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Cornell Law School Redesign
DEA 3301 Yanis Park Jasmine Teng Loris Wertheimer Kaitlin Blakemore 3
Table of Contents
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Market Research
Cornell Law School Profile
Law School Trends 8 Law Office Trends 10 Literature Review 12 Survey Results 14 Persona Development 16
Overview 24 Design Analysis 26 Design Concept & Goals 28
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Staff Interview Findings 32 Behavior Mapping 34 Design: Phase 1 36 Design: Phase 2 40
Staff Interview Findings 46 Behavior Mapping 48 Design: Phase 1 50 Design: Phase 2 54
Alumni Affairs Office Redesign
Admissions Office Redesign
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Market Research Design Examples. Surveys Results. Persona Development.
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Stanford Law School - Ranked #2
Columbia Law School - Ranked #5
Yale Law School - Ranked #1
U.C. Berkeley School of Law - Ranked #9
Northwestern School of Law - Ranked #12
Fordham University School of Law - Ranked #37
*All rankings cited from U.S. News’ “Best Law Schools” ranked in 2019
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Current Law School Design Trends Several law schools today adopt more modern design elements that not only enhance the wellbeing of students, staff and faculty, but also promote greater brand awareness of the prestigious schools in the interior space. Insightful design trends were drawn from current designs of the Top 50 Law Schools as ranked by U.S. News. Overall, these “Best Law Schools” renovate to achieve the balance between the gravitas of the history that built the institution and the quickly changing currents of today’s design. Cornell Law School facilities should also implement and display these qualities of a reputable educational institution.
KEY FEATURES OF CURRENT LAW SCHOOLS: 1. Greater incorporation of nature through use of indoor plants, pictures of nature, and large windows 2. Abundance of natural light throughout the space 3. Large windows that increase accessibility to natural elements (light, plants, sky, etc.) 4. Increased use of white LED light fixtures to provide sufficient light 5. Classic elements, such as wood materials, carpet and stone, are balanced by modern furniture and colors 6. Noise-reducing panels line the ceiling to improve auditory privacy 7. Variety of styles and types of furniture are provided for various workrelated activities
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Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner Offices – Hong Kong
White & Case LLP – Melbourne
Vieira de Almeida & Associados Offices – Lisbon
Vieira de Almeida & Associados Offices – Lisbon
BPGM Law Offices – Brazil
Stowell & Friedman, Ltd. – Chicago Law Offices
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Current Law Office Design Trends As a majority of law Students strive to and do work in law firms, the same magnitude of prestige should also transcend the spaces of Cornell Law School. Law offices today shift their focus to enhancing working environments for their tirelessly working associates and partners, while also communicating the highest status of dignity and expertise through their various office spaces. Similar design elements should be incorporated in the Cornell Law School to parallel its educational eminence—especially for visiting alumni.
KEY FEATURES OF CURRENT LAW OFFICES: 1. Both classic (wood, stone, marble, etc. ) and modern materials are used 2. Abundance of natural light throughout the space 3. Greater incorporation of nature through use of indoor plants, pictures of nature, and large windows 4. Increased use of white LED light fixtures to provide sufficient light 5. Wood panels are used to divide space, making the space appear warmer and more inviting 6. Noise-reducing panels line the ceiling to improve auditory privacy 7. Variety of styles and types of furniture offered to provide individual and collaborative spaces
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Literature Review “Planners, teachers, school administrators, architects, and designers must recognize the emerging impressions on students formed by the architecture and physical attributes of spaces within schools” (Kunz, 1998) Dissatisfaction reduces performance. According to Herzberg’s MotivationHygiene Theory, the recognition, responsibility and achievement of employees all motivate employees to perform better. However, poor working conditions, such as issues related to temperature, ventilation, noise and privacy, induce dissatisfaction, which also lead to reduced employee performance. Workplaces. Tanner (2000) also wrote that workplaces should enhance interaction but minimize distraction. Possible solutions to reduce the aforementioned distractions include: containing it by separating “noisy teams” from “quieter teams”; displacing distraction through implementing informal meeting spaces and more quiet areas (e.g. phone free desk areas); reducing distraction through changes in desk size and density; and avoiding the creation of distractions by allocating the speaker phones and meeting tables in open plan spaces. He also notes that the physical appearance and “assumed normal behavior within a space” will influence usage of space (Tanner, 2000).
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Visibility and Cognitive Mapping. Professor Gary Evans, who focuses on environmental psychology, defines these two concepts, Visibility and Cognitive Mapping, as two principles of Cognitive Ergonomics—people’s understanding of how to use environments. Visibility is how easy it is to see what action the user should partake to use something. For example, placing homey furniture such as plush sofa and a low coffee table in an open space will make it easy for visitors to see in an office, and signal that the visitors should sit on it. Conceptual Mapping is the mental representation of geographic information. For example, the signage in the hallways of the different law school halls and offices with bigger and bolder fonts will help draw a mental representation of the atrium space. Entrance area. Tanner (2000) suggests that the entrance area should be a friendly space “connecting the outside world to the inside world”, while being inviting and highly visible for students and visitors. Overall, the atrium space in the Cornell Law School should evoke a welcoming feeling for its users. Access to nature. Tolman (1948) highlights the importance of way finding and biophilia—hypothesis that humans have an inherent inclination to affiliate with nature, implies affection for plants and other living things. Thus, increasing users’ accessibility to nature through indoor plants, pictures of nature, or large windows that connect to the natural scenery outside have calming effects and heighten user’s focus on tasks.
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Survey Results Undergraduate and law school students were surveyed to uncover how design impacts students’ learning environments and their choices of law schools. A combination of demographic, semantic-differential scale and multiple choice questions were asked in the survey and these questions were pre-tested by one person in each sample to ensure clear communication of questions and accurate collection of answers before the survey was administered. Convenience sampling was used to collect this data to ensure that adequate number of surveys could be completed. Cornell undergraduate students in pre-law groups and organizations were asked to complete these surveys to target potential law school students and their thoughts on the importance of design of their in study spaces. Law school students in various study spaces in the Cornell law school were asked to complete these surveys, and then refer other law school students to partake in the survey. In total, 20 Cornell pre-law undergraduate students and 30 Cornell law school students completed the survey. Of the undergraduate students who participated in the survey, 44% were in the Class of 2019, and 33% were in the Class of 2020. Of the law school students who completed the survey, 44% were 1L students, 28% were 2L students, 24% were 3L students, and 4% were JD students. The results from the completed surveys will be drawn from to educate our decisions in redesigning the law school. The fact that 77% of the graduate students and 90% undergraduate students deem interior design as important in an interior space highlights how heavily design can impact students’ perception of their school. Furthermore, as both undergraduate students both value and expect to see modern and classic interior design styles in their ideal law school, a blend of both modern and classic styles will be incorporated in our final designs.
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UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
90% design is important in an interior space
45%
Modern
85%
Classical
LAW SCHOOL STUDENTS
77%
design is important in an interior space
40%
Modern
57% Classical
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Persona Development Five distinct personas were developed based on the literature review, survey results and interviews conducted. These different personas help address the various pain points of different users that will utilize the spaces.
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“I can’t wait to attend a law school. Although ranking is important, I’m also considering the design of the campus and buildings
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Pre-Law Student. Thomas Wert NAME. Thomas Werth AGE. 20 LOCATION. Ithaca, NY AREA OF STUDY. Pre-law BACKGROUND. Thomas Werth attends Cornell University as a Pre-Law major, with interests in ethics and human rights. He is in the process of taking his LSAT exams in preparation for law school applications. Thomas recently visited a selection of the top law schools in the U.S. and is deciding which school to apply to. GOALS. PREFERENCES. CLASSIC Attend a prominent law school Meet people from a variety of cultures PRIVACY and backgrounds Find a welcoming, inclusive community FRUSTRATIONS. Finding a comfortable study space Navigating law school buildings
MODERN TRANSPARENCY
COLLABORATIVE
INDIVIDUAL
ERGONOMIC
AESTHETIC
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“There are times when I spend 85% of my time at the university studying. It would be nice to have more variety in study spaces and better way-finding .
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Law Student. Josh Bilden NAME. Josh Bilden AGE. 23 LOCATION. Ithaca, NY AREA OF STUDY. Law BACKGROUND. Kim Timmons attends Cornell University’s Law School as a second year student. She enjoys the challenging and rigorous coursework. Kim finds the law school buildings to be disjointed in their appearance and lack sufficient way-finding. She loves the newly renovated spaces and wishes that the rest of the building were similarly designed. GOALS. PREFERENCES. CLASSIC Receive high marks in all courses Network with professors and alumni PRIVACY Acquire a job offer from a top law firm FRUSTRATIONS. Finding a study space with adequately varied and comfortable furniture Connecting with alumni
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MODERN TRANSPARENCY
COLLABORATIVE
INDIVIDUAL
ERGONOMIC
AESTHETIC
“I like working at the Law School, but the design does not promote our job activities. The buildings are disconnected and difficult to navigate for visitors
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Administrative Staff. Anna Rosell NAME. Anna Rosell AGE. 32 LOCATION. Ithaca, NY JOB. Administrative assistant BACKGROUND. Anna Rosell works for the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid at the Cornell University Law School. She enjoys her job and the work she accomplishes on a daily basis. Anna is frustrated by the lack of auditory privacy in her office, which diminishes her ability to accomplish her tasks. GOALS. PREFERENCES. CLASSIC Help prospective and current students Accomplish work efficiently, productively, PRIVACY and of high quality FRUSTRATIONS. Lack of auditory and visual privacy Insufficient and disorganized storage Need for additional private offices
MODERN TRANSPARENCY
COLLABORATIVE
INDIVIDUAL
ERGONOMIC
AESTHETIC
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“There are times when I spend 85% of my time at the university studying. It would be nice to have more variety in study spaces and better way-finding .
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Professor. Kim Timmons NAME. Kim Timmons AGE. 42 LOCATION. Ithaca, NY JOB. Professor of Law BACKGROUND. Kim Timmons teaches Contracts Law related courses at Cornell Law School. She enjoys interacting with students while completing research. Kim is frustrated by the difficulty of finding her way around the building, especially after the expansion of the new academic wing. Her new students also seem to have difficulty finding her office. GOALS. PREFERENCES. CLASSIC Help prospective and current students Accomplish work efficiently, productively, PRIVACY and of high quality FRUSTRATIONS. Lack of auditory and visual privacy Insufficient and disorganized storage Need for additional private offices
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MODERN TRANSPARENCY
COLLABORATIVE
INDIVIDUAL
ERGONOMIC
AESTHETIC
“I love going back to visit my alma mater;
some of my fondest memories are from my time there. Although, sometimes I struggle to find my way around the building .
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Alumnus. James Smithe NAME. James Smithe AGE. 28 LOCATION. New York City, NY JOB. Lawyer BACKGROUND. James Smithe graduated from Cornell University’s Law School in 2015 and now works for a law firm in New York City. He enjoyed his time at Cornell and, as a result, is highly motivated to make donations to the university. James strongly believes in helping those less fortunate. He is interested in connecting with current students. GOALS. PREFERENCES. Succeed and gain respect professionally CLASSIC Recruit talent to join his firm PRIVACY Give back to his alma mater FRUSTRATIONS. Locating the Office of Alumni Affairs and Development Connecting with current law students
MODERN TRANSPARENCY
COLLABORATIVE
INDIVIDUAL
ERGONOMIC
AESTHETIC
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Cornell Law School Profile Mission, Values, and Goals. Current Design Challenges & Opportunities. Design Concept.
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“ Our aim is to keep our instruction strong, our
standard high, and so to produce ... a fair number of well-trained, large-minded, morally based lawyers in the
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best sense.
- Andrew Dickson White
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Overview of Cornell Law School Cornell Law School was established in 1887, as Cornell University’s Department of Law, at Morrill Hall. In 1925, renamed the institution as Cornell Law School after the department became a professional school the previous year. Currently, Cornell Law School is ranked #13 according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2019 ranking of the “Best Law Schools”. LAW SCHOOL VALUES:
Cornell Law School is located in Ithaca, NY and surrounded by Cornell University buildings.
Innovation Affordability Accessibility Embrace diversity Positively benefit the world Sustain moral and ethical standards Excellence in research and teaching Promote cross-cultural understanding Supporting intellectual inquiry and expression
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Natural lighting and earthly materials
Pops of warm colors with earthly materials
Blend of modern lighting and furniture
Insufficient lighting within the office hallways
Incoherent design for different floors and buildings
Dearth of student and faculty activity, and out of place furniture
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Cornell Law School Design Analysis The traditional elements that exist in the current Cornell Law School do reflect the expectations many students, faculty and visitors alike have in a typical law school building. However, to create a more unique experience at Cornell, and to meet constantly changing expectations of the educational institution, Cornell Law School must adapt to the changing needs of its students, faculty, staff, and visitors to provide the most optimal place for growth and achieving excellence. With the recent renovations, Cornell Law School is successfully transitioning into blending current design trends into the history and gravitas of its architecture. Several bright yet warm hues are incorporated into the furniture and carpet. Stone columns connect the exterior design elements with the interior. Furniture is comfortable and modern. Earthy materials, such as wood, and natural lighting are incorporated to make spaces more inviting. However, several areas for improvement still remain throughout the rest of the Cornell Law School building. The stark differences in design of each hall in junction with limited signage and low accessibility to exterior views confuse users (of the building) and make it difficult to locate where they are within the larger building—especially for first-time visitors. Hallways are often insufficiently lit, which deters people from passing through the space unless necessary. Variety of furniture is used that do not complement each other nor the surrounding environment, which further complicates Cornell Law School’s brand identity. 27
DESIGN CONCEPT:
“Merge classical and modern design elements to create a unified brand identity that is manifested in the physical space.�
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Design Concept and Goals Organizational Employee retention and acquisition Student retention and acuisition User satisfaction Maximize revenue
Operational Safety Job satisfaction Collaboration Empathy, ethics, and passion Productivity
Design Create a welcoming environment Maximize accessibility, visibility, and use Make resources more visible and accessible Support physical comfort Support inter-user collaboration Improve wayfinding Increase use by students and alumni
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Alumni Affairs Office Redesign Staff Interview Findings. Behavior Mapping. Design Recommendations Design: Conservative changes Design: Significant changes
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Natural light is appreciated but furniture is rarely engaged with
No one uses this area or these seats
Disorganized storage room / working space
Desk often mistakenly seen as the front desk
Insufficient lighting in hallways
Hodgepodge of artifacts that do not serve a significant purpose
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Staff Interview Findings The Alumni Affairs Office is located in Hughes Hall of the Cornell Law School building. The predominant goal for staff in the Alumni Affairs office is to identify key individuals to chair reunion campaign efforts and make large contributions to the school. Some staff spend 60% of their time on the computer/phone and 40% of their time collaborating with each other or with other departments. Some staff spend 5-6 days per month out of the office, visiting alumni.
KEY FINDINGS: 1. Natural light is appreciated by staff—in fact, they want moreStaff 2. Inefficient use of spaces: the corridor and the ‘waiting area’ are not used; and, the student work room is also used for storage making the area very disorganized 3. Office should be impressionable to visiting alumni and guests 4. Low auditory privacy makes focusing on work difficult. This is particularly important for interviews that are conducted in the conference rooms here 5. Increased visual privacy is needed for staff 6. Paintings are not coherent with the rest of the design elements and branding of Cornell Law School 7. Insufficient lighting—especially in the entrance and corridor spaces
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Behavior Mapping Morning. 10:30am X
# OF PEOPLE WALKING THROUGH SPACE = 16 people # OF PEOPLE ENTERING THE OFFICE = 0 people # OF PEOPLE LEAVING THE OFFICE = 0 people # OF PEOPLE SITTING IN CORRIDOR = 1 person
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Afternoon. 12:00pm X
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# OF PEOPLE WALKING THROUGH SPACE = 8 people # OF PEOPLE ENTERING THE OFFICE = 5 people # OF PEOPLE LEAVING THE OFFICE = 5 people # OF PEOPLE SITTING IN CORRIDOR = 2 person
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Design Recommendations Phase 1: Minimal Changes Rearrange two desks adjacently to make the desks seem like one large desk
Rearrange four chairs to create open waiting
and informal space for visitors and passing-by faculty
Increase number of light fixtures, especially in the entrance area
Implement Cornell Law School brand elements (ex. Cornell logo and signage)
Place soft rug in the open area
Add indoor plants on table tops
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Phase 2: Significant Changes Replace workstations with ergonomic furniture Further incorporate Cornell Law School brand
colors in furnishings through blue colored seating mustard rug
Paint wall by desks red to amplify sense of place at Cornell
Remove carpet and use stone for flooring to connect the exterior hallways and the office Add indoor plants on table tops
Install TV screen on side of the partition. Various alumni achievements and alumni-related programs.
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Before Changes
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Before Changes
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Phase 1 Conservative Changes
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Phase 1 Minimal Changes
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Phase 2 Significant Changes
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Phase 2 Significant Changes
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Admissions Office Redesign Staff Interview Findings Behavior Mapping Design: Conservative changes Design: Significant changes
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Disconnected design elements (colors & textures)
Uninviting office and hard to approach staff
Small conference rooms don’t support its function
Disorganized storage room with high visibility
School brand awareness, natural lighting and earthy materials
Natural lighting with earthy materials
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Staff Interview Findings The Alumni Affairs Office is located in Myron Taylor Hall of the Cornell Law School building. The predominant goal for staff in the Alumni Affairs office is to identify key individuals to chair reunion campaign efforts and make large contributions to the school. Employees spend the majority of their time at their individual workstations and on the computer/phone. Many workstations are unoccupied due to frequent staff traveling.
KEY FINDINGS: 1. Low auditory privacy makes focusing on work difficult 2. Low privacy—especially because the windows in private offices directly look out to the atrium 3. Interventions needed to reduce visual and auditory distractions 4. Inefficient use of spaces: staff use entrance waiting space to meet instead 5. of the conference room (because it is too small, uncomfortable and has no access to natural light) 6. Need increased storage space at individual workstations and for the whole office 7. Need ergonomic furniture, including access to standing workstations 8. Paintings are not coherent with the branding of Cornell Law School and are temporary because students create them 9. Office should be impressionable for prospective students
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Behavior Mapping Morning. 10:30am X
X
X
X X
X X
X X
X
X
X
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X
X
# OF PEOPLE WALKING THROUGH SPACE = 21 people # OF PEOPLE ENTERING THE OFFICE = 3 people # OF PEOPLE LEAVING THE OFFICE = 4 people # OF PEOPLE SITTING IN ATRIUM = 6 people # OF STAFF IN OFFICE = 8 people
Afternoon. 1:30pm X
X
X
X
X
X
X X
X
X X X
X
X X
X
X
# OF PEOPLE WALKING THROUGH SPACE = 28 people # OF PEOPLE ENTERING THE OFFICE = 5 people # OF PEOPLE LEAVING THE OFFICE = 2 people # OF PEOPLE SITTING IN ATRIUM = 10 people # OF STAFF IN OFFICE = 7 people
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Design Recommendations Phase 1: Minimal Changes Rearrange desk adjacently to make the desks seem like one large desk
Rearrange four chairs of the same design to create open waiting and informal space for visitors and passing-by faculty
Increase number of light fixtures, especially in the waiting area
Implement Cornell Law School brand elements (ex. Cornell logo, acrylic panels and signage) Place soft rug in the open area
Add indoor plants on table tops
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Phase 2: Significant Changes Replace workstations with ergonomic furniture Further incorporate Cornell Law School brand
colors in furnishings through blue colored seating and mustard rug
Paint wall by desks red to amplify sense of place at Cornell
Remove carpet and use stone for flooring to connect the exterior hallways and the office Add indoor plants on table tops
Add Cornell Law School-related decor and recommended books on shelves
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Phase 1 Minimal Changes
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Phase 1 Minimal Changes
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Phase 1 Minimal Changes
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Phase 1 Minimal Changes
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Phase 2 Significant Changes
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Phase 2 Significant Changes
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