Related link: Behance
The student designer team maintained a project website documenting the design process, which you can explore here
Key responsibilities:
•Developing vision plans and strategies presented to the advisory committee
•Iterating floor plans and creating physical models to explore spatial concepts
•Modeling designs in Revit to refine and visualize ideas in detail
•Collaborating with student designers and faculty on furniture and equipment development, as well as supporting fabrication efforts in the Department of Design
Preliminary Concept Proposal
Roaming
Roaming
The concept envisions a fragmented, dynamic student-shared space that encourages continuous discovery and reflection. Inspired by a Chinese garden, it offers adaptable spatial sequences that balance intimacy and openness, supporting both stillness and movement while fostering engagement and active thinking.
A small world within the big universe
- Playing
- Rest
- Meditating
- Enjoying nature: flowers, wind, sunlight, fish
- Playing instruments & music
- Composing poems
- Discussing & chatting
- Dining & tasting tea
- Painting
Translating spirit into Space
A Chinese garden—even without trees—can still be a garden.
Just as gardens use rockeries to create visual interest and define spaces, these varying heights and sculptural platforms allow displaying works and other functions.
In the limited space, the use of rich changes in the layers can greatly enhance the sense of depth of the scene.
The curtains help creating pathways that guide people through the space.
Built-in structures serve as a modern translation of garden pavilions, zoning the space and creating intimacy.
The semi-transparent partitions maintain visual connectivity while serving as space dividers, much like how gardens use plants such as bamboo to create barriers.
Wooden partitions serve as storage units with openings that invite people into the open areas.
The unique spatial sequences in a garden, where each turn reveals new vistas, inspire the use of the curtain system. By using curtains, we can recreate this dynamic experience, allowing the space to transform and reveal different environments, much like a garden's evolving scenery.
This element can either open up the entire space, fostering a sense of unity, or divide it into predefined programmatic areas such as work areas and lounges.
By using curtains, spaces can be continuously adapted or re-associated to meet different needs and activities.
This structuring element enables a seamless transformation, making it possible to alternate between open, collaborative zones and more private, focused areas, thereby enhancing the functionality and versatility of the space.
In this space, appreciating the surroundings is integral to the experience.
The vision for student-shared space is a fragmented and dynamic environment that adapts to various needs through a flexible curtain system and built-in structures. This design allows users to choose their workspace based on activity, the number of people, light, and privacy needs. This multifaceted environment encourages users to roam, discover, and experience the space in their own way, making it a truly engaging and inspiring place for students.
The revised layout afforded four key configurations to match four envisioned space usages (below).
Ceiling features were envisioned (above) to add "coziness" to the space and hint to visitors where seats and tables might fit into different room configuration options.
For a detailed look at the ceiling installation, see the dedicated project here.