It is useful to categorise the range of different spaces to be included in the building under the three headings of 'generic', 'specialist' and 'public' spaces. As many activities as possible should be accommodated in a limited number of different generic spaces. This will ease future change of use from one function to another.There will also be a need for some specialist spaces to accommodate specific functions. All of the 'activity spaces' will be linked and served by public space, the size of which will depend on the scope and scale of the overall project.
There is a range of guidance available relating to rooms sizes for primary care buildings including 'Revised schedules of accommodation' and HBN 40 – 'Common activity spaces'.
The information contained in these publications is advisory, and sometimes conflicting, often as a consequence of the date at which they have been published. In order to reconcile this conflict, and to produce room sizes that can robustly accommodate change over time, it is suggested that rooms and spaces in buildings for primary and social care are very clearly divided into three categories: 'generic', 'specialist' and 'public' spaces.
Exact sizes for generic spaces will, to some extent, depend on their layout, how much fitted furniture they contain, special local conditions and their shape. Guideline areas are suggested in the detailed design considerations, along with some optional room layouts. This information is not intended to be prescriptive. The project team should think about activities that occur within each space and how they can best be accommodated. As a broad principal, a minimum of different generic room types should be provided to increase the opportunities for change of use in the future. From the range of generic spaces discussed in the detailed design considerations, a palette of generic room sizes is suggested:
Use – WC for the disabled, pantry, cleaners' room or disposal holding room. Such a room could be sub-divided to form an ambulant user WC.
Use - counselling, staff or client interview, single person office, clean utility, dirty utility room, nurses' weighing room.
Use - examination/consultation, fast-throughput treatment, single person therapy treatment space, small group room for four to six people, meeting room for six people, two-person office.
Use - treatment room, group room for 6-8 people, meeting room for 8-10 people, office for 3 or 4 people. Two or three of these spaces could be placed side by side, connected by folding acoustic screens, to enable the space to be opened-up for larger group or therapy activities, large meetings or social events. Such a space could also be sub-divided to form two 9-10 m2 rooms.
Note: 4.5-5 m2 is suggested as a module size for these rooms. Where possible specialist rooms should be sized using this component size. In these generic rooms, consideration should be given to the attributes necessary for each space to make it easy to change from one function to another. Electrical power outlets, telephones and data points are relatively easy to install from the outset, even if they are not all fully used in the initial room configuration. Some of the room-uses listed would require clinical hand wash basins or sinks, although it is not always appropriate to install them in all rooms from the outset. Consideration should be given to providing capped-off water supplies and drainage in the spaces that are most like to have changed use in the medium term.
Areas required for specialist spaces (rooms for podiatry, ophthalmology, dental services etc) can be determined more precisely, as they are designed to contain a relatively small range of specialist activities. Suggested areas and optional room layouts are contained in the detailed design considerations.
The size of public spaces within the building will largely be determined by its overall size and content. Guidelines are available for sizing waiting areas and corridors, are contained in the detailed design considerations.
Many activity spaces such as utilities and offices commonly occur in all health buildings. Comprehensive detailed information about them is contained in HBN 40 – 'Common activity spaces'.
Critical dimensions are the minimum dimensions required for an activity to be carried out. These dimensions must be maintained regardless of particular equipment or furniture layout in an activity space. It is important to note that activity zones may be overlapped for economy of space. Many of these dimensions are illustrated in HBN 40 - 'Common activity spaces'. Where they are specific to primary care they are included in the detailed design considerations. For the whole building or its major elements, the areas are gross floor areas between the inside faces of perimeter walls. This includes circulation space and covers the floor areas taken up by internal walls and partitions and minor ducts within the building.