No Small Subject-

Of course, there is a whole world history of architectural knowledge and opinion on the design of buildings that is plenty enough for people to devote entire careers to. Far too much for anyone to condense into one little internet article. The intent of this article is not so much to educate on the aesthetic and subjective components of design in this area, or how to dazzle your customers, tenants, etc. with cutting-edge design,  but to give you some basic facts that will effect your design whether you like it or not.  Any competent, workable design will have to address these basic facts, which oddly enough often get completely overlooked until much later in the game than they ought to.  I concentrate here on the smaller type of commercial projects that constitute the vast majority of projects built and are within my direct experience.  This article is not intended to address larger, multi-story projects where issues may be even more complex than represented here.

Parking, Parking, Parking-

Like it or not, for good or for bad, parking design will be one of the most significant factors in a successful design.  Depending on the intended use of the building, the number of parking spaces required may vary dramatically.  Parking is normally calculated by a certain number of spaces per "x" square feet of the building dependent on the use of that portion of the building.  For buildings with multiple types of uses, this can be a complex calculation and is sometimes open to some discretion by the Planning Department.

And besides the number of spaces required, there are also lengthy and complex requirements for aisle widths, turning radii, entering and exiting onto streets, etc., etc.  It is very important to find the balance between the square footage of the building and the amount of space available on the site for parking early on in the design process.  A general rule of thumb often used is 300 sq.ft. for each parking space to schematically account for this in the early design process.

In many cities, you may pay an in-lieu fee in place of providing parking on site that may go towards the construction of public parking lots and parking structures elsewhere but this can be exceedingly expensive.  Many cities seeking to promote redevelopment in older areas may have ordinances specific to these areas where parking requirements are reduced but be very careful that your project in fact meets what can be very specific qualifying requirements.  See my article "But We Got it in Writing!" on the nightmare stories page for a cautionary tale about this issue.

Accommodation of persons with disabilities (more on that below) will also pay a significant role in site design, as these spaces are larger and clear paths from these spaces to building entrances are also required.

Exiting & Paths of Travel-

There are too many fire exiting and path of travel codes  to cover even briefly in this short article and each building may vary dramatically, I just want to inform you here that they exist and are important to your design.  Number and width of exits, total length of the path of travel to these exits, fire protected stairwells, areas of refuge, just to name a few, will play a critical role in any workable design.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and CALDAG-

Whether it is parking design and layout, required clear path of travel, restroom requirements and a host of other issues, the requirements for handicapped access as a result of the Americans with Disabilities Act (and if you are in California, also CALDAG) will effect the space planning and layout of your design dramatically.  Note that the difference between the ADA and the California Building Code (covered by the CALDAG manual) , are sometimes contradictory and difficult to discern.

For smaller commercial buildings where you may only be required to have one each of male and female restrooms, you can figure one ADA compliant bathroom will roughly require at least a 7 ft. x 7ft. clear interior space.   The number of required plumbing fixtures is governed by the plumbing code, and then the minimum number of accessible ones within this requirement, by the ADA and CALDAG.  In the case of multiple fixtures the requirements are focused on particular required stalls, sinks, etc. within bathrooms and clear path of travel and a minimum turning radius of 60 inches within them for wheelchairs to turn around, to name only a couple of the requirements.

In addition to this, you will generally need to provide a 44" wide clear traveling path to all portions of all spaces.  For restaurants and other food service projects, this includes between tables and all kitchen equipment but not generally between movable chairs.  There are also clear spaces required on either side of both interior and exterior doors.  And these are just a few of the basics.

You will need to provide a complete accessibility plan showing how you will be addressing all of the ADA and/or CALDAG requirements.  I generally provide at least three additional full sheets of drawings and specifications delineating the pertinent requirements.

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