Playscape Workshop

This semester I got an opportunity to work with the first year interior design students in their working process of designing a playscape for children. This entailed an all outdoors play area that uses natural elements to create maybe a course of logs, or a tree to climb across. My job was more of to make sure discussion were happening about the specific topic and that everyone was getting an opportunity to either draw or write down ideas that their groups came up with. As I did not get a chance to do this as a freshmen as I am a transfer student, it was good learning experience for myself on ideas that I would come up with while thinking alone. As I did not share these ideas, I would have had the chance to if I had taken that workshop. Getting to facilitate the workshop was a learning experience all on its own and I would more then enjoy continuing with them.

Final Residence St. Elmo's in the Palouse

The final process of the St. Elmo hotel brought each space together. From the one bedroom apartment, into the common space, and back to the two bedroom apartment. These spaces were created from the concept of openness and unity. which came from the phrase of "home is where the heart is" which ultimately made me get the feeling of hearts, with warmth, love and comfort. The incorporation of the concept can be seen within each space, but what bring them together is the common space and the use of a large chandelier that is shaped like a heart and gives a feeling that the space is one. The common area is separated by a series of seating placed for different activities, whether it be someone just wanting to get out of their apartment for a little bit, if someone is waiting for their significant other to get done at the spa or even waiting for the laundry to get done they can sit outside of the laundry room and read while they wait. The one bedroom apartment was the main aspect of this, keeping it open while also uniting the room without a feeling of being cluttered. This was accomplished by inserting wall indents into both the living room and kitchen wall connected to the living room. So once you enter into the apartment. You have the ability to see into the living room and all the way into the kitchen. Even when there might be company present, socializing from room to room will not cause an issue as it would with solid walls. These walls are also shortened so that it keeps the space as open as possible so those who are in a wheelchair, have no problems moving through the apartment. The bathroom is capable for accessibility, from both front and side access to the ADA compliant toilet. There is access beneath the vanity sink for wheelchair space and also side or front access. There is a bench placed below the windowsill for seating if needed and has a walk-in shower so wheelchair access is possible. The bedroom has been placed with a walk-in closet for extra clothing space as well as storage. Two windows inside the bedroom allow natural light to be present in the room. A coat closet as well as a bench is placed at the end of the entry way for storage and setting items down once entering the apartment. The kitchen holds plenty of room for at least two people to cook at once. as well as having the turn around space if one is to be using a wheelchair. A space in the corner along the exterior wall has room to place a desk or even storage cupboard for extra storage in the interior.

WSU Designer Critique

I found this chance to meet with designers to get feed back on a current project that is in process to be extremely helpful, and educational. After describing the project, the clients wants and needs, the building and my personal idea towards the site, the three designers then asked questions pertaining to the plans and after answering their questions, they gave very good advice and also ideas of their own that could help make my space more open and a comfortable to be called a home. My concept was based on the quote of "home is where the heart is" and from this I developed a sense of openness and unity to make a home, a home. This will be seen throughout the one and two bedroom apartments including the common space, by unifying the apartments with a grand chandelier and seating outside their entry points. And in the apartments unity and openness can be seen within the clear very open space and the break of walls with open window like spots so the living space can be seen from the kitchen and the entry way.

St. Elmo's Hotel Bathroom Design

In a previous posting I showed the design development of the St. Elmo's Hotel new apartments being processed in the kitchen area of the two bedroom apartment. This is the workable design was made for accessibility aspects of a bathroom. With a possibility of being able to completely replace where walls are in this apartment, I took the opportunity to make this bathroom space as large and spacious as I could. The bathrooms vanity, sink, toilet and linen closest are ADA compliant with a standing shower that is capable of having a seat placed within it for anyone that may want it to be included. The main concept to this design was actual space with a feeling of openness with also a unified visual sense in the location of fixtures and furnished items in the bathroom space. By positioning the shower in the redesigned corner, it created a much more spacious area to place necessary essentials for a bathroom. With this amount of space, it was possible to make this toilet both front and side accessible and grab bars on both , also enough room to comfortably turn around in a wheel chair if it is deemed necessary. Lighting is present from the mirror light and also the ceiling mounted lights, which can also be wall mounted which then makes them ADA compliant as well. The door opening is at 36 inches making it also ADA compliant. A Travertine tile for the floor is used, that is the color of Emerald and is honed and filled so it is a smoother surface, and is also a sustainable material. If I have the opportunity to do this all over again, I would find a different style of a vanity and I would also try to add more storage to the space. My main focus for this bathroom was the accessibility aspect of the design, so that even if someone was not in need of the turn around space, there is plenty of enough space to add any furnishings that would make this space more aesthetically pleasing for their own personal liking.

St. Elmo's, Palouse WA -Kitchen Design

This kitchen was created with accessibility, comfort and unity in mind. I learned from this design that it takes time, patience, and experimentation to find what will work best within the space provided. In this case, the building's wall can be placed wherever is most pleasing and what we believe will be best for the clients wishes of an open, go with the flow, space. While the client also wants the most use of sustainable materials in the entire apartment. I used sustainability through; IceStone countertops, wooden floors, 3Form cabinet door insets on the top shelves, and Red Oak wooden cabinets. At first the dimensions I had was wrong, and I actually had more space to work with than expected (as seen in my kitchen study model). Choosing to have the living room area right across from the kitchen area created a more unified, spacious area for cooking, dining, and the possible entertainment to follow. The kitchens design has a immense amount of counter space for any given activity and enough space for two or more people to be working. As well as a island for extra use and seating for eating use. I'm happy with how much open flow I was able to create within the space given, also there was enough room for a dishwasher and pantry space for extra storage. For future designs I think I will spend more time with specific areas surrounded by the major spots of use. And also I would add more elements of ADA requirements for those with disabilities, that way it will be universal for all.

Kitchen Study Model

2nd Floor, Floor Plan Elevations Perspectives

2-Bedroom Apartment, Floor Plan Sustainable Materials, Fixtures & Appliances

Concept Development

My development for my kitchen concept, never easy to come up with. It all started with a song by Simon and Garfunkel about Home as well as a quote I have always seen around "Home is Where the Heart Stays". That went onto becoming 2-dimensional abstractions of what I go from reading the lyrics, as well as listening to the song itself. Listening to the song and thinking about home, I found keywords to be heart, love, comfort, unity, and balance. I took these keywords to abstract artwork, and then formed them up to be 3-dimensional versions of the abstractions. Coming into my final concept model, I decided to combine three of these 3-dimensional models to make one. I achieved a final model that is there to show a sense of balance, unity, a comfortable feeling that horizontal lines may be able to give.

These are the 2-D Parti's

These are different views of the final concept model

This is one of the space study models

Client Briefing

Getting information from the client is always important, but so is asking the right questions. These questions were based on the St. Elmo's Hotel, in Palouse, Washington and it is being remodeled and reconstructed to be 2-bedroom and 1-bedroom apartments. Finding out materials of what the client would like, and types of design that he may prefer. For this client, he wanted as much Sustainable Design that could be used and preferred a more earthy color palette. He likes more of the simple things than luxurious, which I can agree with because who really needs expensive when you can have reliable. Unfortunately, I have not had the opportunity to visit the site (the Hotel) in Palouse yet!

Psychology of Home: Less is More

This context poster in terms of the Psychology of Home, is to show that less is actually more within a smaller space. Meaning, the less furniture and and fixtures seen in a space the more open, and welcoming that space will ultimately provide. This home in Wisconsin showed this and gave this feeling in its living room and dining space. With just two larger sofas for the main seating and a table to place things in front of them, and that is it, other than the focal point of the room and that is all the photos hanging as this was named "The Gallery Home". I learned from this how you do not need a lot of things in a room to make it feel like a comforting home, and I would like to do even more research on this to find out even more about how this feeling can effect people and their emotions. This poster was done as a team effort, and we decided to find different aspects about what makes up the Psychology of home and go into further depth with ones we found to be important. Other members chose to do the Psychology of Home based on; its Safety, Decor, and even Lighting, but there are still many other aspects that can be done over a broad topic of Psychology of Home.