codes codes codes

After paying closer attention to standards and codes, as a group, we realized we needed to make changes to the way we had designed things. Some of the changes include more space for egress, handicap accessibility, the amount of personal space a person needs, proper seat heights, stair heights and other ergonomic issues. As designers we need to recognize who we are designing for. Whether that is a child, an adult, or a handicapped person; each has differing abilities that have to be accounted for. Codes help in design by making sure that the environments that are designed are safe and accessible for people to interact with. They allow for consistency in design, no matter where you go, or who the designer is. Certain things will most always be the same. As designers, codes give us basic guidelines and understanding for what will make a space functional. They are also set in place to insure the safety for people that will be using the space. It helps us remember that we are designing for people and to keep our designs grounded in reality. We anticipate that codes will change our work as designers by taking our abstract designs from first year students and transforming them into spaces and environments that are usable and safe, as well as functional. We are no longer designing for our personal interests or what we think ‘looks good.’ We are now designing for the best interest of others, aesthetically and functionally, and codes will only help in this transformation.