SOCIO-CULTURAL CENTRE

ART GALLERIES / EXHIBITION SPACES LIBRARY STUDY

• A public building in which all the rooms are of the same size becomes very monotonous.
• By varying their dimensions and the relation between height and width and also by using
different colors for the walls and different kinds of flooring, we provide a spontaneous and
unconscious stimulus to attention.
• Monotony also results when a number of rooms follow one another in a straight line. Even
where this cannot be entirely avoided, the rooms should be so constructed that the doors are
not opposite one another, providing a "telescopic" view through the building.
• An uninterrupted prospect of the long route ahead is usually found to have a depressing effect
on visitors.
• There are, however, undoubted advantages in being able to see into several rooms at the same
time, it is a help, for instance, in directing visitors, and for security purposes. On the other hand,
by varying the positions of the doors we are also able to place the visitor, from the moment of
his entrance, at the point chosen by the organizer of the display as the best for conveying an
immediate and striking impression of its general contents, or for giving a view of the most
important piece in that particular room.
• It is advisable to place a work of art of outstanding interest and exceptional value in a room by
itself, to attract and concentrate the greatest possible attention. Such a room need be only large
enough to accommodate a single work, but there must always be enough space for the public to
circulate freely.
• Galleries intended for permanent exhibitions may, on the contrary, be of considerable size,
though it is never advisable for them to be more than about 22 ft. wide, 12 to 18 ft. high, and
65 to 80 ft. long.

36) Different Ways of Dividing up Exhibition Space

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ART GALLERIES / EXHIBITION SPACES LIBRARY STUDY

• The main concern of art galleries / exhibition spaces are collecting, documenting, preserving,
researching, interpreting and exhibiting some form of material evidence.
• To show work of art and objects of cultural and scientific interest, the institution should provide
protection against damage, theft, damp, aridity, sunlight and dust and also show the works in
the best light.
• This is normally achieved by dividing the collection into objects for study and objects for
display.
• Exhibits should be displayed in away which allows the public to view them without effort.
• As far as possible, each group of pictures in an art gallery should have a separate room and each
picture a separate wall to itself, which means small rooms.
• The normal human angle of vision starts 27 degrees up from eye level.
• For a standing viewer, well lit pictures should be hung 10m with the top not more than 4.9m
above eye level and the bottom about 70cm below.
• It is necessary to allow 3-5 sq.m. hanging surface per picture, 6-10 sq.m. ground surface per
sculpture and 1 sq.m. cabinet space per 400 coins.
• A favorable viewing space is b/w 30-60 degrees measuring from a point in the middle of the
floor.
• This means a sill height of 2.13m for pictures and a viewing range of 3-3.65m for sculptures.

37) Measurements of Adult & 6 year 38) Viewing Distance Should Increase
old Visitors in Relation to Cases with Greater Size of Object

39) Difficulties Encountered in 40) Field of Vision: Height/Size & Distance

Viewing Details more than 3 ft.
below or 1 ft. above One’s Eye Level

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ART GALLERIES / EXHIBITION SPACES LIBRARY STUDY

41) Genetic Plans for Exhibit & Open Access Storage Areas: 42) Exhibits May be of 4 Basic Types:
a) Open Plan; b) Core + Satellites; c) Linear Procession; a),b),c) Hanging or Wall Mounted;
d) Loop; e) Complex; f) Labyrinth d),e) Free Standing & Open Exhibits;
f),g),h) Contained Exhibits & Display Cases

43) Various Ways of Taking Light

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 SOCIO-CULTURAL CENTRE
ART GALLERIES / EXHIBITION SPACES LIBRARY STUDY

44) Possible Gallery Arrangements

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 SOCIO-CULTURAL CENTRE
EATING & DRINKING PLACES LIBRARY STUDY

RESTAURANT
• Before any restaurant is built, the organizational sequence should be carefully planned. It is
essential to establish what meals will be offered and at what quality and quantity. It is necessary
to decide whether it will be a-la-carte with fixed or daily changing menus, plate or table service,
self service or a mixed system.
• The main room of a restaurant is the customers dining room and the facilities should correspond
with the type of operation. A number of additional tables and chairs should be available for
flexible table groupings.
• A food bar may be installed for customers who are in a hurry. Large dining rooms can be divided
into zones.
• To be able to eat comfortably, one person requires a table of around 60cm wide by 40cm deep.
This provides sufficient clearance between adjacent diners.
• Although an additional 20cm of space in the centre for dishes is sometimes desirable, an overall
width of 80-85cm is suitable for a dining table. Round tables or tables with 6 or 8 sides with a
diameter of 90-120cm are ideal.
• The minimum width of escape routes is 1m per 150 people. General walkways should be
atleast 1.1m.

CAFETERIA
With a limited menu, cafes are usually designed on traditional lines with the kitchen separate from
the dining room. Cafeterias are self-service establishments, commonly run on a non-commercial
basis as a service to staff and others such as students. They are characterized by:
• Scale of operation: usually fairly large, giving certain economies of scale.
• Concentration of demand: a short service period demands a high rate of service. Above 600
meals a day, free-flow and multi-counter service is practical.
• Menus: balanced to meet nutritional standards. Degree of choice will determine counter layout
and/or length.
• Operation: also used in high-demand commercial services (airports, stores, service stations)
• Space: counters add 0.2–0.3 sq.m. to area per seat in the dining room.
STAFF DINING ROOM
• 1.4 sq.m. per person, with compact seating, this can be reduced to 0.9 sq.m. per person.
• Usually self-service.
SNACK BAR
• 1.5-2.2 sq.m. per person, including counter and cooking.
• These are usually restricted to light meals, served at the counter or taken by customers to tables
(there may be counter seating), and can be open 18 to 24 hours per day.
• Food is normally cooked within the counter area but back-up preparation, wash-up and storage
is required.
• Optimum seating is 50 to 60, rapid turnover means that seating should not be too comfortable
or spacious.
• The high occupancy rate means heavy wear, and surfaces must be robust.

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EATING & DRINKING PLACES LIBRARY STUDY

BANQUET HALL
• 0.8-1 .6m2/person.
• Banquets are traditionally laid out with a ‘head table’, sometimes on a dais, and side tables, the
overall layout forming a T, U or E plan.
• The minimum distance between chair backs should be 1.5-2.0m. An alternative layout is for
side tables to be circular, seating ten or more, for which the minimum distance between chair
backs needs to be 900mm (1.2m is preferable) to allow adequate circulation of diners and staff.
• With such large numbers, rapid waiter service is essential and access from the kitchen must not
disrupt anyone making a speech from the head table.
BAR
• Traditional and specialty restaurants frequently have aperitif bar for waiting customers and pre-
meal drinks.
• These should be planned so as to allow the waiter to take orders and call forward customers
when tables are ready. Other types of bar include: roof top, pool side, beach, club areas.
• Bars need to comply with licensing laws.
• Cocktail or aperitif bar if required, these should provide a comfortable intermediate waiting area
between the entrance lobby and restaurant. Service may be by waiter so a long bar counter
might not be required.
• Main bar: To encourage business from non-diners the main bar may have an external entrance.
• A fairly long bar counter supported by bar store with ice making machine and bottle cooler
should be provided.
• The means to shut all bars securely during non-opening hours must be included, either by grill or
shutter at the bar counter or by closing the room. The former has the advantage of allowing the
room to be used as a lounge when the bar is closed.
• Space allowance for bars excluding counter: cocktail lounge (comfortable) 1.8-2.0 sq.m. per
person, general bar (some standing and on stools) 1.3-1.7 sq.m. per person.
KITCHEN
• Kitchen size depends on the number of meals served at peak periods of the day: normally lunch,
but in some cases dinner. A kitchen for a commercial restaurant serving a varied menu over a
long period will be larger than a school or factory kitchen serving a limited menu only at set
times for the same number of people.
• As an approximate guide the ratio of dining to kitchen area will vary between: 3:1 where only
one sitting, 1:1 where two or three sittings per meal.
• A ‘finishing kitchen’ for cooking or heating will be smaller than the conventional kitchen, in
which all the preparation and cooking process is carried out. The ratio of total kitchen area to
area required for service, store offices and staff facilities, will vary between: 2:1 for conventional
kitchen, 1.5:1 for finishing kitchen as finishing kitchen have less preparation space.
• Storage area: Racks for storage of containers should approximate to the heights and widths of
the containers to be stored allowing about 50 mm between packages for easy access. The top
shelf should not be higher than 1950 mm. Shelves and open bins must be kept at least 200
mm above the floor to allow a clear space for access and cleaning and to deter rodents.
Shelves for frequently used or heavy items should be between 700 and 1500 mm high.
• Preparation areas: Some typical dimensions are:
• Work top and sink top height: 900 mm (865 will do)
• Wall bench width: 600–750 mm
• Island bench or table width: 900–1050 mm
• Length of work area within convenient reach: 1200–1800 mm
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• Length for two people working together: 2400–3000 mm
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EATING & DRINKING PLACES LIBRARY STUDY

47) Area Required by

an Individual Diner

45) Rectangular table sizes for 46) Circular table sizes for various
various place numbers place numbers

48) Square Tables, Square Layout, 49) Square Tables, Diagonal Layout, 50) Circular Tables, Diagonal Layout,
Density (1.4 sq.m. per diner) Density (0.92 sq.m. per diner) Density (0.82 sq.m. per diner)

52) Minimum Space b/w 54) High Bar Stool 55) Bar Stool Spacing
Tables to Allow for Seating
Access & Circulation

51) Restaurant Critical Dimensions

56) Medium 57) High Density 58) Medium Density

Height Bar Stool Counter Service Counter Service Page | 4
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EATING & DRINKING PLACES LIBRARY STUDY

59) Limits for Maximum 60) Convenient Reach for Heavy 61) Minimum Space b/w Equipment
Reach for Men & Women or Frequently Used Items for Working & Circulation

62) Small Formal Dinner Arrangement

63) Counter Service

64) Banquet Layout

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