Senior Thesis: Workplace Design by noelle burns

noelle burns

ID 490: thesis II

spring 2019

part one: introduction................................................................... 3 about the designer.......................................................................... 4 additional research.......................................................................... 5-14 mood boards................................................................................... 16-17 part two: site analysis.................................................................... 18 the whitney...................................................................................... 19-20 existing floor plans + building code analysis.................................. 21 part three: pre-design................................................................... 22 concept development and deconstruction..................................... 23 annotated conceptual perspective sketches................................... 24 part four : schematic development.............................................. 25

table of contents :

bubble diagrams............................................................................. 26 design icons.................................................................................... 27 ideation sketches............................................................................ 28 demolition plans............................................................................. 29 part five: design development..................................................... 30 rendered floor plans....................................................................... 31-33 building section.............................................................................. 34 section perspectives....................................................................... 35-36 renderings....................................................................................... 37-43 model.............................................................................................. 44 material palette............................................................................... 45 part six: final design submission................................................... 46 final presentation boards................................................................. 48-49 presentation photos......................................................................... 50 2

part one : i n t r o d u c t i o n

Noelle Burns

BFA in Interior Design from Endicott College Phone: 631.813.0611 Email: Noelle.burns@gmail.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noelle-burns-413609108 About the designer: Noelle was born and raised on Long Island, New York. There she graduated from St. John the Baptist DHS and later went on to attend college in northern Massachusetts. There she attended Endicott college where she attained a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design. There she was also given the opportunity to study abroad. She attended Florence University of the Arts the Fall semester of 2017. During her time at Endicott she has completed four internships in New York City including: Fortuny Inc., Spivak Architects, Tihany Design and Design Republic.

Introduction: Creative thinking is a valuable skill in today’s society. It is not something that comes naturally for many and is one of the biggest catalysis for progression of society. Creative thinking can usually only happen for people under certain conditions. Our environment greatly effects our output of thought. Environmental psychology has peaked the interest of researchers and scientists since the 1970s. This research has proven that people think more creatively under very specific conditions. The same goes for analytical thinking. Our environment directly effects our subconscious and in turn, influences just about everything we do or way we feel. Research has also shown that creative individuals cannot thrive in the standard learning environment. If you are looking to improve your critical thinking skills, the first step should be to get yourself in the right environment for it. Creativity Defined: In order to fully understand how to improve your creative problem solving, the best place to start would be developing a clear understanding of exactly what creativity is. Creativity can be defined as “the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, interpretations, etc” (Dictionary.com, 2018). When asking an artist what creativity is, they will tell you that “real creativity requires vulnerability and honesty— it comes from the heart” (Brown, 2012). Creativity is often described as “the creative process” because it really is in fact, a process. Creativity can also be defined as “the use of imagination or original ideas, especially in the production of an artistic work”. (Oxford Dictionary, 2018). Creativity can be described as thinking in a way that produces a new, evolved idea. There are two different ways of thinking and are often described as left brain vs right brain thinking. The real difference is analytical thinking vs critical thinking. Analytical thinking can be defined as a “methodical step-by-step approach to thinking that allows you to break down complex problems into single and manageable components” (“Analytical Think”, 2016). It is a narrowed and detailed way at looking at a problem that often only has one solution. While critical thinking, which is a creative way of thinking, is the effort to come up with a new solution to a problem that may have more than one answer. While both are valuable methods of problem solving, there has been a recent switch in attention toward creative thinking over the most commonly paid attention to: analytical thinking (Facione, 2011). Research of Creativity: Creativity has recently been a topic of interest for scientists. Only recently have researchers begun to study creativity. Most psychologists will typically study what they believe are “fundamental metal properties” such as “memory, logical reasoning, and attention”. Creativity is inherently what makes us human and separates us from chimpanzees and robots. Creativity is one of the highest levels of human performance, along with “genius, innovation, and talent”. “When we are engaged in the act of being creative, we feel we are performing at the peak of our abilities. Creative works give us insight and enrich our lives” (Sawyer, 2003). In fact, until the modern scientific era, creativity was attributed to a superhuman force and “all novel ideas originated with the gods” (Sawyer, 2003). Because how could a human simply create something that did not exist before the divine act of creation? (Elder, 2010).

When teaching the psychology of creativity, Sawyer was often challenged by his artist students who felt that explaining creativity might in turn make them look at it too analytically. Sawyer rebuttals that “explaining creativity can help us identify and realize every person’s unique creative talents, help our leaders respond better to the challenges facing modern society, help us all be better problem solvers, help us realize the importance of positive, peak experiences to mental health, and help educators teach more efficiently” (Sawyer, 2003). Explaining creativity to people provides more than just an individual intellectual satisfaction, it in turn will lead to a more creative society and will “enhance the creative potential of our families, our workplaces and our institutions” (Sawyer, 2003). It is important to understand the benefits of creativity. In my creative workspace I want the users to embrace their creative minds and understand that the space is specifically designed to be a creative catalyst for them. With more people understanding and making an effort to practice creative thinking, our society will rapidly advance and modern technology will flourish (Sawyer, 2003). Creative Thinking: It comes as no surprise that our environments greatly effect the way that people think. A study conducted in 2007 by Joan Meyers-Levy shows how ceiling heights directly effect how people think. She had two groups of people both in different rooms, one with an eight foot ceiling and one with a ten foot ceiling. She asked the participants to group a 10 item list of sports into categories of their own choice. The people in the room with the higher ceiling height came up with more abstract categories overall, such as “challenging sports” or “sports they would like to play”, compared to the other room who categorized them into “number of players on the team” for example. “Ceiling height affects the way you process information. You’re focusing on the specific details In the lower ceiling condition” says Meyers-Levy. High ceilings make people feel less physically constrained which encourages more free thinking and leads to more abstract connections. On the other hand, if you need to do more detailed, analytical thinking, a lower ceiling height is best. In the grand scheme of things it is not actually the height of the ceiling that effects us, but the effect of our perception of space. (Athens, 2009). The view from a building also has a great effect on the user. Views of nature have been proven to improve focus. Researcher William Sullivan found that views of greenery are especially beneficial to students with Attention Deficit Disorder. He found city settings to be far too distracting, and green scenery to be more relaxing for these students. C. Kenneth Tanner did a study that produced findings that “students in classrooms with unrestricted views of at least 50 feet outside the window, including gardens, mountains and other natural elements, had higher scores on tests of vocabulary, language arts and math, than did students without such expansive vistas or whose classrooms primarily overlooked roads, parking lots and other urban fixtures” (Athens, 2009). Not only does natural greenery have a great impact on our psychological well-being, but natural lighting also has a profound effect on living beings. “Daylight synchronizes our sleep-wake cycles, or circadian rhythms, enabling us to stay alert during the day and to sleep at night” (Athens, 2009). Buildings are not traditionally designed to let in the right amount of natural light that both our minds and bodies need. This is often seen to be a problem in institutional buildings such as schools for children. “You take a child who probably did not get enough rest, dump them off in front of a school where there’s very little light, and guess what? They have jet lag” (Athens, 2009). 5

A Study was conducted in 1992 which followed schoolchildren from four different classrooms in Sweden. “The research showed that the kids in classrooms with the least daylight had disrupted levels of cortisol, a hormone that is regulated by the body’s circadian rhythm” (Athens, 2009). Sunlight has also been proven to improve student outcomes. A study was conducted in 1999 that compared standardized test scores for reading and math in more than 21,000 elementary schools in three districts in three different states: Washington, Colorado, and California. Researchers rate the amount of sunlight in the classrooms on a scale from zero to five, being the most amount of sunlight. Students in Capistrano, California were in the sunniest classrooms and advanced 26% faster in reading and 20% in mathematics than the students in the least sunny classrooms over the course of one year. And in other districts it was found that the sunnier classrooms on average, boosted scores between 7 and 18% compared to students in less sunny classrooms. (Athens, 2009). Circadian lighting has also been proven to effect the physical health and efficiency of human beings. Researches from the Journal of Circadian Rhythms describe “light as it impacts the circadian system. Circadian rhythms are biological rhythms that repeat approximately every 24 hours. Exposure to the natural sunrise and sunset synchronizes our circadian rhythms to exactly 24 hours” (Rea, 2010). Disruption in circadian rhythms have been associated with “increased risks for breast cancer, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, sleep disorders and other ailments”. Not only does disruption of circadian rhythm put people at risk for long term health ailments but it effects people’s daily health and productivity. “Light is defined in terms of how optical radiation stimulates the human visual system, but this limited definition belies the impact that light has on other biological systems, such as the circadian system. Because exposures of light and dark on the retina regulate the circadian system, and because circadian disruption has broad health implications, it is important to develop a new definition of light that characterizes the impact light has on this important biological system” (Rea, 2010). The current definition of circadian light is “based upon the potential for light to suppress melatonin synthesis at night”. (Rea, 2010). Circadian lighting studies conducted in retirement and nursing homes have proven to be very informative on how lighting effects the aging mind over time. Retirement homes are typically too dark to keep circadian clocks functioning properly. In 2008 a study was published by neuroscientist Rixt F. Rimersma van der Lek from the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience. She randomly selected six out of twelve “assisted -living facilities in Holland to have supplemental lighting installed, Bringing the luminosity to approximately 1,000 lux; the other six provided dimmer lighting of around 300 lux” (Athens, 2009). Tests were taken at six-month intervals over the course of three and a half years. The residents living in the more brightly lit buildings “showed 5% less cognitive decline than occupants of the six darker buildings did” (Athens, 2009). This additional lighting was also found to have reduced symptoms of depression by 19%. Other studies also show that circadian rhythms keep the brain functioning optimally by calibrating hormone levels and metabolic rate.” Researchers find that studying the elderly and their circadian rhythms is the most beneficial. For example, “elderly people especially those with dementia, often have circadian disruptions”. Researches believe that providing bright daytime lighting, could help restore their proper rhythms and thus improve overall brain function” (Athens, 2009). They also recommend “the use of blue LEDs and full spectrum fluorescent lights in buildings during the day; both have enough blue light to trigger the circadian system and keep occupants awake and alert. After dark however, buildings could switch to lamps and fixtures with longer wavelength bulbs, which are less likely to emit light detected by the circadian system and interfere with sleep at night” (Athens, 2009).

Program director of the Lighting Research Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Mariana Figueiro believes it is an important architectural decision to give people a lighting scheme where they can “differentiate between day and night”. (Athens, 2009). While this information about circadian lighting and cognition is helpful when designing a public space to have optimal heath benefits, when applying it to the creative mind, color temperature becomes more complicated. “Although bright light might boost cognition, recent work suggests it counteracts relaxation and openness- effects that might be more important than alertness in some settings” (Athens, 2009). A study conducted in 2006 had counselors interview 80 college students individually in either a brightly lit or a dim counseling room. “The students then completed a questionnaire about their reactions to the interview. The students questioned in the dim room felt more relaxed, viewed the counselor more positively and shared more information about themselves than those counseled in the brighter room did. The findings suggest that dim light helps people to loosen up” (Athens, 2009). A similar study revealed how the contents of a room could also be soothing to the inhabitants. Moshe Bar, neuroscientist of Harvard Medical School and Maital Neta conducted a study showing subjects pictures of numerous versions of “neutral objects, such as sofas and watches”. These examples were all identical except for minor variations of either soft or hard, and curved edges or sharp and squared-off perim-eters. The subjects were asked to make quick, snap decisions about these objects and there was a significant preference to the curved edges. The neurologist believes that this natural preference exists because “we associate sharp edges with danger”. Bar further supported this theory in a study she conducted in 2007. This time the subjects' brains were scanned “using functional magnetic resonance imaging” while viewing these neutral objects. Bar saw that the amygdala “which is involved in fear processing and emotional arousal, was more active when people were looking at objects with sharp angles”. Bar notes that this research is still in overall early stages because “an object’s contour is not the only element that informs our aesthetic preferences” (Athens, 2009). These findings suggest that something as simple as rounded corners of furniture in waiting rooms or living areas could help the user to feel more relaxed and be able to unwind (Athens, 2009). Other studies have revealed to scientists that seating plans have a similar effect on people. These studies focused on seating arrangements in residential health care facilities. “Scientists discovered that the common practice of placing chairs along the walls of resident day rooms or lounges actually prevented socializing. A better plan to encourage interaction, researchers found, is organizing furniture in small groups throughout the room” (Athens, 2009). These findings were a result of a study conducted in 1999 by psychologists from the Otot-von-Guericke University of Magdeburg in Germany and Uppsala University in Sweden which examined seating in different settings. The study was conducted over eight weeks including over fifty lessons. The seating arrangements were linear and semicircular. They found the semi-circular configuration increased student participation. (Athens, 2009). These studies provide very useful information when designing an environment to intentionally effect the user. In this particular project, the users are artists and designers who have a very specific way of thinking and doing things. It is traditionally understood that thinking can be divided into two sides of the brain: the left and right. Robert H. Shmerling from Harvard Medical school states that “people tend to have a personality, thinking style, or way of doing things that is either right-brained or left-brained” (Shmerling, 2017). Research shows that proper who identify with favoring the right side of their brain are “intuitive and creative free thinkers”. Meanwhile, left side thinkers are “quantitative and analytical”. (Shmerling, 2017). Newer research is revealing that thinking tends to be more fluid than strictly left and right side thinking. None the less, it is always good to be fluid and be able to think in different ways.

Psychologist, Elizabeth Shobe says that “shifting between sides of the brain is necessary for creativity” and that people who tend to favor one hand/leg/side of their body often have less of a cross between hemispheres compared to people who are ambidextrous. She also says that “it is always helpful to do anything that switches the hemispheres of the brain from thinking” (Pappano, 2014). Overall, creative thinking is seen as more unique compared to straight-forward analytical thinking and can help society progress. Creativity is what brings change and innovation in the world. Gerard J. Puccio, Department Chair and Professor at the International Center for Studies in Creativity at Buffalo State College says “The reality is that to survive in a fast-changing world, you need to be creative”. For some, creative thinking comes naturally. For others it can be a learned behavior. If everyone could learn to think more creatively it would not only benefit themselves but the world around them. Which is actually why universities are currently paying more attention to creativity- the marketplace is demanding it. More recently, creative skills have been appearing on course lists as a credential and many schools are now offering courses in “creative studies”. In these classes students are encouraged to do things like “find cultural norms to break” (Grant, 2016). Critical thinking is known to be the essential skill for success. Artists and designers tend to be the creative thinkers of the world. Designers have an ability to build on an idea and make it into something that has never been seen or done before, that is totally their own work of art (Grant, 2016). Apple Inc is known to be the world’s most innovative company. Founded in 1976 Cupertino, California, Apple has taken the world by storm. Back in 1976, Microsoft was the only computer manufacturer and it was really only used by tech guys. The common household did not have a computer. Three friends working out of a garage in California saw the world differently and wanted to make computers more beautiful, and simpler to use for the rest of the world. (Safian, 2018). The idea continues today with Apple’s sleek, streamline and easy to use products. Without the creative ideas from these men, the world would be different as we know it today. As of April 19th, 2017 it was recorded that there are over 85.5 million iPhone users in the United States alone. (Smith, 2018). Thats not to say that the world is different because everyone owns a Mac but it also pushed Microsoft to develop more user friendly systems and encouraged competition. Without this innovative thinking.. who knows where we would be. Lessons from a Creativity Architect: Recent studies conducted on the influence of environmental psychology have also revealed very specific information about producing an environment specifically for creative thinking. In general, a relaxed state of mind fosters creativity and stress is seen as harmful for creative thought because the mind struggles to expand itself. Many ways were mentioned earlier to bring a sense of calm to an environment such as views of nature, high ceilings, expansive space, dim lighting, etc. When speaking with creativity architect, Donald Rattner he specifically stated that the fluidity of the interior is imperative. Curves, circles and smooth, rounded surfaces are better than sharp corners or edges. These arrangements have better potential to generate ideas and increase the fluidity of the space. Curved lines have been proven to produce more creative thought than linear surfaces (Rattner, 2018).

Visual components of a space will effect anyone psychologically, but they do a great deal to artists, designers and any other creative thinkers more so than your average person. Throughout history artists have been known to deem their own creative space. Jackson Pollack painted on his studio floor, Henry David Thoreau wrote in his cabin and Marcel Proust wrote in his bed. If you repeat your creative action in the same place, you will associate that feeling, or emotional response to that specific space, also known as place attachment (Altman, 1992). Other environmental influences are very important for the creative thinker such as color theory. “Several laboratory experiments have been conducted measuring the chromatic effects on cognitive processing” says Rattner. Simply being exposed to the color blue will subliminally improve creative performance. He stresses using cool tones like blues and greens to help facilitate creativity, rather than warm tones which make a person feel more hostile and closed off (Rattner, 2018). Rattner also emphasizes the importance of movement rather than remaining stagnant. Sitting down is actually the worst position for creative thought. Standing up is better, but lying down is actually the best. Also engaging all of the senses is very important. Lemon, lavender, jasmine, rosemary, cinnamon and peppermint have all been found to be scents that boost an individuals creativity. Ambient noise is also known to do the same. Listening to music is not only calming but gives your mind the right balance of distraction that it needs for creative thought, rather than silence. Warmer temperatures are also proven to produce more creative thought. In theory the warmth heats up idea flow. Rattner also stated that it is not a coincidence that a lot of people say their “best ideas come to them in the shower”. The environment happens to be optimal for producing creative thought. The same logic applies for how people also say that they get their best ideas at night. (Ditkoff, 2008). An important component of that is also that you are doing a mindless task with your hands. The hands are the most closely linked body part to our brains. When we are using our hands, we are doing something constructive that keeps our minds moving and that often helps generate ideation. This is why playing is so good for children’s growth and development. Playing keeps their minds moving and coming up with new creative ideas. Maybe if adults took the time to play more like children, it would in turn help them in their careers. He suggests that cooking is a great way for adults to use their hands and spark some creativity within themselves (Rattner, 2018). Conclusion: Creative thinking is essential for innovation and for society to progress. It is a valuable skill to have because it does not come naturally for everyone. Creativity can be fostered through environmental influences for those who want to utilize their creative thinking skills. Creative individuals simply cannot produce their best ideas if not in a space conducive to expansive thought. This is why designers need to look at learning and working environments from different angles. Everyone learns differently and people may not be producing thought to their full potential if they are not in the right environment for it. As Winston Churchill once said, “We shape our buildings, then our buildings shape us”.

References: Altman, I., & Low, S. M. (Eds.) (1992). Place attachment. New York: Plenum “Analytical Think.” IQ Doodle School, Melbourne, Australia , 2016, school.iqdoodle.com/ framework/competencies/analytical-think/. Brown, Brené. “The Power of Vulnerability.” Ted, TedxHouston, Mar. 2012, www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_on_vulnerability/up-next?language=en. Ditkoff, Mitch and Tim Moore. “Where and When Do People Get Their Best Ideas? An Inquiry into the Top Catalysts of Creativity.” Idea Champions (website). June 18, 2008. Elder, L. “Critical Thinking Development: A Stage Theory.” The Foundation for Critical Thinking, 2010, www.criticalthinking.org/pages/critical-thinking-development-a-stage-theory/483. Facione , Peter A. “Critical Thinking: What It Is and Why It Counts.” Insight and Assessment, 2011, www.student.uwa.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/1922502/Critical-Thinking-What-it-is-and-why-it-counts.pdf Flooring Psych: How to Avoid (Literally) Slipping and Tripping Through Life. San Anselmo: Architectural Design Psychology Press, 2015. Grant, Adam. “The Surprising Habits of Original Thinkers.” Ted, Ted, 2016, www.ted.com/talks/adam_grant_the_surprising_habits_of_original_thinkers. Jacobs, Tom. “Debunking Myths About Creativity and the Brain.” PacificStandard.com (Feb. 23, 2017). Available at https://psmag.com/news/debunking-mythsabout-creativity-and-the-brain#.9kvayzjy1 Klinge, Kylah Goodfellow. “Mapping Creativity in the Brain.” TheAtlantic.com (Mar. 21, 2016). Available at https://www.theatlantic.com/science/ archive/2016/03/the-driving-principles-behind-creativity/474621/; Marketing, On. “The Real Story Behind Apple's 'Think Different' Campaign.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 8 Aug. 2012, www.forbes.com/sites/onmarketing/2011/12/14/the-real-story-behind-apples-think-different-campaign/#789d4f3c62ab. McGregor, Jena. “Apple's Tim Cook on Creativity and Changing Your Mind.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 6 Dec. 2012, www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-leadership/apples-tim-cook-on-creativity-and-changing-yourmind/2012/12/06/ed81109c-3fcf-11e2-ae43-cf491b837f7b_ story.html Pappano, Laura. “Learning to Think Outside the Box: Creativity Becomes an Academic Discipline.” The New York Times (website). Runco, Mark. Creativity: Theories and Themes: Research, Development, and Practice. London et al.: Academic Press, 2014. Ch. 3, “Biological Perspectives on Creativity.” Safian, Robert. “Why Apple Is The World's Most Innovative Company.” Fast Company, Fast Company, 30 July 2018, www.fastcompany.com/40525409/why-apple-is-the-worlds-most-innovative-company. Sawyer, Kieth R. “The Science of Human Innovatioon.” Explaining Creativity , 2003, Explaining_Creativity_The_Science_of_Human_Innovation_Oxford_University.pdf. Shmerling, Robert H. “Right Brain/Left Brain, Right?” Harvard Health Blog, Harvard Health Publishing, 28 July 2017, www.health.harvard.edu/blog/right-brainleft-brain-right-2017082512222. Smith, Craig. “85 Amazing IPhone Statistics.” DMR, DMR, 8 Dec. 2018, expandedramblings.com/index.php/iphone-statistics/. Ulrich, Robert S. “View Through a Window May Influence Recovery from Surgery.” Science. 224.4647 (April 27, 1984): 420–421. https://mdc.mo.gov/sites/default/ files/resources/2012/10/ulrich.pdf; Vithayathawornwong, Supaporn, Sheila Danko and Pamela Tolbert. “The Role of the Physical Environment in Supporting Organizational Creativity.” Journal of Interior Design. 1, 22 (2003): 1–16. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1939-1668.2003.tb00381.x

Annotated Bibliography “Color Psychology in Interior Design: Can the Psychology of Color Help You Decorate Your Home?” Dream Home Decorating (website) http:// www.dreamhomedecorating.com/color-psychology.html#sthash.OuZheGIl.dpuf. Color psychology is a relatively young term. It is not until recent years that people started studying the psychological affects of color. There have been numerous interesting findings in recent years. Although there have not yet been any findings on long term effects off color on people. And each person’s response to color is generally unique because we all see color differently. In general, warm colors such as red orange and yellow have been found to raise energy levels, while cool color tones such as blues greens and purples have been found to calm people down, both physically and emotionally. When these colors are less saturated they tend to have less of this effect on people. Cool colors are also known to make a space appear larger, and warmer colors make a space feel more closed and intimate. In my project I plan to use color psychology as one of my main design theories. I will be using only cool tones because I intend for the space to evoke creative thought. I also need the space to feel open because a sense of connection to the beyond is a catalyst for creative thought. I also want the inhabitants to feel very relaxed and far from stressed. Klemm, William R. “What Jazz Music Can Do for the Brain.” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, 27 Apr. 2014, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/memory-medic/201404/what-jazz-musiccan-do-the-brain. Jazz music is found to have profound effects on people’s state of relaxation. It has been known to be a huge aid in stress relief. It is understood to be an “American innovation, beginning as emotional relief for slaves who found comfort in the blues, which eventually spawned to jazz in its happier forms”. The joys of listening to jazz music promotes happiness. Happy brains are known to learn better and potential live better than those overcome with stress. It has also been found that learning to play jazz music, as a child immensely helps with brain development. Which is often why middle schoolers in jazz band are the students that are cut high achievers. Learning to play jazz teaches children valuable learning capabilities such as “hand-eye coordination, the ability to memorize, discipline, patience, critical and creative thinking, high-speed intellectual engagement with the ideas of others, self-actualization and confidence”. I plan to integrate jazz music into my space. My research has already showed how people can work better and be more creative with background noise. I am going to make the background noise soft jazz music, like a trendy cafe. I intend for it to relax the people in the space as well as evoke their creative thoughts. Explaining Creativity: The Science of Human Innovation. New York et al.: Oxford University Press, 2006. Ch. 1, “Why Explain Creativity?” Creativity has only recently been a topic of interest for scientists. Only recently have researchers begun to study creativity. Most psychologists will typically study what they believe are “fundamental metal properties” such as “memory, logical reasoning, and attention”. Creativity is inherently what makes us human and separates us from chimpanzees and robots.

Creativity is one of the highest levels of human performance, along with “genius, innovation, and talent”. “When we are engaged in the act of being creative, we feel we are performing at the peak of our abilities. Creative works give us insight and enrich our lives”. In fact, until the modern scientific era, creativity was attributed to a superhuman force and “all novel ideas originated with the gods”. Because how could a human simply create something that did not exist before the divine act of creation? When teaching the psychology of creativity, Sawyer was often challenged by his artist students who felt that explaining creativity might in turn make them look at it too analytically. Sawyer rebuttals that “explaining creativity can help us identify and realize every person’s unique creative talents, help our leaders respond better to the challenges facing modern society, help us all be better problem solvers, help us realize the importance of positive, peak experiences to mental health, and help educators teach more efficiently”. Explaining creativity to people provides more than just an individual intellectual satisfaction, it in turn will lead to a more creative society and will “enhance the creative potential of our families, our workplaces and our institutions”. This source has given me a further understanding of the benefits of creativity. I want the users of my space to embrace their creative minds and understand that the space is specifically designed to be a creative catalyst for them. With more minds thinking creatively, our world will flourish. “Test Your Creativity: 5 Classic Creative Challenges.” 99U (website). http://99u.com/articles/7160/test-your-creativity-5- classic-creative-challenges Creativity tests produce scientists with research on how humans can be more creative. They require no special equipment, only the human brain. This testing does not reveal an exact science, but they do reveal when, where and how people are most creative. One common test used by psychologists is the “Alternative Uses Test”. It was developed by J.P. Guliford in 1967 and stretches your creativity by making you brainstorm for two minutes. It gives you one object and asks you to think of as many possible uses you can think of for that one everyday object. “The tests measures divergent thinking across four sub-categories: fluency (how many uses you can come up with), originality (how uncommon those uses are), flexibility (how many areas your answers cover), and elaboration (level of detail in responses). Other tests developed by psychologists include “The Incomplete figure” where you are given an abstract image and asked to make it into a drawing. Riddles are used to measure creative problem solving potential, also known as convergent thinking. “The remote associates test” gives you three unrelated words and asks you to come up with a fourth that connects them all, these solutions typically arise as a “flash of insight”. A very interesting creativity test is “The candle problem” developed in 1945 by psychologist Karl Dunker. Subjects are given one candle, one box of thumbtacks and one book of matches. Subjects are asked to attach the lit candle to the wall so that it will not drip wax onto the table below it. The test challenges “functional fixedness: a cognitive bias that makes it difficult to use familiar objects in abnormal ways”. It was most recently used to prove that living abroad actually makes a person more creative. I plan to incorporate games that provoke creative thinking in my space. They will be small, fun challenges that make for a good break from doing work. Hopefully they will get the mind thinking in a creative way and potentially sprout ideas for the users.

“Testing and Creative Talent.” Educational Leadership. (Oct. 1962): 7–10, 72. http://www.ascd. org/ASCD/pdf/journals/ed_lead/el_196210_torrance.pdf.

Frank L. Wright, An American Architecture, 1955 (Sterling Publishing, New York, NY: 1998).

More than ever, creative talent has been valued by teachers and schools. Today, there is a widespread interest in creative talent. Teachers are trying to find it in students, nurture it and also teach it. It has been found that creative talent is very important in education and society. “We have become increasingly aware of the need for a greater variety of the tasks for assessing the creative thinking abilities by including a greater diversity of stimuli, the involvement of a larger number of the senses, and expanding the limits of the kinds of observations made of task performance”. Teachers have begun to increase their repertoire of nonverbal tasks. At the University of Minnesota they have added “The Circles Task, The Squares Task, The Parallel Lines Task, various versions of the Incomplete Figures Task, The Pictures Construction or Shape Test, The Manipulative Design Task and the Science-Toy Task. In these verbal tasks they use a variety of materials that stimulate the senses of sight hearing and touch. In my space I plan to put an emphasis on a sensory experience. Touch, sight and hearing are the three senses that I primarily want to focus on. I plan on incorporating activities in the space that will use these three senses. I want the space to be vibrant with color and use very textured materials that will stand out to the users. I Also plan to put speakers in the space that will highly pay jazz musics for reasons that were previously mentioned.

In his text, An American Architecture, Write discusses the idea of continuity. “Continuity in this aesthetic sense appeared to me as the natural means to achieve truly organic architecture by machine technique or by any other natural technique”. He hopes to bring natural form to architecture by spreading the idea of continuity. He hopes for continuity to be the new building aesthetic. He emphasized the principle of plasticity working as continuity. “The ideal of plasticity was now to be developed and emphasized in the treatment of the building as a whole”. Write believes that buildings should be one solid, comprehensive form. “Any building should be complete, including all within itself. Instead of many things, one thing”. At the time this was written, Wright believed the Guggenheim Museum was the latest sense of organic architecture. The building does not have a “cellular composition of compartments” rather a piece of architecture “where all is one great space on a single continuous floor”. He compares the visual experience of the Guggenheim to the breaking ocean wave. The fluidity of the space proves to have great continuity. “As natural consequence, the new aesthetic is no longer a mere appearance: plasticity actually becomes the normal countenance, the true aesthetic of genuine structural reality”. I plan to make my building appear as natural as possible. For creativity, connecting the user to nature is very important. I believe making the space feel continuous with organic shapes and seamless connections is an important visual for the users.

Kraftl, P. and Adey, P. “Architecture/Affect/Inhabitation: Geographies of Being in Building Annals of the Association of American Geographers, 98 (2008): 213-231.

Marcus Frings, The Golden Section in Architectural Theory, from Nexus Network Journal (Birkhäuser Verlag, Basel 2006).

In, Architecture/Affect/Inhabitation, Kraftl and Adey make note of architects’ design intentions and the importance of designing a space for its purpose and its inhabitants. “Geographers have long suggested that the power of built spaces to affect their inhabitants is fundamental to architectural form-making”. The authors focus on a designer’s ability to have an effect on the user and cause them to act , think or feel differently. “The capacity of a building to allow inhabitation to take place—and to create meaningful effects—constantly emerges through ongoing, dynamic encounters between buildings, their constituent elements; and spaces, inhabitants, visitors, design, ergonomics, workers, planners, cleaners, technicians, materials, performances, events, emotions, affects, and more”.The responses can either be psychological, like a change in mood or physical, such as a door pull. They believe these effects can be achieved through materiality and specific design decisions, rather than simply designing for comfort. “Architectural design enables the channeling of affects through configurations of fields that architects and buildings intend to, and sometimes do, create by organizing ‘and distributing bodies, materials, movements, and techniques”. I plan to design my space with intention. I will pay attention to every detail, making it a space to foster creativity in every way possible. That is the whole point of the project. Creativity does not just come out of thin air, there are many catalysts necessary to evoke creative thought.

The Golden Section is seen everywhere, throughout architecture, design as well as in some patterns in nature. The Golden Section is an ongoing discussion between architects and designers. The Golden Section never lacks to be traced back to prior architects who have been known to incorporate the Golden Section into their designs, however, “what it always lacks is a thorough study of the Golden Section in architectural theory”. The Golden Section can be traced back to “mathematical and rather theoretical character” as well as to the treatises of Alberti, Palladio, Serlio, Adolf Zeising in the nineteenth century and Le Corbusier in the twentieth century. “The Golden Section seems to play the role of a scholarly element which shows the master’s theoretical erudition, leading to contemporary architects such as Ricardo Bofill”. I plan to use the golden section in my building to bring a sense of peace and calmness into the space. A stressed mind cannot think as creatively and freely as a relaxed and happy mind.

Robert Venturi, Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture, From The Museum of Modern Art: Papers on Architecture. (The Museum of Modern Art. New York, NY: 1966) Robert Venturi writes that those who respond to architecture respond to it subjectively, as if it a discovery. “I speak of a complex and contradictory architecture based on the richness and ambiguity of modern experience”. Venturi views complexity in architecture as synonymous with modern life and feels that simplicity is a bad idea because life is complex. He continues with saying, complexity and contradiction are similar to life experiences and lead to discovery which mirrors complex art. Furthermore, life is too complex for modernism to make sense. Venturi did not intend to come up with the post modernism movement, it just happened. His writings were published during the height of the Vietnam War. He writes “A false complexity has recently countered the false simplicity of an earlier modern architecture. It promotes an architecture of symmetrical picturesqueness but it represents a new formalism as unconnected with experience as the former cult of simplicity”. Venturi believes that Mies's architecture is incomplete as he takes away the elements of living which make it beautiful, however, takes away the functionality. Ironically, Venturi states that handcrafted ornament is good, but only when necessary. For example, Gothic tracery as well as Rococo. He closes with a discussion that “growing complexities of our functional problems must be acknowledged”. He is referring to large projects at the scale of city or regional planning. “But even the house, simple in scope, is complex in purpose if the ambiguities of contemporary experience are expressed”. Although the means involved in the design my be complex, “the goal is simple and contains few contradictions”. This is what leads Venturi to believe that architecture, as it unfolds, should surprise the viewer. I plan to make the interior architecture of my space a discovery. I want the artists to be interested and inspired by everything they see in the space, including the architecture. Research shows that circular elements are better for creative thinking than linear, which will be an interesting design challenged to make feel continuous. Hill, Richard, “Purpose, Function, Use” from Designs and Their Consequences, 1999 (Yale University Press, New Haven, CT: 1908). In Richard Hill’s philosophical text “Purpose, Function, Use” he discusses the basis of design and its intention contrary to popular belief. He states, “Architecture is aesthetically distinctive because it is an art of design… Architecture’s individuality comes from the fact that it is a useful art, and that the aesthetics of architecture should be based on recognizing its usefulness” (Hill, 1999 p. 194). He suggests that we should design with usefulness in mind as a process of finding instead of making. “We shall always see usefulness and design cohabiting, and that we cannot invent one partner simply as a solution to the other” (Hill, 1999 p. 194). He hopes to move designers away from the modification of traditional forms toward the design process. He continues by defining purpose, function and use and explains their relation to one another. Hill believes that good designers do not come up with a plan and finish with the same idea. “The arguments of this [article] rule out the possibility of a design process in which the architect states certain kinds of purposes and then works according to some logical procedure in order to make an appropriate design” (Hill, 1999 p. 207). He hopes the artist finds the design challenge to be a journey that ends with a learning experience with elevated conclusions. I plan to make the architecture of my building simple and useful. I hope that everything I build serves a function, to make the space even more purposeful. If these things have a purpose they will also potentially be treated with more respect, which is important for a public space.

“What is Priming? A Psychological Look at Priming and Consumer Behavior.” Motive Metrics (website). July 1, 2013. http://blog.tiptaplab.com/What-is-Priming-A-Psychological-Look-at-Priming-ConsumerBehavior In its simplest terms, priming is an unintentional response to something visual, auditory or tactile that happened prior. The persons behavior is guided by the exposure to the “prime”. This tactic is very interesting when put to the test by psychologists in control groups. The tests show that when people are exposed to words assimilated with what they are being tested, their brain often puts the pieces together and they figure out the question at hand better than people who were not exposed to any words in the same category. Primes are often used as tools for marketing. There was a field study done at a. Supermarket in 1999 where French and German music were played on alternating days and it was measured how much wane was purchased from both countries on each day. To no ones surprise, there were more Italian wines bought on the days the Italian music was playing and vise versa. Whats most interesting is that the subjects were later asked if they noticed what music was playing and most did not. So people were influenced to buy a certain wine based on the music playing, without even noticing it. I found the use of priming as an interesting subliminal effect on people. I plan to use priming in my space by effecting the users senses without them even realizing. For example, I plan to softly play jazz music in the space to relax the users so they are able to think more creatively. I also plan to have the users play with ‘toys’ for lack of a better word, to have their brains relax and be playful which can lead to creative thought. Anthes, Emily. “Building Around the Mind.” Scientific American Mind (April/May 2009): 52–59. http://emilyanthes.com/data/uploads/ anthes-building-around-the-mind.pdf This article stressed the fact that environments greatly effect the way that people think. A study constructed in 2007 by Joan Meyers-Levy shows how that ceiling heights directly effect how people think. She had two groups of people both in different rooms, one with an eight foot ceiling and one with a ten foot ceiling. She asked the participants to group a 10 item list of sports into categories of their own choice. The people in the room with the higher ceiling height came up with more abstract categories overall, such as “challenging sports” or “sports they would like to play”, compared to the other room who categorized them into “number of players on the team” for example. “Ceiling height affects the way you process information. You’re focusing on the specific details In the lower ceiling condition” says Meyers-Levy. High ceilings make people feels less physically constrained which encourages more free thinking and leads to more abstract connections. On the other hand, if you need to do more detailed, analytical thinking, a lower ceiling height is best. In the grand scheme of things it is not actually the height of the ceiling that effects us, but the effect of our perception of space.

The view from a building also has a great effect on the user. Views of nature have been proven to improve focus. Researcher William Sullivan found that views of greenery are especially beneficial to students with Attention Deficit Disorder. He found city settings to be far to distracting, and green scenery to be more relaxing for these students. C. Kenneth Tanner did a study that produced findings that “students in classrooms with unrestricted views of at least 50 feet outside the window, including gardens, mountains and other natural elements, had higher scores on tests of vocabulary, language arts and math than did students without such expansive vistas or whose classrooms primarily overlooked roads, parking lots and other urban fixtures.” I have written an extensive amount of information from this article because I have found it to be my best source yet. I plan to implement every research-based finding from it into my space. Lehrer, Jonah. “Why Being Sleepy and Drunk Are Great for Creativity.” Wired, Conde Nast, 3 June 2017, www.wired.com/2012/02/why-being-sleepy-and-drunk-are-great-for-creativity/. It has been found that peoples minds are more flexible and able too solve creative problems when you are tired. Which is also similar to when you are under the influence of alcohol and even being brain damaged. People with severe cognitive deficit struggle to narrow their view and focus on analytical problem solving. Their mind cannot focus easily which helps them solve creative problems. I found this research interesting because it also relates back to circadian lighting. If creativity flourishes for most at night, you cannot have bright lighting in the space because it may give them the opposite effect. I need to pay careful attention to the color temperature of my space to ensure the flow of creativity.

Ulrich, Robert S. “View Through a Window May Influence Recovery from Surgery.” Science. 224.4647 (April 27, 1984): 420–421. https://mdc.mo.gov/sites/default/ files/ resources/2012/10/ulrich.pdf Patients in a suburban Pennsylvania hospital were studied between the years of 1972 and 1981 specifically to determine the difference in having a room with a natural view versus not. It was found that rooms with views of nature had great restorative influences. A total of 23 surgical patients assigned to rooms with windows giving views to natural scenes had “shorter postoperative hospital stays, received fewer negative evaluative comments in nurses’ notes, and took fewer potent analgesics than 23 matched patients in similar rooms with windows facing a brick building wall”. This is very relative to my project because with a site in New York City it is difficult to avoid views of strictly man-made structure. This is why I plan to use a pier for a building site. I want to flood the space with natural lighting and excellent views to the outdoors.

Spencer, Christopher and Kate Gee. “The Roots and Branches of Environmental Psychology.” The Psychologist (website). Retrieved Aug. 14, 2017. https:// thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/volume-22/edition-2/roots-and-branches-environmental-psychology Environmental psychology has most recently been a topic of heavy research. People care now more than ever about the influence that someone’s surroundings has on them. An environment can directly affect a person’s behavior and attitude. Environmental psychology is also something that can be seen on a wider scope. People’s cultures are studied and often show how where they live in the world and what their dwelling looks like directly effects their quality of life. Winston Churchill once said, “We shape our buildings, and afterwards our buildings shape us”. I think this is very relative to where I choose my building site. I plan on using a site in New York City but I think it is very important for the building to have a view of nature. I was thinking of using a pier for this reason. I also want to have outdoor space for the people to have access to not only as just a view.

Working Bibliography Rattner, Donald. Design Psychology for Creative Environments. (speech)

“The Mnemonic Muse: Nostalgia Fosters Creativity Through Openness to Experience.” Journal of Experimental Social Psychology. 59 (2015): 1–7.

- Where are you going to do your creative thinking and let innovation take place? - What is creativity? Creativity is the development of novel and useful ideas for products, services and methods, - how can we make a physical environment - we shape our buildings, then our buildings shape us” - Winston Churchill - Environmental psychology: conducted a study in a hospital.. half looked out the window to treetops, half looked out to a brick wall. That was the only difference in the patients room. The ones who looked out to the greenery had shorter hospital stays, had fewer complications, and needed less drugs. - Design trigger: view. Response: increased wellness or no change. Stimulus and result… called brain priming - A brain grime comes through one of our senses and results in a change of behavior. - Evidence Based Design then came to be. - Decisions about what the room is going to look like is based on scientific data rather than preference. - Appearances and appurtenances: - Students are given an online exam.. - color: images on a red background vs blue background. Analytical thinking vs creative thinking - Analytical- reason and logic, linear, concentrate/detailed, narrow/focused, single solution, outward/objective, what is (problems that mostly have one solution) - Creative- intuition and insight, zig zag, abstract, broad/big picture, multiple solutions, inward/subjective, what could be (18:10)

- Nostalgia- “ a sentimental longing or wistful affection for the past” ( The New Oxford Dictionary of English, 1998) - Nostalgia has been linked to creativity - Homer wrote the epic about Odysseus… his nostalgic yearning for family and his homeland filed his conquests over “temptations and monstrosities” (Homer, 1921) - The romantic movement included nostalgic art and is often expressed in fiction and poetry - Modern creative culture prominently features nostalgia (That 70s show, The Wonder Years) - It is suggested that nostalgia is a conservative, traditionalist sentiment. Authors have argued that nostalgia brings people back to a glorified past. - “nostalgia triggers self regulatory strivings to cope with discomfort, increases empathy, breeds inspiration, and raises optimism”. - “In order to qualify as creative, ideas or behaviors need to both be original and useful” (Feist, 1998). - Creativity requires a “utilitarian contribution”, not just an orthodox one.. which would be considered logical thinking. This is how it is distinguished as originality or divergent thinking. - Openness entails a variety of features that revolve a around an “interest in varied experience for its own sake” - Openness has been extensively lined to creative endeavors This is really opening my eyes because some of the least creative people I know are very closed minded and stuck in their ways.. and the same is true for there opposite.. the most creative people I know are open to anything.

Different types of work require a different thought process. Evaluating on ideas and coming up with a new solution would be creative thinking. I specifically need to cater to the needs of creative thinkers in my space. I will use evidence based design to make the space conducive to creative thinkers.

Ditkoff, Mitch and Tim Moore. “Where and When Do People Get Their Best Ideas? An Inquiry into the Top Catalysts of Creativity.” Idea Champions (website). June 18, 2008.

Begley, Sharon. “How To Make Yourself More Creative.” Newsweek (website). Nov. 17, 2009.

- psychological distancing can boost creativity you construe a problem as not occurring to you in the here and now. It is always helpful to do anything that switches the hemispheres of the brain from thinking. (shifty eyes - shifting between sides of the brain is necessary for creativity says psychologist Elizabeth Shobe - Patients have undergone surgeries to sever the bundle of neurons ( called the corpus callosum) that connects the two hemispheres (sometimes done to stop epileptic seizures ) come up short on standardized testing of creativity such as the brick puzzle. - People who favor one hand/leg/side of their body have less of a cross between hemispheres than people who are ambidextrous I want to incorporate different activities in the space to get peoples brains shifting from one side to another. I think play is a good way to give people a break from doing work. Also incorporating something more thought provoking like cooking classes could be a beneficial to get peoples brains working differently.

- Catalysts of creativity: - When and where do people get their best ideas? - A poll was conducted and this chart outlines the results. Some are work related and some are not. - Their highest rated response was to “when I’m inspired..” Most people were found to be inspired when great ideas come to them. The goal of this study was to find when and where people feel most inspired - As participants engaged in the innovation sparking process portion of the study it was found that intention, engagement, experimentation, laughter, collaboration, and the spontaneous flow of promising new ideas was mostly present. - Passion, creativity and humor were common factors of the findings - Most people drew into themselves and at some points left the group to go think on their own. Which is just as important as collaboration. What are you actually brining to the table? - The poll shows that people rely on both social and solitary contexts for creating ideas and inspiration can sprout either way. I think it is important to make my space comfortable, friendly and social. I want it to be a safe haven for artists and designers to collaborate and brainstorm ideas with one another. 13

“Why We Prefer Certain Colors.” Psychology Today (website).

Speaking with creativity architect Donald M. Rattner, AIA.

Belluck, Pam. “Accurate Red, Creative Blue: Color Counts, Study Says.” The New York Times (website) - color psychology: blue - If your screen saver produces a red or blueish light it is going to effect the way you think: - Analytical vs. creative thinking - Blue light is found to produce more creative thoughts. - While red helps someone when they need to focus the color red will help someone pay greater attention to detail and make less errors. It is more of an analytical way of thinking - your screensaver should reflect East you need to function and perform - Some people are wired to think differently than others naturally - color can be used to enhance natural proofreading. For artists, a blue environment would encourage creativity and new ideas. It can be an excellent learning opportunity for young design students. I’ve picked out a lot of blue materials and fabrics that I would like to incorporate into the space. I want to make the primary color of the space a bright and rich blue-green hue.

- I spent an hour on Skype with Dr. Rattner after reading one of his articles and it being right on par with my research and reaching out to him asking to meet. - He gave me many great tips and are outlined in 4 pages of my hand written notes. - One really good tip he suggested was to incorporate circadian rhythm into the space. Mimicking the color of lighting from morning to night is a natural way to make people feel the most comfortable. - He focused on using the color blue and green which was another beneficial takeaway that confirmed my research. - He also emphasized the importance of using all of the senses including smell and sense of hearing. He suggested a cafe type of ambiance as a background noise because it is proven to be the best. Also certain seats are found to benefit creativity. - He emphasized the use of curved surfaces and using circles over squares always. It makes the eye move and the mind tick. It has been proven that creativity sparks more with these surfaces. I asked Donald to be my thesis advisor and he said yes. He is going to be the expert in my topic: creativity. I am going to periodically check in with him to assure that I am going in the right direction. He has helped me immensely though his research and I am so grateful to have him as a mentor.

Pappano, Laura. “Learning to Think Outside the Box: Creativity Becomes an Academic Discipline.” The New York Times (website). - For some it comes naturally, but creativity can be a learned behavior. - “The reality is that to survive in a fast-changing world, you need to be creative” - Gerard J. Puccio - Which is why universities are paying more attention to creativity… because the marketplace is demanding it! - Critical thinking is known to be the essential skill for success. - Traditional learning skills are also necessary fun todays world but process skills give ways to and reframe challenges and transform information to “accept and deal with ambiguity” - Creative skills has been popping up on course lists as a credential recently and many schools are now offering courses in “creative studies” - In these classes students are asked to do things like “find cultural norms to break” It is really exciting to be living in a time of a shift in education. I think as an interior designer it is important for me to be doing this research to always help the end user and grow their creativity. I am also greatly benefiting from this research myself because the more that I think creatively, the better I am at my job. I want to change the world with design and I see creativity as an excellent place to start.

Mood Boards

part two : s i t e a n a l y s is

Location

The Whitney Museum of American Art is located in the Meatpacking District in New York City. It is situated right at the end of the High Line and has spectacular views over the Hudson River. Bordering The Whitney east and north is Chelsea, renowned for its art galleries, cultural organizations and educational institutions.

Architecture

The Whitney was designed by architect Renzo Piano who said “here, all at once, you have the water, the park, the powerful industrial structures and the exciting mix of people, brought together and focused by this new building and the experience of art.

“Piano’s design takes a strong and strikingly asymmetrical form, one that responds to the industrial character of the neighboring loft buildings and overhead railway while asserting a contemporary, sculptural presence”

*For this project I will only be using the top 3 floors of the Whitney, as depicted to the left. BUILDING CODE ANALYSIS USE: BUSINESS OCCUPANT LOAD BUSINESS = 100 GROSS SF. PER OCCUPANT TOTAL OL = 89,681 / 100 = 897

Building Plans

RESTROOM REQUIREMENTS 1ST FL = 35,963 / 100 = 360 = 9 M + 9 F 2ND FL = 30,104 / 100 = 301 = 8 M + 8 F 3RD FL = 23,614 / 100 = 236 = 6 M + 6 F LAVATORIES 1ST FL = 6 SINKS 2ND FL = 5 SINKS 3RD FL = 4 SINKS EGRESS REQUIREMENTS 1ST FL = 2 2ND FL = 2 3RD FL = 2 ACCESS TO 2 FIRE STAIRS FROM EACH FLOOR TRAVEL DISTANCE 250â&#x20AC;&#x2122; SPRINKLED *CALCULATIONS BASED ON SPRINKLER SYSTEM THROUGHOUT* FINISHES COMPLIANCE ASTM FIRE RATING CAL 133

part three : p r e - d e s i g n

concept model fountain

radial continuous flowing transparent organic curvilinear

Concept

contained

The concept of a fountian will be present throughout the entire site. The space will feel continuous and free flowing.

Perspective Sketches

part four : s c h e m a t i c d e v e l o p m e n t

Bubble Diagrams

collaboration cooling color tones innovation sensory connection

Design Icons

balance positive distraction play activity engagement growth

*These design icons were carefully developed from my research on what produces creativity in a personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mind.

connection to water

Ideation Sketches

*These sketches show ideas for furniture design for the creative workspace that will help produce creative thought. They all were designed wile keeping my design icons in mind.

Demolition Plans

*Red lines indicate demolition

part five : d e s i g n d e v e l o p m e n t

Plans Floor Rendered

First Floor

(not drawn to scale)

Second Floor (not drawn to scale)

Third Floor

(not drawn to scale)

Building Section

(not drawn to scale)

Section Perspectives

View of Fountain 35

Flow of Stairs :

View of Working Platforms

Renderings

View from Reception

View from Behind Desk on Working Platform

Sit/Stand Working Counter The third floor counter is designed for sitting. The counter stands 36â&#x20AC;? with a foot rest for maximum comfort.

third floor

The second floor counter is designed for standing. The counter stands 42â&#x20AC;? with a foot rest for maximum comfort.

second floor

The second and third floors feature custom counter tops fixed to the atrium railings. With wide counter space they are great for informal collaboration and excellent views for positive distraction.

View from Third Floor

View from Second Floor

Work Cubbies 6' - 4"

5' - 1"

-1

13' - 8"

7' - 3" 3' - 4"

1' - 10"

4' - 3"

3' - 9"

6' - 2"

0' - 8"

5' - 11"

8' - 9"

8' - 6"

2' - 7"

These work cubbies were ergonomically designed with the user in mind. They are for the worker who prefers to be alone and focus on their work. The cubbies are lined with cork for the creative thinker to pin up their work while inside.

Ref. Level 0' - 0"

Sensory Tables These sensory tables were designed for the ultimate positive distraction for work efficiency. Over one hundred plastic, pin-like pieces are sandwiched between two clear pieces of acrylic. The bodies of these pins fall through the bottom table surface. The heads of the pins keep them from falling through while there is just enough space between the two surfaces to push them up and down without falling through or popping out. These tables allow for fidgety people to focus on getting their work done instead of getting distracted.

Designer Studio High ceilings produce “The Cathedral Effect” where creative thought flows better opposed to being under a low ceiling.

Visual access to the beyond helps to expand the mind and aid in creative thinking.

Laying down is the best position to be in to produce creative thought.

View from Front

FRONT ELEVATION

View from Back

RIGHT ELEVATION

BACK ELEVATION

LEFT ELEVATION

Model of Atrium Space + Working Platforms

This model was constructed at 1/4â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;&#x2122; scale and was made to show how the stairs recede in space as they go up as well as the panoramic views of the fountain. In the space the fountain extends up out of the pool area seen in plan view. It is the central feature of the space and can be seen from many different angles.

3D Printed Elements:

Model

Stairs

Stadium Seating

upholstery

Material Palette

upholstery

wall covering

flooring

part six : f i n a l d e s i g n s u b m i s s i o n

Presentation Photos

Final Thesis Presentation at Misselwood

Hallway Display