Building Entrances. GSA buildings should have one main
Table 3-2
entrance for staff, visitors and the public. In large build-
ings a second entrance may be designated for employees
Criteria for Design of Escalators
only. Buildings may have additional doors used for egress
or access to service areas. These doors should not be used
as entrances. Original primary entrances at historic build-
Capacity in
Capacity in
ings should be retained as such. Closure of ceremonial
Nominal
Persons
Persons
entrances and redirecting public access to below grade
Escalator Width
Per Hour
Per 5 Mins.
and other secondary entrances for security or accessibility
purposes is discouraged. Wherever possible, access for the
820 mm (32 in.)
3,000
250
disabled to historic buildings should be provided at, or
nearby original ceremonial entrances. For building
1200 mm (48 in.)
4,000
400
entrances and unsecured areas of building lobbies, raised
floor systems shall not be used. See Chapter 8 for access
controls and intrusion detection systems.
General Layout. Many future security problems can be
Building Lobby. The building lobby shall always be
prevented by planning a clear, simple circulation system
designed to permit subdivision into a secure and a non-
that is easy for staff and visitors to understand. Avoid
secure area. The two areas could potentially be divided by
mazes of hallways and hidden corners. Exterior doors
turnstiles, metal detectors or other devices used to control
should be readily visible.
access to secure areas. There shall be space on the secure
Planning for Future Security Provisions. All Federal
side for a control desk and an area where bags can be
buildings shall be planned to allow for future controlled
checked. Mechanical ductwork, piping and main electrical
access, both to the entire building and to individual floors.
conduit runs should not extend from one area to the
other. In building entrance lobbies, vending machines,
Site Design. Building entrances shall be designed to make
automatic tellers, bulletin boards, and other tenant
it impossible for cars to drive up and into the lobby.
support services should be located in ancillary space
Planters can be provided as barriers; bollards are also
outside of entrance lobbies or consolidated in a retail
acceptable if well integrated with the design of the build-
tenant service core. Equipment that must be installed in
ing entrance. Barriers to vehicle access should be visually
lobbies should be of a low profile variety and consolidated
punctuated and as unobtrusive as possible to pedestrians.
with other equipment to minimize bulk. For building
Consideration should be given to incorporating security
entrances and unsecured areas of building lobbies, raised
features that allow for flexible use of the site. If addressed
floor systems shall not be used. See the section Space
skillfully, planters, trees, or sculpted bollards can be em-
Planning, Public Spaces, Entrance Lobby and Atria of this
ployed to provide amenities while meeting vehicle barrier
chapter.
requirements. High blank wall should be avoided; lower
walls with sitting edges are preferable.
61
ARCHITECTURAL
AND
INTERIOR
DESIGN
3.1
Basic Building Planning Principles
Revised March 2005 PBS-P100
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