The Human Factor and Its Design SC-1

     

"Architecture is not a freewheeling artistic activity but a basic science, a practical profession that solves problems. The purpose of environmental design is not to allow designers to express themselves "artistically." The aim of the design is therefore to create environments and building blocks that are designed for the sake of the user, i.e., to form a scene and arrange it to meet the wishes and activities of the user."

    Part I: Humans, Machine and Environmental

    China is entering a period of high economic, information, scientific, technological, and cultural development. The material and spiritual life of society has been raised to a new height, and people are paying more attention to the environmental quality of their own lives and production activities. In addition to continuing to pay attention to the aesthetics of the environment, people have begun to emphasize the safety, health, efficiency, comfort, and satisfaction of the environment. One of the main characteristics of modern architectural and environmental design is the emphasis on various factors related to people and the importance of people, objects, machinery, and the environment, with a real scientific basis for mutual cooperation with people as the main body. In addition to the visual environment, other aspects of the physical environment, such as sound, light, heat, and microclimate, as well as the interaction between various environmental conditions and human physiology and psychology, have also begun to attract the attention of the design community and teaching and research departments. The relevant research knowledge has gradually begun to be applied to design practice. In line with this, some disciplines that can be collectively referred to as "human factors," such as ergonomics, environmental psychology, and environmental behaviour, have been gradually developed, which have not only attracted the attention of the design community and teaching researchers but also have been welcomed by the public and the market. However, a few decades ago, neither design practice nor teaching and research paid enough attention to these "human factors" disciplines.

    1.0，Humans and Machine

        In the past, it was always believed that the more advanced the machinery, the happier people's lives would be. People even believed that humans could progress with machines, but unfortunately, it turned out that it was machines and not people who had been progressing. During World War II, U.S. Air Force aircraft were found to have frequent accidents, and after investigation, it was found that there were problems with the design of the aircraft's altimeter, which was critical to flight. At that time, altimeters placed three hands on the same dial, which made it very difficult to quickly read accurate values, and the human brain did not have the ability to read three values at the same time and determine the meaning of each value in an instant. Maybe it's less than a second at this critical moment, so it's hard to say that this kind of meter will work at the critical moment. Later designs changed it to a pointer, eliminating accidents that could occur with altimeters. This story shows that we can't just focus on dry machinery and the facility itself; we must understand the safety, correctness, and efficiency of human use of machinery. By comparing the capabilities of humans and machines, we can draw the conclusions shown in chart 1.1.

        As the table reveals, the inability of the writer is a mechanical strength. For example, the machine runs and reacts very fast, with high precision, and can complete multiple tasks, including complex tasks, in the same two simple steps. It is especially suitable for repetitive work.

Chart 1.1 Strengths and weaknesses of human capabilities compared to machines

    Poor design can lead to accidents. More commonly, cars, trains, and in-flight seats are uncomfortable to sit in; kitchen utensils are inconvenient to use; and many computer operators constantly complain of back and lower back pain. More needs to be done to make the appliances and spaces used in our world more human-friendly and to make people's lives safer, healthier, and more comfortable. Now that we can shift our focus from the one side that previously placed too much emphasis on the development of things and machinery to at least part of it on the side of people, we will unexpectedly discover some new values. In the past, the idea was that a machine is a machine, an object is an object, and a person is a person. All of them are looked at separately, and in fact, we now need to combine people and objects, people and machines, and consider the relationship between the two in design together (Ohara, 1989).2. People and the environment: the relationship that is being re-examined In addition to the relationship between man and machine, the relationship between man and the environment is now being re-examined. After World War II and the rapid economic growth of Europe and the United States, the demand for various housing, schools, commercial, industrial, and transportation facilities increased dramatically, and the upsurge of urban construction began in various places, so that the open space of the city disappeared and the old buildings were destroyed and replaced. Forced to work in ever-smaller spaces, the demand for efficiency, speed, and consistency limits individuality, freedom of choice, and the expression of beauty. With the exception of very few private residences, the living environment is determined by developers, banks, and engineers. The role of the user disappears throughout the design process. Architectural criticism affirms the pursuit of formalism and leaves no room for discussion among users. Awards for various buildings are only for novelty and exaggerated self-expression, and most of them are given to new buildings that have not yet been used. Until the 1960s of the 20th century, it was believed that natural resources were inexhaustible, but in 1962, R. Carson's book "Silent Spring" caused a great shock among the public, policymakers, and academics. In the book, she writes vividly and seriously about the environmental pollution and ecological destruction caused by the excessive use of chemicals and fertilizers, which ultimately bring overwhelming disasters to mankind. The scientific and technological community has gradually realized its social responsibility, and people have begun to care about issues such as urban space, population control, and energy use, hoping to use natural science, social science, and environmental design expertise in the planning and decision-making process to have a positive impact on the human environment. Under the influence of this social force and trend of thought, it has contributed to the development of environmental design in a broad sense (including urban planning, urban design, architectural design, interior design, and industry).

    design and environmental design, a combination of design and behavioural science. It brings a new value to the design community that if architects and designers leave a detailed understanding of the environment and the people who use the product, design will eventually fail.

The Pruitt-Igoe housing complex in the United States, which has won numerous National and State Institute of Architects awards, is a prime example. Because the project's public spaces were designed with the organization of the flow of people so badly that it encouraged crime and undermined the sense of community of the residents, The only solution to the inability of the authorities to deal with the problems that have arisen in the residential area is to eradicate them completely. A survey of the socio-political background surrounding the project shows that a large number of such buildings were built in Europe and the United States in the 1950s and 1960s of the 20th centuries, and even the best architects were not spared. Photographs of the bombing of the Pruitt-Igoe housing complex appear in professional publications, reminding designers and students that the quality of architectural design depends not only on the form of the building but also on the people who use it. 

Pruitt-Igoe residential area

A real scene of the destruction of the common corridor of the Pruitt-Igoe residential building

    All this has prompted the entire environmental design community to re-examine the essence of architecture and the environment, re-understand the needs of users for architecture and the environment, and understand their physiological, psychological and social needs, which has led to a wide range of mutual cooperation involving many disciplines, and jointly developed a series of research and cooperation on the interrelationship between people, things, machines and the environment. Environmental Psychology and Environmental Behaviour.

Destruction of the Pruitt-Igoe residential area