The height of the ceiling of a space heavily influences our perception of it. Generally, local building codes regulate the minimum dimensions for ceiling height, which are calculated to ensure adequate quality of life in the environment. But the exact height of the ceilings is often defined by the dimensions of other materials that make up the building, the height of the constitutive slabs, or even by rounding the dimensions of the stair steps. It is common, with the densification of cities aimed at increasing profitability, for entrepreneurs to design with minimum ceiling heights in houses and offices, reducing construction costs. On the other hand, in older structures, more generous ceilings can be observed, which generally enable a greater degree of design freedom. But how can architects make the most of these spaces?
When addressing ceiling height, defining an exact and universal minimum value is difficult. A minimum of 2.40 m (or 8 feet) is generally common, and most doors have a height of 2.10 m (or 7 feet). If ceilings are 2.70 meters or higher, we can consider them tall. When they exceed 4.50 meters, the ceiling height is double. In older architectural structures, it is much more common to find high ceilings. The reason for this shift is not quite clear; some point to the gradual elimination of smoke and gases emitted from rudimentary lamps, others to the improvement of ventilation, while others still suggest that historically taller ceilings represented the prosperity of the owners.
In modern architecture, these dimensions were revisited. Le Corbusier, in the United 'Habitation projects, used the proportions of the Modulor to determine a ceiling height of 2.26 m for the apartments. This dimension would likely be vetoed today in the vast majority of places. When Le Corbusier was invited to develop the same project in Germany in the late 1950s, the dimension was not accepted and changed to 2.50 m.
