Human factors or ergonomics play a vital role in building designs and are delineated according to accessibility, function, and aesthetics. Integrating human factors into an architectural design aims to increase the quality of life by improving the structure’s safety, comfort, and performance. The Lotus Temple, located in New Delhi, India, is well designed to meet the design factors such as functionality, accessibility, equitability, and aesthetics.
The structure fulfills its functionality attribute of providing spaces protecting its occupants from external factors like winds, rain, and other climatic conditions. The temple has a glass and steel roof to shelter its occupants from those conditions. The building fails the functionality test when the basic function is not achieved. Because New Delhi is hot during several months of the year, ventilation is particularly valuable in designing structures in the region. The facility uses natural air circulation to ventilate the temple (Sarwal). Functionality relates to the proper operation and performance of the building. The building serves its social function as a place of worship for all religions worldwide. Additionally, it caters to its occupants’ needs and provides enough space for the worshipers. The temple has a seating capacity of 1300 people and can accommodate up to 2500 at a go (Sarwal). Privacy is another factor that a building should meet. The Lotus Temple offers its users a space free from external disturbances, and thus their communication is not compromised.
Designers are responsible for ensuring that a building is accessible to everyone, including people with mobility challenges. The Lotus Temple is accessible through its nine entrances that open to a massive central hall of about 40 meters high. The building’s accessibility improves its users’ ease of access and overall experience. In addition, the temple has an ancillary block, reception, and restroom block to meet the needs of its users. The Lotus Temple is properly designed to meet the equitability criteria. An equitable design aims at addressing the needs of historically underrepresented identities. Thus, it should consider all genders, races, sexuality, ethnicities, nationality, and abilities. The temple has no restrictions for its visitors, and it is also accessible to the disabled. According to the architect, the building symbolizes the principle of equal rights, opportunities, and privileges for both sexes (Choudhary). Therefore, it is open to people from all religions, as its main conviction is the unity of humanity and God.
Aesthetics define a design’s pleasing qualities and include factors such as color, movement, balance, pattern, shape, and scale. Designers use this function to complement the functionality and usability of a structure. The Lotus Temple is one of the marvels of modern architecture, with an impression of a lotus flower that is afloat and surrounded by leaves and water. The temple is 40 meters tall and made of 27 white marble, giving it a dome shape that makes it stand out (Chawla). The lotus has walkways with bridges and stairs that surround the nine pools of the structure. It has a symmetrical balance, with three lotus flower petals repeated at regular intervals to create a rhythmic pattern. The building is ringed with nine arches that provide the main support to the building.
Ergonomics design criteria aim to create safe, productive, and comfortable spaces for people to interact without interruptions. The Lotus Temple is properly designed to serve human needs. It fulfills the aspects of safety, ease of use, aesthetics, and comfort. The aesthetically pleasing temple protects its users from adverse climatic conditions, offers them privacy to communicate without disturbances, and is accessible to all people of different religions.
Works Cited
Chawla, Mishika. “Lotus Temple: The Expressionist Architecture.” Makaan, Web.
Choudhary, Sonal. “Lotus Temple: A Spectacular Place of Worship.” FabHotels Travel Blog, Web.
Sarwal, Anil Prof. “Lotus Temple, One of the Marvels of Modern Architecture.” Medium, Web.