaces within a building. At the macro level, it takes into consideration the division of the building into the different rooms and sections, whilst the micro is more concerned with furniture placement and other fixtures and fittings. An effective use of space apportionment will ensure each specific area serves its intended purpose and has a seamless flow whilst concurrently contributing to the overall flow within the sructure
Importance of Space Apportionment
The manner in which elements at the macro and micro level are organized within the building could largely influence the overall aesthetic and ambiance within the space. A well thought out and proportioned space creates a sense of balance as it is simply more pleasant to look at and it contributes to a greater degree of comfort. Additionally, it is important to ensure that spaces within the structure are functional and efficient. Within a commercial building space, aspects such as workstations, meeting rooms, kitchens and bathroom areas need to be well thought out with the aim of maximizing productivity and satisfaction at the workplace. A residential building on the other hand, will require alternative considerations that have to be factored in and will instead place more emphasis on facilitating easy movement and interaction depending on the placement of the living room, kitchen and dining areas.
Impact on Client Satisfaction
Throughout the design process, it is of vital importance to liaise with the client and refer to their specific needs, preferences and lifestyle. A personalized space apportionment will often ensure the design resonates with the client. In a case whereby the client has stated they operate an out of home cooking business, it will seem useful to apportion a larger area for the kitchen as it will likely be used to cook and store large quantities of food. However, if the client outlined their cooking business and when showed the final designs and met with a much smaller space apportioned for the kitchen, it will, in all likelihood, contribute to customer dissatisfaction.
Conclusion
Within the design process, there lies a great focus on the satisfaction of customers and an effective use of space apportionment remains a key factor in achieving this. Recognising the importance of space apportionment and adopting the following key steps will be key to achieving client satisfaction- which include 1) collecting information; 2) interpreting requirements; 3) considering spaces and spatial relationships; 4) creating the solution; and 5) reviewing and revising the space planning.
