View into food prep area
View of reading/relaxation corner
View from food prep area into daycare
View of hall leading to daycare
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Final Perspectives
View into food prep area
View of reading/relaxation corner
View from food prep area into daycare
View of hall leading to daycare
Friday, March 26, 2010
First Perspectives
View into food prep area
View from food prep area into daycare
View of reading/relaxation corner
View of all leading to daycare
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
User Needs
| Spaces | Physical Needs | Psychological Needs |
| Lobby | open, plentiful and comfortable seating, inviting setting, well lit, secure, circulation | friendly, welcoming, sociable, |
| Reception | full access, wide visibility, informative | friendly, welcoming, approachable, sociable |
| Daycare | child safe/proof design, age appropriate toys, colorful environment, safety, well lit, circulation, divided areas for eating playing napping, desks, seating, storage, daycare only bathrooms, kitchen area, outdoor play area | educational environment, sociable |
| Offices | secure, well lit, desks, seating storage | welcoming while private |
| Meeting Room | versatile, large table and seating, presentation recourses, versatile lighting, | private |
| Coffee Shop & Internet Café | tables, seating, abundant outlets, coffee bar, well lit, outdoor seating | sociable, safety |
| Mail Room | mailing recourses, mailboxes | safety piece of mind |
| Bathrooms | toilets/urinals at appropriate heights for elders and children, hand rails, handicap accessible sinks and toilets, hand dryers at appropriate heights accessible soap dispensers, non-slip flooring, | private |
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Lyndon Street Artworks
Lyndon Street Artworks is a place where artist of all types come and work together to create a place that thrives with life and culture. Not only are there painters, drawers, sculptors, and multimedia artists but also musicians and writers come to Lyndon Street to perform and present to the wide audience that comes to enjoy the talent. When first entering the reformatted warehouse, there is a welcoming area with couches, tables, and the artwork of the various artists housed in the building as well as those who are affiliated. The first Friday of every month offers an opportunity for open viewings and networking with the artists which spreads the word of what these artists do and how they express themselves.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Design Thinking
The main ideas of design thinking that stand out to me most are the thoughts of design is big and should focus on small single objects for aesthetics. Design should also not just involve the designer. The people that would be using a space or the related demographic should be incorporated into design decisions and to find the needs that must be met.
For Unity Village:
The aspect of the first floor that I feel needs a large amount of attention id the daycare. The questions that I must answers are those of not only just aesthetics and safety but also taking into consideration what is going on in this area and how it will be used in multiple ways. While I have worked with children on many occasions I know somewhat of what children of daycare age like do to and what is most enjoyable to do. I can use this knowledge to create an area that will cater to the needs of these children and their caretakers.
For Unity Village:
The aspect of the first floor that I feel needs a large amount of attention id the daycare. The questions that I must answers are those of not only just aesthetics and safety but also taking into consideration what is going on in this area and how it will be used in multiple ways. While I have worked with children on many occasions I know somewhat of what children of daycare age like do to and what is most enjoyable to do. I can use this knowledge to create an area that will cater to the needs of these children and their caretakers.
IDEATION
[excerpts from Shaping Interior Space by Roberto J. Rengel]
-The decisions made during the early design stage become the foundations upon which the rest of the design is built.
-The concept of fit in interior design is concerned with issues of comfort, style, and occasion.
concepts start with no predetermined form
-design concept: an insightful and fitting overall basic strategy
-a concept in interior design could be said to be a general strategy or approach for the solution of a design problem having specific circumstances. A design concept aims to conceive a response to solve a design problem in a very particular way.
-The main concept addresses the main design problems of the project and provides a dominant structure or idea that all other design ideas adhere to.
-While some main concepts may consist of a single idea, most consist of a handful of ideas that, together, constitute a single, or at least consistent, approach.
-Concepts can be philosophical, thematic, functional, artistic, mood related, or stylistic.
-Design concepts can only be determined on a case-by-case basis when the particularities of a project are known. They are externalized through verbal statements, concept diagrams, and concept sketches.
-Written statements are most often used to convey character (image) concepts.
-The problem is that many written concept statements never get to the point. The point of design concept statements is to tell the audience, as efficiently as possible, about the designer’s approach to solve the design problem.
-The best design statements share the following three attributes:
1. Design concept statements speak more about the design solution than the design problem.
2. Design concept statements are selective.
3. Design concept statements are economical. [packs a lot of info into a short statement]
-To test a concept to determine whether it is a design concept, simply ask yourself the following question: Does this statement tell me anything about the approach to the design solution.
-One cannot possibly hope to address every single issue of the project in the design concept.
-ways of approaching design concept statements include the use of statements that try to paint a picture of the experience you can expect.
-Reducing the parts to a minimum requires some abstraction.
-Simple arrangements tend to work best.
-Young designers should also think simultaneously about order, enrichment, and expression while generating concepts.
-There are four important aspects to consider when coming up with the organizational concept for a project: placement, circulation, massing, and geometry.
-Relationships determine issues of proximity.
-The best organizational concept diagrams address the massing of the overall project.
-Generally speaking, it is a good practice to have less rather than more masses in space and simple rather than complex figurations.
-Recommended stages of concept development:
...understand the project
...identify salient issues
......this project is all about...
......truly significant aspects of the site include...
......unique aspects of this project include...
......the functional requirements obviously point to an organizational pattern that...
...a few adjectives that fit this project are...
...conceive workable approaches
...externalize the approaches
...consolidate ideas and choose a direction.
-There is a myth that concepts have to be unique and different.
-Ideas usually arise as thoughts, mental pictures, or diagrams or drawings while you sketch. It is important to capture ideas when they arise, even before judging them.
-Two ways to externalize concept approaches are visual and verbal.
Rengel, Roberto. Shaping Interior Space. second. New York: Fairchild Books, 2007. 138-71. Print.
-The decisions made during the early design stage become the foundations upon which the rest of the design is built.
-The concept of fit in interior design is concerned with issues of comfort, style, and occasion.
concepts start with no predetermined form
-design concept: an insightful and fitting overall basic strategy
-a concept in interior design could be said to be a general strategy or approach for the solution of a design problem having specific circumstances. A design concept aims to conceive a response to solve a design problem in a very particular way.
-The main concept addresses the main design problems of the project and provides a dominant structure or idea that all other design ideas adhere to.
-While some main concepts may consist of a single idea, most consist of a handful of ideas that, together, constitute a single, or at least consistent, approach.
-Concepts can be philosophical, thematic, functional, artistic, mood related, or stylistic.
-Design concepts can only be determined on a case-by-case basis when the particularities of a project are known. They are externalized through verbal statements, concept diagrams, and concept sketches.
-Written statements are most often used to convey character (image) concepts.
-The problem is that many written concept statements never get to the point. The point of design concept statements is to tell the audience, as efficiently as possible, about the designer’s approach to solve the design problem.
-The best design statements share the following three attributes:
1. Design concept statements speak more about the design solution than the design problem.
2. Design concept statements are selective.
3. Design concept statements are economical. [packs a lot of info into a short statement]
-To test a concept to determine whether it is a design concept, simply ask yourself the following question: Does this statement tell me anything about the approach to the design solution.
-One cannot possibly hope to address every single issue of the project in the design concept.
-ways of approaching design concept statements include the use of statements that try to paint a picture of the experience you can expect.
-Reducing the parts to a minimum requires some abstraction.
-Simple arrangements tend to work best.
-Young designers should also think simultaneously about order, enrichment, and expression while generating concepts.
-There are four important aspects to consider when coming up with the organizational concept for a project: placement, circulation, massing, and geometry.
-Relationships determine issues of proximity.
-The best organizational concept diagrams address the massing of the overall project.
-Generally speaking, it is a good practice to have less rather than more masses in space and simple rather than complex figurations.
-Recommended stages of concept development:
...understand the project
...identify salient issues
......this project is all about...
......truly significant aspects of the site include...
......unique aspects of this project include...
......the functional requirements obviously point to an organizational pattern that...
...a few adjectives that fit this project are...
...conceive workable approaches
...externalize the approaches
...consolidate ideas and choose a direction.
-There is a myth that concepts have to be unique and different.
-Ideas usually arise as thoughts, mental pictures, or diagrams or drawings while you sketch. It is important to capture ideas when they arise, even before judging them.
-Two ways to externalize concept approaches are visual and verbal.
Rengel, Roberto. Shaping Interior Space. second. New York: Fairchild Books, 2007. 138-71. Print.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Unity Village: First Floor Sketchup
The largest challenge that is present at the moment is that the first floor of Unity Village has a smaller interior floorspace as compared to the second floor. But this challenge is somewhat compensated by having balconies outside.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Preliminary Layout
As the designers for the first floor of Unity Village we began to layout the basic space allocations for each of the different space types. We needed to work these spaces around the preexisting structures such as columns, stairs and elevators.
Spaces:
Offices
Meeting Rooms
Daycare
Coffee Shop/Internet Cafe
Mail Room
Restrooms
Closet Space
After more closely examining the layout that we began with we realized that adjustments must be made in order to accommodate for the floor to ceiling windows and the placement of all the exterior doors.
Spaces:
Offices
Meeting Rooms
Daycare
Coffee Shop/Internet Cafe
Mail Room
Restrooms
Closet Space
After more closely examining the layout that we began with we realized that adjustments must be made in order to accommodate for the floor to ceiling windows and the placement of all the exterior doors.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Unity Village Scenes
Full Isometric
North Face
South Face
Ground Floor Parking
First Floor Entrance
Second Floor Perspective
Isometric
South Wall
North Wall
Ground Floor
First Floor
Second Floor
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
My Sister's House
I feel that My Sister’s House is a successful example of fostering community among young mothers. This happens though the common situations and struggles that these women gave though and will overcome. Within the actual space, I feel that the kitchen is the most central point where everyone in the house can come together and socialize and get to know each other better. Everyone must eat so the kitchen is a natural gathering point.
Although each woman would have her own room to spend her private time with herself or her child, it still gives a places for each woman to have private conversation with another if it was needed. The common ages and situations among the woman are a unifying point that will allow the formation of community.
Although each woman would have her own room to spend her private time with herself or her child, it still gives a places for each woman to have private conversation with another if it was needed. The common ages and situations among the woman are a unifying point that will allow the formation of community.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Makeshift Shelter Reflection
As a hands on thinker the Makeshift Shelter project allowed me to design in a way that I really enjoy and can flourish. While working with a team I was able to construct a functioning shelter which can be used as a haven for socializing while only using materials that were found. Being restricted to only using reclaimed materials helped to connect this project to the devastating situation that the earthquake in Haiti has caused as well as allow us to experience what the people of Haiti are going through. Between the beginning processes though the construction to seeing the final outcome of our project we always had Haiti in mind.
Beginning this project, my group members and I got together and came up with an initial plan for our interaction of socializing. We brainstormed what the definition of socializing would be and what kind of structure would allow for the most optimal way to invite conversation among people. After researching, we decided that a circular or many sided structure would allow for the most interaction and still enable all the participants to see each other. Once we decided on a hexagon we move on to think of what kind of materials we could use as the structure. While working with some cardboard we found a way to manipulate it into a triangle at such an angle to create a perfect hexagon. The restriction of five materials at first was a very stressful discovery but we found that it helped tremendously in the design of our shelter and created a stronger design overall.
The largest obstacles we experienced while designing and building the structure were how well the cardboard structural supports would hold up the weight of the roof and the design of the roof as whole. Instead of using glue we found that plastic write created tension in the columns and allowed for them to be more structurally sound without further adhesive. The bamboo and the left over cloth from the walls created a light weight while visually interesting roof for our structure. I realized that our design was a success when we had nine people in and around our structure socializing and having a good time. I was extremely pleased with the outcome of this project. I felt that our design was cohesive with the designs of those around us and all together formed a well composed city of shelters.
This project will always remain with me because of the large scale and how hands on it was. Also, the connection to the Haiti disaster made the end product a much more rewarding experience than had it been just to create a shelter with out significance.
Beginning this project, my group members and I got together and came up with an initial plan for our interaction of socializing. We brainstormed what the definition of socializing would be and what kind of structure would allow for the most optimal way to invite conversation among people. After researching, we decided that a circular or many sided structure would allow for the most interaction and still enable all the participants to see each other. Once we decided on a hexagon we move on to think of what kind of materials we could use as the structure. While working with some cardboard we found a way to manipulate it into a triangle at such an angle to create a perfect hexagon. The restriction of five materials at first was a very stressful discovery but we found that it helped tremendously in the design of our shelter and created a stronger design overall.
The largest obstacles we experienced while designing and building the structure were how well the cardboard structural supports would hold up the weight of the roof and the design of the roof as whole. Instead of using glue we found that plastic write created tension in the columns and allowed for them to be more structurally sound without further adhesive. The bamboo and the left over cloth from the walls created a light weight while visually interesting roof for our structure. I realized that our design was a success when we had nine people in and around our structure socializing and having a good time. I was extremely pleased with the outcome of this project. I felt that our design was cohesive with the designs of those around us and all together formed a well composed city of shelters.
This project will always remain with me because of the large scale and how hands on it was. Also, the connection to the Haiti disaster made the end product a much more rewarding experience than had it been just to create a shelter with out significance.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Article Response
It is easy for some designers to be disconnected from the people that they are supposedly designing for. This can be seen when looking at some of the communities that we have discussed this week. These designers seem to be offering only the necessities in some homes while offering luxury and what can induce too much social privacy in others. It’s strange to think that some communities that have common meeting places for people fail at fostering social interaction among the inhabitants. I grew up and still live in a small neighborhood where we do not have the luxury of a common pool, rec center, or basketball courts. But somehow we all know each other and help one another when we are in a bind.
Maybe some of these communities fail because people may not stay long term. Maybe my community flourishes because everyone, especially my direct neighbors, were living in the neighborhood since my brother was a toddler and I wasn’t even born. Maybe it’s the demographic of people that allows community to flourish. The culture in which we are raised could in fact contribute to how we interact with others as a whole. Some people who live in a fast paced world may not take the time to realize who is around them while others, like in my community, are the good ol’ country folk that welcome anyone into their homes and social networks.
I had never thought about how a sense of community should be incorporated into design until the past few weeks. It really opens my eyes to a new way and a new reason to design.
Maybe some of these communities fail because people may not stay long term. Maybe my community flourishes because everyone, especially my direct neighbors, were living in the neighborhood since my brother was a toddler and I wasn’t even born. Maybe it’s the demographic of people that allows community to flourish. The culture in which we are raised could in fact contribute to how we interact with others as a whole. Some people who live in a fast paced world may not take the time to realize who is around them while others, like in my community, are the good ol’ country folk that welcome anyone into their homes and social networks.
I had never thought about how a sense of community should be incorporated into design until the past few weeks. It really opens my eyes to a new way and a new reason to design.
Friday, February 5, 2010
case study - commUNITY
CommUNITY Social Case Study: Cabrini Green
History
· During World War II, the Chicago Housing Authority began building a low rise apartment project for war workers.
· The original population of Cabrini Green reflected the area’s past ethnic mix of poor Italians, Irish, Puerto Ricans, and African Americans living among the war workers and veterans.
· The Chicago Housing Authority failed to budget money to repair buildings and maintain landscaping as they deteriorated causing horrible conditions with vermin and worsening of the structures.
· Cabrini-Green's reputation for crime and gangs rivaled the former inhabitants’ of what was commonly known as “Little Hell.”
“Over the year, the resident leaders have volunteered for any and all programs to improve the conditions at Cabrini Green in effort to ensure its continued existence. They formed local advisory council.” Larry Bennett, Janet L. Smith, and Patricia A. Wright, Where are Poor People to Live? The case of Cabrini-Green , Patricia A. Wright and Richard M. Wheelock and Carol Steel, New York, 2006
· Increasing real-estate values in the later twentieth century led housing officials to propose replacement of the complex from low income housing to mix income homes community. Pricing between $200,000 to $500.000.
· This was the largest demolition of public housing in American history and it uprooted around 40,000 who had never lived anywhere but in public housing.
· Chicago Housing Authority announces Plan for Transformation, which will spend $1.5 billion over ten years to demolish 18,000 apartments and build or rehabilitate 25,000 apartments. Earlier redevelopment plans for Cabrini-Green are included in the Plan for Transformation. New library, rehabilitated Seward Park, and new shopping center open.
· Currently there are only around 4,700 residents living in Cabrini Green, displacing the other 35,000.
· During the 1970’s American sitcom “Good Times,” was patterned after the infamous Cabrini Green to bring attention to poverty in a comedic way, with art work by famed artist, Ernie Barnes.
How was it unsuccessful?
· In the 1960’s the housing failed to foster community due to racial segregation among the multiple races inhabiting Cabrini Green
· Allowing the buildings to go into disrepair, dereliction and infestation of rodents.
How Cabrini Green Fosters CommUNITY
How was it successful?
· The community garden near Cabrini Green is used by only a few families from the complex but it has the potential to greatly foster community amongst the residents. It is open to all the communities near it and allows for more interaction among these different communities.
· The community tutoring and mentor connections create community by bringing together mentors and mentees. The mentors from outside of the community use their other social connections to help bring other people together as more mentors and people who will do other things for the community.
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