Proxemics
Studying the way humans interact with one another is proxemics (Hall). Design plays a massive role in determining the way people will interact. Understanding that the way furniture is placed and how people will move throughout the space will help guide designers to make it comfortable for the end user.
Sociopetal VS Sociofugal
Hand Sketch by Me
Furniture arrangements can make or break a room. There are two types of seating arrangements: sociopetal and sociofugal. Sociopetal encourages interaction between users while sociofugal discourages interaction. A lot of the time, you will find sociopetal seating arrangements in homes. A dining table or a sectional sofa are two examples of sociopetal seating. These are designed to create interaction by making the users face each other. Sociofugal seating is found in doctor's offices. Seats face opposite directions to create a level of privacy. Some places have flexible seating. This could be found in a coffee shop or a library. You could sit at a table facing the wall for sociofugal, or you can sit with a group of friends for sociopetal.
Personal Space
Everyone has their personal bubble. We are very selective to who we allow inside our bubble. We have 4 different distance zones: intimate, personal, social, and public. These spaces are determined by the level of comfort we have with each person. Intimate are for people we are extremely close with, for example, significant others. Personal is for family members. Social is for friends and coworkers. Public is everyone else. These levels are our comfort for how close we will allow someone to physically get to us. When someone who you don't know very well gets into your intimate bubble, you feel uneasy. For example, I've had customers touch my shoulders or hands before. They entered the intimate zone when they were supposed to stay in the public zone. I instantly tense up and feel uncomfortable. However, when someone I'm close to (for instance, my best friend), goes in for a hug, I am comfortable and welcoming them into that space.
Understanding how humans interact with each other in a space is vital for good design. Without this understanding, you can make the end users uncomfortable and upset.
Personal Space
Everyone has their personal bubble. We are very selective to who we allow inside our bubble. We have 4 different distance zones: intimate, personal, social, and public. These spaces are determined by the level of comfort we have with each person. Intimate are for people we are extremely close with, for example, significant others. Personal is for family members. Social is for friends and coworkers. Public is everyone else. These levels are our comfort for how close we will allow someone to physically get to us. When someone who you don't know very well gets into your intimate bubble, you feel uneasy. For example, I've had customers touch my shoulders or hands before. They entered the intimate zone when they were supposed to stay in the public zone. I instantly tense up and feel uncomfortable. However, when someone I'm close to (for instance, my best friend), goes in for a hug, I am comfortable and welcoming them into that space.
Photo taken by me of the family dogs in each other's intimate zones
Understanding how humans interact with each other in a space is vital for good design. Without this understanding, you can make the end users uncomfortable and upset.
Your explanation of sociofugal and sociopetal is very good. The examples you gave for each is very easy to relate to, especially the one about flexible seating. I have been in so many places where I wished I could move a seat to be closer to another person. Its very important that this type of seating is incorporated into spaces correctly.
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