SPACE ADJACENCY

ANALYSIS
BY: EDWARD T. WHITE
THE DIAGRAMS
• THE MATRIX DIAGRAM
• THE BUBBLE DIAGRAM
• THE ZONING DIAGRAM

2-D grid which is used to determine the relative importance of the proximity of spaces to
one another in a facility.
This matrix provides the full information needed
to produce a bubble diagram.

Its concept is simple. The diagram is used to

make decisions with our client, about the spaces
to space relationships that must be achieved in
the building that we are about to design.

When the matrix is complete, we will understand

how the building spaces must be positioned to
function.
THE GRID
90 Grid. The lines that form the grid are
horizontal and vertical leaving places to list
our client’s spaces down the side and across
the top. Where a space on the side list meet
the space on top, we indicate the relative
importance of these two spaces being
located nearly each other.

45 Grid. This is more appropriate that the

first grid. Its because this does not duplicate
spaces.
THE DECISION CODE
There are 2 components of the Decision code.

First is the set of words that will be used to describe

the adjacency requirements.

Then second is the set of symbols which graphically

represents the set of decision words.
Word sets be like:

Mandatory adjacency
Desirable adjacency
Neutral
Negative (separation)

Since we have many different reasons for relating

spaces, the reason code will help us help our
decision to be concrete.

Example: An office building:

1. Frequent office conferences
2. Paperwork flow. Convenient client access to manager’s office from
reception.
3.
4.
Intermittent use of files by manager
Conferences with clients and staff.
An Insurance office:
5. Zone offices away from service areas due to noise and unfinished
spaces.
6. Frequent use of files
7. Some use of copy machine
8. Frequent use of conference room for client conferences and sales
meetings
9. Frequent use of copy machine and access to clerical supplies
10. Use of conference room as lunch room by secretaries. Convenient
client access to conference room.
11. One of the secretaries is the receptionist and should see approaching
clients
12. Intermittent retrieval of files during conference meetings.
13. Intermittent need to copy items during conference meetings
14. Delivery of supplies once a month
15. Client use of restrooms
16. Visual image conflict between client parking and exterior service area
(Trash etc)
17. Consider service drive to mechanical area as extension of staff parking
18. May be related due to simplification of paving but not related
functionally.
THE DIAGRAMS
• THE MATRIX DIAGRAM
• THE BUBBLE DIAGRAM
• THE ZONING DIAGRAM

This converts the decision which were recorded in the matrix into a different and more
useful graphic form. Each building space is represented by a circle or bubbles with lines
connecting the bubbles (spaces) that need to be adjacent to each other.
The bubble diagram is the second
space adjacency analysis. It
translates decision made in the
matrix into more easily readable
graphic form.

Circles will represent the spaces that

will ne contained in the building. The
relative sizes are proportioned to the
square footages of the spaces that it
represent. They are connected by
lines that required adjacency
relationships shown on the matrix.
The widths express the relative
importance of the adjacency
(mandatory, desirable etc).
THE BUBBLES

1. One space, one Bubble.

2. Circles for Bubbles.

3. Bubble proportions

4. Bubble sizes
THE CONNECTING LINES
Ties the bubble diagram together and represent the adjacency requirements
between building spaces that we recorded earlier.

Chosen are the four level decision code to express the space to space adjacency
requirements in the matrix:
1. Mandatory – spaces that MUST be adjacent in the building
2. Desirable – spaces that are helpful if adjacent
3. Neutral – makes no difference
4. Negative special relationship – spaces should be separated due to conflict
between contained activities
TYPES OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

1. Whether the spaces are interior ones,

covered exterior ones or open exterior
ones.
2. Whether the interior spaces are
closed (walled up) or open (no walls
around them)
3. Whether the spaces are part of the
present project or a future building
expansion phase.
4. The extent to which individual spaces
may need to be enlarged in the future.
5. The activity zone within each space
and their interrelationships.
6. The net square footage required for
each space.
7. The client activities that will normally
occur in each space.
8. The intermittent unscheduled or extra
co-curricular activities that may occur.
9. The number and characteristics
of the occupants of the space
(staff, elderly)
10.Environmental and technical
requirements of spaces (visual,
acoustical privacy, ventilation)
11.Special systems connections
between spaces such as
telephone, oxygen etc.
12.Parking spaces, service
requirements such as delivery,
pick-up.
THE DIAGRAMS
• THE MATRIX DIAGRAM
• THE BUBBLE DIAGRAM
• THE ZONING DIAGRAM
An additional layers of information to the bubble diagram. The spaces are sort graphically
into groupings based upon various sorting criteria that we select.
The zoning diagram is the third
space adjacency analysis to use. Quiet VS Noisy Space
This strongly relies to bubble
diagram. Public VS Private
To do this, we must first identify a
Space
quality or characteristics of the
building spaces, occupants or clients A Zoning Diagram is a bubble
operations that can be used as basis diagram with the building spaces collected
for sorting of spaces into groups. into families by the addition of the zoning
lines
 ■ Operational groupings–can
Types of Sorting Qualities be determined through distinct
and identifiable operational
■ Departmental titles ■ Operational sequence components such as:
–those that belong to administration, production,
the same departments –spaces are clustered support, etc.
are grouped together according to their position in
the sequence of client’s ■ Required Environments
operation –spaces are grouped according to
■ Activity Characteristics the kinds of environments that
■ Effects produced their contained activities will
–according to the require in the new building. This
may involve sensory issues like
characteristics of their –spaces are grouped visual relief from work tasks,
activities like tedious, heavy according to the kinds of privacy, quiet, or freedom from
clutter or odor.
labor, intricate, long duration, effects which are produces by
low error tolerance, taxing, the activities in the various
sedentary, monotonous, quick, spaces. Examples of effects ■ Relation to core
vigoruous, frequent, intermittent are heat, airborn pollutants, activities or spaces
or morning/afternoon
visual clutter, noise, odor, –distinguishing between spaces
structural vibration, radiation, that are central to the success of
the spaces that are central to
electrical interference, trash success of the client’s operation
or chemical waste and those that serve as
secondary.
Types of Sorting Qualities ■ Type of
■ Number of people in Spaces –spaces are groups Construction
according to the number of people they shall accommodate.
–spaces are clustered
according to the type of
■ Codes and Regulations construction like
–spaces are grouped according to the kinds of codes and masonry, frame, tilt slab,
regulations like fire exit requirements, handicapped access, prefab, long/short span,
air changes and ventilation etc. exterior finishes etc.

■ Anticipated growth or change– ■ Characteristics of building

sorting spaces according to their occupants
anticipated growth or change like –groupings based on families according. To
likelihood, amount, reasons or timing of similarities and differences in the characteristic of
growth or change. the future occupants of those spaces.
Drawing the zoning lines
The zoning lines are the final graphic
components to be added to the bubble
referent drawings. These lines surround
and enclose all the spaces that belong to
the same subclass. We will have as many
sets of zoning lines in a zoning diagram
as we have sub-classifications of the
sorting quality that belongs to that
diagram.
Each zoning line is a closed loop which is
drawn around and between the bubbles
to enclose all the spaces that belong to
the same subclass and to exclude some
spaces.
Thank you