AXIS

from Clare Herrera - 4th Year Interior Design Portfolio- Spring 2023

GATEWAY

Textile Workplace & Private Residence

Fall 2021 3 Weeks 1072 sq ft Denver, CO

Design Concept

The intersection of residential and workplace design relates to the junction of Navajo culture and their connection to the arts, weaving in specific, as well as the crossroads of the four corners of Navajo Nation; Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado. Inspired by the Navajo legend of Spider Woman as the one who introduced the people to weaving and her symbol of a cross with an opening in the center, the space is organized based on crossing axes and conceptual holes where these axes intersect.

Research

The Navajo people make up the second largest population of Native Americans living in the United States. About 300,000 of those people live in Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico, as well as a large portion in Colorado. The Navajo people have a vast artistic influence, specifically with their pottery and weaving. Navajo rugs in particular are an example of their weaving skills. The Navajo legend of Spider Woman appeared in stories around the Southwest, often as a teacher of the arts, helping those to spin and weave thread, similar to that of a spider. Her symbol and motif of a cross with a void in the center dominated textiles of the Navajos such as blankets worn by older women in the tribe. If one was to place the symbol of Spider Woman on their textile and not include the hole in the center, they worried her spirit would be trapped within the form, hence the literal or figurative holes that appear. When Navajo people began weaving textiles, their patterns increased in complexity, beginning with black and white bands, then introducing bands of indigo and bayeta red acquired from the Spanish, and finally incorporating geometric forms such as diamonds and zig-zags. This progression influenced the color palette and material choice throughout.

NAME + BRANDING

The name ‘AXIS’ comes from the meeting of the horizontal and vertical central lines represented in Spider Woman’s symbol of the cross, which is found throughout Navajo weavings. ‘AXIS’ is graphically represented by taking the imagery of the cross and translating it to the letter ‘X’ in the word that embodies the concept.

Front Desk

GROCERY STORE

3650 Delgany Street Denver, CO 80216 TRAIN

Site Justification

Colorado was chosen as the state for the location as a representation of the four corners of the Navajo Nation. The four mountains touching each of the states were sacred to the Navajo, and they chose specifically to settle around them in northern Arizona, southern Colorado , New Mexico, and Utah. The Navajo people had a lack of appreciation and representation in Colorado in the 19th-20th century, and the goal was to properly acknowledge them in the current 21st century as there is a stable Navajo population located in Denver. We chose our site based on LEED Neighborhood Development standards. Per the connected and open community standards, the site is surrounded by well connected streets with plenty of intersections and is minutes walking distance to grocery stores, restaurants, bus stations, parks, and a major train station all within a .5 mile radius. It is located in the heart of the River North Arts District in Denver to gather inspiration from other artists like the inhabitants of the space. Across the South Platte River, there is the Navajo arts scene located on Navajo Street with many art galleries and exhibitions. Per the smart location requirements, site itself is an infill site and lies within an Industrial Mixed Use zoning area, which accommodates the client’s needs as a live and work building type as well as being placed on the South Platte Brownfield zone.

Planning

The spaces are very intentionally divided up based on research concerning mental health in live-work spaces; the commercial and work-oriented spaces (blue, 45%) are completely separate from the residential section (red, 45%) , with the flex space (purple, 10%) acting as a buffer between them. The arrows in the diagram represent the crossing axes of the shipping containers themselves, of the site, and the conceptual openings at their intersections.

Material Justification

The material palette pulls color inspiration from original weaving traditions and seeks to subtly emphasize the linear and angular nature of the cross concept. Ceramic tiles are inspired by Navajo pottery-making adopted from the Pueblo. Leather upholstery was selected because the Navajo people introduced leather to the southwest through trade. Materials such as wood and linen add warmth and texture to the space. The original shipping container material was left intact on the ceiling and outer facade to avoid adding unnecessary materials.

A Original Shipping Container Texture

B Wallquest Linen Plain in Pacific

C Pivot upholstery in Pivot

D Dougga Honed Limestone Mosaic

E All About Linen in Vanilla

F Matte Porcelain Tile in Clay Grace Red

G Oak Gustaf

H Ink on Oak

I All About Linen in Blue

Axonometric Dining Options

The inside dining option serves as the main seating area for up to twelve people with a bench along the far wall to allow for consistent egress from the passageway to the second bedroom. The outside seating option allows for a secondary configuration that utilizes the outdoor patio for additional room surrounding the dining area.

DINING ROOM + KITCHEN

DINING + KITCHEN PERSPECTIVE

Sliding doors open to the backyard patio, allowing the dining table to be inside or out. The photography on the wall highlights the Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park.

Flex Space Perspective

The movable curtain allows the space to be either open to the public or enclosed for privacy. Depending on the use, the space can be a photography studio or seating area.

Axonometric Flex Options

When enclosed by the curtain, the flex space can serve as a private living room adjoined to the residential section of the interior. When the curtain is open, the flex space becomes a part of the commercial area, serving as a photography studio for the artist’s textiles in context.

Southwest Residential Section

Material Justification

The seating around the dining room and flex space was chosen for ergonomic comfort and to juxtapose the sharp lines and angle throughout the space. When designing the space, sustainability was a priority. For example, the outdoor furniture was chosen due to it being all made from recycled materials, and is Cradle to Cradle certified. The dining room lighting allows for intersections between pendants and creates a statement of visual interest.