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19 March 2019 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Leonie Bolleurs
Ergonomics
Martie Bitzer, senior lecturer at the UFS Department of Architecture, says an architect envisions how the user will live in a space and designs accordingly.
“Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.” – Steve Jobs

Whether at work or at home, scientists have found a way to “comfortably” carry out tasks. According to Martie Bitzer, senior lecturer at the University of the Free State’s Department of Architecture, we all experience discomfort due to the effects of repetitive actions in a day – whether in daily tasks of necessity like washing the dishes or hours spent at work behind a desk or a countertop. “The word ‘ergonomics’ is the key to ease this discomfort!,” she said.

Martie believes that a space needs not only to look beautiful but that it must be practical as well. 

“The specific dimensions of the human body should serve as the designer’s ‘measure’ for the height of your kitchen counter or the angle of your computer screen,” says Martie.

She continues: “In architecture, ergonomics is always the starting point for design. The architect envisions how the user will live in a space and designs accordingly. Ergonomics touches all aspects of a person’s life in a building – from the distance you walk in your kitchen while cooking to the impact of the height of a specific space. It is working at best when you live fluently in a space, unaware of obstacles and challenges. The human body’s capabilities and limitations are at the heart of the responsible designer’s task to improve the quality of life in a building.”

In a world where we are daily more aware of how we engage with our surroundings, good design matters!



News Archive

Die Dokumente, 26,27 June 2009
2009-06-26

Production: Die Dokumente
Text: Prof. Hennie van Coller
Director: Prof. Nico Luwes
Venue: Wynand Mouton Theatre

Dates & times:
26 June 2009 - 18h00
27 June 2009 - 19h30

Tickets:
R 30.00 Adults
R 25.00 Pensioners, scholars & students
R 25.00 Block bookings 10+
R 15.00 Club Theatron members

Die dokumente is a new satirical university comedy (related to the Campus, that makes use of farcical moments and include stereotyping, caricatures over intensification and the sometimes ridiculous. The production is in the styles of Dario Fo, Wyk Louw’s comedy, Nie vir geleerdes, the Commedia del Arte and Moliére.

Die dokumente focuses on a typical South African university in the times of transformation. The rector is married to the daughter of a famous poet and still feels a bit intimidated by her late father, Chairman of the S.A. Academy, famous academic and poet He is involved with his sexy assistant, while his own wife is more interested in the abilities of a young tennis player. The rector wants to get rid of her fathers old documents, but a serious academic wants to publicise the documents. This academic picks up a quarrel with a feminine professor in Afrikaans and Nederlands he gave a bad criticism on her debut as a poet

The rector wants to become the new Chair of the Academy and tries to force through transformation, must confront the institutional audit and keep his mistress happy. Come experience the power politics of a typical university while having some fun!

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