PRACTICE PORTFOLIO
Boston Architectural College
Christine Banister
Student Information
Student Name: Christine Banister
Program at the BAC: M. Arch
Student ID Number: 100093242
Current Skill Level: 0
Student Email: christine.e.banister@gmail.com
Student Phone Number: 812-343-8842
Student Job Title: Project Manager
Current Salary: $20 hourly
Employer: YouthBuild Boston
Name of Immediate Supervisor: Ken Smith
Title of Immediate Supervisor: Executive Director
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
REFLECTIVE ESSAYS
STUDENT SELF ASSESSMENT
RESUME
Professional Development
Reflective Essay
What has been one of your biggest accomplishments in terms of learning and growth as a designer since your last assessment? What has been one of your biggest challenges? What are your next steps?
My last practice assessment was in my first semester at the BAC. Since then, I have begun to define myself as a designer. I’ve always felt a strong pull towards meaningful work, and my experience in practice has led me to a professional track in public interest design, entrepreneurship, and design-build. This narrowing of focus has allowed me to seek out learning opportunities that energize and inspire me. I want to be the kind of designer that changes lives. The challenge is in the application of what I’m learning in school to the real world. Oftentimes school projects are very conceptual and theoretical with no concern for budget. However, in the real world (and especially in the non-profit world), it all comes down to money. How can the big ideas that I’m exploring in school be translated to the real world, so that good design can be accessible to the people who need it most? This is what I would like to further explore in practice- the intersection between good design (design that is social and ecologically responsible, healthy, beautiful, useful, and inspiring) and buildability (projects that are technically and economically efficient).
Summarize your responsibilities/duties you’ve had in your work since your last practice assessment.
Since my last assessment, I’ve jumped head first into the world of design here in Boston. I’ve held leadership and volunteer positions including Chapter President of the American Institute of Architecture Students, Ada Louise Huxtable Architectural Design Fellow, and have attended and volunteered at various conferences and events for Design Museum Boston, AIAS, and ABX. Teaching experience since my last assessment includes two semesters as Teaching Assistant for the BAC Gateway Initiative, a summer as Studio Instructor for the BAC Summer Academy, and Lead Designer at the Designery at YouthBuild Boston. Design-build experience since my last assessment includes participation in Studio North (an intensive design-build studio with Moscow Linn Architects), and jobsite experience through my primary employer, YouthBuild Boston. Business and Entrepreneurship experience includes participation in the inaugural HATCH program through the BAC practice department, and I have been deeply involved in business operations and administration at YouthBuild Boston. I’ve made an effort to gain broad experience in a variety of settings. This keeps me energized, and has allowed me to learn about myself as a designer- my interests, strengths, and weaknesses.
As you look ahead, what are your goals in practice and in academics? What is your plan for achieving those goals?
My dream is to one day start a business or be the Director of a non-profit doing meaningful work through design. In the meantime, I plan to continue making an impact in under served communities while gaining the skills I will need to accomplish this goal. One next step is to begin finding projects of my own, perhaps outside of work, that allow me to explore my passions with a higher level of accountability. I plan to enter design competitions and seek out other interesting projects that challenge me as a designer. I’m hoping thesis will be a great opportunity for this first big step towards professional independence. Another next step may be to gain larger-scale architecture experience in a more traditional firm setting. I have considered options for work in healthcare or higher education, for example. When I have reached a point where I’m no longer learning, I’ll begin looking for a new job opportunity.
Self Assessment
Please give yourself a rating in the following areas:
[4 = outstanding/exemplary; 3 = proficient; 2 = needs remediation; 1 = unsatisfactory; N/A = no opportunity to observe]
DESIGN SKILLS
- evaluates and solves problems effectively
- accesses, learns, and applies theoretical and practical knowledge
- brings skills and methodologies from academic work into practice work
COLLABORATION
- works effectively with others and manages conflict effectively
- helps motivate others to succeed
- understands and contributes to organization’s goals
- respects diversity and diverse opinions
COMMUNICATION SKILLS
- speaks and writes with clarity, confidence, and concision
- makes effective presentations
- exhibits good listening and questioning skills
TECHNICAL SKILLS
- is showing positive development with software skills
- understands the role different technologies play in design
- understands technologies related to the execution of design projects
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
- assumes responsibility, sets goals, can multitask
- possesses honesty/integrity/personal ethics
- shows initiative/self-motivation and good time management
- is punctual, has good attitude
- is engaged in design culture
Photos From Top Left:
Super serious photo taken for AIAS’s feature student org. of the month blog post
What are you thankful for at the BAC photo shoot by the BAC’s Communications Department
Photo of me with a BAC Summer Academy student and her family at the final review
christine banister
employment
Project Manager | YouthBuild Boston | Boston, MA
. Administered all aspects of preconstruction including RFP submissions, community meetings, funding and subsidies, site surveys and zoning, permit acquisition, design and construction contracts, etc.
. Coordinated and participated in predesign meetings and facilitated creation and submittal of construction documents and specs
. Planned and executed 12 multi-project service events for 50-200 volunteers
. Created new home improvement program for low-income seniors and people with mobility challenges by building relationships with city officials and other non-profits, creating a business plan and marketing materials, obtaining project funding and managing project construction and administration
. Created a comprehensive branding strategy including coordinating info cards, posters, pamphlets, and website design
Teaching Assistant | BAC Gateway Initiative | Boston, MA
. Led a group of 6 undergraduate students in 2 pro-bono design projects for Madison Park Development Corporation
Studio Instructor | BAC Summer Academy | Boston, MA
. Led a group of 11 high school students in a summer design exploration studio
Lead Designer | The Designery | Boston, MA
. Developed curriculum and taught design fundamentals to a group of 15 high school students and led the group in completing a project for a real client
Architectural Design Fellow | Ada Louise Huxtable Fellowship | Boston, MA
. Created the widely distributed gallery guide for the Boston Society of Architects ‘Living With Water’ design competition and participated in largescale planning efforts around rising sea levels
Design Assistant | Codor Design | Seatlle, WA
. Assisted in the design and construction of interior installations and developed business plan and contracts for showroom space rental
Event Designer, Owner | Sugarleaf Events | Indianapolis, IN
. Designed floral arrangements and graphics, created timelines and itineraries, coordinated vendors, directed event set-up and tear-down, and managed logistics for more than 50 events
education
Boston Architectural College | Boston, MA
Candidate for Master of Architecture | Current
Indiana University Design Studies Group | Bloomington, IN
Bachelor of Science, Interior Design | 2010
Harvard University Graduate School of Design | Cambridge, MA Career Discovery Program | 2008
proficiencies
project management design + fabrication
client + vendor contractsproject administrationvisioningschedulingcommunicationtime management
digital modelinggraphic design3d printinglaser cuttingOSHA certified software experience
activities
HATCH | Boston Architectural College 2015 Design and Entrepreneurship Intensive
Studio North | Moscow Linn Architects 2015 Intensive Design/Build Studio
American Institute of Architecture Students Chapter President | 2015-2016 Board Member | 2014-2015
BAC Alumni/ae Association Scholarship 2015 Recipient | GPA + portfolio
Conferences and Design Events
AIAS Forum 2014, 2015, 2016
2015 Grassroots Leadership Conference ArchitectureBoston Expo 2014, 15, 16, 17
interests
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
TEACHING
DESIGN-BUILD
RESEARCH
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Sustainability Goals
Project Management:
We have a high standard for developing universally-designed, sustainable projects with a long lifespan. We put a consideration for the environment and the health and well-being of our community at the forefront of everything we do.
SINGLE AND MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL YOUTHBUILD BOSTON
Our Projects
- Transformation of blighted and abandoned properties into energy-efficient homes that are sold under the city’s affordable homeownership program
- Design and construction assistance to community partners with similar goals
YouthBuild Boston (YBB) provides hands-on vocational training to help under served youth find meaningful careers in the building trades. YBB functions as a non-profit design-build firm that transforms blighted properties and vacant lots into assets to the community. Our projects serve as training sites for the young people enrolled in our programs, and upon completion are sold under the city’s affordable homeownership program. My role as Project Manager keeps me involved in all aspects of development- from project proposal through occupancy. The majority of my tasks are in the pre-development phase, where I compile and submit RFPs, coordinate funding and subsidies with Boston’s Department of Neighborhood Development and our private lenders, create construction contracts and MOUs between our project partners, help create and update project timelines and budgets, and facilitate project approvals and permit acquisition by making design adjustments as required by DND.
- Construction of universally designed public spaces that strengthen our community
Our project at 16 North Ave under construction.
YBB’s commitment to sustainability ensures that each of our projects is built at or above current Energy Star requirements, ultimately delivering an energy savings of up to 30% compared to typical new homes. Our property at 16 North Ave is LEED certifiable, and includes features like water saving devices and a rainwater collection system.
16 North Ave
16 North Ave 65
!- HERS rating of 65 (20 points better than typical Energy Star home)
- Anticipated savings of over $93 per month for a 2400 square foot home
- Locally sourced insulated concrete form foundation with under-slab insulation
- Innovative zip wall system for reduced air and moisture leakage
- Dense pack insulation made from locally sourced overprint newspapers
Design Skills
Describe a scenario on this project where you worked on a specific design problem, and how you believe it helped you grow as a designer.
Our project at 24 Trull Street in Boston taught me some valuable time management lessons. For days our team was spinning it’s wheel trying to solve a very specific design problem: how to fit three bedrooms into too small a footprint. After the fact. I realized that our time would have been much better spent coming up with an outside-the-box solution like the one we ended up coming to. Sometimes as designers we need to step back from the problem in order to think more critically about the challenge and come up with creative solutions. That week I got a fortune cookie with my lunch that read, “before you ask ‘am I doing things right?’, ask yourself ‘am I doing the right things?’”. I pinned the fortune to my cork board so I can read it everyday!
Above: Exterior massing view of 24 Trull Street project. Right: Two options for interior spaceplan for 24 Trull Street.
Collaboration
How has working on this collaborative project enhanced or challenged your growth and learning as a designer?
We had some challenges obtaining design approval for our project at 31 Woodville Street in Roxbury due to an issue with the abutting property owner’s fence being located on our lot. The problem persisted all the way through closing, and delayed the start of construction by months. The experience proves how important communication and collaboration are in the design process. Some of the delay might have been avoided if we had identified and communicated the problem earlier, as we were only able to solve the issue by working with our project partners who are more familiar with zoning code, and we ended up needing special permission from the city to push the design through.
Below: Images showing our initial design proposal and resulting footprint after working through the issue with Jay Lee at the Department of Neighborhood Development. Right: Emails between the Department of Neighborhood Development and our attorneys, fixing the zoning issue and finally being awarded the property at 31 Woodville Street!
Project Management:
HOME IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM YOUTHBUILD BOSTON
YBB’s home improvement program provides service learning opportunities for our students in the form of home repair, falls prevention, weatherization, and universal design projects for seniors and people with mobility challenges. As Project Manager, I built the new program from the ground up. I created a business plan, wrote an MOU with our program partner- the Ecumenical Social Action Committee, developed a falls risk assessment form and conducted assessments in client homes, coordinated the schedule of jobs, developed project budgets, and coordinated all the other details that go into starting a new program. I met with physical therapists and experts in Universal Design to ensure that our design interventions were safe and useful. I led the design team in creating construction documents and I oversaw the implementation of our interventions by our construction team in client’s homes. Together our team improved the lives of countless low-income homeowners.
Below: Construction documents for proposed ramp design under the Home Improvement Program.
Design Skills
Describe a scenario on this project where you worked on a specific design problem, and how you believe it helped you grow as a designer.
One of our first projects was a for a gentleman who had had a stroke and was confined to a wheelchair. His home was not accessible- he was not able to use his kitchen, or even go outside. Working with this client taught me how important it is to design spaces with all types of users in mind. The team did lots of research and worked with the Institute for Human Centered Design to design an accessible kitchen and backyard deck with a ramp so that Mr. Lynch was once again comfortable in his own home. The personal relationship that I developed with Mr. Lynch was something that I could never replicate in a larger office setting. It was a wonderful learning experience, and since then I always think about how to make all of my designs as ‘universal’ as possible.
Collaboration
How has working on this collaborative project enhanced or challenged your growth and learning as a designer?
As project manager of the design team that worked on the home improvement projects under this program, it was challenging to manage the many small projects happening at the same time. Most designers are used to working on a few projects at once, but when this program was in full swing, we had 20 or more projects happening at the same time, in addition to our residential and service projects at YBB. It was quite difficult to keep track of all the projects, who was working on what, and make sure everything was done in a timely manner. However, it would have been impossible to do it all myself, so collaboration was absolutely necessary.
Above: Students installing grab bar and handrail under the Home Improvement Program.
Project Management:
UBUILD SERVICE LEARNING PROJECTS
YOUTHBUILD BOSTON
Through this volunteer and corporate engagement initiative, our one day service events allow employees of socially responsible corporations to make a difference in Boston’s under-served communities. YBB’s service partners are non-profit friends and neighbors who are in need of improvements such as building repairs, painting, new outdoor furniture, landscaping, or general cleanup. Beneficiaries of these service projects included Paige Academy, the Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative, Children’s Services of Roxbury, As Project Manager for the uBuild program, I was responsible for establishing and maintaining relationships with these ser vice partners as well as the corporate partners who funded the project and provided volunteers for the one-day service events. These corporate partners included the Starbucks Foundation, United Healthcare, the New England Patriots, I also wrote press releases, conducted site walkthroughs and interviews to establish scope of work, created a ‘run of show’ schedule for the day, assigned team leaders to projects based on skill level, and oversaw project execution. My favorite service projects were in sustainability, such as winterization efforts and blower door tests for low-income homeowners.
Below: Volunteers and YBB students working on uBuild projects
Design Skills
Describe a scenario on this project where you worked on a specific design problem, and how you believe it helped you grow as a designer.
One of our service partners, Hawthorne Youth and Community Center, requested a greenhouse for their ‘Grow it. Cook it. Share it.’ program to teach young people about growing and cooking healthy foods, but YBB’s Construction Manager vetoed the idea because he said it could not be done in a single day by volunteers. Together with the client, we came up with an alternative plan to build removable greenhouse ‘hats’ for the new garden beds that we were building for them. The experience taught me that even if someone tells you no, theres usually another solution.
Above: Our volunteers building the greenhouse garden bed toppers during the day of service at HYCC
Collaboration
How has working on this collaborative project enhanced or challenged your growth and learning as a designer?
The service events were probably the most challenging type of project for me at YBB simply because I needed to collaborate with people across all of YBB’s departments, and outside partners as well. Coordinating with the design team to design the projects, the construction team to lead the building of the projects, the administrative team and YBB students to volunteer as team leads, the corporate sponsor and volunteers, and the project beneficiary to get everyone on the same page was extremely challenging. It’s one thing to work with a bunch of other designers, but something completely different to collaborate with people outside of our field. I learned how to communicate effectively with the various groups since each group required a different approach. I now use the communication skills that I picked up through these service events on an almost daily basis.
Above: Students and volunteers constructing the tool storage structure on build day. Below: Plans for a tool storage structure for one of our service partners. Right: Sample scope of work document
Workout Room Painting Blue Team
Supplies: 2 gallons primer, off‐white paint for background, hunter green paint for mural designs, 6 pencils, 3 projectors, 3 rollers, 3 knaps, 3 trays, 3 trim brushes, 3 small buckets for trim paint, 1 paint can opener, 1 paint can mixer, 2 blowdryers
Equipment will be moved out ahead of time by USA staff. Walls will be painted with two coats of paint and primer in one, light grey color. Once painting is finished, the group of volunteers will move workout mats from the auditorium and arrange on the floor of the workout room.
MLK Day of Service at Urban Science Academy
Saturday, January 14th 2017 | 1205 VFW Pkwy, West Roxbury
Scope of Work:
PROJECT
Student and Staff Logistics
Greenhouse Raised Beds Red Team
GH Classroom Painting + Hydro Beds
Green Team
Volunteer Logistics
Supplies: light grey paint, 3 dollies, 6 rollers, 6 knaps, 6 trays, 4 rolls of painters tape, 1 roll of rosin paper, 6 brushes, 6 small buckets for trim paint , 1 large bucket for clean‐up, 2 paint can openers, 2 paint can mixers, 2 putty knifes/scrapers, 2 blowdryers, a can spackle/putty, 2 rolls of thick masking tape, 1 box of large trash bags, 1 box of paper rags
DETAILS
Build three new raised garden beds with liner to be filled with soil. Design calls for thee 2x4 beds, 8" deep. Design for drainage TBD.
Supplies: all supplies TBD and obtained by Team Lead
Help coodinate transportation of staff and students from YBB to USA in rented 15 passanger vans. Students and staff can either meet at USA at 8 AM, or at YBB at 7:00 AM if they need a ride. First group will leave YBB at 7:15 AM (all staff to ride in first group), second group (stragglers) will leave at 7:30 AM. During the service event, help make sure staff and students have everything they need to ensure a great experience for the volunteers. At end of day help transport staff and students back to 27 Centre Street.
1) 2 small rooms to be painted off‐white. Floors to be painted grey. Paint will include paint and primer in one‐ the walls and floors will likely need two coats each.
Supplies: rented 15 passanger van
2) Hydroponic beds need polystyrene cover cut with circle holes for plant pots. USA staff will be present to help direct this process. Jesse to obtain foam sheets, drill bit for cutting holes, and all painting supplies.
Supplies:
This team will help greet volunteers by distributing registration forms, letting volunteers know where the restrooms are located, where we will be meeting for breakfast, and distributing YBB t‐shirts. You will also greet Subway for lunch delivery and help to set‐up and clean‐up from breakfast and lunch. At end of day please distribute event surveys to be completed by volunteers.
#TEAM LEADS
Mary Shola
Auditorium Painting Black Team
Trash
Music Room Painting
Hallway
Supplies: Registration forms, YBB t‐shirts, event surveys, pens, first aid kit, food and supplies for breakfast and lunch, bottled water
1) off white paint, 6 rollers, 6 knaps, 6 trays, 4 rolls of painters tape, 1 roll of rosin paper, 6 brushes, 6 small buckets for trim paint , 1 large bucket for clean‐up, 2 paint can openers, 2 paint can mixers, 2 putty knifes/scrapers, 2 blowdryers, a can spackle/putty, 2 rolls of thick masking tape, 1 box of large trash bags, 1 box of paper rags 2) polystyrene foam sheet, box cutter for cutting foam, circle drill bit
Assemble 6 new picnic tables for outdoor use. Restain 5 existing picnic tables.
This team will mark a new pattern about 8' up, and paint two coats of paint and primer in one over existing purple color. New color is to be hunter green. Area is 1,008 sqft. Double this number for two coats of paint. Jesse to obtain all supplies.
16 Mark PA Students TBD
12 Danny Donte
Supplies: all supplies TBD and obtained by Team Lead
Nooks in cafeteria will be finished with built‐in trash and recycling receptacles. Design calls for three‐bin enclosure with two doors.
Supplies: all supplies TBD and obtained by Team Lead
Supplies: hunter green paint, 16 rollers, 16 knaps, 16 trays, 8 rolls of painters tape, 1 roll of rosin paper, 8 brushes, 8 small buckets for trim paint , 2 large buckets for clean‐up, 2 paint can openers, 2 paint can mixers, 2 putty knifes/scrapers, 2 blowdryers, a can spackle/putty, 2 rolls of thick masking tape, 1 box of large trash bags, 1 box of paper rags
Acoustical wall panels need paper removed. Panels will be painted to look like piano keys.
Supplies: rulers, white paint, black paint, 6 rollers, 6 knaps for high texture, 6 trays, 2 rolls of painters tape, 1 roll of rosin paper, 6 brushes, 6 small buckets for trim paint , 1 large bucket for clean‐up, 2 paint can openers, 2 paint can mixers, 2 blowdryers, 2 rolls of thick masking tape, 1 box of large trash bags, 1 box of paper rags
6 new 6 foot benches to be assembled and placed strategically in entry hallway.
Supplies: bench kits (pre‐cut and ready to be assembled), 6 drills, 3 boxes of deck screws, 6 carpenter squares, 6 carpenter pencils, 12 dust masks, 12 pairs of safety glasses, 6 measuring tapes
9 Jesse Sediq, Kayla, Dennis
6 Melvin Dion
12 Lucas Jordan
Joe and Greg
Monica
12 Alison Jamar
6 Frank Tyrone
Dark
10Allie and Wes Monique
Picnic Tables Light Green Team
Recepticals Pink Team
Purple Team
Benches White Team
Teaching:
LEAD DESIGNER
THE DESIGNERY AT YOUTHBUILD BOSTON
The Designery at YouthBuild Boston is an afterschool design and architecture program for high school students. The students are paid a stipend while they hone fundamental graphic, modeling, and design-thinking skills through real design projects for non-profit clients across the city. The Designery also offers pro-bono student design services, as well as subsidized professional design services for other non-profits. As Lead Designer, I was responsible for developing the curriculum by creating new activities to help teach design fundamentals. My group of students developed a design for a greenhouse classroom for the Learning Prep School in Newton, MA.
GROW Classroom
Below: Final presentation boards for the greenhouse classroom space at the Learning Prep School
Design Skills
Describe a scenario on this project where you worked on a specific design problem, and how you believe it helped you grow as a designer.
The greenhouse classroom project was a challenge because it was such a small space that needed to serve many purposes. Not only was it a challenging project in itself, but along the way I was teaching my group of budding designers how to draw floorplans, sections, and elevations, use AutoCAD, and develop a solid design concept. In the end we came up with a great design, and the client was thrilled. I enjoyed working on this project because it was a low-pressure, light and fun experience, which I think was a huge reason why we came up with such a great result. Keeping this in mind, I try to channel this kind of energy when working on more serious projects too.
Collaboration
How has working on this collaborative project enhanced or challenged your growth and learning as a designer?
It was quite a learning experience to work with a team of high school students, but I will always be working with different kinds of people in my professional career. Different generations have different views of the world, and working with people many years younger than me helps me to see things through the eyes of the older generation of architects- the people that are principles at the firms where I might work one day. They might see my ideas as naive or impractical, but it is often the younger designers that come up with the most innovative designs simply because they don’t yet know what can’t be done.
Teaching:
TEACHING ASSISTANT BAC GATEWAY INITIATIVE
The goal of the Developing Dudley Gateway project with Madison Park Development Corporation (MPDC) was to propose design ideas for a small retail/restaurant space owned by MPDC on Dudley Street in the heart of Roxbury. We became familiar with the neighborhood by walking the area and interviewing Roxbury residents about what was missing from the neighborhood. It was clear from our research that a community gathering space was what the client and nearby residents desired in the space. It could take-on one of many forms, but our research led us to present three design ideas: a restaurant, coffee house, and test kitchen.
A
STUDY
Below: Resulting graphics from a neighborhood study
1.
NEIGHBORHOOD
. . . Map showing ongoing residential and commercial projects
Design Skills
Describe a scenario on this project where you worked on a specific design problem, and how you believe it helped you grow as a designer.
One of our design proposals was for a test kitchen. I had never been exposed to this business model, or seen a space used for this purpose, so we needed to do lots of research before we could come up with a design proposal. MPDC was hesitant about this business model, but the team was inspired by the potential to engage and give back to the community. We met with the owner of a test kitchen in Union Square to see a successful test kitchen in action, and we also met with the owner of Haley House for an example of a socially responsible business model that produces fresh, healthy food in the Dudley area. The design of the kitchen itself was one thing, but convincing MPDC that this was a viable option was another. The idea was undeniably cool, but MPDC wanted to know if it would actually work. Working on this part of the project helped me grow as a designer because it forced me to see through the eyes of a real client facing real obstacles like funding and community input.
Above: Renderings of the three potential design options
Collaboration
How has working on this collaborative project enhanced or challenged your growth and learning as a designer?
Collaboration is always both a challenge and enhancement to my growth and learning as a designer, and this project was no exception. While I was a key member of the group and was very involved in the planning and design of our proposals, I tried to take a backseat- more of a helpful and supportive role when it came to graphic representation because of my role as Teaching Assistant. This was challenging for me as someone with a ‘Type-A’ personality. I often have an idea in my head for how I want something to look, but when working with a team it usually doesn’t come out the way I plan. This enhances my learning because it helps me learn to better communicate my design intent through speaking, writing, and sketching. It is crucial for designers to have these skills, but we don’t often get a chance to practice them.
For our first iterations, we explored the possibility of having a cafe, restaurant, and a test kitchen. We felt that each option, in its individual way could benefit the community from a economic, social and opportunistic way.
Below, Right: Images of process work from our mid-review
2. A Diagramatic Approach with initial layouts
Diagrams showing the relationship of front of house and back of house operations in a restaurant.
2. A Diagramatic Approach . . .
existing site location, floor plan interior elevations and photographs
Diagrams showing existing healthy food options and the web that would be created with our space.
Concept sketches of elements and feelings we wanted the space to have.
3. Explore layout Options . . .
Design/Build:
STUDIO NORTH MOSCOW LINN ARCHITECTS
Studio North is a week-long intensive design/build studio in rural Vermont. Our project was to design and build a ‘woodland retreat’ with space for a variety of uses. We came up with a design that includes space for sleeping, writing, and gathering. After coming up with a preliminary design, we spent to rest of the week physically building the structures. This was an incredible learning experience, as it made it very clear why we as designers need to think through even the smallest detail if we want to have any say whatsoever in how the project comes together.
Design Skills
Describe a scenario on this project where you worked on a specific design problem, and how you believe it helped you grow as a designer.
While we were building the structures, we encountered so many unforeseen challenges that should have been addressed in the design phase. Working these design problems out on site was incredibly inefficient, and in some cases actually harmed the overall design of the structure. One example is the stairs. We didn’t have them fully worked out in the design and figured we would just work it out on site. This was a terrible decision, as it ended up taking way to much time and pulled several people away from building the rest of the structure, so we ended up not being able to clad the roof as planned because we ran out of time. After this experience I try to remember that if something is a pain to work out in the design phase, it would be an even bigger pain to work out later!
Collaboration
How has working on this collaborative project enhanced or challenged your growth and learning as a designer?
This collaborative project helped me grow as a designer because I had an opportunity to work with students from other design schools in other parts of the country. Different schools teach things differently, so it was interesting to see the working methodologies of group members from more artsy schools vs. more technically focused schools. We came together with different perspectives to create a design that was aesthetically and technically interesting. I think a group of BAC students would have come up with something entirely different. This makes me want to seek out people who are different from me when pulling together a design team, since the results seem to be much more interesting.
Research:
LIVING WITH WATER GALLERY GUIDE ADA LOUISE HUXTABLE FELLOWSHIP
Our focus under the Huxtable Fellowship was on rising sea levels in Boston, and our first project was to design a gallery guide for the Living With Water Competition for the Boston Society of Architects. The competition entries were extremely complex, and non-designers would absolutely find it difficult to understand the projects without assistance. Our primary goal in developing the gallery guide was to ensure that everyone who visited the exhibit was able to come away with new knowledge about how to address the issue of rising sea levels. To do this, we created a ‘design strategies matrix’ highlighting key features that the various design projects held in common.
Above: The Huxtable Fellows in a working session at the BSA
Below: The gallery guide front cover, unfolded
COMPETITION ENTRIES
Design Skills
Describe a scenario on this project where you worked on a specific design problem, and how you believe it helped you grow as a designer.
While the execution of the pamphlet itself was the most time consuming piece, coming up with an initial idea for this project was the hardest part. Our team had several brainstorming session before we were able to come to a consensus about how to approach the task. I came up with an idea to create a matrix, but the spreadsheet-style graphic that I had in mind was too technical and boring. Together, the group turned this original idea into a graphic that was engaging and useful.
Collaboration
How has working on this collaborative project enhanced or challenged your growth and learning as a designer?
There were several challenging moments in this project, I think due to the level of passion held by everyone in the group. I have a strong leader personality, and am usually the most passionate person in the group. That was not the case in this project. Each one of the Fellows was highly engaged, had strong design skills, and cared about what we were working on. This made it more difficult than usual to get things done, because everyone had a say in the way the guide should look and function. I think this led to an exceptional final product, but was certainly a challenge along the way! It was a great exercise in practicing patience and listening skills.
Above: Other side of the gallery guide, unfolded
Entrepreneurship:
WETROFIT
BAC HATCH
BAC’s HATCH workshop introduces students to systems thinking, marketing and branding, prototyping and business models to help them develop a specific business idea into a viable plan of action. Our proposed business idea was to make complex information accessible by way of a digital/web tool that synthesizes data into a resulting set of action items specifically tailored to the client. These action items would be in the form of an annotated info graphic as a way to make the information more understandable, with supporting text and supplemental instructions as needed.
Design Skills
Describe a scenario on this project where you worked on a specific design problem, and how you believe it helped you grow as a designer.
Design is about more than inhabitable spaces, and this was one project where my transferable design skills were put to the test. Between the logo, web user interface, and sample resulting infographic, I had to develop a cohesive branding strategy that tied everything together. While this exercise was super fun, it also helped me grow as a designer by learning more about the complexities and intricacies involved in starting your own business. Since I would like to own a business one day, this new knowledge was invaluable.
Above: Found map showing potential homes affected by flooding
Below: Maps generated to show potential market for services
Collaboration
How has working on this collaborative project enhanced or challenged your growth and learning as a designer?
Our team consulted several experts in order to glean the information we needed to create a viable business plan. Working with people in other disciplines is always a great learning experience. As designers we have such a broad skill set, but there’s always room for further learning. I really enjoyed this project because I was able to use my design skills in a new way, and by collaborating with a software engineer, attorney, entrepreneurs and business experts, we were able to pull together a very cohesive business strategy.
Above: Presentation map and coordinating business logo Right: Final website design template