Johanna Mathew - Interior Architecture + Design Student Portfolio

JOHANNA L. MATHEW

johanna.mathew@hotmail.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/johanna-mathew/

Planning and Design Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Palm Harbor Resort . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

PLANNING AND DESIGN SUPPORT

Sum mer 2022 Internship

The summer internship at Holder Construction as a Planning and Design Support intern was a great opportunity for learning and growth. The PDS department was created to bridge the gap between design and construction to better equip all parties to effectively solve problems, efficiently communicate, and beautifully build projects. Th e Salt Lake City Airport Redevelopment Project is a $4 billion complex aviation project. There was a significant amount of changes that occurred over the 10+ year duration of this project. One of my main responsibilities this summer as a PDS Intern was to evaluate the changes and map them out on plans. These “maps” were then used as a tool to update the team, start discussions surrounding unfinalized design, outline areas needing further information, prepare schedules, and plan out construction logistics of carrying out the work. These were presented to the owner’s representative, design team, as well as some managers from the HDJV team.

The central tunnel that connects Concourse A and Concourse B is under construction. The structure of the tunnel is mostly complete, and the team is adding in interior elements. The moving walkway to the left is in the processing of being installed. On the ceiling, a mockup of a custom lighting feature is being installed for the design team, owner’s representative and the general contractor to conduct a quality check and give approval for the rest of the construction.

PALM HARBOR RESORT

Hospitality Design

Floor Plan: Revit 3D Model: Revit Rendering: Enscape Post: Procreate, Photoshop

“The whole idea of compassion is based on a keen awareness of the interdependence of all these living beings, which are all part of one another, and all involved in one another.”

Thomas Merton

Sense of Affinity

There are overwhelming amounts of stress, anxiety, and insecurities around identity, self worth. and self image in life. Stepping into Bali and its communal society is to shift from looking deeper and deeper into self and to allow your beliefs, your people, and your environment to open you to the possibility of accomplishing more together than you could alone. This retreat intends to immerse the users in a community-centered culture whose strength shines from who they are collectively, entwined in their burdens, celebrations, and disappointments. The idea is to provide rest from the stress and pressure of a society that finds your worth in what you do over who you are by fueling the heart and soul with meaningful, restful, and exhilarating experiences.

You may not remember what you wore, or what you ate, or what you did at this retreat a while after your time here, but you will remember how you felt. You will remember your sense of affinity to this place.

PROCESS SKETCHES

The Palm Harbor Resort serves to connect. It intends to mend the broken heart, provide rest for the mind, and excitement for the soul. Connecting self to others and to nature creates an environment attentive to learning. This space is open to explore new horizons, inviting others to join you on this journey. The resort’s focus on communal spaces and the perspective of one’s surroundings brings out these characteristics of beautiful Bali. Bali has a sense of affinity for these users, and the users are sure to reciprocate this after their time here.

MATERIAL BOARD

RESTAURANT UPPER LEVEL SECTION

RENDERED PLAN

PRESIDENTIAL VILLA - EXTERIOR ENTRY

EVERY HOME : Intergenerational Daycare

Floor Plan: AutoCAD

3D Model: Sketchup

Rendering: Enscape

Post: Procreate

Recently, there has been an increase in the development of mixed use, or “hybrid” spaces. The idea of creating multi-purpose spaces is becoming more and more popular. It can be a much more sustainable and feasible option in many cases. One sector where this is seen to be effective is that of daycare. EVERY HOME: Intergenerational Daycare was designed to be a space that served both the young and aging population in one, hybrid space. The intended result is an increase in the integration and harmony between the two generations.

site plan

CONCEPT

Inspired by the idea of an open door, EVERY HOME: Intergenerational Daycare synthesizes the element of form and principle of harmony to create inviting spaces that are grounded by the congenial interconnection between various configurations to envelop the users with a sense of inclusive integration.

The atrium is a focal point of this project, grounded by a circle that embraces its continuity and mergence to the rest of the building. The dome that resides over this part of the building places further importance on this space. It lifts the circle from the ground into one converging point in the middle of the dome. It stands as a metaphor for how this space is intended to gather people from many different backgrounds and places to one place where they converge into one family. A place where everyone can feel at home.

MATERIAL BOARD

GREAT ROOM

Lyonel Feininger’s 1929 painting, Sailboats, is a beautiful melody between traditional Cubist shapes and a more warm and romantic rendering. The sharp and linear sides of the triangles and its fragments bring a harshness to the canvas, yet the cool colors and still linear movement of the sea bring serenity and comfort to the viewer. It is a great expression of juxtaposition, bringing together hard and soft, forbidding yet inviting. The relationship between the linearity of the triangular sailboats, the movement of the sea unconventionally characterized by linear aspects, and the dynamicity of the fragments is at the core of the analyses. The crucial aspects of the story of the painting were a cornerstone of transforming the analyses into 3D representations. Emphasis was put on the vector piercing the model, much like Feininger’s lines, while the panels envelop the spaces, like the shapes created in the painting. Overall, the linearity, subtle softness, and Cubist style of the spaces stay true to the original painting by expressing similar feelings of solidarity within division.

VECTORS + ENVELOPES

Conceptual Study

NEXT Office Design

Floor Plan: Revit

3D Model: Revit

Rendering: Enscape

The 9th Annual Steelcase NEXT Student Design Competition was a workplace design project of approximately 15.000 SF that supports hybrid and flexible work behaviors and changing expectations of the workplace. This project questioned the preconceived notions about the workplace to design an environment that is supported by evidence based design in order to foster a culture that creates a sense of place for the employees, resulting in higher motivation, productivity, and employee morale.

WORK CAFE

Drawing from the concept of intersection ali ty , ECLECTIC ALLURE celebrates a conjunction of identities and experiences; fostering a reciprocal culture at NEXT. Kimberle Crenshaw, the Columbia and UCLA professor who coined the term defines it as “how race, class, gender, and other characteristics ‘intersect’ with one another and overlap.” These elements of intersection and layering were the foundation of the design for the NEXT office. This is executed through the integration of differing work environments, prioritizing ease of communication between management levels, and fostering a positive and inclusive culture. Behavioral theories such as sense of place, territoriality, and proxemics were incorporated to elevate the design and user experience. This was implemented through the choices in harmony and unity , spatial edges , and balance .

The underlying motive of this design is that intersectionality is celebrated ; there is a unique diversity that emerges from the converging identity of various backgrounds, cultures, and preferences.

PROCESS

The NEXT logo incorporates the intersection and layering of identities that is present in the concept of ECLECTIC ALLURE. The overlap of each letter in the name of the company alludes to the character of an intersectional individual.

EVIDENCE BASED DESIGN

Lighting CCT

Cooler light temperatures. Some wavelengths of blue light can suppress melatonin, which can lead to more alert employees. Workplace performance and sleep patterns were proven to improve when employees were working in this setting.

Hybrid Collaboration

Proxemics. Relationship between people, con ten t, displays, and cameras is vital to fostering a sense of place for both remote and local participants.

Equity. Designing to eliminate the discontinuity of communication and collaboration between remote and local participants can be accomplished through intentional camera varieties and placements, as well as encouraging mobility with the implementation of mobile furniture and displays

Space Typologies. The incorporation of collaborative, social, personal, and learning spaces drives a holistic design that works for the users and aides to the varying functions of a workspace.

Grow to Give

In pursuit of living out their motto, “We Grow to Give,” the Otter Products workplace design provides valuable, healthy, and supportive opportunities to foster a sense of place among those who often feel out of place. “Belong ing, inclusion, and diversity” are at the core of Otter Products’ values as they strive to support people support other people . Through the integration of both open and closed offices, sensory deprivation and recharge zones, wellness lounges, cafes, lounge areas, and more, this design is intended to serve a variety of preferences with respect to physical work environment. This design provides valuable opportunities for users to grow in their skills and talents by establishing a strong and inclusive culture at work through third place design . It offers a healthy work environment that is supported by attention restoration theory and biophilic design . Finally, it maintains supportive opportunities for all individuals- neurotypical and neurodivergent- by serving their differing sensory and design needs . Bright, airy lighting will be implemented along with some user control to set an atmosphere that is motivating and energizing.

MEETING ROOM

DESIGNING FOR OTTERS -

This capstone is a workplace design project for Otter Products’ newest headquarters in Denver. Their mission, “We Grow to Give,” is executed through their OtterBox, LifeProof, Liviri and OtterCares brands. They are passionate about leading the way in helping people to more and go more places with their products. The innovative spirit of the founder and chairman Curt Richardson fuels them in their products and the way they work.

This new workspace will be taking on another level of support- neurodiversity . The groups that this project will be focusing on will be people with ADHD, people suffering from a mood disorder, people with autism spectrum disorder, and neurotypical individuals. From this, the user profiles will be the following:

· Individual with ADHD

· Individual suffering from a mood disorder

· Individual with autism spectrum disorder

· Individual in a management position

· Neurotypical individual

SCHEMATIC DESIGN PROCESS -

BLOCK & STACK DIAGRAMS

INITIAL PROTOTYPE FOR “PODS” THAT SUPPORT EACH GROUP OF WORKPSACES

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT -

LOBBY

The new Otter Products HQ is designed to change the narrative surrounding workplace design.

Otter Products will reflect their mission, “We Grow to Give,” as their workspace provides a safe environment for everyone to work in. The focus of this project is to design a workplace that caters to not just the needs of neurotypical individuals, but prioritizing the needs of neurodivergent individuals as well. An often overlooked group of individuals, their needs are different from those of a neurotypical individual. Environmental characteristics shall be altered to provide a space where they can feel supported professionally and personally.

S pecific zones that cater to these differing needs will be incorporated throughout this space in order to provide easy and abundant access to their amenities. Sensory stimulation areas , sensory deprivation areas , visually and acoustically private offices , personalization of the workstation, intriguing and interactive staircase , and third places such as a coffee shop are some of the things that will be implemented to bring this about in the physical design.

E vidence based design theories will used to guide the overall design to use scientifically established solutions to support the human mind and body. These theories help understand human behavior and environment relationships in order to design spaces that better support its users.

WOMEN’S RESTROOM LOUNGE AREA

THEORETICAL FOUNDATION

WELLNESS LOUNGE

ATTENTION RESTORATION THEORY

Evidence-based design theories for restorative design include Attention Restoration Theory (Kaplan, 1995), which states that experiencing natural scenes can help to relieve mental fatigue and can restore a person’s ability to focus attention. Having immediate access to natural scenes from workspace relieves mental fatigue and allows individuals to work longer and better. This will be carried out by incorporating easy and immediate access to natural scenes throughout the workplace. This will increase employee morale as well as productivity levels.

THEORY OF AFFORDANCES

Another theory that will be incorporated throughout will be Theory of Affordances (Gibson et al., 1977), which is the idea that people are goal directed , and that aspects of the environment support users with opportunities to achieve those goals. Affordances can signify the intended goal or use of an object or space. Individuals can feel uncomfortable or overwhelmed when the “correct” use of something is not clear, which can stray them away from using the space at all. Implementing this theory can ensure that each space is used to its full potential, and that the users of the space are benefiting from the environment.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL THEORY

Evidence-based design approaches to create a sense of place include Environmental Control Theory (Altman, 1975). It can be defined as the methods by which a person may control and/or define their environment, catered to their specific personal needs in terms of personal space, privacy, territoriality, and crowding. This theory, specifically regarding privacy and territoriality, is something that has been experienced or witnessed first-hand. When employees are allowed to “mark their territory” they are more likely to develop a sense of place . It creates an environment that is welcoming and comfortable for them. This can make the users have positive feelings attached to this space, leading to an increased desire of the space. The result is improved employee morale, motivation, and productivity. Privacy is something that has been thrown out the window with the popularity of an open office layout. I am really interested in finding a middle ground when it comes to the layout of the office and creating a sense of privacy for the employees. It is important for logistical reasons such as meetings and phone calls, as well as for the employees to feel some sense of control over their space. Perhaps a level of control over this privacy can increase the sense of place.

Johanna L Mathew

johanna.mathew@hotmail.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/johanna-mathew/