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SIGraDi 2023
Accelerated Landscapes
XXVII International Conference of the Ibero-American
Society of Digital Graphics.
29 Nov - 30 Nov - 1 Dec
Punta del Este | Maldonado | Uruguay
#in_person_conference
SIGraDi 2023
Accelerated Landscapes
XXVII International Conference of the Ibero-American Society of Digital Graphics
www.sigradi.org/sigradi2023
Edition
Fernando García Amen
Facultad de Arquitectura Diseño y Urbanismo
Uruguay
Ángel Armagno Gentile
Facultad de Información y Comunicación
Uruguay
Ana Laura Goñi Fitipaldo
Centro Universitario Regional Este
Uruguay
Design
Ángel Armagno Gentile
Facultad de Información y Comunicación
Uruguay
ISBN: 978-9915-9635-0-1
© Facultad de Arquitectura Diseño y Urbanismo (UdelaR)
This publication has undergone a peer review process prior to its dissemination.
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and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the publishers. This publication has
undergone a peer review process prior to its dissemination.
SIGraDi 2023
Accelerated Landscapes
XXVII Conference
29 Nov - 30 Nov - 1 Dec
Punta del Este | Maldonado | Uruguay
#in_person_conference
SIGraDi 2023. Accelerated Landscapes | Centro Universitario Regional Este (CURE)
Facultad de Arquitectura, Diseño y Urbanismo | Universidad de la República.
Assessment of the Circulation Impact of Furniture
in Industrial Building through Space Syntax
Erfan Bagheriyar1, Can Uzun2
1 Altınbaş University, Istanbul, Türkiye
203725789@ogr.altinbas.edu.tr
2 Altınbaş University, Istanbul, Türkiye
can.uzun@altinbas.edu.tr
Abstract. This paper explores the impact of furniture and machines on spatial
organization and circulation systems in industrial buildings using space syntax analysis.
While space syntax research covers various settings, industrial buildings have received
limited attention. This study aims to address this gap by examining how machines and
furniture influence spatial organization and circulation in two industrial buildings: A Nitrile
Glove manufacturing facility and a textile manufacturing factory. The furnished and
unfurnished floor plans were analyzed using space syntax software, DepthMapX, with
connectivity and agent-based analyses. The results indicate that unfurnished plans have
centrally located connectivity values, whereas furnished plans create subspaces with
varying connectivity. Agent-based analysis reveals that unfurnished spaces have high
density in the center, while furnished spaces distribute density more evenly, resulting in
more uniform circulation. This study concludes that industrial building spatial
configurations result from a combination of architectural design and the placement of
machines and furniture.
Keywords: Industrial Building, Space Syntax, Connectivity, Agent-Based Analysis,
Furnished-Unfurnished plans
1 Introduction
Architectural spaces are not just physical elements like walls and floors; they
are shaped by human behaviors, impacting spatial quality (Afshar et al., 2022).
Understanding the link between human activities and spatial configuration is
crucial (Bafna, 2003). The space syntax method introduced by Hillier and
Hansen (1970) analyzes how space influences social organization. In industrial
buildings, circulation design is essential for safety and efficiency.
Considerations include traffic flow, congestion minimization, clear signage
(Gath-Morad et al., 2021), and accessibility for individuals with disabilities.
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Lighting, emergency exits, noise reduction, and vibration mitigation are also
vital (Teicholz, 2001). This paper applies space syntax to study spatial
configuration and circulation in industrial buildings, aiming to enhance safety
and user experience through empirical data and case studies.
1.1 Spatial Cognition in Industrial Building Design
Spatial cognition refers to the mental capacity to perceive, understand, and
navigate the spatial aspects of the environment (Emelin & Tkhostov, 2018). It
involves recognizing shapes, distances, directions, remembering spatial
layouts, manipulating mental images, and finding routes to different locations
(Emelin & Tkhostov, 2018). This cognitive ability is essential for tasks like
reading maps, routing, and solving spatial problems (Griffin et al., 2020), and it
holds particular significance in fields such as architecture, engineering, urban
planning, and transportation (Ma, 2022).
Awareness of spatial cognition allows architects and engineers to optimize
spatial layouts for utilization, workflow, and safety (Hajji, 2019). In industrial
settings, understanding spatial relationships enhances productivity, reduces
errors, and improves operational performance (Azzali & Sabour, 2018). By
applying this knowledge, designers can create intuitive navigation systems,
collaborative spaces, and safety-oriented layouts. Workers benefit from easy
access to resources and workstations, while clear signage and wayfinding
systems minimize errors and the likelihood of getting lost (Bischoff et al., 2014).
Additionally, spatial awareness improves safety preparedness, aiding in
identifying potential hazards and evacuation routes (Liu et al., 2021).
1.2 Space Partition, Machines, Furniture and Circulation in Industrial
buildings
Proper organization of machines, equipment, and space partition within
industrial building can optimize workflow, minimize congestion, and improve
overall efficiency and provides a smooth flow of materials within the industrial
building (Boenzi et al., 2016; Rajput et al., 2019). The spatial configuration of
furniture within industrial buildings has a significant effect on the circulation
system. The strategic placement of furniture can create open pathways and
clear sightlines, promoting safe and efficient movement throughout the space.
2 Problem Statement
Industrial building design requires a comprehensive circulation strategy
concerning both infrastructures and machines. Successful implementation not
only enhances operational efficiency but also ensures a safer and more
productive environment for workers.
422
Industrial building design in architecture poses a significant challenge when it
comes to efficiently managing human and goods circulation alongside
infrastructures and machines (Reisinger et al., 2022). The intricate balance
between these elements provides smooth operations, productivity, and safety
within industrial spaces. Architects must consider factors such as foot traffic
patterns, ergonomics, and safety protocols. Efficiently designed walkways,
staircases, and access points are essential to prevent bottlenecks and
streamline movement. Besides effective flow design of goods throughout the
facility contributes to the circulation system (Zerbino et al., 2019). Heavy
machinery, raw materials, and finished products are the integral parts of the
industrial building which directly effects the overall circulation within industrial
building. Hence the circulation design inputs within any industrial building are
not solely the morphology of the space but also are the infrastructure of the
building. Infrastructure and its interaction with the morphological space are the
tectonics of the industrial space. The awareness of the effects of these tectonics
significantly contributes the functioning of the space. This paper aims to
demonstrate the circulation effects of furnished and unfurnished industrial
building layout through two industrial buildings.
3 Methodology
In this study, space syntax software DepthMap X is utilized to analyze spatial
structures. In the first step, we decided on two industrial buildings as case for
space syntax analysis. After cleaning the selected industrial building plans on
a computer aided design tool, we carried out two analyses consecutively;
connectivity analysis and agent-based analysis to understand the effect of
furniture on the circulation system within industrial building. Throughout the text
furniture stands for both machinery and furniture of industrial buildings.
3.1 Architectural Plan Data
The data collection process for this research involves selecting two industrial
building cases—a nitrile gloves manufacturing factory and a textile production
factory. Two distinct 2D spatial structure plans for each case are drawn using
CAD software.
The Nitrile Glove manufacturing factory, chosen for research, is a large
industrial building with a construction area of 14,715 square meters (Fig. 1). In
this paper, the ground floor of the factory is selected for analysis purposes. The
main production area, with offices, storage, and laboratory spaces on the left
side. The top floor houses machines, equipment storage, and shelters, while
the left part contains raw material stock and loading/unloading areas.
423
Figure 1. General Arrangement of Different Spaces on the Nitrile manufacturing
factory’s Ground Floor. (Adopted and modified by author)
The Textile production factory is the second case study. It has three distinct
functional spaces: Office area, production areas, and storage areas (Fig. 2).
The main Office area is in the left-bottom corner, with dress sewing on the left,
fabric cutting in the middle-bottom, and textile automatic printing on the top-
middle. Storage areas include finished product, semi-finished product,
accessory, and embroidery workshop areas.
Figure 2. General Arrangement of Different Spaces on the Textile production factory’s
Ground Floor. (Adopted and modified by author)
3.2 Connectivity Analysis
Connectivity analysis is a spatial analysis technique used to examine the level
of integration and accessibility within a built environment. In the context of
industrial buildings, it assesses the interconnectedness and flow of spaces,
pathways, and nodes. By creating a visual map of the building's layout and
424
analyzing its topological structure, connectivity analysis helps identify key
circulation patterns, potential bottlenecks and isovist areas (Li & Huang, 2020).
Isovist is a geometric term used to describe the visual field from a certain
perspective point within a space in the context of space syntax and connectivity
analysis. The isovist analysis involves calculating the isovist area, which is the
total visible area from the vantage point, and the perimeter, which represents
the boundary of the visible area (Yin et al., 2021). Also, this analysis is
performed on two case studies, the Nitrile glove manufacturing factory and the
Textile production factory.
3.3 Agent-Bases Analysis
Agent-Based analysis simulates the human behaviors within a built
environment. Each agent follows predefined rules based on real-world
behaviors, such as path preferences and interactions with furniture and
obstacles. By running the simulation, researchers can observe and analyze the
dynamic movement patterns of the agents (Meng et al., 2021). Agent-Based
Analysis provides valuable insights into how furniture placement and spatial
configurations influence circulation and user interactions, helping to optimize
industrial building designs for enhanced functionality and flow efficiency
(Krejcar et al., 2019).
4 Circulation Analysis
4.1 Nitrile Gloves Manufacturing Factory
Connectivity Analysis: Connectivity analysis in figure 3 provides valuable
insights into the integration of factory subspaces. The production area acts as
a central hub, facilitating smooth material and product movement. Furniture and
equipment create physical barriers or enablers affecting accessibility and
communication within the factory. The furnished plan shows improved
connectivity, particularly in previously disconnected areas like final product
storage, loading/unloading porch area and laboratory area. Office connectivity
enhances communication and coordination with production and loading zones.
Strategically placed furniture optimizes connectivity between the warehouse
and loading/unloading zones, streamlining material flow and storage. This
interconnectedness optimizes factory operations and boosting efficiency. It
leads to making processes faster and more streamlined, ultimately leading to
increased productivity. The designated product transfer area ensures seamless
material flow in the furnished graph version.
425
Figure 3. Connectivity Comparison Visual Graphs Table -Ground Floor (Figure by
author)
Agent Based Movement Analysis: Agent-Based Movement Analysis of a
factory's ground floor and first floor (Fig. 4) reveals insights into agent behavior
and space optimization. The central production area has high agent density due
to machine lines as barriers, but a well-connected corridor attracts movement.
Strategic furniture placement transforms less preferred areas into green and
yellow zones, indicating improved accessibility. The raw material storage and
loading area becomes a frequently utilized circulation space.
Figure 4. Agent-Based Movement Comparison Visual Graphs Table -Ground Floor.
(Figure by author)
High
Connec tivit
y Value
High
Connectivity
Value
Low
Connec tivit
y Value
Low
Connectivity
Value
NITRIELE GLOVE FACTORY-CONNECTIVITY ANALYSIS (GROUND FLOOR)
Furniture Included
Furniture Excluded
426
4.2 Textile Production Factory
Connectivity Analysis: Figure 5 represents the connectivity values of textile
factory. The unfurnished version depicts the office area as a dark blue isovist
space, isolated from the factory. Brighter blue areas indicate better connectivity
with other regions. The automatic textile fabric printing area stands out with the
highest connections in light green and yellow. In the furnished version, the office
retains its dark blue isovist spaces, while connections with other areas become
more apparent in lighter blue. Furniture affects connectivity in the dress sewing
and textile printing areas. The fabric cutting area remains highly connected.
Warehouse areas show varying connectivity potential due to furniture impact.
Figure 5. Connectivity Comparison Visual Graphs Table. (Adopted and modified by
author)
Agent-Based Movement Analysis: The impact of furniture on agent
movement in a factory was analyzed through agent-based movement analysis.
Two scenarios were considered: one without furniture and the other with
furniture and equipment. In the unfurnished scenario, agents showed
reluctance to move to the areas like main office area and factory’s surrounding
area, resulting in low movement density, while in the furnished scenario,
furniture influenced movement patterns that acted as both a guide, directing
agents' movement in specific paths, and a barrier, limiting access to some other
areas (Fig. 6). Different factory areas exhibited varying flow densities based on
furniture placement, with the connection part between two areas as semi-
finished product storage area and textile automatic printing area showing higher
movement flow due to furniture arrangement and task-specific activities.
Optimizing furniture layout not only enhances efficiency and circulation but also
increases the flow of movement density in the connection parts between two
areas, resulting in a more productive working environment for agents.
427
Figure 6. Agent-Based Movement Comparison Visual Graphs Table. (Adopted and
modified by author)
5 Findings
The connectivity analysis of unfurnished plans in the manufacturing factories
revealed valuable insights into spatial relationships. The production area on the
ground floor emerged as a crucial hub, facilitating smooth material and product
flow. However, furniture and equipment introduced physical barriers or
facilitators that impacted accessibility and communication between different
sections. Surprisingly, furniture placement improved connectivity in previously
disconnected areas, enhancing communication and coordination. The office
area particularly benefited from better connections with the production and
loading areas, streamlining operations. Similarly, well-placed furniture
improved the warehouse area's connectivity with the loading/unloading zone,
optimizing material flow and storage.
In the furnished connectivity analysis, the office area still emerged as an
important hub with improved connections to other parts of the factory. The
corridor between the office area and production zone remained a strong link
after even furniture placement. Furthermore, designated areas for product
transfer had a significant impact on ensuring seamless material flow. The
analysis highlighted how furniture placement can strategically influence
connectivity, promoting efficient spatial relationships within the factory.
In the agent-based analysis of the unfurnished scenario, agents showed
reluctance to move towards certain parts of the main office area because there
was no furniture to serve as a guidance role, leading to less defined paths and
less attraction to those areas. Also, similar patterns were observed in other
sections, where the absence of furniture limited agent movement. However, on
the ground floor, a central path between machine lines served as a well-
428
connected corridor, attracting agents for movement. Furniture placement
guided agent-based movement, transforming previously less preferred areas
into green and yellow zones, indicating improved accessibility and successful
space optimization. Notably, certain spaces, such as raw material storage and
loading zones, became popular circulation areas, further validating the impact
of furniture placement.
In the furnished agent-based analysis, furniture placement impacted agent flow
in various areas. The main office area experienced a shift in movement density
due to furniture placement. Certain areas, such as the fabric cutting area, had
agents influenced by furniture and machines as barriers Certain areas, like the
fabric cutting area, had agents influenced by furniture and machines as barriers,
with distributing the central flow density over the entire area. In contrast, other
areas such as connection part between semi-finished product storage area,
fabric cutting and automatic printing area exhibited higher flow density due to
the intersection of movements from different areas. Understanding agent
movement patterns in response to furniture placement can assist in creating a
more efficient and optimized layout within the factory, enhancing the overall
performance of the manufacturing process.
6 Discussion
The method employed for the connectivity analysis of unfurnished plans in
manufacturing factories yielded valuable insights, shedding light on how spatial
arrangements influence agent movement and interactions. While the
production area on the ground floor emerged as a crucial hub, furniture and
equipment introduced physical barriers or facilitators impacting accessibility
and communication between sections. Surprisingly, furniture placement proved
instrumental in improving connectivity in previously disconnected areas,
leading to enhanced communication and coordination. Notably, the office area
experienced substantial benefits with better connections to the production and
loading zones, streamlining operations. Additionally, well-placed furniture
optimized material flow and storage in the warehouse area, further contributing
to overall factory efficiency.
This study significantly contributes to the field of factory layout optimization.
Analyzing both unfurnished and furnished scenarios, we emphasize the critical
role of furniture placement in influencing connectivity and agent-based
movement patterns. Our findings provide a foundation for future research to
explore comprehensive strategies for enhancing factory layouts. Researchers
can investigate various types of furniture and equipment configurations,
evaluating their effects on overall productivity. Moreover, understanding the
implications of connectivity on worker interactions and material handling
processes can lead to continuous improvements in manufacturing facilities.
429
This knowledge will aid in designing more efficient and productive factories,
ultimately enhancing the manufacturing industry's overall performance.
7 Results
The connectivity analysis for the Nitrile Gloves Manufacturing Factory reveals
the crucial role of furniture and equipment in shaping the network of
connections and optimizing operations. Strategically placed furniture improves
connectivity, especially in previously disconnected areas like product storage
and loading zones, streamlining material flow and storage. This integrated
approach enhances communication and coordination, leading to faster and
more streamlined processes, ultimately boosting productivity. The furnished
plan shows significant improvements in connectivity, resulting in a more
efficient and productive working environment within the factory.
The agent-based movement analysis further examined agent behavior and
space optimization. In both factories, the presence of furniture influenced agent
flow, with strategic furniture placement leading to improved accessibility and
circulation. The textile production factory's analysis also highlighted agents'
preferences in different areas that in the unfurnished environment, agents were
hesitant to move to particular areas, while furniture influenced movement
patterns in the furnished scenario. It is indicating how furniture arrangement
can impact their movement patterns. As a result, the connectivity and agent-
based analysis show that furnishing is an integral part of the spatial organization
and circulation system within industrial buildings. Hence proper furniture and
equipment placement can optimize factory operations and create a more
productive working environment for agents.
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