2 Bedroom Apartment Bathroom Design

The song “Coming Home” by Gwyneth Paltrow brings to mind the growth and belonging experienced within the home. The encompassing feelings of warmth that envelope a home evoke playful curves and a sense of unity. The enlarging of elements through the space gives a sense of growth mimicking nature and its multitude of vegetation. Subtle curvilinear lines accent the repetitive unity, while stepped increase and decrease in size brings in the aspect of growth. The tiling on the wall behind the lavatory evokes the growth with their change in size and vertical repetitive nature. Curvilinear shape comes in with the organic shower design and openness. Materials are chosen for their connection with nature and the counter marble resembles forestry. To allow for the warmth home evokes, soft gold tiling surrounds the shower and warm lighting fills the space.

Above is the concept statement with application into this two bedroom apartment bathroom. The design is supposed to related to the idea of home. I like the organic shape of the shower and its incorporation into the curvilinear aspect of my concept. The repetition of line from my concept really comes into play with the tile behind the lavatory. I also like the privacy created by placing the toilet back in the nook. I wish I had made the sink counter a bit larger but I feel it works for the space. In my study model I am very pleased with the detail and final construction, but which I had drawn in all of the walls instead of just a few. The final board, however, seems very empty in certain areas even if my pieces are gridded and organized according to sections. I am pleased with how my perspectives turned out, but the color does not come through enough on trace paper, so for the next design I will try using marker paper instead. Overall I am pleased with the design I created and find it is very open. Although the shower does not have a bench in it, the rest of the bathroom is ADA.

2 Bedroom Apartment Kitchen Design

The idea of home brings to mind the growth and belonging experienced there. The encompassing feelings that envelope a home evoke playful curves and a sense of unity. The enlarging of elements through the space gives a sense of growth mimicking nature and its multitude of vegetation. Subtle curvilinear lines accent the repetitive unity, while stepped increase and decrease in size brings in the aspect of growth. Cabinets evoke the growth with their change in size and repetitive nature, while elements are further integrated through molding and accentuating materials. Flooring and cabinets are chosen for their resemblance of the forestry that is unique yet unifying in the world. To allow for warmth to infiltrate the space a window is placed on the far wall to let the sun stream through from the skylight creating the comforting feeling that nurtures the growth within the home. 

Above is the concept statement with application into this two bedroom apartment kitchen. The design is supposed to related to the idea of home. The warmth of the space really invokes this idea to me and I like how it is incorporated into this space. The appliances and fixtures chosen although sleek in design are also some of the most efficient models on the market which help the client strive for a more sustainable space. I wish I had placed the stove in a different location due to the vent blocking some of the light from the window but it was a sacrifice to be able to include double wall ovens in the space. In my study model I am very pleased with the detail and final construction. I find although the lines are freehand, it is crisp and clean in appearance. The final board, however, may be a bit crammed and I need to spread out the designs into a few boards next time. I am pleased with how my perspectives turned out, but my rendering skills of materials needs to be worked on. The end result of the resin material is well done but my rendered hardwood flooring needs to be developed.

Olympic Sculpture Garden Sketch Crawl

When touring at the sculpture garden I was able to look over the shoulder of some of the other urban sketchers. It was quite astounding to see them work and what they could do with their media. Just watching Ching sketch gave me hope to get better at sketching. I sketched a different angle than him of "The Eagle" but he found this perfect view that framed the space needle and I later wished I had tried that viewpoint. In my sketch I found I had thought the sculpture was proportioned correctly until I tried to fill in the buildings in the background. I would also like to improve my portrayal of shrubbery and trees. I am very happy with how the color of the sculpture turned out, but I should work into the shading a bit more. Even though I know a few things I would like to fix in future sketching, I am happy with how overall these two sketches turned out.

Gensler Job Shadow

During the study tour I had a chance to go to Gensler for a job shadow and found it an insightful experience into a more commercial aspect of design. At the start of the day I spoke with Bruce, who is their main sustainability person and was able to learn about how the building they are located in is sustainable. I then  learned about a few different projects they were working on and was able to sit in on material and lighting meetings. During lunch I was able to sit down with a Senior Associate, Susana, and discuss what skills firms are looking for in a designer. She told me that computer skills are important but hand drafting skills are a constant necessity in design. To be able to communicate ideas quickly is extremely important in the business. I was also able to show my online portfolio and explain some of the previous projects I have completed. Susana told me that in the preliminary vetting an online portfolio is what they look at mainly, but once it comes to one-on-one meetings physical items to showcase are important too. In the end it was a wonderful time spent in their firm, seeing what kinds of things they do day-to-day. After my time there I find I am very interested in working there once I graduate.

Showrooms and the House of the Immediate Future

While out on tour visiting different showrooms, I learned the difference between their products and ones you could buy at department stores, in terms of quality and price. At the Knoll showroom it was a rushed visit but after seeing the space we had the chance to do one sketch. I chose this view from a seated area to the office cubicles behind it. The dividers allowed for privacy but you could also communicate well with some seated in the space. I wish I had more time to have completed this sketch and been able work into it with more depth, but am pleased with how it turned out given the short period of time.

At the Habitat for Humanity "House of the Immediate Future" there was a guided tour through the downstairs of the home. I learned about the different components and had my first introduction to the idea of a wet core, housing everything water/wet related. I wish I could have seen the upstairs and how the wet core was laid out up there but found it very interesting to see the layout in such a small home. I found that the wall kitchen was an easy way to reduce space and open up the "living room". Before and after the tour I was able to create the sketch above. I was using a new watercolor kit and was having difficulty being able to clean out the brush between colors but I found I achieved the correct colors for the front facade of the home. I wish I had worked in some more shading in the end but some of that comes through with the watercolor.