Activity-shaped rooms — rooms named + sized by what's done in them, not generic 'family room'
Susanka — Activity-shaped roomsDescription
Instead of a generic '300 sqft family room', specify: a 'media room' (200 sqft, sectional facing TV, low ceiling for focus); an 'after-dinner reading nook' (60 sqft, bay window, two chairs + side table); a 'kid play zone' (open to kitchen, with built-in storage). Each is right-sized for its single use. Saves total sqft + each space works better than a generic one.
Why this exists
Generic-room programming produces homes that don't fit how the family lives. Naming each room by its actual use + sizing it from the furniture is the Susanka discipline that distinguishes thoughtful design from production-builder design. Architects should ask 'what do you do in this room?' before sizing it.
Categories
Source
Solver enforcement
Browsable only — the solver does not currently enforce this directive (no spec-level data to check against). This entry exists so the architect personas can cite it in conversation and the user can read what the rule says.
Related directives
- Common Areas at the Heart · Pattern 129
- Intimacy Gradient · Pattern 127
- Long Thin House · Pattern 109
- Indoor Sunlight · Pattern 128
- Staircase as a Stage · Pattern 133
Last reviewed 2026-05-15.