St. Elmo's 1 Bedroom Model

The model of the 1 bedroom helps elaborate my message a little better. In three dimensions, you can see how open the space is for a 1 bedroom. Even though I set up turns and angles with places to explore it still feels open with room to breath. The orientation of the rooms served to purposes. I wanted St. Elmo's to stay on the historical registry which means that I did not want to move or add any windows that would alter the exterior side of the building. Within this restriction I set for myself, I thought it best to provide the most light to rooms that we may spend the most amount of time in. Access to lighting helps the aesthetics of the apartment allowing wider array of design options and simply being able to add plants.

St. Elmo's Common Space

The common space on the second floor of St. Elmo's hotel was a challenge, but proved to be rewarding. Once I set up the partitioned private entrances the space started to make sense. It effectively separated personal space from public with walls of reclaimed and restained lath. The fireplace was meant to be a welcome to patrons of the spa, maybe as an extra waiting room. To further promote the image of professionalism, I created a water feature that advertises and calms. Still amongst all the calm this is meant to be a primarily transient place.

St. Elmo's 1-Bedroom Apartment

This is the detailed breakdown of the 1-bedroom floorplan and elevations. Technically, the toilet and lavatory are ADA compliant and all measures in the apartment fit within the parameters of interior design standards. I liked playing with angled, built-in shelving in the kitchen, living space and bathroom. Playing with these angles made the space feel alive. I oriented the slats of the wood floor north-south, so that the space welcomes you.

1 Bedroom & Common Space Parti Plan

The theme I used to create the one bedroom and common space plan was based on the dynamic bending and shaping of human growth in relationships. I wanted the foot steps to lead somewhere interesting keeping within parameters of warmth within the home. My parti lays the pathway for the floorplan.

House of the Immediate Future

Habitat for Humanity held an outdoor and informal symposium about The House of the Immediate Future. I toured a house made for developing countries and one for a developed country as ours. What struck me was how little we really need to survive and be happy. The concept of the wet core is a wonderful idea, but still needs some fine tuning. I'm looking forward to seeing what advancements come up in the future. In this image, I sketched the ramp and entrance of an immediate home.

Sketch Crawl

In Seattle, artists and sketchers participate in sketch crawl at different locations in the city. I was able to them one day at the Olympic sculpture park. I sketched The Eagle, an amazing sculpture that had a majority of the sketchers enthralled. Whole groups of people sat in the shadows at each leg. My angle was distant and I was able to capture the whole structure. In my mind I imagine all the angles I could have found in that piece and the various ways I could interpret them. I look forward to going back one day and trying to draw it straight underneath with sky as a backdrop.

Meeting with Capital Planning Designers of WSU

I was fortunate enough to give a quick and dirty presentation of my design plans for the 1-bedroom apartment and common space on the 2nd floor of St. Elmo's hotel to Jennifer Reynolds, Joanie Thomas, and Stacy Gravel, interior designers working for WSU. The common space presentation seemed rather seamless; I think they went with me on the water feature, fire place, and private entrances for the apartments. However, when I proposed using 3 Form materials for the private entry doors Stacy stated that the expense would be great. I took that into consideration because it seems a rather expensive feature should be displayed prominently and publicly. This business venture is a small boutique with local and small tourism patrons and little focus on the materials used to create this built environment. I plan to replace the 3 Form resin doors, possibly continuing the theme of recycled lath from the wall to the door. I have been and may remain vexed over the south wall the 1-bedroom apartment (insert sigh here). I struggled with trying to put 2 lavatories in the bathroom, arranging the shelving near the entrance, and maneuvering the kitchen island as to not impede traffic. First of all, the designers agreed that I do not need 2 lavatories for a 1-bedroom apartment. The second suggestion they had was to merge the kitchen island into the counter space and make a peninsula. Finally, they advised that I should adjust the swing of the door since it's layout is a bit awkward. I am taking all of these suggestions and flying with them. The picture given here tells the tale of my south wall dilemma. I've settled on the lavatory setup and I'm drafting up a new entryway in connection with the kitchen.

Aging in Place

Context Poster Comments:
Considering the template – the initial ideas I used in constructing the template for my other group members seemed universal with the faded pictures of human factor and ADA guideline measurements. I oriented it the picture background pictures in lines with spaces between, but it tended to mess with the formats the rest of my group members needed for picture and text box orientation. I essentially chose a format that forced everyone to fit into my style rather than allowing for the freedom of my group members to explore their own creativity.
Next time, I won’t attempt a more stylized version of a template and focus on a more universal format.
Furthermore, I became confused with the parameters of the assignment. Upon further examination, I noticed it read more as an advertisement of the products used and how the dimensions could be considered in smaller places, so it lacked the professional feel of a true case study.
I learned that in order to create a well-rounded and informative presentation on aging in place there needs to be more visual rendering of the location, such as: floor plan with an overlay of bubble diagrams to mark flow and maneuverability which is a mathematical and essential part of ADA guidelines. From this point it would’ve been easier to establish importance of universal design with an emphasis on aging in place.
I am pleased to know that today many designers automatically include aging in place dimensions when modeling new homes effectively saving home owners the trouble of the high costs of remodeling their homes to accommodate the aging tenant.

Personal Critique of Kitchen Project

Upon further reflection and research, I found that resins should not be placed near extreme heat, so I would remove the tortoise reed resin from the backsplash and run it vertically from the kitchen to the ceiling. This is double duty as it solves my dilemma of that blank wall. The width of the door is incorrectly drawn on the floor plan; the 36” width is not represented correctly. I’m wondering if my color choices will make the occupant feel like they’re living in a honeycomb. I extended the wall between the bedroom and bathroom to leave more options for the bathroom redesign, but from the view of the kitchen and living area it seems this may be an awkward setup. One of my perspectives that views the living area from the kitchen makes the spaces seem longer because my table and chairs are not in correct proportion to the space. Part A of this flaw, the wall behind the sink is blank. Part B, I’m not sure what to think.

Concept of Kitchen Space

The growth and welfare of people who are bound together depends upon the intricacies of relationships and how they bend, twist, and grow. Upon entering the space the occupant travels the angular concavities past the front closet, past the dining room table and into the welcoming embrace of the kitchen. This pathway is at once rectilinear and curvilinear as each functional storage space bends at soft angles. Two such spaces in the kitchen, the bending turn toward the sink and a twist to the side of the refrigerator, open possibilities by creating a fun contrast through a change in structural expectation. The horizontal lines of the cabinets run parallel to the wall lengthening the perceived space, but are broken midline by the perpendicular shapes above the stove to contrast the strength of this feature. The open U-shaped kitchen is meant to invite more friends and family in and encourage mingling and sharing. Sustainability is emphasized by the use of durable Quartz One countertops and rescued woods used on the floor and for cabinetry and tortoise reeds suspended in environmentally friendly resin. The large chalkboard painted pantry doors allows the freedom of hand that says, “Like the growth of a rose in concrete, this network of friends must insist on occupation.”

Volumetric Kitchen Model

Kitchen Floor Plan Presentation

In the bottom right corner is the proposed layout of the one and two bedroom apartments and spa on the second floor of St. Elmo’s hotel. Oriented toward the upper middle in the magnified view of the kitchen and family room. Referring to the inspiration parti, I designed the floor plan of the apartment to kink and bend into different interesting nooks of the main living space.

Materials - Cabinet Face

Translucent insert, Rain pattern made of Lumicor Embosses resin & Laminate facing in Deepstar Mineral 1817-35 from Wilsonart HD Premium

Materials - Flooring and Cabinetry Frame

Terramai reclaimed Golden Rose Flooring from the Paduk and Narra wood species from a demolition salvage in Southern Asia

Materials - Countertops and Backsplash

Countertops – Quartz One polished composite material NQ24: Stormy Sky from Daltile Backsplash – continue Quartz One Stormy Sky composite up to cabinets with Lumicor’s Tortoise Reed resin from the Botanicals series placed flush against the Stormy Sky composite

The following posts are explanatory segments of a proposed redesign for the kitchen, and living room for context, of the two bedroom apartment keeping in mind the theme of the dynamics between people and an added dimension of sustainability.

St. Elmo's Hotel in Palouse, WA

St. Elmo’s Hotel was built in 1888 in Palouse, WA and is a historic landmark for the local community. The building is being refurbished back into a hotel with a spa and 2 rental suites , one and two bedroom, on the second floor.

The Trouble with the In-Between

The concept of a home, being that which originates from the heart of people, challenges accepted concepts of design. How can a poem morph the physical box in which a person resides? What can the physical processes and materials of design do to complement the dynamic provocation of the death and rebirth of people so affixed in the concrete jungle that is home? It is the life, struggle, and death of people who create what is considered home; therefore, it is left to interpretation.

Concept Model

The gravity of the horizontal lines in combination with the tangling weeds of the base holds down the legs of the lattice. The nonobjective individual lattices are asymmetrical in nature, but the repetition creates a unity and rhythm for the whole. The scale relationship is emphasized between characters in the lattice and the conjoined circular lattice shape. The fragile structure is held down by something stronger and firmer reflecting the tenuous relationship between the fragility of growth and the restriction of steadfast paradigms. The color emphasizes the weakness of the structure of people in contrast to the firm ground that cracks far from the anchored footing of the lattice.

Inspiration Parti

The abstract inspiration for a physical home.

Abstraction Process

In the beginning of poetic abstraction dark feelings arose creating more violent and painful images. Images of life, toil, struggle, death, and finally acceptance recycled in the same thought as I tried to find a place for the discomfort of realization. My inspiration comes from digging into the pain and examining the beauty of survival. This produces a more inspiring picture of people who do not simply rely on aesthetics, but rely on each other.

Abstraction 1

Abstraction 2

Abstraction 3

The Rose That Grew from the Concrete

Tupac Shakur’s poem “The Rose that Grew from the Concrete,” speaks highly of the beauty that fights and grows against the odds in some of the most disparate situations. The concrete represents the oppression that stifles the growth of the dynamic community that calls these places home. A question I ask myself is exactly how much life is lost while fighting the weight of the concrete and why the same such life has the fortune and resilience to succeed. Either way the rose is one among a few who are allowed to shine on the backs of supportive family and community members.

Process Poster

As ideas grow in the mind of Dale Chihuly and gradually find definition so does the bloom of the orange lily. The lily draws interest into its center and warms with adaptable, curvilinear lines. The values of the orange and yellow colors unify with repetition while the contrasting, crisp new green provides striking emphasis. The seat and shelter originate from the natural curves and veining growth of the petals. The asymmetrical weave creates its own identity and value at each veining juncture. Where a simple relationship between lines and shapes remains innate between organisms of nature, the human organism implies special meaning to the orientation of shelter to environment. To bloom is to die and at this pinnacle is the height of beauty that should be shared and sheltered. An interchangeable definition of space and meaning forms the art of interpretation making this seat and shelter an apt structural element of a hospice.

Sample of Other Sketches

1-Point Perspective and Tonal Value Sketch

This is 1-point perspective sketch with the manipulation of tonal value. The sketch image on the left was done with a flair pen and graphite on the right.

I sketched this image I retrieved from Architecture: My Ninja Please . The picture is a hallway at the Nisha-Bar Lounge; designed by Pascal Arquitectos .

Perspective Sketch

This perspective sketch is of a chair at six different angles. I experimented with Picasso's drawing style, but it leaves an observer wanting.

Napkin Apartment Sketch

This sketch is of my apartment. With a flair pen, I quickly traced the floorplan and elevation. The loose paper fibers made it difficult to be exact or tenative. This was good practice for the hit-go-hit line technique of drafting.

Man-Cave Hybrid Drawing

This is a rough sketch of a small imaginary room with rudimentary elements such as the door, window, couch, and coffee table. From here I scanned the picture into Adobe Illustrator.

While in Adobe Illustrator I traced the key elements using the Wacom tablet and included the walls without the drafting grid.

This is the actual trace, minus the grid, that I used as a template in Adobe Photoshop and placed found images.

I retrieved different images from the internet based on a triadic color scheme of red, green, lt blue, and warm lt orange brown. The result is the hybrid drawing with a man-cave theme; notice the unicorn in the background?

From 2D Abstract Thinking to 3D Modeling

Model 1a:
The model kept the radial center of the drawing, but curled into space asymmetrically. Quick Descript: Curly-q shape with strips of sheet metal following the lines of the chipboard.
Model 1b:
This model mimicked the two-dimensional abstract drawing by displaying more concrete symmetrical balance. Quick Descript: Curved cross with crescent propped on top.
Model 1c:
Centrally located in the model were the beginnings of radial balance broken up by random length chipboard strips making the piece asymmetrical as a whole Quick Descript: Horizontal and vertical lines attached at the axis and fanned out to imply radial balance.
Model 2a:
The model is composed of three-dimensional curvilinear lines with an asymmetrical sheet metal object that lay across the inside. Quick Descript: Emphasis on curved lines, circle and leaf shaped.
Model 2b:
The movement of the curved lines creates an organic flow in the asymmetrical model. Quick Descript: flat, looping, paisley shaped petals.
Model 2c:
An oval wrap created dimension and an interesting negative space. Quick Descript: Cuffed leaf-like structure.
The geometry of the arch in the sketch was modified by creating three crescent shaped belts of chipboard. Quick Descript: Three vertical prongs recessed into half globe shape.
Model 3b:
The geometry of the model contained rectilinear and curvilinear shapes that served as the building blocks of the controlled angles and lines. Quick Descript: Sternum and rib shape with curled sheet metal at the top.
Model 3c:
Four three-dimensional views mimicked the geometry from the drawn abstraction. When looking at each angle separately the illusionistic space implies actual space. The metal swirl and wave-like lines breaks up the radial and symmetrical balance. Quick Descript: Oval globe with horizontal cross-sections.
More information about the mass of models as a whole:
Each nonobjective model had free-flowing, curved lines that give this overall project a more organic feel. Tactile and visual textures built in actual space and the protruding sheet metal shapes broke up the drab brown of the chipboard and created variety through contrast. The asymmetrical drawings and models are 3” x 3” and under 6” x 6”, respectively. Strips of sheet metal took on a curved orientation at varying widths. A variety of negative spaces set against a black background created interest around each model.

Scrapped model 1 was the first model I made and it was too large. Also, most of the interest lay inside the model and was difficult to peer through. Scrapped model 2 turned out to be a jumbled mess, so I kept experimenting with it for ideas on other models.

My Process of Abstract Thinking 3

From Abstraction 2, I chose three sets of two abstract drawings and used the Wacom digital tablet to process each abstraction and break each piece down to the simplest lines.

I redrew each abstraction paired with another and labeled them Abstraction 1A and 1B, 2A and 2B, and 3A and 3B.

Each set of two were combined with each other to make one abstraction which I used as a loose template for Models 1a, 1b and 1c, 2a, 2b and 2c, and 3a, 3b and 3c.
Abstraction 1:
The beginning of the drawn abstraction seemed to take on a radial-like shape, but is broken up by asymmetrical elements. I plan to incorporate the center radius into, at least, one spot on each model.
Abstraction 2:
I derived a seemingly unrecognizable, pictorial abstraction from two different interpretations of the stamen of an orange lily. The sketch is completely asymmetrical with fluid lines implying an ease of flow.
Abstraction 3:
Abstraction 3 begins with the geometric shape of 2A; a curvilinear and a rectilinear polygon of 2B placed together. Geometry is further reinforced by the parallel rectilinear structures, but broken up by a curved, asymmetrical shape at the tips.

My Process of Abstract Thinking 2

This first abstraction started biological. I zoomed in to capture the intricacies of the orange lily; the cellulose stalks of the stem, the shift in color from green to yellow to orange in an array of orientations, the outward curl of the set of streamline petals, and the veining of the second set of ruffled petals. Examining the flower so closely sparked other conceptual images related to its components.

The first images I contrived were rather immature; the cartoonish shapes, the reliance on geometry, and some pretty garish colors. But the more I tinkered and let my hand flow I started to delve into a more abstract world. I contended with the initial biases of abstract thinking; what is the use of exercises in the abstract? After I labored over this thought I found that abstract thinking is one of the major foundations of design. In order to design an inspired space, one needs to practice the art of abstraction and meld it with function.

I built more abstract concepts off of abstraction 2. I learned that I didn't need to make every square a piece of art. The goal was to break functional aspects of the object down to incremental, pictorial abstract thoughts from which to build a design.

My Process of Abstract Thinking

After studying Dale Chihuly I chose an orange lily for my inspiration object because his work made me think organic and in color. The line and structure he uses is wild and free, yet somehow captured and tamed for art.
I began my analysis by identifying the principles and elements of design in the orange lily that are innate in nature. What follows in consequetive posts are the processes by which I derived the concept of an abstract seat and shelter for a person.

The second object analysis became a more formal drawing of my inspiration object complete with transverse and sagittal sections of the orange lily.

I sketched out what I took to be the components of Dale Chihuly's artwork and considered how I could relate these same concepts in my abstractions.