Introduction
A new concept of designing public areas is proposed here, focusing on the primary challenges such as ventilation, heat control and natural lighting. It employs principles of design for all, the use of sustainable material and ideas of circular economy to develop an environment that is inclusive and can support the needs of the community.
If you're studying sustainable design and looking for assignment help on ENGR4016 or inclusive public spaces, you're in the right place. Native Assignment Help provides tailored, expert-written solutions that align with current environmental, material, and circular economy principles to help you achieve academic excellence
Inclusive Design Brief
This design focuses on the low openings and high windows in the interior: the walls are curved and reach for the ceiling. It enhances adequate space for the flow of air, cool air is allowed to enter through the lower section while hot air to escape through the upper section. The curvature of the walls improves the amount of natural light that gets into the room.
One of the major concepts in the layout is the idea of a ‘Wally Oasis’ – circular green walls which are visually pleasing and serve a practical function (Perteneder et al. 2020). These vertical gardens are used in natural cooling and enhancing air quality thus increasing a microclimate to favor users.
Shades are used to prevent direct sunlight from falling on the substrate cutting down on heat and general wearing of the surfaces. The general circulation of the building’s plan is non-compact, thus enhancing the ease of access as well as the comfort for all users of the building.
Inclusive Product Design Specification
The criteria for developing an inclusive product design specification for the public space relate to the design of the environment in the public space that would benefit and be comfortable for the users without discriminating the age, ability or any other state of the users.
Accessibility:
Pathways free from any barriers such as tables and chairs
For the visually impaired users, there are tactile pavings.
Seating:
Different solutions for the seating facilities including benches with and without backrests.
Some of the chairs are of higher heights than the others to be able to accommodate all classes of users.
Lighting:
Balanced natural and artificial lighting.
Lighting control to accommodate daytime and night-time as well as when an individual is drawing, reading or watching television (Husein, 2020).
Proper illumination to complement safety during the evening time.
Thermal Comfort:
The shaded area is used to protect children and other people from direct sunlight.
Natural cooling and better quality of air through the use of green walls
Some of the conditions required are ventilation systems to keep temperatures within reasonable comfort levels.
Safety Features:
Non-slip flooring materials
Spherical corners of furniture and construction
For elderly and disabled persons they should install emergency call buttons at convenient intervals.
Flexibility:
Mobile furniture that may be easily reorganized to fit the event in progress.
Flexible learning spaces are designed for flexibility to accommodate the range of activities of a child (Goessler and Kaluarachchi, 2023).
Through the implementation of these specifications, the design guarantees that all the potential users of the open area can comprehend and have access to it hence making the environment welcoming to everyone.
Sustainable Component Plan
Material Selection
When choosing the materials for the public space design, the focus is made on the material’s sustainability, durability, and its influence on the environment. it have selected the materials that will not only be capable of fulfilling the functional aspects but also in line with the requirement of an environmentally conscious organization.
Figure 1: Concrete advantages
(Source: https://slideplayer.com/)
Concrete: For the curved walls, it will use low carbon concrete which can be made by using waste materials like fly ash or ground granulated blast furnace slag. This means that there is low carbon emission and at the same time, there is strength and stability in the structures.
Steel and Aluminum: For structural support, it will use recycled steel and aluminum only recycled steel and aluminum shall be used for structural support (Gangneux et al. 2022). These materials provide excellent strength-to-weight ratio and are completely reusable.
Glass: For the windows and the areas that will have the transparent sections it will use the low-emissivity (low-E) glass. This special coating reduces the amount of ultraviolet and infrared light that can penetrate through the glass while at the same time allowing maximum passage of visible light.
Polycarbonate Panels: For some of the areas that will need to impact resistance and light transmission it will use polycarbonate panels formed from recycled material.
Green Wall Systems: The Wally Oasis will employ the use of such recycled materials as plastic containers and naturally sourced fibres to support the plants. The growing medium will be the Lightweight, water-retentive substrate of coconut coir & perlite.
Sustainable Wood: For the furniture and the side parts, it will use the FSC-certified timber obtained from well-managed forests.
Figure 2: Recycled Plastic
(Source: https://www.undp.org/)
Recycled Plastic: Particularly for some of the furniture and non-structural components, it will use recycled plastic to minimize plastic waste (P. and Wessels, 2022).
Material Processing
The processing of materials for the public space design will focus on energy efficiency and waste reduction:
Concrete Production: it will incorporate the use of a carbon capture system during the cement production manufacturing process to minimize the emission of CO2. These will be prepared on-site to minimize the transport pollution that comes with transporting the concrete.
Steel and Aluminum Fabrication: Where possible, these materials will be processed with power that is generated from renewable energy. In processing water, the water will be utilized in a closed system which will result in water being recycled and used again.
Glass Manufacturing: The low-E glass will be produced using an oxy-fuel furnace a technology that lowers energy use and NOx emissions. Recycled materials will be used in the process particularly cullet that will help minimize raw material use.
Polycarbonate Panel Production: it will not use any solvent in its production process to minimize the effects on the environment (Premier, 2020). Some of the production scrap will be reused after being reground.
Green Wall System Assembly: The parts will be connected with low volatile organic compounds adhesives and mechanical joins with a view of easing the disassembly at the end of the product’s life cycle with a view of recycling.
Wood Processing: This wood will be preserved with non-toxic water-based chemicals recognised by the FSC. Sawing and profiling will be done efficiently in a way that will ensure that the scrap is used for the minor parts, or chipped and used in the landscaping.
Recycled Plastic Molding: The plastic will be processed by an energy-efficient injection moulding process, The scrap generated will be recycled and fed back into the process.
Manufacturing Details
The manufacturing process for the public space components will emphasize efficiency, waste reduction, and local sourcing:
Modular Construction: it will use the modular construction technique in which most of the construction components are fabricated off-site (Lógó and Orbulov, 2021). This cuts down on the amount of waste that is produced on-site, enhances the quality and cuts down on the inconvenience caused to the neighbouring communities during construction.
3D Printing: For the curved elements that are large and intricate or the customized fittings, it will adopt the Large Scale 3D Printing. This is additive manufacturing that reduces the use of material and also the ability to take part by part customization.
CNC Machining: The use of Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machining will be adopted in the cutting and shaping of materials to increase material utilization and minimize wastage.
Energy-Efficient Equipment: Every production process will incorporate energy-efficient equipment and where possible will be an energy source from renewable energy.
Lean Manufacturing: it will reduce waste during its manufacturing through the use of lean manufacturing techniques such as just-in-time manufacture to eliminate the need for storage and subsequent wearisome of the products.
Local Sourcing: Enhance a reduction of carbon footprint in transportation, will using locally sourced materials and components where they are available most (Hu et al. 2021).
Water Conservation: In the production process, the water cycle will be adopted and recycled to be used repeatedly instead of waste and pollution.
Quality Control: Quality control measures will be conducted to reduce cases of defects and replacement hence reducing wastage and enhancing durability of the product.
Through the application of sustainable materials, their processing and manufacturing, it seeks to produce a public space that can meet its users’ needs while having a low environmental footprint throughout its life cycle.
Circularity Aspects
The public space design embraces circular economy principles, focusing on the 6R framework: This strategy has the following steps: Reuse, Reduce, Recycle, Restore, Repair, and Remanufacture.
Reuse
The concept applied in the design is modularity which makes it easy to replace the structure for use in another project (Boon and Anuga, 2020). For instance, the design of the seating units and shading structures feature unified connection methods, so that they can be repositioned, relocated or rearranged. The green wall systems are also flexible in the sense that they can be easily moved and adapted to serve many purposes in different environments.
Reduce
Materials are utilized in the best possible manner by coming up with efficient designs and the use of new-age fabrication tools and technology. Cutting down waste during manufacturing is made possible by adopting technological tools such as 3D printing and CNC machining. The use of such products as low-carbon concrete and recycled metals ensures that the structures are longer lasting therefore sparing the industry frequent replacements.
Recycle
Products are chosen with material recycling. The concrete is made from aggregates that are recycled and the material is recyclable hence it can be crushed and reused. Parts brought out in metal are constructed from recycled material and are 100% recyclable. The polycarbonate panels used in the structure as well as the other plastic components are made to be easily disassembled and recycled and all the components are labelled for easy identification during the recycling process.
Restore
Several natural elements are included in the work of designing and constructing the site to restore the ecosystem (Xiong et al. 2023). The green walls and other greenery in the design of the Wally Oasis, only includes native species of plants to boost the local ecosystem. Finally, where possible, there is the provision of permeable surfaces to filter water naturally as well as gravity-fed soak away for the recharge of groundwater. The concept is to minimize the adverse impact of the built furniture on nature and the latter on the built environment.
Repair
Every part is built with this in mind and to be as easily repairable as possible. Services are easily replaceable and fasteners and connections are used for most of the parts so that replacement becomes easy. A full maintenance manual is supplied with detailed information about the repair of any of the components. Diagnostic versions of the critical components are kept so that the 3D printing of spare components can be carried out anytime as and when they are required.
Figure 3: Remanufacturing
(Source: https://www.rit.edu/)
Remanufacture
As most of the units such as seating units and shading structures, reach the end of the initial life cycle they can be remanufactured (Fortes et al. 2021). These elements can be demounted, recycled and reconstructed with a limited amount of new components thereby preventing the creation of waste.
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Incorporation.
The public space design aligns with several UN Sustainable Development Goals:
SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): Through developing societies’ friendly, secure, and sustainable green areas that help enrich urban lifestyles.
SDG 13 (Climate Action): This is because the buildings shall be constructed with sustainable materials, then environmentally friendly designs shall be used to reduce energy consumption, and some green features that reduce the effects of the urban heat island.
SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): In the provision of accessible places for movement, interaction and engagement with the natural environment.
SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production): By properly applying the circular economy principles in the selection of the material and the design of products.
SDG 15 (Life on Land): By using native plant species in the “Wally Oasis” and other green zones, promoting local biodiversity.
SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy): This can be achieved through efficient use of energy lighting, and if possible incorporation of renewable energy in the building. Here the design shows how a single undertaking of urban growth can achieve various SDGs at the same time, and how they reinforce each other (Mathew and Mahanta, 2020).
Sustainability Strategy
The sustainability strategy for this public space design is multifaceted:
Life Cycle Approach: Environmental costs have to be considered from the stage of material production to the disposal stage.
Circular Economy: Applying the principle of the 6R framework to enhance resource utilization.
Biophilic Design: Applying nature to enhance the quality of people’s lives and the state of the surrounding environment.
Energy Efficiency: The practice of passive design approaches and efficient technologies.
Water Conservation: Such measures like rainwater harvesting as well as efficient irrigation facilities.
Local Sourcing: Specifying regional products and workforce to limit transport pollution impact and contribute to local employment.
Adaptability: Adaptable design for facilities that could easily be modified depending on the dynamics of the community.
Education: How to apply elements of education to increase people’s awareness of sustainability.
Monitoring and Improvement: Setting up targets and keeping records of performances as well as analyzing performances to detect areas for constant development (Červený et al. 2022).
Community Engagement: The accessibility and sustainability of the designs and implementations to the local stakeholders to assist in the long-term support of the structures.
Conclusion
It is important to highlight that the concept of the public space design integrates accessibility, environmental and circular economy perspectives. Solving some of the main environmental issues and focusing on requirements, it has developed a concept of future urban environments. This design not only fulfills the present requirements but also makes the way for future sustainable and integrated city’s growth.
Reference List
Journals
Boon, E.K. and Anuga, S.W., 2020. Circular economy and its relevance for improving food and nutrition security in Sub-Saharan Africa: the case of Ghana. Materials Circular Economy, 2, pp.1-14.
Červený, L., Sloup, R., Červená, T., Riedl, M. and Palátová, P., 2022. Industry 4.0 as an opportunity and challenge for the furniture industry—A case study. Sustainability, 14(20), p.13325.
Fortes, S., Hidalgo-Triana, N., Sánchez-la-Chica, J.M., García-Ceballos, M.L., Cantizani-Estepa, J., Pérez-Latorre, A.V., Baena, E., Pineda, A., Barrios-Corpa, J. and García-Marín, A., 2021. Smart tree: An architectural, greening and ICT multidisciplinary approach to smart campus environments. Sensors, 21(21), p.7202.
Gangneux, J., Joss, S., Humphry, J., Hanchard, M., Chesher, C., Maalsen, S., Merrington, P. and Wessels, B., 2022. Situated, yet silent: Data relations in smart street furniture. Journal of Urban Technology, 29(3), pp.19-39.
Goessler, T. and Kaluarachchi, Y., 2023. Smart adaptive homes and their potential to improve space efficiency and personalisation. Buildings, 13(5), p.1132.
Hu, R., Linner, T., Wang, S., Cheng, W., Liu, X., Güttler, J., Zhao, C., Lu, Y. and Bock, T., 2021. Towards a Distributed Intelligent Home Based on Smart Furniture for China's Aging Population: A Survey. In ISARC. Proceedings of the International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction (Vol. 38, pp. 41-48). IAARC Publications.
Husein, H.A., 2020. Multifunctional Furniture as a Smart Solution for Small Spaces for the Case of Zaniary Towers Apartments in Erbil City, Iraq. Int. Trans. J. Eng. Manag. Appl. Sci. Technol, 12, pp.1-11.
Lógó, E. and Orbulov, V., 2021. Case study for product development innovation based on design thinking approach, demonstrated by smart furniture project. Periodica Polytechnica Civil Engineering, 65(2), pp.397-408.
Mathew, A. and Mahanta, N.R., 2020, June. Artificial Intelligence for Smart Interiors-Colours, Lighting and Domotics. In 2020 8th International Conference on Reliability, Infocom Technologies and Optimization (Trends and Future Directions)(ICRITO) (pp. 1335-1338). IEEE.
Perteneder, F., Probst, K., Leong, J., Gassler, S., Rendl, C., Parzer, P., Fluch, K., Gahleitner, S., Follmer, S., Koike, H. and Haller, M., 2020, February. Foxels: build your own smart furniture. In Proceedings of the Fourteenth International Conference on Tangible, Embedded, and Embodied Interaction (pp. 111-122).
Premier, A., 2020, November. Smart solar urban furniture: design, application, limits and potentials. In Imaginable Futures: Design Thinking, and the Scientific Method, 54th International Conference of the Architectural Science Association (Vol. 2020).
Xiong, X., Yue, X. and Wu, Z., 2023. Current Status and Development Trends of Chinese Intelligent Furniture Industry. Journal of Renewable Materials, 11(3).
5 Years | PhD
