Design Philosophy

Nothing we design is arbitrary. We create spaces and places that mold the way we live and the way we see the world. I believe that I design spaces that reflect who I am, where I want to be, and how I want to see the world. Over the past four years I have realized what it means to design with intent. I will design nothing shy of spaces that are meaningful, comfortable, and responsible. Design should be efficient and effectivelyaddress the community needs. I have learned to enhance human experience through thoughtful decisions and problem solving. I am dedicated to delivering  timeless, sophisticated, yet innovative design concepts. Throughout my education sustainable design has been a mission and a goal for us all to follow. However, I believe that the way we see sustainable design varies between the concept of cradle to cradle and longevity. My belief is that sustainability should consist of giving the user flexibility in use, which results in longevity in occupancy, while using environmentally healthy materials and finishes. We all have a responsibility to man kind to design beautiful, thoughtful, and healthy places for generations to come. 

Breaking through the Box: Creating new office environments

The importance of the workplace is growing and as Kopec states “the workplace environment is a place where many people will spend the majority of their life. Unfortunately, it is also a source of significant levels of stress, which can impact  a person’s level of satisfaction with their job and often times their overall life.”(Kopec,  2006) A further understanding of the best ways for users to work efficiently can be achieved through studying dynamics of various office communities.  Designing a built environment that supports job satisfaction is also one that will decrease stress and improve work productivity. The three areas of research in which will be used to support this design include Flexible space, employee comfort, workplace culture.. These three areas will direct the design and provide technical reasoning behind decision - making. This research is applied to the redesign for Girls on the Run, a Charlotte based non profit organization geared towards promoting the lives of young girls.

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Materials Charrette_Amanda Gordon


I reviewed Amanda Gordon’s project today in reference to our materials charrette. Her project is a church building with two levels, used as a youth sanctuary and a children’s nursery space. The church is located in nearby Fuquay Varina. Amanda’s concept is a Noah’s Ark theme that incorporates the idea that all people and things have their place and importance, this concept includes everyone in the church. She expects to use 3-form sliding panels, door hinge fasteners that keep kids fingers safe from pinching, window reveals at the base of the curved ribs, the actual ribs that slice through the two floors and resemble the skeleton of an ark, and earthen plaster throughout. One suggestion I have for Amanda is to consider not only incorporating the concept throughout the two levels, but to also make sure the two age groups are delineated and the spaces are special to the users. I believe the project has the potential for really changing the way this church reaches children, so it would be helpful to further study the actual children in this space and really get on their level. 

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