Train Depot Adaptive Re-use

This is by far the biggest project I have taken on so far. I redesigned the interiors of the Pufferbelly Train Depot in Pullman, WA. This adaptive re-use consisted of changing the old Train Depot into a gallery, residence, and studio for Ted Sawyer, a glass artist.
The images above, show the concept model, final presentation boards, and the built model of the train depot. The perspectives that are shown, are a good presentation of the concept that inspired the space which was, twisting through and around, circular and asymmetrical.
This time around, instead of working primarily with 2D drawings of floor plans, I started by using 3D working rough draft models. At first, this was so new to me that I really struggled. After playing around with walls and such a little more, I found that the models gave me the chance to see things from a new perspective. I got many ideas for the ceiling space when playing around with the rough draft models, which was important to consider because the train depot roof provided the space with extra volume. Had I not made rough draft models so early in the design process, I probably would not have explored the concept as extensively.
Having said that, I still do not feel like I explained my ideas very well on the boards. If I could go back on my annotations, I would make it a priority to explain in detail exactly what the ceiling is doing in each space with more clarity.
Some things that were challenging for me, were having to design for a visually impaired client, having to consider three different space types, those being the studio space, the gallery, and a residence. Each one within them has their own specific requirements.
While I am happy with how it turned out,I feel like this redesign, more then any other one that I have worked on, still in my eyes does not seem complete. I look at the final project, and still want to change a million small things. That probably is not something I should admit, but I do wish I could change some things. We did do a preliminary review of our designs, and that did help make a few minor changes, yet I still feel like I could make changes or improvements to my design. Maybe with future projects, I will challenge myself to stop and really critique my work and ask for the opinions of my peers more often.
All that aside, I for the most part, am happy with how it turned out.

Pittock Mansion

While I was in Portland visiting the Bullseye Resource Center and Gallery, I decided to stop at the Pittock Mansion. The Pittock Mansion is an historic spot and a real gem that was built between 1909 and 1914. It sits on top of a hill that overlooks the whole city. The grounds have been well kept, and the house has been restored and is fully furnished. It is a museum now, open to the public to view the inside.
The interior design was fascinating. Immediately upon walking in, you feel like you have stepped back in time. The ornamentation and detail throughout were wonderful. I really did feel like I was in a castle. What was really unique was that many of the walls in the house were curved. Tons of the rooms had a circular shape which is something you don't normally see. It gave me some ideas on curved features and how I could potentially apply them to the Pufferbelly Depot design without compromising the accessibility of the home and without making too dramatic of a statement.
Lately, I have been learning about the use of pattern in a space, not just in textiles, but through other forms as well. The Pittock Mansion had many wonderful examples! I tried to show some of the pictures that captured the magnificent designs in the ceilings, borders, trims, and even floor work up above.

Bullseye Resource Center Visit

I had the wonderful opportunity to visit the Bullseye Resource Center this week. This is the place where Ted Sawyer, my artist for whom I am redesigning the Pufferbelly Depot for. By having the opportunity to see the studio spaces that he works in, and the types of things he does, I could get a better picture in my head of the type of space he will need for his studio.
The Resource Center is not only studio spaces but a store and small gallery spot as well. It was really neat to see how they had divided up the old warehouse into the set up they had. The pictures above show the main studio space and the smaller gallery that is upstairs. I unfortunately could not take pictures anywhere else.

PATTERN to TEXTILE

In order to transfer my pattern to the textile, I sent a module in to Spoonflower to have them put it on fabric for me. The first one I got back, was not what I was expecting. The picture with the larger pattern design is the first one that I received. I was not happy with such a large print because blown up, the lines were blurry and the color was blotchy. I ended up working it out with them and got what I really wanted the second time around. The picture with the smaller print is what I wanted.
I am very happy with how the last one turned out. From a certain distance away, the yellow that I once feared did not belong in the textile, actually gives the pattern more visual texture. The way the gold tones pop out over the yellow give it an extra dimension which I really like.
One of the biggest things I had to overcome when working on this textile, was accepting that this color scheme may not be my absolute favorite or something that I would choose for my own home, but instead I had to look at it from a design standpoint. The color scheme has very rich colors that do work nicely together. When I showed people those colors in comparison to some that I liked more, almost everybody agreed that yellows and golds were the best choice. Now that I have seen the textile in front of me, I really do appreciate listening to their feedback and I am happy with what I ended up with.

MODULE to CONCEPT MODEL

This is the transformation of my module into a 3D model. I tried out a series of ideas of how I could incorporate the same twisting and looping motion from the module into the model. I ended up using a piece of wired ribbon and wrapped it around a PAM spraycan and then starched it. I also put some extra mod podge on it to help maintain the circular shape and then followed it with some spray paint. I think that I was successful at combining all of my keywords into the model. I wish though that I would have used a thicker piece of yarn and a larger circular mold to wrap it around so that it was bigger. The appearance of the ribbon looks kind of like leather which was an unexpected added bonus. It sort of reflects the smooth aspects of the metal that originally inspired the module itself.

Renaisance Fine Woodworking

Renaisance Fine Woodworking in Pullman, WA was kind enough to give me a tour of their work facility last week. To start off, they began to share a little bit about their professional background and how they came to their particular craft. Then they began to talk a little about their work specifically. This includes doing various woodworking jobs for people and their specific projects. Some things we got to see in the making were large round beams and the exterior of a little trailer. They also do kitchen cabinetry and much more.
It was very interesting to hear about the design process that goes into their work, and to hear about the communication between client, designer, and craftsmen like themselves. Some of the things I gathered were that it is always important to gather as much information as possible and relay to the best of your abilities what it is that you want. Be specific and willing to talk through problems and whatnot. It is also important to charge people for your time.
Probably the most valuable thing that was talked about though, was being friendly with just about everyone you meet. You never know who could be a potential client down the road. If you show interest in somebody and their life or career or whatever else, that could be the start of a great business relationship. Being personal and showing you care could win you some business down the road.
Overall, they were two very nice gentlemen with very impressive work.

MODULES to PATTERNS

For the Module to pattern design, I really tried to pick two modules to explore that were really different from eachother. Both have aspects of the original inspiration in them, yet they are very different. After exploring the patterns more, I came to like the module with swirl in it becaust it lends itself to so many unique patterns.
I have really struggled with adding colors to these modules. That is definantly a weakness I have. It is real easy for me to get my ideas out with a Sharpie, but then going back, the addition of color really changes the abstract sketches. I need to keep working on playing with, and applying new colors.

ABSTRACTIONS to MODULES

This is the beginning parts of my concept development for an adaptive reuse remodel on the Pufferbelly Train Depot in Pullman, Washington. The picture above is the inspirational image with some abstractions. Things like, circular movement, connectiveness, looping together, and asymetricaldesign were all concepts that inspired these sketches.
I hope that I continue to follow these concepts and can closely relate all the work that follows back to these original sketches.

Field Trips: WSU Art Museum/Artist's Studio

This past week I was fortunate to have the opportunity to go to the WSU art museum. I was able to view some of the artwork there, as well as hear from the curator about the design of the museum and much more.
Here are some things the curator spoke to us about:
There are many things that go into the layout of an art show. Most importantly, it is about guiding the audience through the space. What do you want them to see first, second, third? What story are you trying to tell? The curator talked about getting into the heads of the audience, and trying to let them approach art in a way so that they can explore it. It is not about preaching your own ideas because there is no right or wrong answer, but allowing them to have their own experience with the pieces. Things like lighting really depend on the art that is being presenting, and the materials from which they were made from. The walls are mainly kept white, so that the piece can stand alone and speak for itself. The walls should fall away behind the work.
I also got the chance to see Carrie Vielle's art studio. She walked us through the space and the design process. Some keys things I learned from her that can be applied to the design I am working on for an artist's studio is that no matter what I should always double the amount of the storage they say they will need. I should also keep in mind storage that is move able. I will also probably ask my artist what methods of storage they prefer, everything that can be seen out in the open vs. all hidden away. Along with that, I will need to find out how they prefer to work, what kinds of light, is there a need for music or TV.

Disability-ability-Vision Workshop

In order to better understand what it is like to be visually impaired, I completed a workshop that would help me to see through the eyes of those with less then perfect vision. This included looking through plastic bags which simulated 20/60 vision (still legally able to drive during the day), folding the plastic bag over to represent being legally blind, and also wearing sunglasses that had petroleum jelly smeared on the inside of the lens.
With the glasses on and a partner there for safety, we walked around throughout the CUB and tried out a series of things like, locating different features on an ATM, going up and down stairs, getting on an elevator, and ordering coffee.
These are some of the things I took note of during the workshop:
-In darker areas, or places with more shadows, it was hard to decipher between objects and people.
-In areas that were all white, and really light, it was still hard to decide where the open space was to walk.
-Walking into the coffee stand, it was really loud and all I could see was a mess of colors so it was really intimidating. They also did not have a braille menu, which made it hard to order.
-At the ATM, there was a flashing light that helped me find where to slide my card, but there was no lights or anything by the headphone jack that would assist me in using the machine.
-Going down the stairs in the library, the little black lining at edge of each stair helped me see the steps a bit better.
-Walking around, I couldn't see people walking up to me until they were within ten feet.
From this small amount of time I spent visually impaired, I realized that we do not do very much to accommodate those with visual disabilities. If I did not know the CUB from previous experience, I would have had no idea where anything was. For example, the stairs, elevators or ATMs. The built environment should be accessible to everyone regardless of cost, because everyone should have equal access to public spaces and facilities. If one person in our society isn't able to make a contribution because of the built environment that is not only incredibly sad, but also a huge loss. The CUB is the student union building, a place for students to come and eat, study, socialize, set up booths and much more, and if someone, for example, can't come inside and and maneuver, that is not only a huge loss to that person, but also to the millions of other students that they could be interacting with.
The picture above, is something I sketched to model what I saw while the glasses were on. Basically, everything was extremely blurry. I could see only really bright colors and lights, and then extremely dark figures. Everything else blending in together.

Skamania Youth Center Design

With a group of people, I worked on designing a youth center for the the teens of Skamania, Washington. This involved taking a roadtrip to Skamania to meet with students and adults from the community, as well as measuring and taking pitures of the barn, which was to be the building for the eventual Youth Center.
There were challenges in using this barn for the center because once every year, it sitll had to be used for the fair. So we had to design a place that could be completely cleared out during the fair. We also had to think about materials and flooring that would be appropriate for playing and at the same time, could be used with animals.
This was a really exciting task because we got to work with these clients face to face. We got the chance to actually see the place, and the community it was in which ultimately helped design the place.