Vision ability Workshop:

My observations after the vision workshop made me realize just how frustrating it would be to have a visual impairment and people who do have these deficiencies are therefore very patient. Things were very blurry and hard to make out clearly such as reading the newspaper seemed impossible with the glasses on. bright lights and signs were more visible but not necessarily defined. People were shadows far away and even when they were closer they still seemed blurry and it was hard to tell when people were looking at you and such. Contrasting colors such as red really stood out against a neutral flooring to me on my walk. Overall light and contrast were the biggest factors that guided me throughout different spaces. I remember at the elevator I had to get really close to the buttons to even make out what was up from down. The whole experience during this workshop made me feel a little a dizzy and even at times nauseous. At the WSECU ATM it was very hard to see the buttons 1-3 because they were hidden by a cover that cast a dark shadow over the key pad. There was no Braille to help identify anything but there was red, green, and black markings for the cancel, enter and OK buttons. The sketch above shows the library stairs that include tactile black markings to help the visually impaired feel and see the contrast between the neutral step coloring and the edge of each step.

Artist Poster

Robert Kaindl has inspired my design philosophy through his colorful imagination and unique vision. His glass art shapes are very natural forms and he is known for his sea shape art. Also his use of color that is very bold makes a emphasized statement that I want to incorporate into my designs. He has transformed glass into sophisticated high end creations that are very aesthetically pleasing. The beauty found within his art translates to me an underwater world of magic and excitement. His vision depicts a world that is full of fantasy, color, free flowing movement and emphasis. His works of art really gives me the impression of the unrealistic which makes his pieces that much more interesting and impressive. The imagination and creativity displayed in his glass art really excite me and I can see color and natural shapes being a big inspiration in my design concept.

Context Poster

I researched the 1906 Lodge located just outside of San Diego. It was very interesting to learn how different B&B's are from hotels, inns and other resorts. A bed and breakfast is situated around a courtyard, in this case the lodge includes a garden and pool in their courtyard. Special amenities include pool side loungers and towels. Also they provide gourmet breakfast instead of just complementary breakfast seen at many average hotels. Also the rooms all have a different theme which makes every stay a different experience. I really like this aspect of a bed and breakfast because people do have different styles and definitions of aesthetics. This lodge goes from Japanese inspired rooms to patriotic American inspired rooms. The overall lobby and shared space of this bed and breakfast are more neutral, warm tones that will make people feel comfortable and as if they were at home rather than at a hotel. There is a great deal of thoughtfulness that went into the planning of such unique spaces that allow for multiple visual experiences. The rooms are very romantic and comfortable and allow the guests each their own access to a private balcony and spa tub. I would love to stay at this bed and breakfast to just experience the warmth of the environment in balance with the life on the beach.

Habitat for Humanity:

Above is the proposed floor plan for a 3 bedroom 2 bath Habitat for Humanity Home that my partner and I created around the essence of family. Throughout our design we wanted to provide comfort for the residents by dealing with public space first and then private spaces later. This resulted in an open entryway into the great room and then more private bedrooms off of hallways towards the back. This allows for the family to come together easily but also makes having independent free-time available to everyone in the family. This house is just over 1,000 sq ft, not including the garage or covered porch area. Within this space we were able to accommodate a fully accessible guest bathroom and add a second functional bath off the master. Also hallways are 4' wide allowing for wheelchair access throughout the space with 5' turning radius in rooms and in the kitchen.

Our color scheme derived from the warm hues in wheat stocks found locally here on the Palouse, which ties our houses interior in with the natural exterior terrain found on site. Overall this house gives off a warm glow that resembles the love and comfort found within a family.

This floor plan worked well for a small house design especially by opening up the living areas into a great room space which allowed this home to expand. For other projects like this I might think about providing a more family orientated living room furniture layout that has side tables and more seating available to a family. Also providing bar stools off the island kitchen counter would help bring the family together a bit more in the public spaces of this house.