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Architectural Standards

Project  What are they?

Architectural standards regulate the world around us.

As David Korins so appropriately put it in his Ted Talk from a few pages ago, these are the standards that "keep us from going boom."

  • The seats of chairs are all around the same height.
  • Doorways have a standard width and height.
  • Stairs have standard, comfortable rises (the vertical distance from the top of one tread to the next) and runs (the depth of each tread), which also do not change in the middle of the staircase
  • Light-switches are usually at the same height and approximate distance into each room
  • Door knobs are all at the same height and at the same position relative to the door frame
  • and so on, and so forth

InfoLit  Historical context

It is important for set designers to study and know architectural standards not just for modern times, but also for historical periods. Some standards (like the size of doorways) change throughout history based on the art, decor, and clothing of the time.

For example, 18th century France had very wide doorways and furniture with no sides or armrests in order to accommodate the wide panniers (side hoops) in women's court dresses. This architecture, in turn, diminished following the French Revolution and the overthrow of those French nobility because those type of elaborate dresses where no longer in fashion.

Having the appropriate standard in place for the show you are creating is a simple way (in addition to period decor, colors, materials, and shapes) to help convey the historical period to the audience without needing a flashing time stamp.

Strategies Strategic Adjustments

By manipulating these established proportions, set designers can also make a commentary on the world of the play or the characters. For example, a character who is overwhelmed by the world and suffers from anxiety might be surrounded by scenery that is purposely larger than life to make them seem smaller.

The possibilities are endless.

However - as a note of caution - what you want to avoid with any adjustments to architectural standards is interrupting the flow of the play or making it physically impossible for the actors to navigate the space as desired. It is great if the ramp looks amazing. But if it is too steep for the actors to walk up or they slide too much walking down, then the design is a failure.

Compromises may have to be made between aesthetics and functionality.