Puffer Belly Depot

I was given a remodel project to do for a couple who wanted to turn a old train depot into a Bed & Breakfast. The catch was the wife was visually impaired so getting around a space is a difficulty for her. I had two different inspirations for my design, an old train station in Milan and artwork done by Jaq Chartier. From my inspirations as well as designing for visual impairment, I came up with a concept which, to sum it up briefly, was exploding from structure as well as contrasting elements.
The sight is located downtown Pullman, Washington along two main streets and a small river. The structure is red brick with a plethora of windows.
There was extensive demolition throughout the space. I chose to save a few exiting walls for historic reasons as well as wanting to save on materials. This plan also describes the different ways I included sustainability in the space.
The egress plan shows the amount of feet it would take to get from one point to the closet door and window if there was an emergency, like a fire. All distances are under 75 feet. Below the plan also notes how the space is ADA accessible.
The space is rather simplistic, wanting to make the space feel open and easy to move around. Above and below the plan are descriptions of all the features in each room.
As you enter the space, the first thing you see is the lobby. My favorite aspect of the whole design is the light transmitting concrete that stands 12 feet high behind the front desk. The desk itself has a 3D design of a textile I created from my inspiration parti. The floor throughout the entire building is bamboo which is ADA accessible as well as sustainable. To the left of the front desk is the event space with a moveable wall for privacy if needed.
This is a glimpse of the ADA guestroom. I chose to keep the colors a bit more neutral since people from all tastes will stay here and something too bright may be undesirable to sleep in for some. The elevation shows the main hallway with Jaq Chartier's artwork which disguises two of the doors.
The innkeepers residence is under 600 sq/ft so I chose to make it as open as possible. The bedroom is framed with a open square that can be closed off with a curtain. The contrasting colors of the walls and furniture are to help the wife maneuver her way around with ease.
From the parti that was developed after my inspiration, I turned in into a pattern and made a textile out of it. This is the same pattern that is seen on the desk in the lobby. The lines represent structure and the bright strokes of color represent explosion from structure.
Here is the concept model that was a 3D representation of the parti.

Overall I am very pleased with my design and feel the clients would be very happy with the result. Through the design process I gained more knowledge on ADA, floor plans, the use of color, and time management.

Habitat for Humanity

I was lucky enough to have the chance to work with Habitat For Humanity and come up with a design for a three-bedroom house. The specific family had not been chosen so the design was based on generic wants and needs of a single mother with two children. With one other designer, we created a house that was all about comfort and security for the family. The front door would bring one into a great room surrounded with large windows to bring in light from both the North and the South. Set back on one side was the garage and the private spaces with the three bedrooms and bathroom on the other side. With these two spaces set back, it created a closed off area in the back as a buffer for the wind as well as a secure place for children to play.

This project was chosen so that I could grow as a designer by creating a workable space on a small budget. It had its challenges, mainly not knowing the actual client. It was difficult to put in personal touches when I had never net the client and gotten to know their preferences. Also, going from many designs with no budget to a small project was a challenge and forced me to dig deeper to find workable materials.

At the end, I was satisfied with my project, but as all designers will tell you, a project is never done. I could of continued to make changes and additions if time would have allowed it. We were successful in designing a functional space that had a warm, comfortable feel that would welcome the family and any guests. If I could go back I would most likely tweet the floor plan and make the entrance and bit more definite.

This was my first design project working with someone else. It was definitely a learning experience, realizing you must have a strong voice to verbalize your ideas and opinions and as well as a good ear to listen to those you are working with. I learned a lot about myself, noticing that I am one to go with the flow to keep peace rather than stir up the pot.

After this project I have set some new goals for myself. For one, I plan to be more outspoken with my ideas while working with others. Also, I want to think more creatively; more out of the box while creating a floor plan, selecting materials, and creating the furniture layout.

Depot Study Models

Before working in 2D, I space planned in 3D to work ceiling heights into the spaces. This helped me visualize how dramatic the ceiling height actually is. It also shows how light travels throughout the space. With each space I tried to make sure each room had a window for daylight as well as a spacious layout. My biggest hurdle was avoiding long hallways since the building is so long and narrow.

Boyer Park

With three team members, I got the chance to redesign an event space for a couple who owns a camping resort with a budget of of $30,000 max. The original space was far from finished with concrete floors and just the frame for walls. The only piece that the owners thoroughly enjoyed and wanted to keep was the vaulted ceiling. The space was mainly windows and overlooked a beautiful view of the river. The space was used for events like weddings, showers, meetings and so forth.
My team chose to keep the space versatile with a warm comfortable feel to it. For flooring we chose to stain the concrete for cost purposes. We chose an assortment of lighting as well as simple chairs and tables.

Jaq Chartier

To find inspiration from multiple areas for my Depot remodel, I found a local artist to use throughout my space. Jaq Chartier is a unique artist from Seattle, Washington. She creates work that reflects science experiments. Chartier plays with different materials and substances and the reactions are what becomes her art pieces. The colors are often bright and interesting to look at. Never having a definite shape or scene, it can be interpreted and used in all sorts of spaces.

I plan to use Chartier as inspiration as I remodel the train depot, using bright colors throughout the space. I also intend on using many different kinds of materials and experiment how they work together to create a unique space that is different from the average B&B.

Context Poster

This poster was created as research for my remodel project that will follow after it. I personally researched one building style in the early 19^th century, the Mediterranean Revival. Those working around me also studied multiple styles and locations from the same time era. This research was interesting to me, finding out all the different building styles that were created so long ago and are still being used today.

This research was to gain more knowledge on the built environment of the early 19^th century. The knowledge will be the basis for my next project on transforming a train depot built early 1900’s in Pullman to a Bed and Breakfast. I am now more knowledgeable on the background of older buildings and the styles they reflect. Knowing this, I will be able to better appreciate and conserve historic features in the train depot during my B&B remodel.

A Day in a Blind Person's Eyes

Today I went to the Compton Union Building where the majority of students congregate during breaks between classes, to eat meals and hang out with friends. Here I took part in an activity to be in the shoes of someone with impaired vision. I wore sunglasses that had petroleum jelly smeared on the lens. This blurred the visibility making most my surroundings less defined and appear more as blobs and shapes. Depth had been lost somewhat and I felt less secure walking around. I first approached an elevator. There was braille on the elevator buttons and audio, announcing the location, inside the elevator so that someone with impaired vision could travel easily. Next I went to an ATM where I noticed there was no braille on the key pad but the keys were large enough as well and the engraved numbers on them, one might still be able to make out which number is which. The card slot was also helpful because it lit up a neon flashing light so it was easy to locate. After the ATM I traveled to the library and walked down the stairway. I noticed its much harder to descend down a staircase when depth is lost. The contrasting black strips on the white staircase helped define each stair.