Williams, Grace

I try to be as understanding and sincere with people I meet and interact with as possible. I think it is important to be tolerant of others beliefs and to be respectful of any and all things a person enjoys (within reason of course). As a designer, I think it is important to for me to maintain a steady workflow that is balanced with school and personal life. I am determined to stay hard working throughout the end of school and throughout my professional career. No matter the circumstances, I want to persevere to create transformative and sustainable designs. I want to stay driven and make an impact, however small, with the people I work with.

Where do you want to work?

FSW Coffee, Phoebe Says Wow Architects

FSW Coffee Shop is located in XINYI DISTRICT, TAIWAN in a repurposed office building. The architects of the shop worked with the owner to create a new and interesting layout in the 80 sqm installation. In terms of human factors multiple areas of rest are provided. Also two areas of commerce, the exterior pick-up window and interior order area, allows for different speeds of interaction and use. Each zone gets more intimate and allows for different levels of conversation and reflection. Starting at the outdoor patio and allowing conversation with the street, you then progress into the order and standing bar area. Down the hallway, the cupping and meditation area allow for quiet visiting and reflection. Incorporating multiple areas of visitation and uses abides to the needs and wants of a variety of clients in the scheme of human factors.

UTA Offices; HASTINGS Architecture

UTA Offices as of 2021 is located in a renovated historical building in Nashville, TN to “create a new environment expressive of their culture and clientele”. A mix of dark and light materials are used in the mid-century adaptation to give the clients a feel of “edge and soul”. A variety of amenities are provided such as a wellness room, phone booths, outdoor patio areas, a cafe, and a multitude of lounge areas to engage and circulate the clients and employees throughout the building. Tall ceilings, dark natural accents, natural light, and open space for waiting is abundant in the office layout and fits to the company’s target of comfortable and classic. Individual office spaces are larger than usual to occupy plenty of lounge area for the clients. The office showcases multiple points to music such as the receptionist desk representing sliding records and the light fixtures imitating sound waves.

Where do you want to be treated?

Guilin Lebei Homestay Hotel

The Guilin Lebei Homestay Hotel located in Guilin, China and created by aoe is based on the layouts and homes of “ancient civilizations”. The homes are 15 feet in the air, in line with the tree canopy, to allow for wide open views of nature. There are 13 units in 5 variations, with the ground floor housing main amenities and the upper floor reserved for children’s stay and play. A winding walkway lifted in the trees allows for patrons to walk through the growth, and be closer with the nature they are surrounded by. The walkway is connected to a lower garden area perfect for lounging and provides area for children to play. The set up of the hotel seems to be oriented to the wants of children, while secondarily providing space for parents to relax.

Wool Sauna at Ziedlejaz Wellness Resort

Wool Sauna at Ziedlejaz Wellness Resort in Latvia was completed in 2021 with the feelings and mental preparation of the patient in mind. Due to the use of the area, Open AD made a point to have non-cluttered storage areas and assisted in “introspection” by having the walkway wind around the main use. Exposure to nature, neutral tones, and dark accents brings the patients into calming areas to better focus on themselves, rather than what is going on around them. The wool sauna room releases lanolin as it is burned, thought to home healing properties. Every aspect, including the custom furniture and outdoor hammock, invites comfort and relaxation. Sitting and reflecting in the sauna is not the only part of the ritual, as the progression through the space and areas of pause are provided to enhance it further.

Mon Parnasse Flower Shop

The shop designed by Canobardin was created as a space for people to explore, separate from the city, and enjoy the simple pleasures of life (in this case flowers). Transparent panels and hidden lighting create an ambient atmosphere like that of being outside, with perforated panels lined with flowers directing circulation through the space. The ceiling is covered in sky vinyl, bringing the outdoors inside even further. A mirror at the back of the store also expands the space and reflects light. The interior is made to mock outdoor markets, with the display panels being moveable to align with seasonal change. Customers are met at the street with colorful floral window displays that direct them towards the entrance and once inside, no furniture can be found as to “to give all the prominence to the flowers and plants.” While it may seem highly optimistic to not include furniture in a retail layout for rest, the absence allows for uninterrupted experience of the maze like flower market and fully immersed the customer in the indoor “outdoor” experience.

What is the composition of the process of travel through a transportation facility in your memory?

Terekhovo Metro Station

The Terekhovo Metro Station is a 2021 addition to the “The Big Circle Line” and is one of 31 stations along the route. The entrance of the terminal is marked by a red neon “M” 16 meters in the air where patrons can enter into the first level of the station, then progress to the lower deck for transportation entry. To make the space feel open and bright, white fiberglass concrete was used to reflect the light throughout the space. The fixtures spread throughout the space were custom made for the terminal and provide direct light for passengers that the diffuse from the walls doesn’t accommodate. The walls are curved and the overall design is made to call back to many classical elements of historical stations.

San Giacomo Apostolo Church and Parish Complex

San Giacomo Apostolo Church and Parish Complex is located in Ferrara, Italy, and completed construction in 2021. It was created to welcome the surrounding community to gather and commune together, and stands out against its surrounding urban context due to the materiality and form. The church is constructed with organic moves in mind and utilizes light. The central skylight allows ample natural light to enter and changes throughout the day to provide different atmospheres. The church is geared to support and engage with the community, and nestle into the surrounding sparse natural elements. All of the connected programs (weekday chapel, baptistry, sacristy, parish house, learning classrooms, relic niches) can be accessed through the central hall, allowing each participant to experience the altar space. The alter space’s custom furniture (made of multi-level laminated wood) and allowance of light truly makes it an experiential space for worship and group praise, allowing the community to congregate in singular or group worship and enhance the feelings of acceptance surrounded by natural materials.

Where is your memorable cultural place?

Old Mill Conversion into Cultural Center

The Old Mill Conversion is located in Karpachevo, Bulgaria, having been completed in 2022 by Studio Nada. The mill serves as an important landmark for the region, as well as a critical space for the awakening of the cultural and social life of the nearby village. The main focus of the revival was the integration of old and new techniques which was completed using local materials to preserve the traditions of the area. Original materials like wood and stone are now contrasted by the introduction of light, painted metal elements to signify the adoption of modern methods, resulting in a beautiful example of idea and execution being one and the same.

Which space do you think best embodies equity, inclusion, and social justice?

Wine Social / LAB404

Wine Social in South Korea, created in 2021 by LAB404, strives to create an experiential social space where patrons can converse over wine in out-of-body areas. A secret door takes guests to a small passage way, eventually opening into a white cave. No windows are found in the project, and instead how the wine makes you feel as well as how it takes you to interact with people is the main focus. The dark sky area of the project is in direct opposition to the white cave, and instead invites users to close their eyes and experience the wine in a much more intimate way. Groups can talk amongst themselves or with others at the white bar, and transverse to the dark sky room to experience closer company and quiet conversation. To connect the space to the outdoors, panels on the ceiling move like clouds due to the AC.

What is your plan after this semester? -> Continue school until December graduation.

In the field of interior design (or in your major), what does it mean to learn about Human Factors for Design? -> Human Factors for Design has been incredibly helpful in evaluating my made spaces and editing them to be more inviting to the general public. It was especially helpful for my Innovation and Experimentation studio this semester, as it was my first Interior Design led studio.

During your learning inside and outside the classroom, did you encounter any difficulties? -> Due to my past course history, I had considered many of the ideas presented in class but not implemented them to the fullest extent. My hardest difficulty was implementation of the ideas into my project in a cohesive way.

What did you learn by examining the interaction between behavioral and environmental factors? -> Over the semester I learned that just because it’s nice to look at, it isn’t necessarily nice for people to experience. The factors we covered, paired with the broad range of project types, helped me to consider further what my project could truly be. While I already knew the first part, it’s nice to know now what I can do to change that outcome.

What would you like to tell your instructor? -> The way the class was set up helped me learn and implement what I learned that week.Thank you for your continued leniency and passion for the class. I enjoyed learning about Human Factors for Design due to your clear enjoyment for teaching it.

Designing Above and Beyond | Meaning, Aspiration, and Purpose Personal Statement

Adding values past the basic needs of a client helps to exceed predetermined maximum functionality of a space. Without incorporating additional ideals to further the project post design, the design loses its chance for utmost efficiency. Values I will explore further that can be integrated into project design include style, economic efficiency, and social purpose.

For example, a client may want a community recreational center designed. Beyond the basic need for shelter and sustenance, the style, community engagement, and monetary return are crucial during the design process. While these later factors are usually post-design and considered during the endgame of a project, if they are considered throughout the client will have a greater return. By designing with values greater than the needs and wants of the client, the project has a higher chance of being maintained and used for extended periods of time without wasting money in the future. Style that is up-todate and attractive helps to not only draw people into the project but keep them returning as well. A design centered around community engagement requires further research into the area to be executed properly without backlash and should be considered throughout for an effective end design. Economic efficiency is also important to consider, as the space needs to be maintained and, if the client so chooses, can be put further back into the community if excess is produced. Other values may arise connected to these core ideologies and can be expanded on for further engagement with the client’s predicted patron. Without these values implemented, the project can become mundane and lackluster, only showing the basic necessities of human involvement. Not only does it help the client to design this way, but the future patrons as well. When encountering a space that displays the bare minimum needed to function, discomfort and coldness are the only true expressions felt. If designers take the extra time to work with the client to outline not only the physical needs of the project but the intentions as well, spaces can become inspirational and pleasantly operational rather than the negative connotation of the two. It is up to the designer to identify these potential additive values and implement them with client approval as well as discuss and suggest these values to the client before the final stages of the project. While adding value past the client’s needs and wants seems trivial and harder work, these values are the same as any designer would want in their personal project. By exceeding the minimum requirements and integrating higher values that keep engagement and return in the positive, designers are also making spaces that owners can be proud of within their communities. By designing to a higher degree than necessary with the client’s potential return in mind, designers create client loyalty as well as acquire the necessary skills to repeat the process for others interested. Considering external values should not be a chore for the designer, but instead should be a puzzle that they are excited to complete for the betterment of their client.

References Bartuska, T. J. (2007). The Built Environment: Definition and Scope. In W. R. McClure & T. J. Bartuska (Eds.), The Built Environment: a Collaborative Inquiry into Design and Planning (2nd ed., pp. 3–12). The citation of the limited pages in chapter 1 was used to further understand the values and needs diagrams shown in the chapter. Sections pertaining to “Human Needs as Manifested in the Built Environment” and “Human Values as Manifested in the Built Environment” provided information for the position taken in my paper.

Relax and Reconvene

Relax and reconvene is a project that would provide space for groups to discuss issues then relax together to encourage continued problem solving. Sincere is the approach to the building, rooted in nature and the progression to the front entry. Determination is the first space experienced, set aside for quiet conversation and mental preparation for the exchanging of ideas. Driven takes patrons down to the main floor of the project. This space allows patrons to reflect on any thoughts or ideas they may have before entering the main discussion area. Once patrons have collected themselves and feel prepared to share their ideas, the workflow space opens to allow for conversation and collaboration. Patrons then move through respectful, labeled as such for its sound buffer qualities, into the relaxation portion of the project. The transformative space allows patrons to relax, contemplate, and formulate new solutions to share with their peers. The hard-working space comes next, allowing peers to reconvene and express their new ideas in a relaxed setting with refreshments. Patrons then move into the tolerance space for drinks and to celebrate the collaboration of ideas with no judgement of others thoughts. Finally, the perseverance space allows for quiet conversation of topics that need more work or ideas that require second thought that came to realization in the tolerant space. I chose to edit my axon of the hard-working space, as I felt it was the area where most ideas would come to fruition. Due to project being underground, views to the outdoor are unavailable and replicated through screens to involve pseudo-natural elements. The refreshments and additional casual seating create an aire of continued relaxation and allow the patrons to begin celebration of their solutions.