May 2020
PHYSICAL DISTANCING IN FORMAL CAMPUS LEARNING SPACES
SUMMARY PHYSICAL DISTANCING IN FORMAL CAMPUS LEARNING SPACES As higher education institutions work through the endless logistics of returning to campus, all are facing common problems including incorporating physical distancing guidelines set forth by the CDC and public health experts. Formal learning spaces, including classrooms, lecture halls, and seminar rooms, can meet these guidelines at lower occupancies than their design capacities. To assist campus space planners and registrars in complying with current CDC guidelines for social distancing, LS3P has explored planning scenarios for a variety of general room types and furnishings.
Every space is different, and feet and inches matter for room layouts. Structure matters. Door placement matters. Circulation matters.
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These scenarios were developed by analyzing formal learning spaces on multiple university and college campuses. Spaces were categorized by occupancy counts (4 to 500 seats) and furniture systems (movable or fixed). The planning scenarios include several assumptions. Seating capacities reuse existing furniture systems to minimize costs and implementation time. The current CDC guidelines for 6’ spacing create room for interpretation, whether this is intended to be measured centerline to centerline or shoulder to shoulder clear. This study utilizes a 7’ centerline to centerline approach as a compromise between the two. Movable furnishings layouts are modified to be forward-facing to reduce face-to-face contact. This document shows examples of capacities and ranges of efficiencies comparing designed occupancies with physically distanced ones for institutions to use for general planning purposes. Actual occupancies should be verified with existing room geometries and furnishings.
LS3P | PHYSICAL DISTANCING IN FORMAL CAMPUS LEARNING SPACES
AVERAGE EFFICIENCIES LEARNING SPACES WITH MOVABLE FURNISHINGS EXTRA SMALL
41%
SMALL
44%
MEDIUM
37%
LARGE
34%
EXTRA LARGE
26%
LEARNING SPACES WITH FIXED FURNISHINGS EXTRA SMALL
31%
SMALL
33%
MEDIUM
25%
LARGE
24%
EXTRA LARGE
19%
Assumptions (May 2020): 1. To reduce costs and time to implement, evaluations make use of existing room furniture systems that would require minimal infrastructure modifications. Additional capacity may be gained by changing furniture systems or making infrastructure modifications. 2. Current CDC Guidelines for 6’ spacing creates room for interpretation (centerline v. shoulder to shoulder measurement); this study utilizes 7’ on center spacing in all directions. 3. Movable furnishings with 7’ on center spacing may require additional spacing for circulation aisles. See furnishings diagram on page 2. 4. Evaluations for movable furnishings layouts are forward-facing to reduce face-to-face contact. 5. Room geometries vary, and efficiency averages are for reference only. Actual room layouts may be higher or lower dependent upon walls, columns, doors, circulation, and furniture systems.
MAY 2020 |
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LEARNING SPACES WITH MOVABLE FURNISHINGS EXTRA SMALL OCCUPANCY (4-12 SEATS) Average Area per Seat (SF)
Average
Seat Count Range
Designed
Distanced
Efficiency
Low
High
Low
High
22
54
41%
1
4
40%
42%
EXAMPLE ROOM: EXTRA SMALL
10 seats
4 seats
40%
4
Efficiency Range
LS3P | PHYSICAL DISTANCING IN FORMAL CAMPUS LEARNING SPACES
LEARNING SPACES WITH MOVABLE FURNISHINGS SMALL OCCUPANCY (13-24 SEATS) Average Area per Seat (SF)
Average
Seat Count Range
Efficiency Range
Designed
Distanced
Efficiency
Low
High
Low
High
26
59
44%
5
10
38%
50%
EXAMPLE ROOM: SMALL
20 seats
8 seats
40%
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LEARNING SPACES WITH MOVABLE FURNISHINGS MEDIUM OCCUPANCY (25-49 SEATS) Average Area per Seat (SF)
Average
Seat Count Range
Designed
Distanced
Efficiency
Low
High
Low
High
24
66
37%
9
18
28%
50%
EXAMPLE ROOM: MEDIUM, DIVIDED
6
Efficiency Range
24 seats
32 seats
50%
37%
12 seats
12 seats
LS3P | PHYSICAL DISTANCING IN FORMAL CAMPUS LEARNING SPACES
LEARNING SPACES WITH MOVABLE FURNISHINGS LARGE OCCUPANCY (50-90 SEATS) Average Area per Seat (SF)
Average
Seat Count Range
Efficiency Range
Designed
Distanced
Efficiency
Low
High
Low
High
22
63
34%
17
34
33%
37%
EXAMPLE ROOM: LARGE
64 seats
33% 21 seats
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LEARNING SPACES WITH MOVABLE FURNISHINGS EXTRA LARGE OCCUPANCY (100-500 SEATS) Average Area per Seat (SF)
Average
Seat Count Range
Designed
Distanced
Efficiency
Low
High
Low
High
16
60
26%
26
130
22%
30%
EXAMPLE ROOM: EXTRA LARGE
150 seats
27% 40 seats
8
Efficiency Range
LS3P | PHYSICAL DISTANCING IN FORMAL CAMPUS LEARNING SPACES
MAY 2020 |
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LEARNING SPACES WITH FIXED FURNISHINGS EXTRA SMALL OCCUPANCY (4-12 SEATS) Average Area per Seat (SF)
Average
Seat Count Range
Designed
Distanced
Efficiency
Low
High
Low
High
23
75
31%
1
3
25%
40%
EXAMPLE ROOM: EXTRA SMALL
10 seats
3 seats
30%
10
Efficiency Range
LS3P | PHYSICAL DISTANCING IN FORMAL CAMPUS LEARNING SPACES
LEARNING SPACES WITH FIXED FURNISHINGS SMALL OCCUPANCY (13-24 SEATS) Average Area per Seat (SF)
Average
Seat Count Range
Efficiency Range
Designed
Distanced
Efficiency
Low
High
Low
High
26
80
33%
4
7
22%
40%
EXAMPLE ROOM: SMALL
20 seats
8 seats
40%
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LEARNING SPACES WITH FIXED FURNISHINGS MEDIUM OCCUPANCY (25-49 SEATS) Average Area per Seat (SF)
Average
Seat Count Range
Designed
Distanced
Efficiency
Low
High
Low
High
24
98
25%
6
12
18%
33%
EXAMPLE ROOM: MEDIUM, DIVIDED
12
Efficiency Range
24 seats
32 seats
33%
25%
8 seats
8 seats
LS3P | PHYSICAL DISTANCING IN FORMAL CAMPUS LEARNING SPACES
LEARNING SPACES WITH FIXED FURNISHINGS LARGE OCCUPANCY (50-99 SEATS) Average Area per Seat (SF)
Average
Seat Count Range
Efficiency Range
Designed
Distanced
Efficiency
Low
High
Low
High
23
94
24%
12
24
20%
31%
EXAMPLE ROOM: LARGE
71 seats
14 seats
20%
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LEARNING SPACES WITH FIXED FURNISHINGS EXTRA LARGE OCCUPANCY (100-500 SEATS) Average Area per Seat (SF)
Average
Seat Count Range
Efficiency Range
Designed
Distanced
Efficiency
Low
High
Low
High
15
76
19%
19
95
15%
21%
EXAMPLE ROOM: EXTRA LARGE
388 seats
58 seats
15%
14
LS3P | PHYSICAL DISTANCING IN FORMAL CAMPUS LEARNING SPACES
MAY 2020 |
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For more information contact: Shawn Sowers, AIA, LEED AP BD+C Higher Education Practice Leader ShawnSowers@LS3P.com This Guide is provided as a space efficiency reference only and should not be construed as architectural, interior design, building code, legal, or medical advice. By using this Guide, the User agrees that LS3P ASSOCIATES LTD. and/or its contributing consultants (collectively, the “Author”) make no guarantees or warranties, express or implied including, but not limited to, the warranties of a professional standard of care, merchantability, or fitness for a particular purpose. The User is directed to applicable orders, guidelines, and recommendations of organizations including, but not limited to, executive officials, public health departments, the Centers for Disease Control, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and the World Health Organization. The User should not rely on the Author until the User has sought professional advice in the applicable jurisdiction. This Guide should not be construed as an offer by the Author to provide services in any profession or jurisdiction where the Author is not licensed. The Author reserves all rights including, but not limited to, copyrights. This Guide may not be reproduced, modified, or published without the express written permission of the Author. © Copyright 2020 LS3P ASSOCIATES LTD.