Humans
Humans

Humans, as the most dominant form of animal life on the planet, are beings whose properties, dimensions, and traits have the most direct impact on the qualities of the built environment. Connected to the known standard measurements and sizes of the human body, the designed objects that constitute our everyday spaces are created to best support use by human beings. The following guides have been put together for you as overviews covering a variety of physical and social standards of human existence that include shapes, sizes, growth stages, movements, postures, and group dynamics. These collections will continue to grow through our ongoing efforts in illustrating and documenting the many anthropometric details of humans.

Upright & Supportive Positions describe the ways people hold themselves when standing or bearing weight with stability. These positions include standing tall, kneeling, squatting, bending, leaning, or being aided by supports like canes, crutches, or railings. Each posture reflects balance.

Bending
Under Development
People BendingPeople Bending
Crouching & Squatting
Under Development
People Crouching & SquattingPeople Crouching & Squatting
Kneeling
Under Development
People KneelingPeople Kneeling
Leaning
Under Development
People LeaningPeople Leaning
Wheelchair Users
Under Development
Wheelchair UsersWheelchair Users
Standing
Under Development
People StandingPeople Standing

Resting & Reclined Positions describe the ways people ease the body into states of rest, pause, or contemplation. These include sitting, lounging, lying down, praying, reading, and thinking. Such positions are marked by reduced exertion and a shift toward comfort, recovery, or focus.

Sitting
Under Development
People SittingPeople Sitting
Sleeping
Under Development
People Sleeping | Sleeping PositionsPeople Sleeping | Sleeping Positions
Lounging
Under Development
People LoungingPeople Lounging

Active & Dynamic Movements capture the body in motion, expressing energy, rhythm, and purpose. These positions are defined by transitions—shifts from one state to another—whether advancing, lifting, or engaging in coordinated flow. Their unique quality lies in momentum.

Dancing
Under Development
People Dancing | DancersPeople Dancing | Dancers
Climbing
Under Development
People ClimbingPeople Climbing
Crawling
Under Development
People CrawlingPeople Crawling
Cycling
Under Development
People CyclingPeople Cycling
Jumping
Under Development
People JumpingPeople Jumping
Playing
Under Development
People PlayingPeople Playing
Running & Jogging
Under Development
People Running | JoggingPeople Running | Jogging
Stretching
Under Development
People StretchingPeople Stretching
Swimming
Under Development
People SwimmingPeople Swimming
Walking
Under Development
People WalkingPeople Walking
Yoga Poses
Under Development
Yoga PosesYoga Poses

Interpersonal Interactions describe the positions and gestures people use when engaging directly with one another. These moments are defined by physical and emotional exchange—whether through touch, expression, or shared presence. Their unique quality lies in reciprocity.

Holding
Under Development
People HoldingPeople Holding
Hugging
Under Development
People HuggingPeople Hugging
Kissing
Under Development
People KissingPeople Kissing
Meeting | Greeting
Under Development
People Meeting & GreetingPeople Meeting & Greeting
Fighting
Under Development
People FightingPeople Fighting

Environmental & Object Interactions describe the ways people engage physically with the world around them—touching, holding, adjusting, or using objects and surroundings to accomplish tasks. These positions are unique because they reveal how the body adapts to tools, surfaces, and spaces.

Bathing
Under Development
People BathingPeople Bathing
Carrying
Under Development
People CarryingPeople Carrying
Cleaning
Under Development
People CleaningPeople Cleaning
Cooking
Under Development
People CookingPeople Cooking
Lifting
Under Development
People LiftingPeople Lifting
Looking
Under Development
People LookingPeople Looking
Pushing
Under Development
People PushingPeople Pushing
Reading
Under Development
People ReadingPeople Reading
Drinking
Under Development
People DrinkingPeople Drinking
Eating
Under Development
People EatingPeople Eating

Expressive & Communicative Poses describe the ways people use their bodies to signal meaning, emotion, or intent beyond words. These positions are unique because they bridge the personal and the social, turning physical gestures into shared language.

Protesting
Under Development
ProtestingProtesting
Pointing
Under Development
People PointingPeople Pointing
Presenting
Under Development
People PresentingPeople Presenting
Thinking
Under Development
People ThinkingPeople Thinking
Praying
Under Development
People PrayingPeople Praying

Human Postures & Interactions sorts people by how their bodies are positioned and engaged with the world. This category spans upright, resting, and active stances, along with the ways humans interact with each other and their surroundings. It emphasizes posture as a visual marker of presence—whether standing, leaning, embracing, or gesturing. By organizing humans through bodily relations and orientations, this category reveals the spectrum of static and dynamic ways people inhabit space and connect socially or physically.

Upright & Supportive
Under Development
Upright & Supportive PositionsUpright & Supportive Positions
Resting & Reclined
Under Development
Resting & Reclined PositionsResting & Reclined Positions
Active & Dynamic
Under Development
Active & Dynamic MovementsActive & Dynamic Movements
Interpersonal Interactions
Under Development
Interpersonal InteractionsInterpersonal Interactions
Environmental & Object
Under Development
Environmental & Object InteractionsEnvironmental & Object Interactions

Human Activities classifies people by the broader roles, contexts, and occupations that shape daily life. Unlike actions or postures, which capture specific gestures or positions, this category highlights recurring patterns of living—such as working, studying, caregiving, or commuting. It includes both personal routines and collective roles across society, from household care to civic gatherings and professional work. By grouping humans through activities, this category reveals how identity is tied to purpose, function, and participation in cultural and social life.

Office & Business
Under Development
Office & BusinessOffice & Business
Outbreak | Pandemic
Under Development
Outbreak | PandemicOutbreak | Pandemic
Dining & Cooking
Under Development
Dining & CookingDining & Cooking
Parenting & Caregiving
Under Development
Parenting & CaregivingParenting & Caregiving
Personal & Household Care
Under Development
Personal & Household CarePersonal & Household Care
Exercising & Sports
Under Development
Exercising & SportsExercising & Sports
Students & Academia
Under Development
Students & AcademiaStudents & Academia
Travel & Commuting
Under Development
Travel & CommutingTravel & Commuting

Human Figures organizes people by who they are rather than what they do. It covers life stages, gender identities, physical differences, and collective formations such as pairs or crowds. This category highlights figures as visual and social types—recognizable forms that shape how humans are represented and understood. By grouping individuals into archetypes and categories, Human Figures provides a framework for depicting people in design, culture, and everyday contexts, emphasizing shared identities and human diversity.

Babies | Infants
Under Development
Babies | InfantsBabies | Infants
Children | Kids
Under Development
Children | KidsChildren | Kids
Teenagers | Adolescents
Under Development
Teenagers | AdolescentsTeenagers | Adolescents
Young Adults
Under Development
Young AdultsYoung Adults
Adults
Under Development
Adults | Middle AgeAdults | Middle Age
Elderly | Seniors
Under Development
Elderly | SeniorsElderly | Seniors
Males | Men | Boys
Under Development
Males | Men | Boys | He/HimMales | Men | Boys | He/Him
Females | Women | Girls
Under Development
Females | Women | Girls | She/HerFemales | Women | Girls | She/Her
Accessibility | Disability
Under Development
Human Accessibility | DisabilityHuman Accessibility | Disability
Pairs | Couples
Under Development
Human Pairs & CouplesHuman Pairs & Couples
Groups | Crowds
Under Development
Human Groups & CrowdsHuman Groups & Crowds