Bridge Layout Concept
mattm's picture
Posted on:
Monday, November 27, 2017 - 14:49

Bridge layout concept (click for larger).I've been having discussions with different teams across the vessel dev program about what they want to see for their area on Endeavour's bridge. I've had a go at reflecting this in a concept layout sketch and I'd appreciate feedback and suggestions. This is not an official design - everyone should feel free to submit their own ideas and sketches.

Design Approach: Two-Ringed Circus

The design is based on a classic circular arrangement, but has two parts. The inner bridge has the command position in the centre and stations arranged around the outside. I've put as many stations forward of command as possible so that its easier for the captain to make eye contact (rather than having crew taking orders from the back of a head). The science station continues around the port side to link up with tactical to facilitate collaboration on incoming vessel analysis. The opposite side does not have a console along the starboard bulkhead to provide additional room to move, as this is the major ingress corridor.

This is a single-level design. Height separation is provided by mixing standing and seated positions (indicated by a person or seat icon). This avoids any steps to stumble on while still providing decent sight-lines between stations.

The outer ring uses bulkheads to provide acoustic isolation from the inner bridge. These areas will be used by department support teams who will be collaborating verbally with colleagues throughout the vessel, which would create significant background noise unless separated. Bridge watch officers or chiefs can easily step into their support areas from the inner bridge as needed.

The tactical and science support areas both open onto a situation and briefing area in the aft-port corner. This is designed for stand-up collaboration and includes table and wall-mounted panels for data display and communication with teams in other areas of the vessel.

Scale

The grey outlines on consoles represent standard 24-inch touch-panels, which may also help convey a sense of the concept's scale (there is one larger panel on the helm which is intended for navigation).

This concept has been drawn in isolation from overall spaceframe design. It may be that the intended location of the bridge does not support these dimensions or this configuration, but the underlying concepts are still worth debate.

comments

Comments

Astarlia's picture

Okay so we are going for the starfleet model where there is a big viewfinder at the front, and everyone is facing that?

If you wanted the command to be able to make eye contact with everyone you could go full circular and give him a swivel chair. I don't know if that would be harder from a filming pov though.  you could also move the standing science folks more to the side of the command, as they are the only ones behind.

i like the little rooms off the side, and the standing and sitting thing. 

NeerajA's picture

To Astarlia's point, if there was a viewscreen forward, what would be displayed on it? The ranges for tactical engagment that we're looking at are too far for visual (video) display of other ships, for example. Would it just be a big version of the tactical grid? I'm hoping it's not going to be a great big window/windscreen!

And how distracting would that be right up in front of everyone, who have their own consoles to concentrate on?

Alfisti's picture

Fear not, the current anticipated position for the bridge (and Ops for that matter) has it buried deep inside the vessel's armoured citadel. Unless someone blows a really big hole in the side, chances of it having a veiw out to space are minimal.

I could see a larger viewscreen being used for a tactical plot, or displaying science data, things that it would be useful for everyone to see at once as a point of discussion or as general reference. Feasibly that could be done just as cloned displays on their consoles as well mind, but part of me can't help but think it'd be better to keep those dedicated for the individual crew member's actual task.

As an aside, while engagement etc. ranges will definitely be BVR (unless something goes badly wrong), having some ability to display the outside world could be useful for close manouvering (eg. docking), or getting visuals on an alien world.