Development of principles for ergonomic arena seating design

摘要

The arena-seating environment provides many challenges to the application of conventional ergonomic principles. The seat height restrictions to preserve sight lines and the row spacing requirements for fire escape set by the relevant safety standards take primary importance, and restrict the range of adjustability that can be offered. In addition to this the requirement for durability restricts the range of materials and foam densities that can be used. Since up to three hours may be spent in the seat, ergonomic design is essential, however the range of users is very large both in size and age, therefore ergonomic considerations are often compromised. This paper reports on the development of an approach to ergonomic design that supports the range of users, without compromising durability or contradicting the legal and practical requirements of the arena environment.