WEEK 1 -  IDE Subject info and Site Analysis 

Subject info: The course will expand on the student's understanding of design processes and further explore how people inhabit, interact with and transform interior environments. What is aimed to be learnt, is that students further develop design thinking and skills by working on a range of spatial projects. Students will explore conceptual, and technological aspects of interior design, interpreting design briefs and apply spatial, human and environmental dimensions to accommodate current and future needs.

Time Management:

In order to stay on top of the course content and up to date on the assignments, project management is key. A detailed horizontal bar graph was created to show the tasks that need doing and what dates they need to be started and finished by. The below table represents the pace in which content for this course will need to be produced. 

Site Analysis:

The project brief for overall assignment is to propose a spatial design that engages with the notions of locality, place, culture and time. And to get the ball rolling assessment 1 requires a research poster that will explain hyper reality and its relation to the proposed pixel hotels. The pixel hotels needed to be connected in some way or another whether that be materials, place, concept etc. My group partner and I decided to complete our site survey together and use the guide to understand what was needing to be shown and things that might influence our pixels. 

WEEK 2: PIXEL HOTEL

  This week saw the focus set to the pixel hotel and its conception in Austria. To compliment that case study (Linz, Austria), Human Centred Design was talked about to help with the proposed pixel hotels. It gave way to the solutions of the problems that may arise through the focus on needs, contexts, behaviours, and emotions - essentially creating the notion of 'Locality" which gives the user a genuine & authentic experience. 

WEEK 3: Hyper Reality

This week was a mind boggling one. Hyper Reality ended up providing quite a bit of perspective on how this project should play out and the way our designs need to/ nor not interact with the environment. From this, my group partner and I realised that the sites in which we initially had chosen were not going to be rich enough in information for us to achieve the desired pixel hotel. We had misunderstood the brief and chosen residential sites but have since realised we needed to change them.  We have now changed to the Jellurgal Aboriginal Culture Centre and the Burleigh Waters Library with the common theme of Knowledge and desire for understanding of the past. 

From my understanding hyper reality is when there is an unconscious image, simulation or collection of both, that either warps the reality it aims to depict or does not in fact depict anything with a real existence at all, but which nonetheless comes to form reality. This is further explained by Jean Baurdrilard,“a condition in which,‘reality’ has been replaced by ‘simulcra”. Meaning a copy, impersonation, a representation.

We also learnt in further detail about ideation and the design processes in which one can mind map or diagram to achieve a solved product/project.

Week 4: Research Poster

The aim of this week was to understand the purpose of a research poster and the ways in which we can use layout to achieve an appealing poster that gives details and data. 

There was also a focus on SWOT analysis and how that can help inform design and the potential user group experience of the pixel hotel. Another site visit was on the cards for this week to better understand my site (the Aboriginal Culture Centre). 

WEEk 5: Ass1 Submission 

This week was the time where all focus was on getting the A1 panel finished, which saw many check lists being created to ensure all the required data was on the finished panel. In the end my group partner and I managed to finished early and avoid a late night/early morning printing panic, Overall the site analysis part of this project was quite enjoyable for me - that is due to the type of site i chose and consequently getting to learn more about the indigenous heritage of the Gold Coast and Burleigh specifically. 

WEEK 6: Concept and IDEATION for Culture Pixel:

Ideation for Assessment 2

Week 7: Schematic Analysis

This week saw the consideration towards the user in relation to functionality and movability being in the forefront of my mind. I wanted to drive into the positive and negatives that came from the way I chose to arrange the program within the site how the ways in which those could be amended or changed. 

Spatial Relationships and Strategies

For the most part, in this design, a relatively open plan layout is evident. However
for the space to be effective in meeting the functionality needs of the user,
planning strategies are essential. 

They will help to determine how the spaces relate to each other and how they 
should be organised to achieve optimum functionality. 

The fundamental ways in which, the spaces are related to each other in this 
design can be described as 'Overlapping Space' as evidenced in the outdoor 
area (the firepit, dining and lounge); the most common type, 'Adjacent Spaces' 
which allows separate activities to take place next to each other but remain 
distinct; in this case the bedroom and gallery space. And finally 'Spaces linked
by a common space' which is relative to the veranda that occupies the 
perimeter of the building, that serves as an intermediate space between the entry
of the building and the carpark.

Strategies: The ways in which this open plan concept are put together means that 
some adjustments need to made to the layout to achieve a space that doesn't have
any negative affects from the point of view of the user. 

1. Starting with the points of entry, there are two. A set of stairs and a ramp that 
provides access to all potential users. Usually the disabled access can be seen as a
taking a longer route to where you want to go, but by introducing another entry, both 
accessibilty options are now less than 5m away from the points of entry. therefore
easing the strain to enter the building. 

2. The separation between the outdoor function space and the interior is distinguished
by a glass wall. And in the case of using the lounge area, one would have a direct 
view of who is coming and going from the bathroom. which could be seen as off-putting
or embarrassing. To counteract this, moving the window above head height will remove
the voyeristic element and ultimately make the experience more private whilst ensuring
that light continues to fill the interior space.

3. In regards to the Kitchentte, it is a small space; but the point of a pixel hotel is
to focus on locality and as it is convieniently placed, mulitple eateries are only a 
short distance away. Should the users need to cook, a fire pit is avaliable on the outdoor 
deck which will engage the sense of taste and help the user gain an understanding of how
the indigenous ate in the past. 

4. Based on where the fire pit is located, out the front of the bedroom on the deck. 
Moving from the kitchen through that space with a handfull of food would be difficult and 
perhaps off-putting. Therefore installing a door opposite to the storage room, adjacent 
to the dining area, will create a path that is easier to navigate and makes more sense as
it will take you through spaces that are only related to food.

5. The centre of this design is the bedroom, which could be considered as a strange
composition especially because it is surrounded by glass walls. However to create the
connection with the indigenous heritage of the site, those glass walls are essential to 
seeing and interacting with the bushland. But should there be any uncomfortablility some
light weight sheer curtains can be installed. 

Week 8: Schematic Analysis continued. 

There was the understanding of the way natural light will enter the space and the way in which the orientation of the building could pose issues with heating and cooling. Essentially because the site is set behind the Burleigh Headland, in the mornings the direct sun that hits the building is extremely limited, until around mid morning. Then there is also the fact of the afternoon western sun hitting the building uninterrupted. These factors play into the arrangement of the interior and comfortable living space of the pixel. 

Furthermore the prevailing winds tend to come from the south-western part of the site. This was extremely helpful in understanding the best place to put windows and louvres to minimise the need of HVAC systems. Ultimately making the building more environmentally sustainable which is essential these days. 

The next two images are a mix of hand drawn and computer generated to give a sense of what the spaces within the pixel could look and feel like. 

Week 9: Design Solution

Assessment 2 is coming in fast. Revit work is really quite heavy this week. I have tried to focus on getting the floor plan right and moving onto rendering perspective views to give the right kind of ambience that I am going for. 

This is the categorisation of the floor plan. 

Light orange - Outdoor Living Space

Light blue - Relaxation areas (lounge)

Green - Dining

Dark Purple - Bedroom

Dark Orange - Gallery Space

Watermelon Red - Bathroom

Pink - Kitchenette / Food Area

Light Purple - Storage

Ideally I want the space to look warm and inviting, that way the user will feel comfortable in taking their time to learn, understand and become knowledgable in the Indigenous Culture that is so prevalent on the site. 

WEEK 10: Assessment 2 Submission and Presentation 

It ended up being kind of a rush to get this assignment completed on time, thanks to my other classes assignments and their own due dates. But in the end my partner and I managed it. Below is the Final Submission (A1 Panel, Materials Board, and the Concept Model. 

The concept model revolved around the 5 senses and how those would be engaged with when the user in in the pixel. Sight: the Bushland View, Sound: the rustling of trees, Touch: the rammed earth walls, Scent: the Eucalyptus Smell, Taste: the local berries.

Week 11: PORTFOLIO

In Preparation of the Final Submission of this class, my partner and I worked together to collate all our work and further our description and understanding of our  'Client' and brand. Obviously from the start we had an understanding of our brand. Calling it "Hotel Know", we knew what path we wanted to head down. Knowledge was our linking factor. However after submission 2 we realised we hadn't created a brand identity. This lead to the Ideation and creation of the Hotel Know logo. First with looking for inspiration (precedents?) These were the images we were drawn towards based on their linkage to knowledge from our point of view and understanding of the word. 

From here we then took the elements we liked and felt connected to our concept of knowledge then put our spin on it. Wanting to be inclusive to those of all races, as the Culture Pixel is on Indigenous land, the silhouettes feature black and white. Then the elements that are in the mind of the ideal user are the experiences that can be had at both of our respective pixels. Reading, writing and Drawing at the "Library" and the five senses, the bushland and Aboriginal heritage for "Culture". Uniting both elements of the silhouettes is a thirst for knowledge. Despite the two's quest for knowledge being of something completely different, all users will share a common theme of a curiosity and that is represented through the small brain symbol. Fitted out with the brand name and date of creation, very important pieces of information, we felt that finally we had the missing element of our overall project, a theme.  

WEEK 12: Final Submission

This Trimester has blown by, somehow we are already at the end of it and I find myself filling in the last bit of this blog. This week I have been working to complete my portfolio, and somehow despite the contents work being completed already, it felt like it took forever to assemble all the work. It is finished now and I can't help but feel a sense of relief. Finally it is the holidays and nice break sounds good to me. Overall my experience with IDE2 has been a great one, Paul and Hayley have been great teachers and despite some weeks content being mind boggling (I'm looking at your Hyper Reality), they truly made the effort to make sure we were grasping the concept. I don't really have any images to upload at this end stage as I feel the portfolio is for the portfolio. Essentially it is the culmination of this blog and more, showcasing my work and the final outcome of the Culture Pixel. 

Ok this is it, Goodbye Blog,

I won't miss you, you were kind of a pain.