Cole, Carlee

I appreciate the small and relatively unimportant things in life because they can make things more interesting. I try not to have a negative outlook because that doesn’t help any situation. I love to spend time with my friends and family, as they support me and care for me when I need them. I am passionate and creative about my work and thoughtful when it comes to taking care of myself. I rely heavily on consistency and routine to keep myself happy.

Do you have any plans after this semester?

I’m going home to spend the holidays with family and friends. While doing this, I will be updating my portfolio and applying for internships.

What type of designer would you like to be?

Utilizing my minor and interest in urban planning, I would like to work on mixed-use developments with commercial and residential, or multi-family housing. However, I am open to all types of design.

Can you tell me about any problems you ran into in the studio or outside?

Working on a healthy school-life balance was difficult, and time management. I believe this made motivating myself in the middle of the semester hard.

What kind of place would you like to design next?

A movie theater or a restaurant would be interesting. I don’t have a lot of experience working on many hospitality projects, so branching out to different types of design would be beneficial.

What do you think makes a good workplace?

A good workplace contains focused and collaborative spaces. Access to natural light and options for different work modes are necessary, as well as non-work oriented spaces, such as a lounge.

Can you tell me what evidence-based design means to you?

Evidence-based design means doing a large amount of research before the conceptualization process. Understanding the existing structure, as well as amenities near the site is important in the planning process.

Compared to previous semesters, the semester may be challenging in many ways, but you may be able to see your accomplishments. Reviewing your accomplishments, what did you learn from this studio?

I learned that planning ahead and not procrastinating is essential in keeping up with deadlines, while still producing a strong design.

Would you like to share anything with future students of this studio?

Keeping a planner is really helpful in sticking to deadlines in studio and every other class. Taking care of and having confidence in yourself is also very important in producing the best work you can.

Concept And The User

The concept for the NEXT Office is to Embolden, or to Make Bold. Using the main values the client needs in the space, the office possesses inclusive and collaborative spaces, pushes growth within the company and its employees, and emphasizes the need for flexibility in the hybrid workspace. Emphasizing the desire to collaborate within my design, there are multiple sizes of team spaces and open mixed-use areas to provide flexibility and inclusivity. In addition to these aspects, this NEXT Office also provides a strong space for personal growth to its users in their design fields and lives.

Kyle: Interior Architect Kyle is in the office at least 3-4 days a week and works online for the rest. When a creative block occurs, he likes to utilize the art studio to express himself with no pressure, and then returns to work.

Lexi: Design Director As a design director, Lexi isn’t required to be in the office as much as the others. When she is, she prefers to hold meetings in her private office, or in the meeting room on the Mezzanine.

Greg: Studio Director A studio director must be in the office overseeing projects, so Greg appreciates all breakout spaces in the office. He works best in the large collaboration spaces like the design library.

Emily: Receptionist Emily is requried to be in the office 5 days a week, so sitting at the desk for so long can be extrenuous. When she needs a break, she works at the Work Cafe, as it is right behind the reception lobby and she can return when she must.