Griffel Retreat: A Musician's Retreat-Poster

This here is the presentation poster that goes along with the architectural model that I built for the client in the Columbia River Gorge, Oregon. On it are the floor plans of both the top loft/studio area and the main living space below it, an elevation/section cut of the South side of the structure, parti sketches from my process work, the inspiration piece, views of the finished model (exterior and interior), a statement about the client and finished space and lastly some nicely rendered views of the inside of this wonderful space. Of course with any projects comes many lessons of what not to do next time and also improvements from last time. After having been reviewed by some local designers and interior design professors here in Spokane, WA, I learned what was working overall and what could be changed to make for a better design. I feel I could have researched a bit more about some of the fixtures that I choose to use in the space and perhaps find ones to better suit the overall design. For example, the patio door that I choose to insert in the main living space as the rendered living room view shows could have been replaced with a nana wall. This nana wall rather than the goofy looking patio door would have been a better solution to my design, opening the view up to the exterior that I tried so hard to make apart of the over all design. I also learned that understanding the significant parts of my design and touching upon those while making them a huge part of the over all presentation is very important. For example, talking about how I created this space to ultimately define the line between public and private. I do this by having the North side (entry side) all wood and no windows eye level, and then on the South side of the structure having large floor to ceiling windows that overlook the gorge in both the bedrooms and living room/kitchen area. This was something that one of the reviewers really liked about my design, and said was done excellently, but was never talked about in my presentation. It's the small things like this this that make for an even better design next time. Very fun assignment, yet so hard to move from 2d-3d.

Griffel Retreat: Light Moment Study Model

Part of this Gorge project was to explore the different variations of types of light and their effects on different shapes, spaces, mediums and materials that may be relevant to your design. With doing so, you were able to move forward from this design with knowledge of how light may be cast when designing an actual 3-D space. My Light moment was then used in my space with the knowledge of when and where the sun rose and set on my existing relic. This was an over all great experience that helped me design a great space for Brandon to retreat to. I learned that dark spaces with a punch of light can really make the space memorable and inspiring. Also, that materials such as copper, reflective surfaces like mirrors and glass can also inter fear with light differently and cause un expected "light moments".

Griffel Retreat: A Musician's Studios Space

For this project we were asked to design a unique space under 1200 sq. ft for a musician, artist or writer and dedicated solely to his or her's art. This here is my musician's Columbia River Gorge Retreat where Brandon is able to come and relax while also having the freedom and space to write and record music. This space is a unique experience that begins at the entrance to the space as shown in the first image. The glass tubular like forms that are protruding both inside and out of the space are remittance of the light moment model I experimented with in an earlier study as explained above. This idea of the tubes that filter in light from the inside and out are carried to the top story of my space (Brandon's Studio) which acts as a loft. As you are able to see in the other two images, this light moment is a very inspiring phenomena and thus is the reason why I placed them in Brandon's recording space. The energy of the light that is produced from these tubes is in a high up and dark area, making for a big impression and more importantly a perfect place for writing and producing creative music. The retreat includes two 88 sq. ft bedrooms (one with a full master bath), a kitchen/living space, a full public bath and two patios on the South side both over looking the beautiful landscape of the Gorge. The top half inner tube patio includes an outside wet bar and room for patio seating. The landscape around the retreat allows for vehicle parking and also aircraft parking, as my musician is also a US Army helicopter pilot who owns planes of his own. This is truly a space that one can escape to spend time with family, friends and or himself. This space has all the amenities he needs, just not excessive amounts.

Depot Study Board Models

These are my depot study models that were built as a way to study space. We then were able to space plan and design a well working layout for our bed and breakfast. The purpose of this is to make yourself start thinking spacial wise about the area and how you might start to apply your concept inside the actual space instead of just drawing it. Yes, this does take more time and is a pain, but it is truly worth it. You are able to think more abstractly when you are actually able to see the space in 3D and play around with it. I wanted to incorporate the concept of strict structures and forms being intersected by fluid shape and form. This is why I have the curved walls in my designs and also why I have curved walls going into straight walls. This part of my design process actually came first and is what ultimately got me thinking of how I might utilize and make an aesthetically pleasing and functional space out of this old depot.

Final Depot Project

These are my final presentation boards for ID 203. For this project we were to take the old train depot in downtown Pullman, also known as the Pufferbelly Depot, and turn it into a bed and breakfast that was to have an 800 square foot apartment for the inn keeper and his wife. The only struggle/problem was that we had to keep the building's original structure and facade and could only change windows into doors and doors into windows and also had to keep the old ticket counter and basement stairs inside. The inn keeper's wife is also visually impaired so we had to take her disability into account when designing this B&B along with their residence. We also had to pay attention to the types of materials that we chose for the B&B because they had to be commercial and also ADA approved. Choosing materials and finishes for the inn keeper's residence was tricky because we had to make sure the materials were going to work well with her disability. Making sure we had materials like non-reflective surfaces, slip resistant flooring, non bright colors, contrasting colors and a good furniture arrangement to keep her from tripping had to be taken into account. My concept for the B&B is that we all perceive the human body as a universal structure that is unchanging and is the same amongst all people. It isn't until we take time to get to get to know the person inside and out that we see their individual beauty that shapes them entirely into a beautiful form. The inspiration for my depot were the hand carved wooden beams inside the WSU Visitor's Center. These beams along with Martin Blank's inspirational glass work is what helped me form my concept. Evereything in this depot from the floor, ceiling, walls materials, fabrics and finishes represent my artist and concept. This project will be reviewed by my future professors and also employers so alot of hard work was put into this project to show my potential. I am very proud of this project and have come a long way since last year around this time....I DID IT!!

Bed and Breakfast Concept Model-"Human Body as a Beautiful Structure"

This is my concept model that came from my module and textile pattern. This is my interpretation of the concept behind my design in 3-D. This shows my artist and my inspirational object with in the depot. The concept of this 3-D model is that "we all have this preconceived notion of the body as a strict structure that is universal to all and never changes. But the human body is so much more than that and the beauty of one's personality, curve, fluidity and motion breaks up this idea of the body as a universal structure never changing and shows that there is beauty with in". The universal structure aspect of the the concept relate to the wooded beams which are my inspiration of the depot and the beauty in the human body through curve represents Martin Blanks works of bright color and fluid, body like shapes. Displayed above are some images of the first model I came up with and then the bottom four are the images of the final concept more developed and revised. I really think that this model came together well and stays true to what my concept is all about. It visually explains the concept and I believe it will make for a great element in my final design of the bed and breakfast.

CONCEPT STATEMENT:

True Beauty Lies Within a Universal Structure

The wooden beams as my form giver show strong, structural support and represent a stable, unchanging form. In order to soften the look of the beams and to be able to further incorporate my idea of the human body as a beautiful, shapely structure, I worked from the beams textural like pattern. The beams were hand carved, with chunks shaven out of the beam. These wooden beams in the visitors center, demonstrate the stability, structure and shape of the human body as a universal structure unchanging.

There is a strong relationship between the beams and Blank’s work representing the human body through curve and shape. For me to show the relationship between the beams and the human body’s beautiful curve, I have the tear drop shapes in my model, which are demonstrating the individual, specific beauty that is present in the human body, but often unseen. This beauty acts as an interjection to the thought of the human body as an unchanging structure. This tear drop is to represent the beautiful curve, fluidity, movement and balance of the human body with in a structure.

Together, these two inspirations of the beams and the human body as a beautiful structure represent the human body as more than just the preconceived view of the body as a universal structure that is never changing and permanent. The beams, which show a strong stable form and yet have beauty to them portrayed through the textural pattern of the shavings. This pattern acts as the universal structure the human body appears to be. It’s not until you incorporate the tear drop shapes that interrupt this strong universal structure idea and evolve that structure into a beautiful form. The human body is a structure that is beautifully shaped by one’s personality, natural curve, movement and form.

With the wood strips being interrupted by the teardrop shapes, this further shows the body as more than a universal structure. The tear drops have the beautiful energetic color representing the beauty of the body, which helps to break up the idea of the body as a universal structure. This shows that beauty goes beyond a body’s structure, one that everyone has. Each person’s body and shape is special and specific to him and her. We must learn to step back and realize that there is more to structure than a universal shape.

With this concept that is demonstrated in this strong, abstract form, I am able to incorporate this in my design of the bed and breakfast and make for an over all aesthetically pleasing, interesting and comfortable design applied to all aspects of the over all design.

Final Textile Design

Displayed above is my final textile design which I will be using at some point and place throughout my bed and breakfast. I was able to come up with this textile pattern after playing around with a number of different modules (like the one displayed on the bottom). The modules that we were to draw were supposed to some how represent our depot's inspiration object and also your artist's work combined. We were to choose the best two modules from a selection of eight that we had chosen from a prior fifty. I took the best two and played around with them in photoshop and indesign. I experimented around with different color schemes and patterns that I could lay the module out in and discovered that after transforming, shrinking, flipping, rotating and reflecting, I had alot of different patterns to choose from, all coming from the same module. I was able to come to a comfortable stop with this pattern. I thought that this module made a strong pattern and also a good interpretation of the wooden beams, (which is my depot's inspiration object) and my artist's work. I think that the over all pattern is working well in my design and displays what I want to portray, but I think next time I would design a module whose over all pattern is more loose feeling so that it doesn't look so heavy and strict in shape. I need to figure out what part of my design is most important whether it be the concept of the structural part of the design or the concept of fluidity, movement and the curves of the human body of the design.

TEXTILE REFLECTION ESSAY

After receiving my textile, I feel that my concept and is portrayed at large through out the whole textile. Both the colors and way in which I chose to lay my module out to make the repeated pattern explains my concept well. The straight beams and the round bursts of purple and magenta really help to model the concept of beauty with in a universal structure.

When looking at this textile as a whole your eye begins to flow from one corner to the other, making an over all well rounded textile design. You really do start to feel the concept while looking at the textile.

The only thing I would have done differently with this design is play around with the pattern a bit more. I know that after I sent in my textile order I tried some different pattern ideas and the mirrored pattern made for an even better concept relation. The way in which the mirrored modules met each other made a beautiful, organic, round shape through out the design, which would have made more sense to the view right away.

Other than that, I really do like the textile and cannot wait to begin to think 3-D about my space and this textile that will be incorporated in it some how.