COLEEN O’LEARY 704.651.9804 coleeneoleary@gmail.com University of Tennessee, Knoxville Interior Design Portfolio
SELECTED WORKS
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PROVISIONS
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RESTORING ROMANTICISM
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HEALING IN MOTION
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CONCH SHELL RESIDENCE
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THE ENCHANTED LOOM
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PHOTOGRAPHY
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TRAVEL SKETCHES
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MIXED MEDIA + DESIGN
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01
4TH YEAR
PROVISIONS Historically, Knoxville has been a fragmented city, divided into very separate neighborhoods stretching to the north, east, south, and west. Most of the separation is deeply rooted in the history of the region and the ways with which conflict has been dealt. A commonality between the neighborhoods and populations within Knoxville is the significance of food. Food is a basic provision needed to sustain life and yet the act of sharing a meal connects people in ways that allows them to feel as if they are doing much more than simply surviving. The concept of a community cafĂŠ is to feed all people, regardless of their ability to pay for it. The design of Provisions Community CafĂŠ explores the ways in which an interior space can unify a community by drawing people in, breaking social routines, and creating an atmosphere where conversation can happen naturally and without social stigma.
ADVISOR: DAVID MATTHEWS
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guests within the
separation between
each party face
servers and guests
each other guest seating bar[rier] servers/ bartenders back bar
tables and chairs movable but appear static booths promote privacy
In order to get people out of their areas of comfort, the routine of the restaurant must be broken. Typical dining layouts are reinterpreted in order to promote unity with all guests and to create moments where conversations can happen between groups.
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proximity is unnoticed
corners create moments of “can you please
condiments, napkins,
pass the ___?�
utensils in table center
interaction between guests one table broken into multiple sections
food is cooked in stations in the dining room
a community booth offers a more informal setting for people to stay longer and converse
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ceiling
wall
storage
table
seat
counter
floor
In order to have unity between guests and staff, the spaces must also be unified. Spaces such as the dining room, service counter, and back-of-house areas all serve unique purposes that work together to create a flow of service. A ribbon structure ties together the programmatic elements of the cafe.
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There are times when the ribbon has thickness and other times when it is just a thin stripe. All activity within the cafe occurs around on top of, underneath, and around the element. It is a loop the guests can trace around the space to see how they connect to other people spatially.
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Community interest is designed into the
1/4� steel ribbon
interior of the cafe. The table bases are
with supports
metal rods
built by community volunteers interested in learning basic construction methods. Local woodworkers will hold build days
+
where community members can get involved with the construction of the cafe, instilling in them a sense of ownership.
reclaimed wood
The pendant lights will also be con-
planks
structed on the build days from simple cords and tin cans. 10
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02
4TH YEAR
RESTORING ROMANTICISM Originally built in 1928, Hotel Cherokee is one of Cleveland, Tennessee’s most historically significant structures. Travelers used to come into town by train to stay in Cleveland and tour the surrounding Appalachian Mountains. Currently, the building is being used for Section 8 subsidized housing. The proposed design will reclaim the history of the hotel while creating the potential for future growth in the downtown area. The hotel will have thirty-three guest rooms, a full-service gourmet restaurant, a coffee bar + lounge, and a public plaza for use by the community. The design of the interior is inspired by the intimate and efficient spaces of train cars which evoke feelings associated with the romanticism of travel that has been forgotten in Cleveland. PARTNERS: JULIA MCCLINTIC AND BROOKE CUNNINGHAM
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DOWNTOWN CLEVELAND 14
SITE CIRCULATION
Guest Suites Guest Rooms Guest Rooms Guest Rooms Guest Rooms Plaza Parking
Restaurant, Bar +Lounge Amenities
Lobby
Laundry
Basement
EXISTING CONDITIONS 15
Guest Room Floors (1-4)
Guest Suite Floor (5) 16
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The public spaces in the hotel were inspired by the interiors of old train cars. The intimacy and warmth of the train cars were reinterpreted and applied to the more contemporary restaurant and bar + lounge. By day the bar would serve coffee and pastries to hotel guests and visitors. At night the bar would switch over to serve alcohol so that the space is always occupied. These spaces are located on the mezzanine, which is connected to the exterior plaza. This entire level of the hotel is a public space where community members can share their city with the hotel guests. 18
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03
3RD YEAR
HEALING IN MOTION Tennessee Orthopaedic Clinics (TOC) is a healthcare facilitator in Knoxville, TN. Their old space was outdated and too small so they have decided to move to a larger space downtown. This clinic is just over 13,000 square feet and includes a physical therapy center and MRI suite. The concept of the design is based on the idea of the movement of joints. The sub-waiting areas and nurse’s stations create moments of excitement and activity in the space while the patient care areas remain quiet, calm, and structured for efficiency. Cool and calming colors such as blue and gray are used in patient care areas to relax the patients and warm colors and wood finishes are used in the “joint” areas to create excitement and distraction from pain.
PARTNER: MACY HALE
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In the previous clinic space, wait times were a big problem. The new design splits up the waiting areas into a main waiting area and two sub-waiting areas so that the main waiting area does not get filled up and the process of getting patients into exam rooms goes much more quickly.
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13' - 6" B.O. Structure
1/2" INTERLAM Wood Panel
Fire Rated Sealant 3 5/8" Metal Channel Runner
1/2" 3Form Chroma Panel (PA3)
5/8" Gypsum Wallboard
10' - 0" B.O. Ceiling Ceiling as Specified
Metal Furring Strip
Wall Angle, Typ. Mineral Wool Insulation
GE Tetra AL10 Architectural Lighting
3 5/8" Metal Stud @ 16" O.C. 5/8" Lead Lined Gypsum Wallboard
Wall Base as Specified Fire Rated Sealant
4 7/8" Partition to Structure
3 5/8" Metal Channel Runner
0' - 1 1/2"
0' - 4" 0' - 4"
0' - 6" 0' - 6"
0' - 10" 0' - 10" 0' - 8"
3' - 6"
Wood Panel ALIGN
Backlit 3Form Panel
3' - 0"
0' - 8"
0' - 10" 1' - 0"
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0' - 7"
0' - 5"
0' - 8" 1' - 2"
1' - 0"
1' - 6"
1' - 6"
2' - 3 3/4"
4' - 0"
2' - 0"
2' - 0"
3' - 4 1/4"
3' - 6"
3' - 6"
3' - 6"
1' - 4"
1' - 6"
1' - 6"
1' - 0"
1' - 2"
3' - 6"
0' - 10"
0' - 6" 0' - 8"
1' - 0"
0' - 6"
0' - 4" 0' - 4"
The rhythm of the walls of the hallways fool the eye to make them appear shorter and less narrow using alternating panels of textured wood and back-lit blue 3Form.
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04
2ND YEAR
CONCH SHELL RESIDENCE While humans build homes out of wood, stone, and glass, wild animals depend on nature to shelter and protect them. A conch shell is a natural home inhabited by the conch, a type of sea snail. There are many parts to a conch shell just as there are many parts to a house. The aperture of the shell is the opening where the creature can expose itself to the outside world. The body whorl is the largest rotation of the spiral of the shell where the body of the conch resides. The columella is the tightly wound middle part of the shell that corresponds to the axis of revolution of the shell’s spiral. This residence explores the relationship between these three elements and parts of a house that serve similar functions. The house translates a natural house system to a man-made house system while creating a restful place for the client to reside.
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The conch shell is made up of layers
A section cut through the conch shell
The most recognizable feature of a
that grow out from the conch. These
would reveal the layers of solid and
conch sell is its spiral. On its own, the
layers grow unevenly so that the shell
void inside. As the spaces reach the
spiral is an interesting form but it be-
curls out around itself to create a
center columella, they get tighter and
comes much more interesting when it
spiral form.
smaller.
is replicated to create a pattern.
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05
3RD YEAR
THE ENCHANTED LOOM NEXT is a think tank company in Austin, Texas that houses entrepreneurs for six to eight months. The company is in need of an office space that will enhance the well-being of the workers, foster collaboration, help to attract and retain employees, and incorporate a new brand identity. The Enchanted Loom is a concept that Sir Charles Wellington, one of the first neurophysiologists, came up with when describing how the human brain works. It works like a factory in that there is an input of material, a complex process, and an output of a finished product. In the case of this company, the products are ideas. In this sense, NEXT is a factory for ideas. The brand environment is centered around a factory aesthetic, while the spatial organization mimics the pattern of a loom with interconnected threads of program.
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31 1
Gesture Chair Personal Task Light
Sum
me
rS
un
Winter Sun 5
5P M PM
Monitor with Adjustable Arm Under Desk Storage
DAYLIGHTING
BOTANICAL TEXTURES
WORKSTATION AMENITIES
OPEN OFFICE
STUDIO SPACE
Whiteboards
Storage
THINK TANK
Curtains
PRIVATE OFFICES
Smart Whiteboard 32
CLASSROOMS VIEWS TO AUSTIN
PROJECT ROOM
Lecture Learning
Collaboration
RECEPTION
CAFÉ
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Workspace features include a screen on a movable arm, a personal LED light, and a fully adjustable task chair.
The cafĂŠ feeds threads of collaboration, collegiality, and socialization into the fabric of NEXT. There is a variety of seating to fit the multiple needs of the employees. It can be reconfigured for meetings or dining.
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06
2011–2015
PHOTOGRAPHY “A great photograph is one that fully expresses what one feels, in the deepest sense, about what is being photographed.” [Ansel Adams] Part of being a designer is observing the world around you with curiosity and critical thought. The camera is a tool that can be used to capture moments in time and space to use as inspiration for future design decisions. I bring a camera with me whenever I travel because it can be used to capture images when I am on the go and do not have time to stop for a sketch. These photos were taken on my travels to various cities around the country and across the globe. Each photo represents a place that has captured my attention and inspired me.
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37 3 7
MERCHANDISE MART
FINNISH EMBASSY
Chicago, IL
Washington, DC
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EASTERN STATE PENITENTIARY
FRENCH SEMINARY
Philadelphia, PA
Rome, Italy
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07
SUMMER 2013
TRAVEL SKETCHES New technologies have redefined how designers think and work. However, the ability to sketch is still an important skill for designers to possess. Sketching can be used to explore new ideas or to discover something about spaces, objects, and forms that already exist. The following sketches were done as part of a study abroad program in Italy that focused on sketching, writing, and photographing. The program was based in Rome but we took day trips to Florence, Orvieto, Ostia, Tivoli, and Naples. Each place had distinct features that I attempted to capture in the form of a sketch. Media used in the sketchbook include graphite, charcoal, watercolor, ink, and colored pencil.
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“This sketchbook is full of drawings and fragments of places where I sat for hours and just felt at peace. Somehow these places could be in the city and feel so far away from the busy streets and honking horns. These spaces are sacred.� 42
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“The people are the color of the city.” Bridge to Castel Sant’Angelo, Rome. 44
Ruins at Villa Adriana in Tivoli 45
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2011–2015
MIXED MEDIA + DESIGN The following works were created outside of the studio setting. This is a collection of drawings, lighting design, and graphic design from various classes, projects, organizations, and events. Each work is a study in composition, form, color, texture, or qualities of light and together, they display the breadth of design work that I have done while in school. I have worked to strengthen my graphic skills over the years because I am very interested in the way that graphic design and interior design work together to express the identity of any client. Each type of design shown in this collection of mixed media and design could be used to express a certain identity. The art of interior design is in finding the way in which all of these pieces work together holistically.
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Left: AIAS FORUM 2014 Bid Packet Graphics (Fall 2012) Right: ASID/IIDA UTK Vendor Show Graphics (Spring 2015)
UTK ASID/IIDA VENDOR SHOW 03.11.15 ART + ARCHITECTURE ATRIUM
9:30 AM –1:30 PM
Torchbearer Drawing (Fall 2011)
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Each year, the University of Tennessee chapters of ASID and IIDA invite vendors of architectural finishes, furnishings, and equipment to show their newest and most innovative products. The vendor show is a chance for students to learn about new technologies, sustainability, and trends in the architectural industry while engaging with local professionals.
ATTENDEES ENTERED TO WIN A $25 PRIZE!
The luminaire was created by loosely weaving strips of paper into a beehive form. The result was a pattern of shadows that swirled around the light source creating a sense of enclosure. The luminaire itself became a beautiful object in which the light could leak through or glow from behind the paper.
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“The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science. He to whom the emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand wrapped in awe, is as good as dead —his eyes are closed. —Albert Einstein