Electronic check-in and boarding passes? Good design.

Not enough space on a form to enter an email address? Bad design.

Rubber shoe covers? Good design.

The Ford Pinto? Bad design.

Everything we use has been designed. Sometimes it’s effortless to the point we take it for granted and then there’s the day the release latch on the umbrella is stuck and it’s pouring rain. What is the criteria to distinguish a good design from bad design? First, it must provide a viable solution to a need or desire. Next, it must serve its intended purpose. And finally, it must withstand its usable life cycle.

When it comes to architectural design, the criteria is simultaneously easier and more complex because of all the possible permutations of a single idea. I’ll use some of Studio Santalla’s projects to discuss the concept.

 

This is a 5 ft x 7 ft bathroom. It’s used just about everywhere in the US; it’s the standard when planning a bathroom. Does it provide a viable solution? Yes; and it works for its intended purpose and with proper care it will last for years. It’s a space efficient design. But is the instance shown in the photo a good design? No.

Functionally, medicine cabinets don’t work for their intended purpose. Medications should be kept in a cool, dry place, which the bathroom is not, and what fits in it besides small bottles and boxes? Otherwise, there is no place to store even the basics and the pedestal sink provides very little surface for soap, a toothbrush, etc. It’s set up for a shower curtain, which isn’t functional because it gets in the way and the liner grows mildew. In this instance, the light is directed to the top of the medicine cabinet, which is also a dust ledge.

With all these issues, can a bathroom this size work? Absolutely.

 

 

Showers are a better use of limited space than tubs. A small plastic tub can be brought in to the shower for bathing small children, which is also safer. A countertop provides a surface to place things, which can be stored in the cabinet below to avoid clutter. Wall mounted faucets maximize surface space. A combination of up and downlighting make shaving and applying make up a lot easier. The large mirror and the glass shower enclosure relieve the small space from being claustrophobic, especially when there are no windows. There is a shelf in the shower for soap, shampoo, etc. The shower door handle is also the towel bar. The cabinet is wall mounted, which makes cleaning the floor easier.

 

Let’s look at a space that is the staple of most homes, the family room.

 

 

Most likely, this space worked well as a less formal space to the living room when the house was built in this 1969 in the center hall colonial style. But in 2005, it no longer suited the way the occupants wanted to use it, which included watching TV and informal dining, and lacked physical connection to the back yard. In an era of informal living, isolated rooms do not work.

 

 

The hearth was replaced by a media center. The windows were enlarged to double doors. Add lighting and furniture and the room was completely transformed. Is this a good design solution? Yes; it suits the way the family uses the space and plans to use it for the foreseeable future.

Take a look at the original dining room in the same house.

 

 

As was customary, the formal dining room is located off the entry hall, opposite the living room.

 

 

The doorway leads to the kitchen. Otherwise, the room is isolated from the rest of the house. Take a look at what we did.

 

 

The wall separating the dining room and the back of the house was opened. Previously “out of sight, out of mind,” the dining room is now part of a suite of rooms.

 

 

A view of the dining room as seen from the den. The house is now open front to back, while retaining the room proportions, overall layout and elegance of the center hall colonial style home.

At Studio Santalla we cannot deny our love for an excellent piece of furniture or a light fixture. Our top priority however, is quality of the space, which is going to have the biggest impact on the way we live.