Good architecture – making life easier...

Good architecture has the potential to make us feel better about life. Our daily lives can be celebrated by playing with architectural proportions, space, light, textures and colours. Everyday activities can also be made more enjoyable simply by facilitating them in very practical ways.

We begin with a structure that protects us from the elements and is solid. Basic elements need to work reliably. In the film It's a Wonderful Life , George Bailey's troubles are not made any easier by a newel post that keeps coming apart in his hands! Nor do we get very far in our day if we're continually having to adjust the thermostat of a badly designed heating system exacerbated by insufficient insulation.

Next, the placement of rooms in relation to each other is an essential consideration in making a building functional. In a home, we often try to get the kitchen close to the everyday entrance so that groceries don't have to be carried too far. We also place it so that guests can naturally gravitate to the living room (depending on how we entertain). An obvious practical relationship is kitchen to eating area, but the proximity to an exterior eating area should not be ignored. In the more private areas of the home, the closet should ideally be placed near the bathroom in an en suite arrangement. One debate in house design is often about the most practical place to put the laundry – close to where we're often working or close to where the dirty clothes come from!

Once the relationships between spaces are comfortable, life needs to be made easier for the tasks performed within each room. Again, in a more detailed way, relationships between task areas are important. In the kitchen, for example, there is the famous ‘work triangle': sink – refrigerator - stove top. Good storage is also key to facilitating life. The kitchen comes to mind first – it is very important to get it just right, or else every day tasks can become very aggravating! Many people are all too familiar with the bad tempers that can flare when trying to fit too many pots into a cupboard simply not designed for the purpose. Those who don't have one might dream of a bedroom closet where everything has its special place. For family mudrooms, a nice touch is a little cubby with coat hook and shelf for each child. The ideal workshop has a place designated for each tool.

An element oft forgotten is the electrical system. The three-way switch is an invention meant for practicality. Imagine having to go back down a staircase after turning off its light! The placement of light fixtures can be a curse or a blessing. Trying to do hand-washing in a poorly lit sink just doesn't bring good results.

Where building is concerned, a little planning can go a long way in facilitating our lives.

Johanne Béland
architect 450 266 8081