Types of Circulation (Traffic) Patterns within a Home
OBJECTIVES Name and describe the 4 types of traffic patterns Discuss the importance of open circulation in a house Evaluate traffic patterns in floor plans
4 Types of Traffic Patterns Family Work Service Guest
Family This is the most complex pattern Family members have different living habits which form different patterns It will follow these guidelines:
Family Related rooms are close together A bathroom is located close to bedrooms Indoor living area is readily available to outdoor living spaces (patio, etc) Excessive hall space is avoided (Hallways never end at an outside wall) Rooms are not cut in half by traffic pattern High-frequency routes are short and simple Free of major obstructions like furniture)
Traffic Patterns
Work Kitchen is the hub of the work pattern Circulation should flow easily through the kitchen Kitchen and dining area should be adjacent to each other Kitchen and service entrance should be adjacent
Work Any area of the home in which work is preformed should be easily accessible to those who use it Work Triangle – the traffic pattern between the sink, refrigerator and cooking units (range, oven, microwave) Work Triangle should not exceed 22 ft in total length
Service The movement of people in and out of the home as they make service calls, deliver goods, read meters, take garbage out, etc. People should not have to cross over other rooms to get to work areas
Guest This circulation pattern is the easiest to determine Involves the movement from the entry to the coat closet and to the living room with access to a bathroom Guest should be able to move from the entry to the living area without passing through other rooms
Guest
Guest A small house or apartment may not have an entry areas or foyer, so guest may enter right into the living area Guest bedrooms should be easily accessible
When evaluating a floor plan take into consideration where furniture will be placed in relation to the circulation pattern. The relationship of one room to another dictates how functional the space will be Note: the dining area should be between the kitchen and living area. This makes it possible to have formal dinners where guest have easy access to conversational seating, dining and food is easily served