Spec Sheets and Enlarged Plans

This semester, I am working on two separate books for Bright Device. The Office Design book is more about presentation for the client's viewing, and the Materials and Specifications book is mostly specification sheets as shown below. Each book is roughly going to be 16 to 35 pages. I am required to do plenty of specification sheets for upholstery, furniture, ceiling grids, carpets, drapery, ceiling tile, vinyl tile, etc.

This page is for my Office Design book. It gives a brief view of the textures and shapes that are in the space and locates power outlets, filing, and storage.

Updated Plans

I added more grass and furniture in the Engineering departments. I also filled in the interior walls which help to bring out the boundaries. Grass now has a texture pattern for a clearer visual explanation. The conference table in the large conference room is now rectangular and pushed to one side, allowing for a larger passing area rather than two small passing spaces. Major passage areas are now marked with dimensions.

For my Office Design project, I decided that for my final book that I want each page to be landscape. Therefore, I had to rotate each of my plans and my text as well. I also added titles, a logo, and page numbers for my final book. Both of the following plans have had some revision that help to explain my decisions more clearly.

I changed the symbol for my exit signs as well as for my LED troffer lights. The slash in the symbol helps to differentiate it from the wooden ceiling and acoustical tiles. I added acoustical tile to the kitchenette because it may get loud in there and I would not want to disturb the offices attached to it.

Office Design Midterm Presentation

I began my office design presentation by very briefly summarizing my office statement and then explaining the mood board that I chose and the word summary that supplemented it (which can be viewed in my previous posts). I organized my presentation to flow smoothly by discussing my mood board, then my floor plan, and then my chosen lighting, materials, and furniture. Throughout my floor plan presentation, I often referenced my loose samples so that my peers knew exactly which material I wanted where, what it was made of, what color it was, and the opacity of each material. I also referenced my sketches of specific areas that I thought needed further visual explanation. I will upload those sketches once I can get a better photo of them.

A guest may enter the space from two locations-- one near the reception desk, and the other near the lobby couches. This is to ensure that the guest feel comfortable immediately upon entering and relatively knows where to go even if he or she has never been here before. The space can be divided into three sections, one end is for engineering, the other is for office employees and conferencing, and the middle is a mix of communal spaces and offices. The middle area of the plan includes the lobby, copy room, and kitchenette so that no one office is too far from these spaces that everyone will be using. Though the spaces are divided, they are still open through the use of 3form, which has different opacities that allow one to see through a little bit but not enough to disturb one's privacy. Each of the three spaces uses a different type of 3form panel.

One entry is right near the conference rooms and that allows guests to have easy access to it. The smaller conference room's walls are entirely made of 3form's "Ting Ting" panel, which is meant to make people feel as if they are surrounded by trees. The small conference room also uses sliding doors, as many of the other rooms do as well. Each office has windows to ensure that each employees is getting sunlight to increase well- being. Any spaces that are not against a wall will have 3form panels to let the light stream through, especially for the large amounts of grass that are included in the space to create an office-garden hybrid.

The library includes Steelcase's Walkstation to further promote wellness at work. The bookshelf is also custom-made to provide growing grass on the top shelf. Each space that was allowed to be an open space, such as the CFO and VP Sales, were kept open. The engineering areas were kept open to promote collaboration between both departments.

Office Design Colors and Materials

I have been using the internet as well as RIT's material library to choose samples for my office design project. Since I am in the process of choosing lighting as well, I put each sample under natural light plus fluorescent light, and also under natural light plus incandescent light to see how the colors react. I used natural lighting with each because the office space has many large windows. I created a chart listing which upholstery fabric went best with 3form panels, and which paint colors would suit the two together. For example, Designtex's "Chromatic" upholstery in the color "Apple" looked best with 3form's "Cirque" finish and Sherwin Williams' "Irish Cream" paint. Then I placed these combinations under different lighting. Most of my selections looked best under fluorescent light since the incandescent made my cool colors appear to be much warmer. Below are some of the materials that I have selected so far.

3form finishes: Cirque, Ting Ting, Bear Grass
Sherwin Williams Paint: Belize, Irish Cream, Tamarind
Designtex Upholstery: Chromatic- Apple, Chromatic- Pool, Closed Loop- Robin's Egg,
    Closed Loop- Willow, Brisbane- Pool, Delaine- Grass, Delaine- Sea
Wallcoverings: Maharam 005 Straw; Maharam 016 Eucalyptus
Carpet: Flor "Take me Over" in Lime; Tandus "Curly Q" in Bukhara
Faux Wood: Centiva "Queensland Walnut" and "Canadian Maple"

I have used these materials along with chosen lighting and furniture to create an image board. The image board is a refined version of a mood board that includes actual furniture that maintains the atmosphere that the mood board had initially created for the client.

My floor plan is coming together nicely as well. At this point all of the interior walls, millwork, and furniture are in the plan and I am now working out the correct layers, line weights, room dimension labels, and text sizes.

Office Design Project Update

As the semester progresses, the plans for my office design are becoming clearer. The mood board and word summary help the client to figure out what the plans are for the project as a whole and how the space will make employees and visitors feel. For this project I created two mood boards that had similar words but different textures and colors. I am only showing the mood board that I chose to use for the project, along with the word summary.

 Some of the materials shown above are eco- friendly materials from Designtex. They include samples that I ordered directly from the company because the feel of a fabric is just as important as the appearance. These are commercial grade fabrics that will last a long time. I know that these products are sustainable and commercial grade because I have created specification sheets for them.

The word summary is a supplement to the mood board and further explains the plans in descriptions and colors rather than pictures. It helps emphasize the idea of an office that allows for collaboration and productivity through the use of open areas and fresh, earthy colors.

The majority of products in the space will be from Steelcase or Coalesse. I am also considering 3-form for its unique space division uses and Centiva for faux-wood, modular flooring. One goal for my project is to use sustainable materials that are recyclable and long-lasting. I will also be using a chalkboard wall surface treatment in public areas to further emphasize the community of the space.

There will be organization throughout the space in regards to department. The major departments, such as general office employees, the sales and marketing team, the finance team, and the engineering teams will all have separate spaces. However, spaces in each department will be either open or closed. Unity will be created through the central point of the lobby area in which each department can be reached. General meeting spaces such as the kitchenette are included as well.

Office Design Statement

   The following design statement was created for my Office Design class in which we have been given a fake company to provide design services for. It explains the company's image and how I am going to portray that image through the use of materials, furniture, decorating, and architectural choices:

   Bright Device is a small engineering firm that prides itself on the latest technology with an emphasis on sustainability and well- being. Recently their most popular products involve the use of solar power. This company is comprised of 36 individuals including engineers, research analysts, a sales team, management, and university partners such as graduate researchers. These departments contribute to the success of Bright Device as a whole and therefore collaboration is a key resource in day-to- day work. The company has requested that a contemporary, collaborative office be created to emulate their image as a sustainable, safety- conscious engineering firm. This office is located at 1800 Larimer Street in Denver, Colorado on the 19^th floor.

   The office will have a sophisticated, bold atmosphere with accents of unique wood finishes and greenery. The large windows allow for the use of various plants and grass as decoration. Since no budget has been specified, only the highest quality of products will be used to emphasize the contemporary image that Bright Device wants to create. Steelcase provides a variety of workstations that encourage community- based projects and an indoor garden will make a great accent to the splashes of color. The unique mix of textures that will be used in the space will encourage free thinking among each department. The open spaces will rid workers of claustrophobia and reduce stress, while the more private areas will encourage individual focus while maintaining comfort. Some spaces will be interchangeable depending on the current needs of each department.

   Bright Device operates on private funding and grants from partnering with its local university. To optimize funding, it is imperative that the office always looks sleek and sophisticated for visitors. Spaces such as the lobby and meeting spaces will be used to keep visitors and potential investors entertained and comfortable. These spaces will be used to showcase past projects and an image of a leader in green technology. High quality seating such as the Jenny Club chair will provide a professional atmosphere that will help the company get the funding that it needs. High quality products prove to be an investment for the future because they last longer and impress visitors. Steelcase products, state- of- the- art technology, and a unique combination of natural elements and contemporary design all work together to create a space that allows for idea development and a comfortable space for workers and visitors alike.