Ergonomic Experimentation in the Architectural Design Process – Types of Test Environments

Abstract

The purpose of an ergonomic experiment in the design of architecture is to adapt the designed environment to human dexterity, particularly taking into account people with impaired motor abilities or those with a vision impairment, the elderly, children and those with temporary disabilities. Depending on the test purpose and scale, one may conduct experiments in small scale test environments; e.g. an ergonomics laboratories, or in large scale environments: architectural mockups, show houses and experimental houses. There are many advantages to real-space experimentation in testing ergonomics of architectural spaces and interior designs, as opposition to experiments conducted with digital tools and virtual reality, which gain on popularity.