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Ergonomic Kitchen Design in Malaysian Low-Cost Housing
Abstract
The kitchen is where family members gather and household chores are primarily done. The purpose of the study is to highlight the issue of the comfort of Malaysian low-cost housing kitchens. It is the space commonly disregarded and has been a cause for many other issues relating to health, safety, and cleanliness. To propose a better design strategy, a basic understanding of the underlying principles and design development is pertinent to extracting the key elements that make up a good kitchen. It will serve as a basis for a revised guideline for plan layout, particularly in Malaysian low-cost housings. Keywords: Ergonomics; Kitchen Design; Low-cost; Minimal Space eISSN: 2398-4287 © 2022. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BYNC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians/Africans/Arabians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/ebpj.v7i20.3424
... Additionally, better plan development and ergonomic ideas were emphasized in the design of kitchens for low-cost homes in Malaysia, resulting in increased comfort and functionality [46]. The study on rural kitchen design discovered that although the kitchens satisfied size requirements, they were devoid of a work triangle, adequate ventilation, and deep storage shelves [47]. ...
This study assessed the level of kitchen layout design and individual work performance in eateries in Davao del Norte, Philippines. A descriptive-correlational research design was employed in this study to determine the relationship between the two variables. The respondents of this study were 207 employees of eateries in Davao del Norte, selected through a simple random sampling technique. Two adapted questionnaires were used, and the statistical tools included mean, Pearson r, and standard deviation. The findings of this study revealed that the level of kitchen layout design in terms of lighting, space or arrangement of kitchen equipment, and type of flooring was very high. The investigation also found that the level of individual work performance in terms of task performance, contextual performance, and counterproductive work behavior was very high, indicating that these behaviors were always manifest. Additionally, the study found a significant relationship between kitchen layout design and individual work performance, with an r value of 0.781 and a p-value of 0.000. Therefore, it was recommended to select a suitable kitchen layout design in eateries to enhance individual performance and workplace productivity. Future researchers were encouraged to continue exploring the space or arrangement of kitchen equipment to better manage kitchens and develop creative technologies for improved comprehension in these areas. Enhancing the study of task and contextual performance was suggested to emphasize human factor considerations and a holistic approach to boost productivity outcomes.
House interiors have always mirrored the level of development of civilisation of societies, as they have constituted an area of fulfilment of existential, cultural and aesthetical needs. However, meeting those needs requires a considerable effort. The course and effectiveness of household chores was influenced by social and economic determinants, as well as technological advancements, specific for a particular time. Problematic issues connected with functioning of households have been analysed for many years, since rationalisation and organisation of household chores and gainful activities fostered their improvement. As a result, household environment became the main place of relaxation for its members. The paper presents selected (often scientific) studies concerning organisation of work in houses and its influence on forms and structures of dwellings. Their analysis indicates that in the past people concentrated mainly on gaining and processing of food produce. Broadly defined kitchen chores were also very prominent. Nevertheless, their social status was considerably low. This influenced layouts of contemporary houses. Improvements in the standard of living (e.g. in Europe and North America) changed the character of household chores and forms of houses. Currently, household duties concentrate in relatively small kitchens. However, meal preparation has been gaining more and more appreciation. As a result, in many homes the kitchen area is joined with the living rooms area. The paper has an interdisciplinary character. It is based on studies of diversified resources, which indicates a comparative and analytical character of the paper. What is more, case studies concerning the most important publications and theses about the rules of running a household were also analysed. Pointing out the importance of household chores in everyday life and their systematisation is usually neglected by architects. Whereas their recognition may result in a better programming and designing of contemporary houses.
Kitchen is a functionally complex room, where various complex chores, related mainly to meal preparation, are performed. Therefore, apart from gainful employment, it is necessary to devote many hours of work to various household chores. The desire to reduce the time of everyday duties has always been a drive to progress and has led to various rationalization activities. Ergonomics, together with related scientific research, focuses on improvement of performance and work comfort, which, for a long time, has been applied in the “work environment”. Nevertheless, in the “household environment” such solutions were rarely used. Household chores (including kitchen chores) still remain outside the interests of contemporary scientists and researchers. The paper focuses on scientific achievements concerning organization of kitchen chores and improvement of their ergonomic quality. What is more, the paper indicates potential conveniences which are not implemented and popularized; it also presents postulates of further improvement of work conditions in household kitchens.
The role of kitchen area in the house environment has been changing over the course of history. The changes concerned the share of kitchen space in apartment functional structure, as well as the course of everyday chores. Currently, as well as in the past, kitchen areas remain placed either in separate rooms, or they constitute a part of a bigger space (usually the living room). At present, two characteristic domestic kitchen models are preferred: “laboratory” and multifunctional (with a dining room). The space limitations, especially in multi-family housing, favored the “laboratory” kitchen model, or so-called partial kitchens in living rooms. Technical progress enabled creating various types of small kitchen areas, which are adjusted to diverse needs of users, according to their lifestyle.
Kitchen areas are crucial places for completing various household chores. Among everyday duties performed in the kitchen there are: preparing meals, doing the washing up and cleaning up. Those chores frequently are technologically complicated activities. In order to perform them more efficiently, household members use various devices and home appliances. Conducting of chores, storing the appliances and food products etc., requires a vast share of the apartment structure. Providing sufficiently big maneuver and storage spaces is particularly difficult in small kitchens. Shortages in available space may have a negative influence on, among others, the correct layout of working space or ease of movement in small kitchens.
The following paper concentrates on the evolution and examples of types of small kitchens, as well as selected rules concerning the improvement of conditions of their arrangements.
This paper examines the design quality of People"s Housing Project (Program Perumahan Rakyat or PPR) low cost high rise flats developed by the National Housing Department (Jabatan Perumahan Negara or JPN) in Kuala Lumpur since the 1998. Quality Function Deployment method is used as a tool to analyze the current status and to prioritize the demanded quality from the selected PPR low-cost high rise flats" users. The study revealed that factors in determining a quality low-cost high-rise flat arranged in descending degrees of importance are house safety, provision of public amenities, unit internal environment, maintenance and surrounding environment, location, sanitary fittings, unit size, type of house, material used, unit internal layout, quality of workmanship, structure of the house and appearance. A Quality Chart for PPR low-cost high-rise flats in Kuala Lumpur was presented. Authority (47 per cent) has the highest relative degree of importance in determining the quality of PPR flats, followed by Design Element (34 per cent) and Quality of Living (19 per cent). Accordingly, the success of the schemes relies strongly on effective control and enforcement by the authorities. However, it can be improved by tackling on the Design Element (Architectural), whereby a revised typical unit layout plan and typical details have been proposed at the last section of the paper.
Housing is a basic social need where families can have a comfortable living and work in a sustainable environment. This study aims to determine related factors that influenced the performance of multi-storey low-cost public housing in Malaysia. The data are collected through a semi structured interviews and critical observation on site conducted in four location of public housing in Selangor. Analysis has been made from feedback by the property management, residents and non residents. Findings identified will improve social and physical management requirements and the needs of the residents which can create a better, successful, conducive for affordable low cost public housing.
Problem statement: The investigated area in this study was the enclosed lift lobby, which distinguishes itself as a unique form of region categorized under building transitional spaces. Such region may act upon on the work performance of occupants, as occupants are sensitive towards the conditions of immediate surroundings. The objective of this study was to investigate the occupants’ perceptions of environmental comfort in the enclosed transitional region with identification of current thermal, visual and acoustic conditions, as well as the effect of the environmental conditions towards work performance. Approach: This survey was performed using both objective and subjective assessments, where comfort related parameters were measured using electronic sensors and the outcomes were analyzed concurrently with results from questionnaire. Results: The results showed that thermal comfort prevails over other two parameters in defining human comfort in the enclosed building area and presumed by most respondents to have more significant impact on work performance. Besides, the environmental factors of the enclosed transitional space exert different level of influences towards work productivity of building occupants. Conclusion: It was necessary to maintain the environmental conditions in the enclosed transitional space, similar to the commonly occupied areas within a building. Further investigation on the individual behavior of occupants in the enclosed region of a building was suggested.
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