Sunny-Malone

I'm ready.  I'm ready to sit here and try to put down my thoughts about my final project.  You might think, "What is such a big deal about that?"  And I would reply, "Because it's hard to sum up 7 weeks of work into one blog post and make it have any sense!"  I'm not very good at verbalizing- never have been.  I certainly don't claim to be now.  I'll leave the grammatically correct, witty repartee to my sister, Claire and all those other english majors out there...

So, just to sum up I will give you the project details and requirements from the client, Sunny-Malone (an advertising agency specializing in computer software and internet companies.)  The project was over 10,000 square feet (our biggest space yet). 

The first thing we do as designers is something called Programming.  This is the phase where we research our client and the type of spaces we are doing for them.  For instance, with this project we took several field trips to office environments such as Capitol One and Creative.  This helps us see what's out there and also get a feel for the different types of clients. 

For this project, we were able to imagine our own client and I came up with Sunny-Malone.  Whoever guessed the name was from Xanadu, congratulations you win blog follower of the year status :) 

From our research stage I gather two main points of interest I knew I wanted to take with me while designing my space: 1.  People want choices.  Nobody likes the same thing.  Some people like working in groups, some people rather be more private.  Flexible seating is a must.  2.  EVERYBODY wants to be near a window.  Luckily, the existing space has lots of them.  Oh, and they overlook the river... Can I work here?

From here, we start to formulate a concept.  The conceptual part can come from anywhere- inspiration from an artist, a building, an avocado (see my very first project!), or an idea.  Once you have a concept, it is important that you spend time with it.  What does that mean?  Well, diagram it.  Draw it.  Draft it.  Watercolor it.  Write about it.  Dream it.  Research it.  MODEL it. 

When I was thinking about my client, Sunny-Malone, I got to thinking about how an advertising agency might work.  They work very similarly to designers in that there is a large process involving ideas and brainstorming that builds off of other ideas and brainstorming.  It got me thinking about how the brain works (Scientist at heart here, folks- read my bio...)  The brain is an immense sensory input and output center where neurons are firing and connecting at touchdown points.  This brought me to the concept of NETWORK.  It flows nicely with the business of my client (computer software and internet companies) because the idea of network can extend beyond the brain and reach into social networking, the computer as a network, etc. etc.  Herea re some images that helped me:

And some installations by artist Megan Geckler that I looked at:

After coming up with a concept, it was time to take it to my space and try to infuse it within my design.  This is always the hardest part, so it helps to do some diagrams of the space (study it!) and diagrams of your concept and see if you can put them together:

Here are some pictures of the Edgeworth Building where the office space would reside:

Interior space:

So after this phase I tried to start designing and I came up with a million bubble diagrams, floor plans and mind maps.  I will save you all of the details and pictures of those and just give you the final result.

From my research of the concept of networks, I realized they all have something in common- the point where all the lines connect.  This point is important.  It is the "hub" of the network.  And so I decided to make three major "hubs" in my space and separate them because of their importance by changing the shape of these spaces, the materials used in the spaces and the function of the space (they are all gathering spaces where people come together.)  These three spaces can be seen in the floor plan below by the shape change (octagons).  (AutoCad users please don't judge the line weights... they aren't fixed yet in this image!)

The three spaces are the library space, the presentation planning space, and the conference gathering space.  Here are the perspective drawings I did for each space:

Library Space

Presentation Planning Space

Conference Gathering Space

With these three hubs of my network defined the piece missing was how to connect them.  I started designing my reception space right when you walk into the office and I came up with something like this:

And I realized that I could use these wood slats to connect the spaces- to create walls, ceilings and partitions.  The slats could be spaced further apart if privacy between spaces was not an issue, or they could be close together to allow more privacy.  And so I connected the three hubs through the slat system I developed as well as changes in floor materials.  Here are the drawings I did to highlight the connecting spaces:

Above: Connection between reception and library.  Note: the slats become thicker to provide a shelving system.

Above: Floor change connection to highlight connection between presentation planning space in the foreground and library (in the back).  (To the far left you can see the slats that define the reception area on the other side)

Above: Walkway with slat system connecting reception and conference gathering space.  You can see that the slats get closer together in the back to allow more privacy between the walkway and the workspaces on the other side of the wall. 

I also did a finish plan to show the different flooring that I chose to go in the space:

Here are a couple of sections of the spaces (as if you just cut right through the space):

WHEW! I'm exhausted and my fingertips are bleeding at this point (too graphic? eh..)  I hope you got a good feel for the project and I hope you liked it. 

I'm all finished up for the semester (with the exception of a paper which I really need to get finished...) and I will be interning this summer so I'll keep updating- no worries! 


Pleeeeeease leave some comments so I know my hard work writing this post paid off :)  Sometimes you have to press the comment button several times before it actually goes through.