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PROPOSAL Big Ten Student Design Challenge University of Nebraska-Lincoln | The Groundbreakers Weston Ellerbrake – Architecture Daniel Kruger – Business Ariana Osten – Interior Design Eliza Woodside – Interior Design

STUDENT NEEDS ANALYSIS & INSIGHT REPORT

The existing space is a study room in the Knoll Residence Hall. This space is currently underutilized as a television lounge. The main users are the honors residents of the dorm. These users need a space where they can come to work on homework individually or in a group. The main need of honors students is to have a space where they can go to work that is calming and stress-free. This calm mood can be achieved through color, textures, and furniture applications. Honor students need furniture configurations that cater to individuals but can also house a group.

The current space from a student perspective:

“I walk into the television room to try to get some work done because the other study rooms are full, and my roommates have friends over in our dorm. A table would be very useful for the work I need to do; but there is only one table in the room and a group is using it already. I try to

sit on the couch, but it is hard to write and type. A few minutes into working, I decide to go back to my room to try to get some work done.”

The current design problem with the television lounge is there is only one space to sit at a table and work. If this space is taken, there is no other surface for students to work on. Many students need a place away from their room where they can focus without distractions and this room currently does not give them that luxury. The ideal solution is to create many different study spaces that have surfaces for students to work at.

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VISION

The intention for this design is to create a space for honor students to be able to work in a calming environment. The current space is a television lounge that is under-used. Due to the extra work load that honors students have; they need a space to work that is stress free and comfortable. This space can benefit from adding furniture that serves multiple working programs. Students in the new space can work individually, in a small group, and in a larger group. These spaces will be differentiated so students feel like they can work in the space even when someone else is already there. Color and furniture selection will contribute to the calming, work oriented nature of the space. Blues and wood tones will be the main colors used in the space, with a few energizing colors used as accents.

Current: Revision:

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DESCRIPTION

Situated in a building that houses honors students, students that are prone to higher degrees of stress, we designed a room that alleviates the intensity of school. Chasing the higher GPA, the better percentage, or the best project can be hard on students who are asked to perform at a higher level. To combat the stress and intensity the students go through we designed a space that alleviates stress. A space that takes the pressures on a student and turns it into assurance, dedication, and rejuvenation. This new space will become a destination for students who need to relax and get homework done.

To accomplish our goal of relieving the stress we carefully picked out varying degrees of furniture styles and arranged it based upon introvert, extrovert, and a mixed variety of the social types. Increasing or decreasing stress starts the moment visitors enter a room. We

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started by changing what the user sees when first entering. All furniture selections display higher degrees of comfort and hospitality than before. The room feels like it should be worked in and interacted with. Next, we used several colors that promote emotions of calming, happiness, trusting, and productivity. Shades of blue, yellow, orange, grey are spatially arranged through the space. These colors subconsciously affect people and will naturally remove the pressure.

With three programs shared across the space, we decided the extrovert space should be first seen. The extrovert space is dedicated to those who prefer to work with people or a group. This zone is home to heavily cushioned and circular furniture. It’s difficult to work on anything when uncomfortable and circular furniture promotes interaction and socialization. Customizing the group workspace is easy thanks to the lightweight design of the furniture allowing students to work in whatever coordination they want. The circular furniture formation also promotes openness and friendliness through the Herman Miller furniture. A large fraction of the furniture has blue and orange coloring on it. These two colors insist on calming and relieving students' anxieties.

The next area in the room is the mixed space, a space dedicated to those individuals who fall somewhere between a people person and an individual. The zone is marked by the bar height chairs and tall and large tables. The furniture’s height helps elevate the space and raise people above the daily pressures they face. Organized in a “T” formation allows for small groups of people to form but ensures that individuals aren’t left out. Direct access to the windows allows students to get a fresh dose of sunlight when the days seem far too long. Shades of blue and wooden textures fill this area, reducing tension and promoting soothing emotions.

The final zone is the program dedicated to individuals who prefer to work alone. The person who strikes out on their own needs a space to suit them and we provided one. This area is placed in the deepest in the room to isolate noise and light pollution from the other programs.

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Yellow tables and chairs mirror one another and create a focus on the individual, instead of the group. The yellow coloring ensures that the users feel enlightened and happy in this area. Lowered furniture draws the users into their work and creates an atmosphere of ease.

Our space is equipped will three different amounts of lighting that are spread across our three program areas. The extrovert zone has the largest amount of space, followed by the mixed-use space, while the individual space requires the least amount of space. The team decided to reduce the number of distractions possible in our room, to make productivity a priority, so we removed any TV’s, speakers, etc. By removing large technology elements, the design promotes focus and productivity.

The largest of the areas, the group workspace, has the largest amount of space and can house the greatest amount of people. Three, large drop-down lighting elements spread a cool light in this area. In tandem with the added lighting, large windows bring in natural daylight into the area. With the combination of artificial and natural lighting, the extroverted space is well equipped to handle any size of the group.

The mixed-use space, which can be used by individuals or groups, relies more on natural daylight and less on artificial lighting. Placed in a corner, the arrangement receives natural daylight from two of its four sides. When the day turns dark the areas artificial lighting kicks in. Illuminating the tables and its occupants well enough that its users are able to complete their work. The light illuminates only what is necessary so only the people in this area receive lighting.

Lastly, the individual space relies on fewer lighting elements than any other zone of work. Single lighting elements drop from the ceiling lighting only what lies beneath the light creates

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an atmosphere that is best suited for individuals. The lighting makes a statement that individuals are best suited here. Hanging on the wall next to this area is marker boards. Markerboards provide a quick and easy way to get ideas out of the head and into realization.

The team wanted the walls and floors to continue our design of stress relief and thus made changes that are reflected in color and texture.

Previously the walls were painted colors that provided little to benefit to space. The painted walls reduced the amount of daylight being shared in the room as well as discouraged interaction and ideation. To combat this, we changed the wall color to white. Now the painted white walls, when in contact with light, illuminate the space and its surroundings. The walls reflect natural light and daylight, as well as signaling that this place is an area of calm productivity.

Because the design holds different kinds of programmed spaces in this area, we wanted the flooring to reflect that. Upon entering the new study room, visitors step on a carpeted floor that transitions to a wood floor. The carpeted floor separates the group space from the individual focused spaces, and signals to users that a person is stepping into a different space. Wood brings in colors and textures that are natural and subconsciously calm and ease guests. The transition from wood to carpet also signals a change in the appropriate volume in the zones.

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ITEMIZED EXPENSES

Groundbreakers - Big 10 Design Challenge Master Budget/List of Materials

26 November 2019 Item: Quantity Cost/Unit Total

Naughtone Hue Booth 2 $9,621.00 $19,242.00 Naughtone Lasso Single Stool and Table 3 $1,449.00 $4,347.00 Naughtone Symbol 90 Degree Curve 2 $5,400.00 $10,800.00 Naughtone Dalby Bar Height Tables 1 $4,725.00 $4,725.00 Naughtone Dalby Bar Height Tables 1 $5,553.00 $5,553.00 HermanMiller Eames Mold Plastic Stool 8 $587.00 $4,696.00 Naughtone Riley Table 2 $1,163.00 $2,326.00 Naughtone Dalby Circular Coffee Table 1 $1,501.00 $1,501.00 Exclave Wall Rail 2 $633.00 $1,266.00 Exclave Large Boards - Eco Boards 1 $1,277.00 $1,277.00 Exclave Large Boards 1 $3,176.00 $3,176.00 Exclave Board Clips 2 $262.00 $524.00 Exclave Rail Caps 2 $60.00 $120.00

Total (Maximum $80,000): $59,553.00

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Additional Elements Budget Item: Quantity Cost/Unit Total

2Modern Blub SR1 Pendant 6 $185.00 $1,110.00 Halo Recessed Can Lights 5 $24.97 $124.85 Beautiful Halo Ultra-Thin Linear Lights 4 $112.96 $451.84

Total Additional Elements (Maximum $5,000): $1,686.69