What's it all about?

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Our writing exercise today asked us to consider what our studio project means. What impact will this installation have on people that come to see it?

I think the point of this project is to acknowledge everyone in design, especially a demographic that would normally be over looked in our profession; those without shelter. We have to figure out how to make someone that doesn't have a home feel comfortable, both physically and emotionally. Things we have to think about are what will they be doing in the structure (in my group's case, sleeping) and how to make that experience better.

Its interesting to contrast this project with our last project from last semester, which was a residential kitchen for a celebrity. Although there are major differences between the two projects, the overall goal is the same. As designers we want to create a positive interior experience for the user.

EUC Rendering

This is a rendering done for Visual Communication of a public space on campus. I tried to experiment with adding shadows and contrast. I can now look back at work I did last semester and notice ways to improve things, which shows me that I'm continuously learning.

Experiencing the sleeping pod

An interior architecture student, Bob, was rushing to make it to class on time, about to make his way into the Gatewood lobby.

He was approaching the elevator when he noticed five makeshift shelters, all set up on display by fellow IARC students. Though Bob was in a hurry, he couldn’t help but want to go inside the little homes.

The last one he walked up to really caught his eye. It seemed to almost look like a pod intended for sleeping. He was attracted to the gentle and flowing curves of the structure.

Bob climbed inside the cocoon-like space and appreciated the cushion of the floor, which was created with foam. It even had a pillow built in to rest his head. He noticed that the structure had a flap to pull down, creating a private space. He pulled the door down, making the shelter dark and perfect for sleeping. One end of the pod had been made into a plastic window, in order to let just a bit of light in.

A sense of tranquility came over Bob due to the soft textures inside the space. There were no distracting or out of place features in the pod, such as fabrics with patterns or odd shapes. This environment did not invigorate Bob; it comforted him and helped him fall asleep.

Makeshift shelter

Our first studio project of the semester is underway and already sparking a lot of ideas from the class. In a small group we are to create a makeshift shelter for someone in Greensboro, using only found materials and objects. Young, Brittany, and Shane are in my group and we are focusing on a shelter for sleeping.

This project comes at a time when thousands of people have lost their homes in Haiti and are therefore having to create their own makeshift shelters. I love the fact that studio this semester will be focusing on and considering everyone in the world when it comes to design. Most people in the world don't have access to a designer, and I want to design for them. Suzanne shared a quote with us in class, "Earthquakes don't kill people, buildings kill people." This points out how important our jobs are, and that design and architecture make a huge difference on the world.

The next step we are taking in our project is the collection of our materials. We are all individually looking for scraps and we will meet together soon to find some more. We are inspired by the idea of a cocoon or pod to sleep in, as this space needs to comfortable, cozy, warm, and dark. After we find what we have to work with we can come up with a more concrete design.

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Jeff Corwin Project

These are the final drawings for the kitchen project in studio. We were assigned a celebrity and floorplan and asked to create a residential kitchen for them. Jeff Corwin was a very interesting choice because he is passionate about many things. As a biologist is is passionate about the environment, as well as traveling and cooking. I wanted to incorporate all of these characteristics in his space and make it a functioning kitchen for him and his family.