De s i g n e d Intuition
W h a t We ’ r e A l l A b o u t . . . Designed Intuition at its core strives to be more than simply informative on the elements and principles of design that make a space “work”. For us, the most enticing aspect of design lies in what it reveals about human nature and furthermore, how space can be manipulated based on this to “design” a person’s intuition when they enter a room. This magazine sets out to increase the awareness and understanding of something primitive within us all. Using the everyday commercial and residential interiors and exteriors of Athens, GA, we are raising the age-old question, “Why did the caveman paint the wall?” How and why do we use the way we build our homes, our restaurants, our stores to express our ambitions, fantasies, desires, and needs? We feel confident that this burning question has the potential to draw in readers of all ages, backgrounds, and interests. We anticipate a readership of great variety because the nature of our thesis implies that everyone is a designer. Everyone has the capacity to be influenced and to influence others through the way environments are built. Ultimately, we are confident that in increasing the reader’s understanding of the elements and principles of design through Designed Intuition we can help answer some of the above questions and nurture and refine the instinctive ability within us all to “design intuitions” through a space.
Elements of
Design
TEXTURE SMOOTH
ROUGH
SURFACE QUALITY-REAL (TACTILE TEXTURE)
SURFACE QUALITY-IMPLIED (VISUAL TEXTURE)
NON-REFLECTIVE
REFLECTIVE
S mooth Texture Photographed below, the smooth surfaces of the chairs, table, and booth juxtaposed next to the rough surface of the brick wall add unique dimension to the space. Located next to such large windows, it also creates a significant glare from the natural light coming from outside.
Casa MĂa
The peeling paint on the wall photographed below gives the space a rustic, aged appeal. As the house itself is indeed old, the decision to not re-paint the wall was intentional in attempt to maintain an unreďŹ ned ambiance.
Katie A.’s House
R O U G H T E X T U R E
`d
R e a l Tex t ure Photographed on the left, old scrap strips of corrugated metal are collaged on the wall inside The Last Resort. Highlighted with intense spotlight, the rustic texture adds dimension to the wall and vintage appeal to the space.
Pictured on the left, three contrasting materials meet to form a visual hodgepodge of texture inside Transmet Restaurant. The extra-long suspended downlight helps draw the eye up to its base at the decorative ceiling reiterating the unique design aspect.
I
M P L I E D
T
E X T U R E
Implied texture can give depth to a flat or uninteresting space. Shown here, the use of implied texture in this mural looks so real you almost want to reach out and touch it. Its’ presence adds a dynamic perspective to a static space.
Non-reflective Texture The non-reflective
texture of the Episcopal Church on Prince Ave. make it appear more solid and grounded where a building with more windows (reflective surfaces) has a more airy feel.
SKETCH
Ref lective Texture
The reflective, embossed ceiling pictured above inside of
Transmetropolitan Restaurant helps to amplify the subtle yellow light used in the space by reflecting its glare back down into the eating area. Aside from being simply stunning, the use of this ceiling finish helps lighten an otherwise dimly lit space with dull, non-reflective wall finishes.
LIGHT Art Task Track Mood Soffit Natural Colored Ambient Uplighters Combustion Floor Lamps Table Lamps Toe Kick/Raiser Glare from Natural Light Glare from General Light
Art Lighting This piece of art lighting inside of The Last Resort helps add a vivid accent to the space. Its natural construction mimics aged brickwork else-where in the restaurant. It helps give the restaurant’s formal atmosphere a more casual touch.
TASK LIGHTING
Task lighting is used to emphasize a space that may need a little extra light such as an island in a kitchen or a desk in an office.
SKETCH
TR ACK LIGHTING Track lighting generally involves several units of lighting which can move freely around a track and be angled in many different directions.
The Last Resort
This type of
lighting is often used to feature art or for dramatic effects on otherwise blank walls.
M
O O D
L
I G H T I N G
The lighting pictured below inside of Walkers CafĂŠ and Pub lends this corner of the restaurant/bar a warm orange glow. The pendant ďŹ xtures orange tint emits light which creates an intimate, inviting environment good for enjoying a warm cup of coffee or getting some studying done in a soothing, welcoming space.
SofďŹ t Lighting
A soffit is an exposed undersurface of an overhanging section that protrudes from a wall. Adding lighting to such a space helps to emphasize whatever is located beneath the soffit as well as adding interest to the structural piece.
N A T U R A L
L I G H T
With minimal assistance from the suspended lights, the back patio at Walker’s Café and Pub is lit almost entirely by natural light. It’s a refreshing, yet private outdoor experience with your favorite coffee drink or beer!
COLORED LIGHTING
Colored light is often challenging to incorporate into interiors because of the unusual light it casts. However, Big City Bread-above-has used a combination of colored and normal lighting for a unique lighting scheme.
A M B I E N T
The ambient lighting photographed below inside Clocked has a unique, playful attitude about it. The bright colors and varying patterns are all tied together through the repetitive use of the same ďŹ xture shape.
L I G H T I N G
SKETCH
UPLIGHTERS Uplighting can help to minimize the intensity of light in a space. Because it is reflected off of a surface before it reaches the eye (the ceiling), it is perceived to be less severe.
SKETC H
Combustion lighting can quickly enhance a spaces’ romanticism. The piece photographed below adds just that along with providing a significant amount of light due to the number of candles used.
C O M B U S T I O N L I G H T I N G Casa Mía
Floor Lamps Floor lamps are a very common form of lighting in interior SKETCH
spaces. They offer a softer, more gentle light in comparison to overhead lighting which can stress the eyes and make one tire faster.
Table lamps are everywhere-plain and simple. They light up a book or spice up a dull corner. Table lamps come in all different forms and can add pizzazz to any space!
Table Lamps
Clocked
Toe kick lighting, pictured below inside
The Smoker’s Den in Athens, can add a unique visual interest with its reflection and general soft glow. Though it looks expensive, this is simply rope light stapled underneath the bottom shelf.
T O E K I C K L I G H T I N G
G L A R E F R O M N A T U R A L L I G H T
Generally a restaurant would try to avoid a glare such as the one pictured below when choosing the material for their flooring. Such a glare could be very straining on the eye. This restaurant, however, is open for dinner only and thus utilized this to their advantage and chose to use large, bare windows.
Glare from General Lighting
The glare from the
lights picture here inside of Big City Bread is definitely a visual draw.
The sconces which
cover all but the bottom portion of the lightbulb allow direct light from the bulb to be exposed creating a very distinct glare.
Big City Bread
LINE Straight Horizontal
Straight Vertical
ZigZag
Curved Flowing
Curved Tightly
S traight H or izont a l L ine Straight, horizontal lines often create a grounding effect to the eye. Here, the repeated use of horizontal lines in the roof line and window overhangs makes the house appear to have more mass than it does.
These lines el ongate the str ucture and give it a hig h optic al density.
Springdale Street
S T R A I G H T
V E R T I C A L
L I N E
Straight vertical lines can make a strong, bold statement if emphasized in design. Here, the light paint on the outside bricks makes the long vertical lines pop out from the building. Its height feels exaggerated as a result.
Z IGZAG L INE
Zigzag lines
Meigs St.
can have very different effects depending on their direction. For example, the line of the roof on the left makes the building look grounded and static. The zigzag lines on the pillows, however, seem to imply movement and energy.
C U R V E D F L O W I N G L I N E S
The
curved, flowing lines of the roof at Urban Lofts juxtaposed with the angular lines just below the roof line and the strong vertical lines of the metal siding help to soften the modern look. As a result, the buildings maintain a sophisticated but warm appearance.
SKETCH
Tightly Curved Lines Bright colors aside, the use of
tightly curved lines on this house lends it a whimsical, somewhat playful feel.
Where these types of lines can often create a tight constrained feeling, these lines feel light and airy.
Harris Street
COLOR Monochromatic Analogous Direct Complementary Triadic Complementary Double Complementary Tetrad Complementary Split Complementary Alternate Complementary Neutral Palette
M O N O C H R O M A T I C C O L O R
Finley Street
The use of monochromatic color schemes is rare in
interiors because of the number of objects that would need to be of the same color origin. It is, however, more common on exteriors of homes such as pictured here with blue, green, and brown monochromatic color schemes.
Finley Street
Dubose Street
Analogous Colors
Analogous colors are three colors that are next to each other on the color wheel as shown below. Pictured here, the colors include blue, green, and yellow in a paisley pattern on suspended Chinese lanterns.
Hannah E.’s Loft
Dubose Street
COMPLEMENTARY COLORS
Complementary colors are colors that are opposite one another on the basic color wheel. Two high intensity color complements placed next to one another tend to draw the eye’s attention. However, in more muted hues, two complements’ contrast become less noticeable.
Mixing two c omplem entary colors helps to neu tralize the int ensity
Triadic Complementary Colors
SKETCH
Triadic complementary colors are three colors that are evenly spaced on the color wheel for example, red, yellow, and blue, as shown in the photo to the left.
Double complementary colors are two pairs of complementary colors used at the same time. Photographed below are the complements red and green, and orange and blue. Helix
Double Complementary Colors
Tetrad Complementary Colors Tetradic complementary colors are four colors that are spaced as such on a color wheel that they form a rectangle between one another. Photographed here is a combination rarely found on the exterior of homes with vibrant blue, green, orange, and red.
Split complementary
color schemes involve one hue, and two equally spaced from its complement.
SplitComp lemen tary Color s
Pictured above, Transmetropolitan Restaurant
demonstrates this color scheme with a high chroma blue next to a saturated red ceiling and a green wall.
ALTERNATE COMPLEMENTARY COLORS
Helix
Alternate complementary colors are a set of triadic complementary colors plus a direct complement of one of the hues. Here, the triadic grouping is red, yellow, and blue with purple as yellows direct complement.
Neutral palettes can often have a very calming and soothing affect on ones mood. Beiges, tans, whites, and some greens can all be used in a neutral palette to help one relax and be at peace.
N E U T R A L P A L E T T E
S P A C E POSITIVE SPACE NEGATIVE SPACE CROWDING TERRITORIALITY
P O S I T I V E S PAC E Positive space is any part of a design that carries visual weight. Here, a screen which is meant to provide privacy has small holes through which light can penetrate. It does, however, have enough positive space that it provides adequate privacy for anything/anyone on the other side.
SKETCH
Helix
Negative Space Negative space is anything in design which lends no visual weight to a space. Taken from ground level, one can see that the boutique, Helix, utilizes negative space liberally creating an open, airy feel to their store.
SKETCH
Helix
Crowding is most commonly a problem experienced away from home (hopefully!). Though proven to be less appealing, a crowding effect is sometimes unavoidable and in boutiques, this often seems to be the case. Pictured here is a store overflowing with racks of shoes, purses, jackets and more-all right up against one another!
Heery’s
C r o w d i n g
Territoriality Territoriality is any length a person goes to in order to personalize a space as their own. Here, the owner of this bedroom used an art piece in which she had to spell her name with objects she photographed, in order to claim the space as hers.
Lauren W.’s House
PAT T E R N
Episcopal Church Prince Ave
SHAPE Geometric
Natural/Organic
Abstract
Non-Representational
Static
Dynamic
Geometric Shape SKETCH
Geometric shapes are very common in design. They’re simple, yet can be used in dynamic and interesting ways to create variety. Here the designer used circular shapes to create a shelving unit.
Natural/Organic Shape Natural and organic shapes are also more common than you’d think. Because spaces which lack such shapes or forms often feel too industrial, they are commonly thrown into the mix of most interior spaces. Photographed here is a unique organic shape featured outdoors in the form of graffiti. Almost as though it were planned, the trees that extend beyond the roof line seem to stem from the painting itself.
Sunshine Cycles
Abstract Shape SKETCH
Sunshine Cycles
Abstract shape is generally one that is recognizable, but not precise. For example, the figures pictured on the left are clearly birds and a few fish, however never -or at least very rarely ;) would you ever see a fish or a bird that actually looked like this. Therefore, the shapes are representational, but abstract.
Non-representation Shape
SKETCH
Unlike abstract shape, nonrepresentation shape has little to no recognizable parts. Such as pictured here, many nonrepresentation shapes consist of random line Jittery Joe’s
segments or splatters.
Dynamic shape can be used to imply movement and give a 2D shape a bit more life than usual. This vivacious characteristic is obvious in the photograph on the right taken outside the concert hall, The 40 Watt. The flowing lines of notes make it seem as though it could almost move if it wanted too.
Dynamic S ha pe
A-OK’s Cafe
Static Shape Unlike dynamic shapes, static shapes do not imply movement. They are very stagnant and seemingly more permanent. This shape, for example, seems especially permanent because of its partial embedding into to the wall.
SKETCH
FORM Geometric Natural Abstract Non-objective
G E O M E T R I C F O R M
Certain geometric forms are very obviously easy to find in the built environmentsquares and rectangleshowever forms such as the repeated triangles pictured here are a bit more rare to spot.
Natural Form Incorporating natural form into a design can give a space a more natural, casual feel and heaps of interest!
This sculpture
outside of Big City Bread is a huge visual interest piece and draws lots of attention in their outdoor eating area.
SKETCH
Abstract Form
SKETCH
P"nciples of
Design
B A L A N C E Visual Symmetry Structural Symmetry Visual Asymmetry Structural Asymmetry Visual Radial Symmetry Structural Radial Symmetry
VISUAL SYMMETRY
SKETCH
UGA President’s House Prince Ave
STRUCTURAL SYMMETRY
True structural symmetry is not always difficult to find, however there are certain places that seem to stand out more than others. The UGA President’s House-pictured above-is a prime example of bold symmetry with symmetrical landscaping to match.
Visual Asymmetry
Structural Asymmetry Visual asymmetry is a
good way to communicate balance without having exact mirror images on each side of a center line like shown below.
Prince Avenue
Structural Radial Symmetry
SKETCH
Structural radial symmetry can often be found in on the exposed ceiling joists of old porches. Pictured above you can see the joists that form a radial pattern as they round the corner of the building.
HARMONY Unity through Line Unity through Shape Unity through Color Unity through Repetition Variety through Color Variety through Materials Variety through Furniture Variety through Modern in Contrast to Old
Unity Through Line
Unity Through Shape
Unity through Color The co-op grocery story on Prince Ave in Athens uses
vibrant turquoise to tie together its porches and trim. Though a single element might look out of place in such a bold hue, they work harmoniously together and provide for a very stark contrast between itself and the deep red brick.
Unity Through Repitition
Variety through Color
variety through materials
variety through furniture
Variety Through Modern in Contrast to Old Agora, in downtown Athens, is a hodge-podge of antique and retro, modern and old. The entire store is dripping with interest and the different pieces flow together flawlessly despite their eras of origin.
EMPHASIS Focal Point-Visual Focal Point-Structural
focal point-visual
Focal Point Structural This house,
located on Milledge Avenue, has a very distinct visual focus. The eye is almost immediately pulled towards the large arched entryway as it contrasts so starkly with the other vertical and horizontal lines used.
M A S S I N G Actual Density Optical Density
actual density
optical density
RHYTHM Repetitive Climactic Contrast Transitional/Flowing
R e p e t i t i v e
College Avenue
R h y t h m
A space, whether interior or exterior, can gain significant cohesiveness if rhythm is used correctly. Here, repetitive rhythm is used, tying together the windows, balconies, awnings, and even landscaping. All the way down the slope the same pattern continues creating a unifying effect between all the spaces.
C L I M A C T I C
R H Y T H M
Photographed above, you can see how the structure of the staircase and its exposure to outside almost forces the eye upwards. As it climbs, the architectural detailing becomes more intricate-to the tops of the corinthian columns and all the way up to the decorative railing at the roof line. Its movement and rhythm is most definitely one of climax.
contrast
transitional/flowing rhythm
Space Planning/ Furniture Arrangement
Successful Space Function
Unsuccessful Space Function
Straight Line Groups
L-Shaped Groups
U-Shaped Groups
Circular Groupings
Parallel Groupings
Solo Groupings
successful space function
unsuccessful space function
straight line grouping
L-shaped grouping
U-shaped grouping
circular grouping
parallel grouping
solo grouping
Proportion Object in Proportion with Space
Object NOT in Proportion with Space
object in proportion with space
object NOT in proportion with space
SCALE
Human Scale
Symbolic Scale
human scale
S Y M B O L I C S C A L E