Principles of Furniture Design and its Relationship to Psychological and Physical Health

The man uses the furniture and depends on it in his life, so it should be different in its specifications to matching the various activities of the man and achieving comfortable sitting to maintain his physical and psychological aspects . This research addresses the standards that govern the process of furniture design, which is determined in the following :

  Section I:

(Health and Environmental Considerations for Furniture Design)

The first section reviews the properties of the human body, which is divided into the properties of natural and psychological characteristics, as the natural characteristics describes the form or the body of the human being, while the psychological characteristics describes the moral side, feelings and his psychological aspects. Besides, the study of the human behavior , and identify the man_s mental health, physical health and their relationship to furniture design.

­ Chapter I: (Human Body)

In this chapter the properties of the human body is divided into:

Physical properties: which includes the study of the structure of the human being and its morphological structure, as well as the bioenergy and its relationship to the human body. Also, the anthropometric measurments and the human performance.

Psychological characteristics: which includes the terms of the psychological composition of a man such as human personality , behavior and lifestyle. In addition to this the factors affecting him like the physiological, culture, social and personal effects.

­ Chapter II : (Human and Environment)

Reviews the relationship of man to the environment, which include recognition of the environment and its types. Besides, the physical and psychological relationship between environment and human, and their relationship to human behavior, and study of science interested in the environment, such ecology science and others.

­ Chapter III: (Furniture Design and Human Health)

Reviews the concept of human health, physical and psychological health, and their significance. Also, the recognition of the standards of body substratum, the study of the physical diseases and the psychological state, and their relationship to furniture design.

 Section II:

(Analytical Study of Selected Pieces of Furniture through the Eras)

Reviews the analytical study of the traditiona heritage furniture pieces, and  global furniture, examine the appropriate psychological and physical health to them. In different eras some pieces of furniture where carried out in a beautiful and fabulous style, therefore these furniture became one of the magnificient works of art, and deserved to occupy their eminent place in the museums for being distinct artistic pieces.

­ Chapter I: (Analytical Study of the Traditional Heritage Furniture)

Reviews the analytical study of the local heritage furniture pieces: Ancient Egyptian Furniture, Islamic Furniture, and a suitability study of psychological and physical health of human beings.

­ Chapter II:(Analytical Study of the Global Furniture)

Analytical study of the global furniture pieces: Arts and Crafts, Art Nouveau, Bauhaus, Art Deco, Postmodern, and their suitability towards the psychological health and physical health of human beings.

 Section  III:

(Substrates Furniture Design)

Reviews the human activities and body positios for each activity and study the relatioship to design Furniture  and psychological  and physical health of a person , There are many seats for famous designers which gained international fame and used in a wider range than it_s functional purpose depending on many factors such as design form, designer_s name or the famous of the piece itself. This has a bad impact on the user_s health whether on his psychological or physical health.

­ Chapter I: (Activities and Ideal Body Positions)

 Reviews of human activities (sit- reclining- relax- sleep- standing position....) in different spaces of sleeping spaces, living, dining, office and outer spaces.

­ Chapter II: (Furniture Design and Physical Health)

Reviews the aspects of physical health and achievement in furniture design to be appropriate for a person, with a different  age ,and  gender.  In addition to this display the relationship between design and the morphological construction of the body, and the appropriate design to the structure of the human body whence (appropriate for body measurements, organs of the body, the thermal of the body and the environment). Besides, the appropriate furniture to the human performance, various body activity and novelty.

. ­ Chapter III: (Furniture Design and Psychological Comfort)

Reviews the aspects of psychological comfort for furniture design, and everything related to the form, colour, pattern and materials of the piece of furniture

  Section  IV: (The Applied Project of the Research)

It is the applied part, and preceded by a questionnaire to a selection of furniture pieces and the World pieces by specialists in the field of interior design and furniture, and questionnaires divided into two categories according to the age. It also includes the implementation of designs clarify the application of the considerations that has been reached through displaying pieces of furniture achieve the physical and psychological comfort to the human being in the theoretical study. Besides, the results of the research and the recommendations proposed by the researcher. Finally, the refrences of the research.

­ Chapter I: (Questionnaire Study)

Reviews the questionnire form, and statistical analyzes, and results.

­Chapter II: (The Applied Project )

It is the applied part of the research in which the steps for action and implementation of the analytical study have been displayed of some selected pieces from the local market to determine the weak and strong aspects in the design, in order to achieve the principles of furniture design which is appropriate to both the physical and psychological health.