Traffic Patterns

1
Traffic Patterns

• Types of Circulation
• (Traffic) Patterns within a
• Home

2
OBJECTIVES

• Name and describe the 4 types of traffic patterns
• Discuss the importance of open circulation in a
  house
• Evaluate traffic patterns in floor plans

3
4 Types of Traffic Patterns

• Family
• Work
• Service
• Guest

4
Family

• This is the most complex pattern
• Family members have different living habits which
  form different patterns
• It will follow these guidelines

5
Family

• Related rooms are close together
• A bathroom is located close to bedrooms
• Indoor living area is readily available to
  outdoor living spaces (patio, etc)
• Excessive hall space is avoided (Hallways never
  end at an outside wall)
• Rooms are not cut in half by traffic pattern
• High-frequency routes are short and simpleFree
  of major obstructions like furniture)

6
Traffic Patterns
7
Work

• Kitchen is the hub of the work pattern
• Circulation should flow easily through the
  kitchen
• Kitchen and dining area should be adjacent to
  each other
• Kitchen and service entrance should be adjacent

8
Work

• Any area of the home in which work is preformed
  should be easily accessible to those who use it
• Work Triangle the traffic pattern between the
  sink, refrigerator and cooking units (range,
  oven, microwave)
• Work Triangle should not exceed 22 ft in total
  length

9
Service

• The movement of people in and out of the home as
  they make service calls, deliver goods, read
  meters, take garbage out, etc.
• People should not have to cross over other rooms
  to get to work areas

10
Guest

• This circulation pattern is the easiest to
  determine
• Involves the movement from the entry to the coat
  closet and to the living room with access to a
  bathroom
• Guest should be able to move from the entry to
  the living area without passing through other
  rooms

11
Guest
12
Guest

• A small house or apartment may not have an entry
  areas or foyer, so guest may enter right into the
  living area
• Guest bedrooms should be easily accessible

13
When evaluating a floor plan take into
consideration where furniture will be placed in
relation to the circulation pattern.
The relationship of one room to another dictates
how functional the space will be
Note the dining area should be between the
kitchen and living area. This makes it possible
to have formal dinners where guest have easy
access to conversational seating, dining and food
is easily served