522 Interior Design Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. ■ views/daylight ■ furniture, fi xtures, and equipment (FF & E) ■ employee and user health, safety, and well being Next, bubbles are moved around as needed within the building footprint to address the above issues as well as the client’s needs, such as relationships between divisions and specifi c square footage to be allocated to each space. Once the location of the bubbles placed appropriately, you can shape the bubbles into blocks and begin the blocking stage, Figure 14-35. Again, as you do so, you consider the following four issues: build- ing and fi re safety codes, ADA regulations, circulation patterns, and wayfi nding. Building Codes and ADA Requirements In addition to the issues above, it is critical to incorpo- rate appropriate building and fi re safety codes. Build- ing codes protect the health, safety, and well-being of the public by providing guidelines for construct- ing spaces under various conditions. The nationally recognized building code is the International Build- ing Code (IBC). The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) codes support and mandate accessibility to the workplace, regardless of physical ability. After working in commercial design, code requirements become second nature to the designer. It is the designer’s responsibility, however, to verify codes relevant to the location of the project. Circulation Patterns As bubbles and blocking diagrams are used to allocate the client’s space in a building footprint, the designer must consider circulation patterns. There are two types of circulation: primary pedestrian passageways— usually part of means of egress—and secondary passageways to facilitate the general fl ow of people. The designer addresses circulation in such areas as ■ walking space ■ standing space ■ sitting space ■ space to open doors and drawers ■ space to move items such as furniture ■ leftover or unusual space As the design of paths occurs, one goal is to avoid dead-end corridors. These corridors do not lead to any means of egress. They may lead to an offi ce or restroom, but not to a stairwell that building occupants can use to travel to safety. In buildings without sprinkler Drawings courtesy of Boulder Associates Architects Figure 14-35 Block and stack diagrams are essential to evaluate alignment of building features such as stairways and elevators in all levels of a building. Note the circled areas on these drawings are a key area the designer must evaluate for egress and circulation.