Designing Happiness:

Our next challenge for 2nd year studio is to spend sometime thinking about design happiness. Naturally some of the first things that come to mind are Patrick’s lectures on “commodity, firmness, and delight” as well as F. L. Wrights more famous design Fallingwater. To further my attempts in trying to decide what true design happiness is I decided to make a list of all the things that make me happy (whether those thoughts refer directly to design or not). The list is as follows…

“Liberty of London” for Target …Guess by Marciano…Yellow Diamonds…Wireless connection…Spell Check …High heals…Cloths from my grandmother’s closet…Learning new languages…Trips to new places…Outside…Grass…Trees…Nautical things…Roller coasters …Kindness…Puppies…Bunnies…Gowns …Persian influenced design…Arts and crafts style…Alice in wonderland…Fluffy mattresses…Hidden messages…Green …Tea…Coffee…Chocolate…Treasure…Gardens…White Russians!...Cinderella…Pinup girls…Virgo…Pillows…Natural things…Shoes <3…The word “cellar door” and yes, that’s from Donny Darko…Sparkles… I like things I can’t understand or wrap my mind around… flats… popsicles… flowers… horoscopes… cookies… boats and snow boards… buttons… lace… BIG HAIR… the beach… crab legs… clams… gnocchi… Banana Republic… Playing dress up… wine!! Polka dots…. Ice cream… friends… the 1930’s movie “Top Hat”… the color combination red, black, white… Hypnosis… horoscopes… sandals…. Shiny things… swimming… climbing trees…. Hiking…

Unity Village: Phase 3: Presentation Board

Unity Village: Phase 3: Perspectives

Entrance...

Dancers room...

Dinning area...

Music wall...

Living space...

Musicians room...

Unity Village: Phase 3: Floor Plan Detentions and Furniture

Unity Village: Phase 3: Floor Plan

My Classmates Strengths as a Designer

"Genius is one percent inspiration, and ninety-nine percent perspiration." -Thomas Edison

This image "Paper Sculpture: folded architecture detail" was taken from flicker "polyscene's photo stream."

Wesley has a way of thinking differently then I do; this is one of the many reasons why I respect her. There are times when she will hit a road block in her work or designs but she will never gives up until a final result is reached. When it comes to building models she likes for all the parts to be connected to one another through joinery. If someone were to take apart one of her models most likely they would be able to see that it is made of one solid material with many different folds and cuts. I don’t know how her brain works this way! I have been diagnosed with dyslexia so naturally one would think that I do everything backwards or even see things in ways that others would not… and usually that is the case. However, Wesley has this wonderful talent of creatively piecing different parts of one solid material together in a way that my brain simply can not figure out.

My Strengths as a Designer

"I have as many thoughts in my head as there are birds in the sky" - C. S. Anderson

This image "the Dawn of Hope" was taken from flicker "AzRedHeadedBrat's photostream.

I feel that I was truly blessed with the gift of “quick ideas/ solutions.” What I mean to say is this, ever time a problem arises or a new assignment is given, I immediately have several ideas running through my head. Now granted, not all the ideas are great or nesisaraly the right option for the existing problem. But I know that this gift is great for a designer because it enables them to quickly jot down all the thoughts and ideas that come to mind in their design journal. This quick thinking also allows me to have more than one idea or solution; therefore, I usually have more time than others too look back and reevaluate my work. Also, I am more prone to looking back at my beginning thoughts and ideas throughout the entirety of the design process.

Unity Village: Phase 3: User Needs

Unity Village: Phase 3: Programing document

Unity Village: Phase 3: Collection of Standards

According to NKAB's website: To make the task of meeting building code requirements easier, the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) publishes a list of standard building code requirements. Helping homeowners design and build safe, accessible rooms. Some of the basic requirements are:

• Toilet enclosures – bathroom stall enclosures must have at least 36” X 66” of space
• Toilets – center at least 15” from walls and tubs; 21” clearance in front.
• Faucets –for bathroom shower and combination tub/showers must include anti-scald devices
• Bathroom Light fixture – at least one that is permanent, controlled by a wall switch
• Wall switch – at least 60” from tub and showers
• Waste and drain lines – must slope ¼” per foot toward the main DWV stack; to aid flow and prevent blockage
• All receptacles must be GFCI-protected

For the 31 kitchen design rules please visit...

http://starcraftcustombuilders.com/kitchen.design.rules.htm

Unity Village: Phase 3: Karen's Room

I would like to inlay shadow boxes into different parts of her room and the living quarters that will display her instruments.

Seeing as Karen is our musical girl, I'm thinking of implementing different lighting throughout the space that will change in color and intensity when different notes are hit.

I also intend on using sound barriers in her room so that Sara and other residents will not be disturbed when Karen feels the need to practice.

Unity Village: Phase 3: Sara's Room

I like the funky shape of this shoe rack. I might try and recreate on in the form of an abstract "S" for Sara's shoe display

I also appreciated this hanging bed. I would plan to use the negative space around the bed to back-light Sara's shoes on display.

This bed design maybe even more ideal for Sara seeing as the bed could be flipped vertically and have the bottom be composed fully of a mirror. A portable tap floor could be stored under her bed, thus creating a small dance studio.

Example of mirrored wall.

Unity Village: Phase 3: Karen & Sara's Space Precidents

I like the funky paintings in this photo. I plan on adding lots of flashy bright colors in the space, colors that suggest movement. Because both of the girls have artistic majors I am thinking that they would appreciate an inspirational living space where they can also feel comfortable entertaining guests.

I plan on saving square footage by introducing a "jack and jill" bathroom to the apartment.

I would like the kitchen to be central in the apartment. There will be three separate spaces, the kitchen, the girls private rooms, and the living/ entertaining courters.

I liked this bar stool because its shape and squishy texture reminded me of the "jellyfish" concept.

As for this black bar stool, its shape reminded me of the "jellyfish'' concept.

Unity Village: Phase 3: Karen & Sara's Space

For this portion of the project, my "clients" will be 1) Karen- a 27-year-old grad student at UNCG who studies music therapy. She owns lots of instruments and plans on showcasing them throughout the apartment. Karen also enjoys entertaining small dinner parties. I believe that along with bedroom and bathroom space; she will need a room fit for acoustics, space for instrument display with easy access to the instruments, as well as dining space. 2) Sara- a 28-year-old grad student at UNCG who studies dance. She enjoys cooking and experimenting with new recipes. On Sundays she bakes for all the residents on her floor. She has many shoes that she has collected over the years from different dance programs and wishes to display them creatively in her room. I believe she will need plenty of cooking space, room for her shoes, perhaps a mirrored wall and portable tap floor.

Unity Village: Phase 2: Beginning Ideas

Diagram view of the ground floor layout and what needs the space requires.

Fitness room view.

Entrance stairwell view.

The audio/ visual room.

The recreation room and fire exit.