Spring 2023 Portfolio

Grace Steenstra

Virginia Tech

Interior Design

Spring 2023

Portfolio

Overlaid Overlaid

Coworking Project

This project required me to design a co working space that had within it an 8 person tech start-up company, 8 solo entrepreneurs, 20 hot-desks for remote workers, community spaces, and an administrative space.

The shell of this project is an existing building in the historical district of Roanoke at 315 Albermarle Ave SE, Roanoke, VA. The space given is ~7,000 sq ft, with two levels.

I chose my tech start-up company and used their company values of community and overlap to inspire the concept for this design.

Design Concept

Overlaid is a co working space that sits on the edge of Roanoke’s Historical district. Occupying part this 7,000 sq. ft. space is Delcor, a technology consulting and management company. This company prides itself on expanding networks and creating functional software for various associations and non profits.

Overlaid follows a similar intent, creating a workplace that encourages community between the various organizations that occupy the space. This overlapping of community areas allows for the users to explore the space freely while still providing privacy for those that require it.

Concept/Space Planning

Concept: Overlaid

Intitial Concept: Network

Initial Sketch of Circular Office

Form/Circulation development

Bubble Diagram

Form Development

Detail Elevations

Elevation of Tech Start up Branding (light Fixture)

Elevation of circular Office Shelving

Elevation of Second Floor Dining Area and Printing Station

Elevation of Second floor light fixtures

Axon of Cowworking Area

First floor - Lobby

Axon of Small Conference Room

Second Floor - Dining Area and Kitchen

Second Floor - Back Corridor

Axon of Small Conference Room and one office

Second Floor - Middle Corridor with Shelving

Axon of Circular Office

Axon of Second Floor

Ma’man IDEC COmpetition

In Winter 2022, our program participated in the IDEC Competition. The prompt was to create a temporary sheltered environment for refugee(s) to feel safe and psychologically sound using no more than 50 square meters. We were also tasked with creating a journey map and background for the group of people we chose to design a space for. This project took seven days to do.

My group members primarily focused on creating the graphic elements and written portions of our deliverable, while I created the revit model and custom furnture for the space.

Jenny Ballard was in charge of leading the design concept while Gabrielle DeCotiis created the diagrams and visual journey map. Caroline Orlowski and I focused on researching materials and creating the revit model.

Upon arrival at Kilis, the family settled in the Kilis Refugee Camp, claimed refugee status, and awaited the arrival of Hasan. They only planned to stay in Kilis for as long as it took for the German government to grant them asylum, however, before Hasan could reach them, all the European borders closed due to Covid-19, and the pandemic made it much harder for smuggling, stranding him in Syria. The family had to wait it out and spent 2 years in Kilis until they were finally contacted by the German government in January 2022.

A plan was made to bring the family over and reunify them with Hasan. After a short flight to Berlin that same month, the family was placed in housing in the initial reception center where they must stay for at least 6 months.

Hasan was able to join them a month later in February. They are currently still living in the initial reception center and are being provided with food and clothes. As the 6 months are coming to an end, they are looking for a permanent place to move within Germany.

ma’man

The goal of this space is to provide a haven to the refugees that will occupy the space for a year or less.

The space planning was designed to reflect traditional Syrian housing in Damascus in order to provide the family with a sense of familiarity. The space has a centralized social area that draws inspiration from courtyards found in Syrian houses, identified by materiality. Feelings of safety and security were also prioritized by placing the sleeping areas away from external access points.

TheSamaansareafamilyfromSyria.There is a father (Hasan age 40), mother (Amena age 36), grandmother (Abia age 65), daughter (Habiba age 7) and son (Adil age 4). Initially, the couple and grandmother lived in Damascus, not wanting to leave their home behind, but later decided to flee two years after Adil was born, as the conflict stretched on and the climate worsened. Knowing the journey would be long, they did not bring much. Their most important valuables included pencils for Habiba to draw, a stuffed animal for Adil, a holy book and an ancestral book that have been in the family for generations for Abia, and wedding rings and their Ktab for Hasan and Amena. The family sold their home in January, 2020 and used the money to pay a smuggler to take them to Kilis, Turkey by truck. Unfortunately, Hasan had to stay behind due to lack of room, but was to be brought later.

Concept Statement:

this space is to provide a refugees that will occupy it temporarily. The space planning was designed to reflect traditional Syrian housing in Damascus in order to provide the family with a sense of familiarity. The space has a centralized communal area that draws inspiration from courtyards found in Syrian houses.

Upon arrival at Kilis, the family settled in the Kilis Refugee Camp, claimed refugee status, and awaited the arrival of Hasan. They only planned to stay in Kilis for as long as it took for the German government to grant them asylum, however, before Hasan could reach them, all the European borders closed due to Covid-19, and the pandemic made it much harder for smuggling, stranding him in Syria. The family had to wait it out and spent 2 years in Kilis until they were finally contacted by the German government in January 2022.

A plan was made to bring the family over and reunify them with Hasan. After a short flight to Berlin that same month, the family was placed in housing

Hasan was able to join them a month later in February. They are currently still living in the initial reception center and are being provided with food and clothes. As the 6 months are coming to an end, they are looking for a permanent place to move within Germany.

Multi-Use Configuration Axons

Floor Plan Key:

Floor Plan Key:

1. Entrance with storage

1. Entrance with storage

2. Small Kitchen with appliances

3. Area rugs

2. Small Kitchen with appliances

4. Cot for sitting and sleeping

6. Storage cushions

3. Area rugs

7. Bedroom

5. Hinged dining table with seat cushions

4. Cot for sitting and sleeping

6.Storage for cot and cushions

7. Bedroom with bunkbeds

8. Restroom

5. Hinged dining table with seat cushions

9. Bedroom with double bed

8. Restroom

9. Bedroom bed

Space Efficient Storage

Dining Layout

Sleeping Layout

Axons of central space

sketch of table and storage revit model of table

Fusion Restaraunt

This project was split into two phases: A research phase and a design phase. The research phase consisted of myself and two of my peers researching food insecurity in the United States before taking the information and creating an infographic with a case study of a restaurant that supports food security. In the design phase, I was given a shell of a building to create a restaurant-soup kitchen.

I was required to come up with an exact address located within a food desert or an area lacking resources in general. After researching various locations, I placed my fusion soup kitchen in St. Louis, within the neighborhood known as the Ville. Within this shell, I had to design a mezzanine that served as a resource area, with access to the internet and various other programs that can assist those in need.

Research Phase: Group Work and Infographic

For these posters, I was in charge of creating the graphic elements and assisting in researching the case study.

I drew all of the graphic elements using my iPad, using the Procreate app.

These posters helped all of us start our research for the design phase of the fusion project. From this general research, I was able to narrow down my scope to St. Louis, and then narrow it further to focus on the Ville.

Larger versions of the graphic elements

Design Phase: Process and Research

This design focuses on the interlocking and overlapping of private spaces with public spaces. The main layout will be focused on a central radial axis that sprawls out into different dining areas. There is a rhythm that interlocks area to area, connecting each part to a complete, whole space. This space is meant to be a community space, with resources for those who need help with issues like homelessness, poor education systems, and food insecurity.

Process Work

Parti Diagram

Early Central Dining Design

Preliminary Space Planning

Preliminary Space Planning

Initial Logo Design

Site Context

Located at 4359 St Ferdinand Ave, within the Ville neighborhood in St Louis, MO, this fusion soup kitchen-restaurant is designed to reflect the needs and rich culture of the community. The Ville is known for the strong, close-knit AfricanAmerican community that has built a deep heritage of this historical part of St Louis, even after this area of the city has fallen on harder times.

Located at 4359 St Ferdinand Ave, within the Ville neighborhood in St Louis, MO, this fusion soup kitchen-restaurant is designed to reflect the needs and rich culture of the community. The Ville is known for the strong, close-knit African-American community that has built a deep heritage of this historical part of St Louis, even after this area of the city has fallen on harder times.

This design focuses on the interlocking and overlapping of private spaces with public spaces. The main layout will be focused on a central radial axis that sprawls out into different dining areas. There will be a rhythm that interlocks area to area, connecting each part to a complete, whole space. This space is meant to be a community gathering place, with resources for those who need help with issues like homelessness, poor education systems, and food insecurity.

Right Cross Section Scale: N.T.S.

Front Cross Section Scale: N.T.S.

FORESSO Table Tops

CorkHouse Flooring Tile, Chestnut

Charcoal Walnut

Quiet Loud

Distressed Brick

Brushed Dark Steel

Noraplan Sentica, color 6532 Zest

Clare Paint Interior Paint Golden Hour

Norament Sentica, color 6526 Mountain Air

Norament Hammered Stairtread, color 0716

Slate Grey

Clare Paint Interior Paint Snow Day

Benjamin Moore

Interior Paint in Orange Nector 2013-20

Perspective of Mezzanine

Bianco london plane

Ivory Cedar and Walnut

Commission Work

One of my passions is creating art and I’ve managed to fulfill a number of commisions as a small side hobby. The following commissions were done 2020-2022.

Commission for a tattoo design (2021)

Commision for a rocket league themed banner for social media use (2020)

Commission for a logo for a student film (2022)