Reflection - Evaluation of Group and Individual Projects

Evaluation - Group Project

I believe our group has been one of the strongest - we have communicated on a daily basis to make sure there were clear tasks for each individual to carry out and there wasn't anyone sat around doing nothing. Everyone in the group had different strengths which I believe helped a great deal as everyone could concentrate on something separate, that they were strong at, and feed their ideas back to the group so that all components were cohesive. At first, I thought I might struggle to contribute to the project, with being from a textiles background rather than interior design, however, myself and Jenny created the initial colour scheme from the first ideas that the group discussed, as well as helping to choose appropriate materials to fit with industry standards. I have also enjoyed watching an idea turn into a reality through CAD and visuals, which the interiors students contributed towards mostly.

After the initial pitch to Bruntwood, they thought our designs were one of the strongest they'd seen, and they said we had considered their needs well. I believe we took a risk in developing the Blue Sky option after the interim presentation, as it would be more difficult for Bruntwood to achieve, rather than a slight rearrangement of what was currently there. However, we all felt that this was the stronger option as it catered more closely to what Bruntwood were looking for initially - more break out space. In the final pitch, Bruntwood were really interested in what myself and Jenny had produced in the way of fabric samples. They thought our group had worked together extremely well, but they had reservations about our reasons for choosing to develop the 'Blue Sky' option rather than Option 2, as this would have been an easier task. They also were slightly concerned about the new name 'Fairhurst House' as they thought this dated the building, and the interior redesigning was contemporary, which they thought didn't add up. They did however commend the group for challenging the name and attempting to change it, although it didn't quite work in the end. The group were extremely happy with the feedback given, although some of it was constructive criticism. I believe the best part of the new design was the meeting space and furniture as this is what Bruntwood initially set out to achieve through allowing us to design for them. 

Model of Blue Sky option - Fairhurst House


I have found the group project highly rewarding and I have enjoyed experiencing working towards a live brief with Bruntwood. It has kept me interested throughout and I have felt motivated to work on this project, although I did feel at times it was a little too relaxed and timings were uncertain until last minute. I would like to work on an interiors project again to find out more about the industry and to gain more technical knowledge of the digital programs used such as Sketch Up and Vector Works.

Evaluation - Individual Project

By collaborating with Jennifer (specialises in Print) who is from a different discipline within my own course (Textiles In Practice) - I specialise in Embroidery with a Mixed Media approach, I feel we have drawn from each other's strengths. I have used the laser cutter before so I was aware of what the guidelines were, as well as what works most effectively when the laser cuts into the material. We have pushed ourselves outside of our comfort zones by not starting with colour and working towards a 3D product from the beginning to try something slightly different than what we are used to. We also have not used fabric at the beginning of the project which I thought we would find harder than we actually did. In my opinion, we have improved upon our problem solving skills, with having to alter the design of the table numerous times so it would work successfully. If we had more time, we would have ideally liked to screen print our designs onto the table to test how this would haven worked for future projects.

I think that my work experience at the Royal Exchange Theatre Workshop has helped a great deal with this project as I learned about the wood stains and varnishes used in industry. It was also helpful that I could return to the workshop to stain the table and use their facilities. 

I haven't worked on a project with Jenny before, but I definitely would do again. We co-operated with each other and worked together to create the designs. I also have enjoyed working in a different way for a client, rather than for something hypothetical like we would usually do on our course. I have found this project highly rewarding and would like to work with more industrial materials alongside fabric in future projects.


Unit X Exhibition - Federation House

I found displaying my work in the final Unit X exhibition very rewarding as I could reflect upon the hard work and determination that I have put into creating collaborative pieces both within a group and individual environment. I believe I have worked effectively throughout both projects and I have contributed equally to both, managing my time appropriately. 

Investigation and Reflection - Finalising the Individual Project

This week I set out to visit the Royal Exchange Theatre workshop again, and use it to my advantage, in order to choose an appropriate stain and varnish for the table. I tested several shades of wood stain on several different types and thicknesses of wood. 

With the idea in mind of wanting to make the wood look more expensive and aged, the Brown Oak and Brown Mahogany stains worked the best. I also applied a satin varnish to the samples to add a sheen to the surface. One of the technicians at the workshop allowed me to cut a piece of varnished 18mm birch plywood down to the size I needed - 800mm X 450mm. I then had to sand off the varnish so that I could apply a new one and the wood would take the stain. I thought a thicker plywood than the 6mm standard one from the laser workshop would be more suitable for the table as it is heavier and more durable, so 18mm was ideal!

Problems with producing the table

After sampling on the laser cutter last week, myself and Jenny tried to book back on the machine at the next available space to engrave the 18mm plywood. However, we came across our biggest problem in this project so far - there wasn't any space left until after the deadline! Adan the technician had a cancellation that same day, so there was a slight panic to gather materials together in time for the slot he could offer us. I managed to get the wood from home and get back to the workshop in time for the session, so it was a success, although it was very heavy! On beginning the session, Adan explained that we would not be able to cut through the 18mm plywood with the laser, as the thickest it could cut through is 6mm, although we would be able to engrave onto it still. We had to alter the design quickly in order to finish it within our given slot. In the short notice of being able to use the laser cutter, we didn't have any slate with us to engrave into for the centre of the table. We have had to change the design slightly so that only one 10cmX10cm tile will fit in the centre now - it is not ideal, and we would have liked more time on the machine to engrave better designs onto the slates, but there was a long waiting list after our session for cancellations, so we had to make the most out of a bad situation. Adan did however suggest that we could design the hole for the centre of the wood and he would be able to create a rebate for the slate to sit in using the CNC Router, making the surface flat and appropriate for use. I plan to revisit the Royal Exchange Theatre Workshop this week to finish off the table top, staining and varnishing it as planned. We will then find a way to secure the slate in place in the centre of the wood next week.

Stained Wood

Additional Work

Myself and Jenny, for our individual project, have decided to print some of our Photoshop work as printed artwork for Bruntwood to place wherever they want. The designs are in-keeping with our group project with geometric shapes and structures, however the colour scheme is different. We have pushed ourselves out of our comfort zones by not using colour on the table - usually our main starting point in our textiles work. We have also had some spare time at the end of the project, so we thought we would use our initiative and create a collection of fabric samples too. If we had more time, we would have ideally liked to screen print these designs onto the table top as a feature - inspiration from Daniel Heath (immediately below).

 

Investigation and Reflection - Finalising the Group Project

This week the group have been finalising things for the Dragon's Den style presentation. We have decided to change the name of the building, to enhance the redesign of the reception area. The new name will be Fairhurst House, after the architect that initially designed it. We felt that this would also add more meaning to the building and its precedence, therefore refreshing it. 

Myself and Jenny have been working on collaborating with Emily to finalise the sample boards. We printed our designs onto cotton to demonstrate how the inks would colour the fabric, but some have come out slightly darker than anticipated, so they will not be featured on the sample board. The Bolon flooring, Corian and tiles are all within a similar colour palette - either greys and whites or yellows (acting as a feature colour).

Further Updates:

After the previous pitch to Bruntwood, the group were advised to focus on a couple of the CAD plans, so we will develop the Blue-sky plan (see below) and option 2.

Blue Sky Option (preferred)

Holly, who was focussing on Branding, has fallen ill and will not be able to finish the designs on time without help. This has meant that the group has had to pull together so that they will be complete before the deadline. There are only minor changes to make - making sure that they comply with Bruntwood's policies and that the font is the same, etc. I believe we will complete the presentation on time, and the group will all pull together to ensure this is done properly, maintaining professionalism.

Visuals of Blue Sky option

After deliberating which option to progress further, the group decided that the Blue Sky option had more potential than option 2 (leaving the space as it was previously, just rearranging it), because it made better use of the space. The reception area is more open and welcoming and people that do not necessarily need to stop at reception can get straight up the stairs to their respective offices. Bruntwood also said at the first presentation that they liked the features of the Blue Sky option, and if we liked it too we should progress it.

There would also be a large seating area to carry out meetings, or if you were waiting for a client. This offers some privacy but not as to exclude any space. We have kept the colours fairly neutral, with a splash of colour in places, as to not overwhelm the space, which I believe has been effective.

The lift lobbies will also carry on this theme throughout the building to be cohesive with the new reception area and to be thorough in the redesigning of this building. The splash of colour makes the space more contemporary, without overwhelming it.

Investigation 3 - Laser Designs - Individual Project

After designing the table top on Coreldraw for the laser cutter, myself and Jenny finally got on the laser cutter machine! We began to sample, testing slate, MDF and plywood so we had a better idea of what would be effective for the final product. We had to downscale the designs when we got there because we realised they were going to take too long to laser in the time we had booked. During the sampling process, we made some decisions about the layout of the table design, mixing materials and shape compositions we had not given consideration previously. If we were to enlarge the designs to be of larger scale, and be a more dramatic table, we would have to consider the time it would take to engrave so that we could plan our time effectively around this.

A couple of prototypes of the compositions:

Parts of the slate did not engrave fully because of a waxy substance on the surface which was there when we purchased them. This was unavoidable, and although it was not intended to laser the way it did, I think it adds to the rustic feel we were looking for on the surface. I plan to stain these to see how the woods absorb the colour - we want the surface to look more expensive than plywood and MDF in the final design. We would also need to use 6mm thick wood as the slate tiles measure 5mm thick, so that the table has a flat surface and is practical. From experimenting with scale, we have come to the conclusion to make the samples above (currently A4 size) twice as big so that they cover the whole laser area capacity. This would mean that the hole in the centre would be able to hold 4 tiles. We could enlarge a design to cover all 4 tiles, or have 4 cohesive designs together, we haven't finalised this decision yet. 

Investigation 2

Group Project

After this weeks tutorial, the group have decided we need to concentrate on setting ourselves apart from the other groups so that we stand out to Bruntwood at the next presentation. We suggested that some of the interiors students could focus on creating a model of the space so that there was something tangible for Bruntwood at the 'Dragon's Den' style presentation to differentiate ourselves. Another thing that was discussed at the tutorial was a materials board; also something tangible for the client. Myself and Jenny were assigned the task of printing our Photoshop designs onto plain cotton to demonstrate how the inks would look, as well as working alongside Emily who has knowledge of materials suppliers that we could use to show what fabrics our designs could be printed onto, if Bruntwood would commission this. This experience has worked well because of the range of skills within the group - the interiors students have knowledge of suppliers and CAD, and myself and Jenny have knowledge of colour ways and technical knowledge when it comes to machinery needed to make samples for the project. 

After Bolon presented to us, the group decided it would be a slight waste of mine and Jenny's time trying to design flooring ourselves, as Bolon would do this for us already. It also meant that our efforts could be focussed elsewhere.

Individual Project

For our personal project, myself and Jenny have decided to go ahead with creating a coffee-style table for the reception area of 57 Spring Gardens, using Daniel Heath as a reference. Daniel creates lasercut and etched furniture using reclaimed materials. We are wanting to create a design that would be in-keeping with the group project (using geometrics - inspired from the exterior corner of the building), but using different industrial materials such as wood and slate to create different surface qualities. The focus of the next week is going to be on our personal project, creating designs for the laser cutter and testing these out on the machine with the materials we have sourced so far, which we have chosen to work with to push ourselves out of our comfort zone and experiment with alternative materials to fabrics. 

Laser Designs For Table

Red = Cut
Blue = Engrave

At the moment, design 1 is our favourite, with a slate panel down the middle which will be engraved. Through sampling first, myself and Jenny would like to experiment with different depths of engraving onto the slate and the effects this creates.

Table Finishes

After carrying out work experience at The Royal Exchange Theatre Workshop over the Easter period, I have gained knowledge into wood treatments including staining, which I think could be useful for the finishes on the table, which we intend to use to our advantage. This would enable us to make the MDF we intend to use look more expensive - I'm hoping this will work as planned. I will also test plywood, as this is softer than MDF and has more of a grain which means it might take the stain better.

Investigation 1 - Design Development and Furnishings

Group Project

The focus of my work this week has been on developing designs that are in keeping with the group vision. We decided that a geometric approach would uplift the reception area of 57 Spring Gardens and, with using relatively muted colours with a signature yellow colour (inspired from an image on the group Pinterest board as an accent), we have considered the setting of the designs as to not overwhelm the space. 

After deciding on the colour palette, myself and Jenny began drawing. We both have very different drawing styles - Jenny prefers graphic, black and white drawing, whereas I prefer starting with colour and composition. We plan to combine our drawing styles to create designs which reflect both our work equally.

When considering the type of furniture we might place in the reception area, we decided that it would be better if the patterns were only on part of the chairs or sofas because they are quite heavily patterned and it would be difficult to match the pattern around the surface of the furniture. Myself and Jenny had an idea after discussing it with Michelle in a tutorial that we could choose part of the furniture such as a cushion and use Velcro so it could be detached. However, when we pitched this to the rest of the group, they didn't understand the detachable feature, and Simone pointed out that personalised furniture would be too time consuming and costly to make. Moreover, with Bruntwood being a commercial company, the likelihood of them wanting to spend their time and money on bespoke furniture is very slim. As a result, we have begun research into different types of furniture that we could suggest Bruntwood could purchase for the area, but that are also in-keeping with the other design features within the space. We could however, still present our prints to Bruntwood as they could be used on a smaller scale, such as for soft furnishings.

We looked at both chairs and sofas, to determine what would fit best within the space we were allocated. We discussed a few options of where they could be placed - for the Blue-Sky option, we discussed sofa pods on the higher level, facing outwards, so that people can still be identified but it is also slightly secluded and offers a breakout space for Bruntwood's clients. The dimensions of the space as it is currently would not allow a chair pod at either side of a coffee table in front of the lifts, so we looked at chairs too, as they would fit in the space. I think it would be more proactive and beneficial to the project if the group decided on the CAD designs to focus on first, before deciding on furniture for the space as we don't yet know what space we have for chairs and tables yet.

After this weeks tutorial and being told our furniture designs were going to be too costly to make, myself and Jenny felt a little bit lost as to what we could contribute towards the group project, so we discussed ways that we could still design something for the space. We reached a decision that we could take inspiration from Bolon (a flooring company) and create our own flooring design using geometric shapes. We felt that if the design was to be across the whole of the reception area, it would be too much and would not be appropriate for the client. As a result, we will design a strip of carpet tiles that will go underneath the seating area, with plain chairs on top. This way, there can be some design input, but not so that it overpowers the space.

Individual Project

With regards to individual projects, me and Jenny possess different skills that we felt would allow us to create a stronger body of work if we worked collaboratively with each other. We have discussed the possibility of laser-cutting into a table top, as I have had an induction last year, rather than suggesting pre-made tables for Bruntwood. I feel that with Jenny's skills in print, she could possibly design a screen to print onto the wood first, then I can design the laser to combine our skills and techniques. I will work on designs for the laser and sourcing appropriate materials over the Easter break so that we can get straight on with sampling and experimenting when we return, so we are managing our time effectively

Research 1 - Unit X Launch - Property Client

For the launch of this project, the group visited City Tower to see Lee Treanor (Head of Development) and Sally Hill (Head of Branding) for the client - Bruntwood. Bruntwood was established in 1976 and is a family-run company that purchases buildings that are a bit run down, and they convert them into office spaces to rent to businesses that require them. They own 25% of all office space within Manchester City Centre and currently have 35 live projects worth around £15million in total across Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds and Birmingham.

We were shown round a couple of their properties - 57 Spring Gardens (the focus of the project) and Manchester One - the latter which they have newly renovated. Bruntwood want us to re-design the reception area and lift lobbies of 57 Spring Gardens (current images below) along with a proposal for the exterior of the building to make it more noticeable from street level.

One of the main problems we need to consider when creating a proposal for the exterior of the building is the head clearance from the tramlines which run directly outside the doorway. For example, we could not propose a canopy that would come close to the tramway, or overhanging the public walkway. The group suggested possibly removing the stone corner of the building and replacing it with glass panels to add light to the interior of the building and to modernise the exterior.

Upon entering the building, we were greeted by 8 pink steps leading up to a reception desk. There is also a partitioning wall with disabled access on the other side. We discussed the possibility of removing the partition as it was not necessary within the space, and makes the space appear more compact. We need to consider how we could incorporate disabled access as well as opening up the space to appear larger than it actually is. One thing that was discussed was to create a ramp, which all people entering the building would use, however, one member of the group mentioned the need to consider regulations when proposing this - standing 1m at its tallest, the ramp would need to be 3m long so it isn't too steep. This could restrict the doorway as a result, so we would need to find a way around this. We also discussed a staircase that has a hidden disabled platform within it, as to not segregate people who are disabled - access incorporated into mainstream design.

Lee mentioned that the company would like to keep the stone walls, but not the black granite which the customer information board is mounted on. The group discussed the possibility of adding brushed copper piping as a feature on the stone, to add a new and interesting texture to the surface. We think we will keep the colours fairly neutral initially, and focus more on the materials for the finishes.

The next issue we faced was that the reception desk backs onto the stairs leading to the first floor which adds to the room feeling a little cramped. The reception desk would need to be relocated, preferably nearer to the entrance. The group discussed installing a corner desk next to the entrance window, so the receptionist is the first point of contact when entering the building. However, if we were to go ahead with the ramp idea, this could also affect the location of the desk.

The lift lobbies are a little outdated - they have white cladding on the walls and suspended lighting built into wood, which makes the room appear slightly claustrophobic. We need to think of a different way to create a contemporary atmosphere and modify the lighting to extend the head room in the building and conserve as much space as possible. 

The group has a good combination of skills - with myself and Jenny on the Textiles course which could concentrate on the colour scheme and artwork, Steph and Alice mentioned they were good with CAD and Photoshop to work with floor plans, and Ellie, Emily, Michael and Holly are good with manipulating the space in order to get the best from it. I feel this is an advantage for the group because it splits the workload up and allows different people to concentrate on what their strengths are.