PHASE ONE DESIGN.

After much deliberation on the elements discussed in the previous post, we finally nailed down what we believe to be a great contender for what the final cabinet will look like.

During a very unsuspecting conversation with Patrick, our studio teacher, and a little messy sketch, the idea of having asymmetrical doors was born into our design process.

Other things we nailed down during this deliberation:

[1] Acrylic shelving for the interior and top materials, to allow light to cascade down through the cabinet as a whole and illuminate the merchandise that will be stored there.

[2] Celebration of the hardware, we came to the conclusion of having the hardware exposed and incorporated into the design rather than trying to conceal it.

[3] Hardware material, after discussion and review of the budget, we decided that brushed nickel would be the most cost effective material to use for the hardware of the entire cabinet.

[4] Cut outs, instead of using hardware for the door handles and drawer pull, we decided on having cut outs that would be the same shape as the curve for the top. This would create unity and visual appeal and can be seen in the sketch up below.

Here is a rough, computer generated sketch up of what we are envisioning for the cabinets final appearance:

PHASE ONE.

After deliberating with Kate and pinpointing exactly what she wanted for the concept of the cabinet, we began to brainstorm about exactly how to shape our design and bring it to life.

The ideas we had nailed down were mostly about shape and materiality:

[1] We decided to use Frank's concept for the original design.
[2] We knew that we were going to incorporate birch and acrylic to help echo the influences found in the shop.
[3] At Kate's request, the Weatherspoon Green would be included in the detail work of the cabinet.

Things we speculated about:
[1] Joinery and how exactly we were going to put the entire cabinet together so that it would be stable and safe
[2] Top material, we still did not know exactly the form and material of the top of the cabinet. Below are some photos of our original, phase one sketch models and drawings.
[3] Hardware, at this point, whether or not the hardware would be celebrated as a design element or not was still in the process of formation. Also, what material of hardware we would use. Brushed nickel, aluminum, and stainless steel all made appearances in the conversations of this phase.
[4] Wheels, we discussed different types of wheels, taking into consideration the weight distribution and stability of different types of wheels. We are even looking into exploring wheels that will allow the cabinet to be dropped, to be flush with the floor when immobile. Locking wheels are also a definite for safety.

Here are some of the original idea sketches.

 

ORIGINAL IDEA SKETCHES.

Here are a few pages from some of our group members sketchbooks, just jotting down ideas and trying to get a better understanding of the cabinet and how it will function. We also did sketches to understand how it will move, possibilities for materials and how light will play into the design.

CHATS WITH KATE.

One of the main components of our project is serving the need of our clients, the staff of the Weatherspoon Art Museum. To do this, we had to establish and maintain a relationship with a few of the Weatherspoon's key players, Nancy Doll, the director of the museum and the gift shop manager, Kate.

Here is a list of things that she originally requested:

[1] Materials. That would echo the feel of the shop itself, using similar materials to those that existed in the shops shelving units such as birch and frosted plexiglass.

[2] Safety. It was extremely important that this cabinet be user friendly and safe. She stressed that the shelves be high enough from the group that, "children could not hang on them."

[3] Sturdy. Kate was initially concerned about the heaviness of the cabinet, especially after the merchandise had been added. She requested we spend special time securing the cabinet so that it runs no risk of tipping over during motion.

[4] Clear Shelving. The merchandise in the gift shop is very special to Kate and to the museum staff and they want to share it with all Weatherspoon's visitors. She wanted to have clear shelving on the doors so that the merchandise placed on them will be visible through the shelving walls.

[5] Weatherspoon Green. The color we all love.... It is the Weatherspoon's theme color, featured on various signs and pamphlets throughout the museum. She requested that this color be included somewhere on the cabinet, to define it's identity and relationship to the museum.

LIGHT STUDIES.

One of the most important elements of this project, to us as a group, was the light. In this stage, we were still debating on exactly where the lighting for the cabinet would come from, whether it would be natural or artificial, etc.

We compiled some light studies to better understand exactly how lighting would affect the impact of the cabinet and you can view some of those studies below:

IDEAS FOR THE TOP.

One of the biggest challenges we faced when "refacing" our design was coming to a consensus about what the top of the cabinet would look like. As you have already seen in Frank Cheney's original design, the top of the cabinet was meant to have an asymmetrical curve.

We wanted to keep this theme, feeling that it spoke well for the museum space in which it will be housed. However, there was much debate on things such as the material, facing, and overall method of making this curve a reality.

Here are some photos of our early modeled and drawn proposals for the top of the cabinet:

ORIGINAL DESIGN.

When we first approached this project, we were given a basic design that had already been completed by a local architect here in Greensboro, Frank Cheney.

Don't let this little head start lead you to believe that we had it easy. Just because we had the bones, doesn't mean that there was life. It was actually even more difficult to take a preexisting design and build on it than it would have been to begin from scratch.

Also, although we were given the basic bones of the design, there were still many things to be considered and details that had to be worked out. Measurements had to be investigated and finalized, joinery had to be considered, and hardware decisions had to be made.


Here is a photo of the basic design that we received on day one from Frank Cheney and his associate:

WELCOME.

Hello readers and welcome to our blog.

We are students from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in our second year in the Interior Architecture program. The purpose of this blog is to follow the progress of the project that we are currently undertaking in our studio class.

A brief overview of the project:

First of all, you need to become familiar with the Weatherspoon Art Museum. It is located here, on the campus of UNCG and is one of the most prominent art museums in the Southeast. Accredited by the American Association of Museums in 1995, the museum hosts over 32,000 visitors annually, accommodates 24,000 students for classes per year, and is equipped with roughly 6,000 works.

If you want to learn more about the museum and what it has to offer, click HERE to be directed to their website.

There is only one tiny problem with the museum, the gift shop. Poorly placed and under recognized, the gift shop is responsible for pooling much of the revenue that keeps the museum running. The problem is, no one realizes that it is even there!

That's where we come in. It is our task to design and build a cabinet, that will exist in the lobby and be mobile to other parts of the museum that will showcase items from the gift shop and thus, hopefully, create and stir interest for the shop itself!

Thanks for following along and I will continue to update with our progress along the way.