Museum Visit Sketches

Fall Break- Charleston

I love visiting Charleston, SC and seeing the historic homes on the Battery. I love the old southern homes from the 1700's with the wrought iron and wood details. These homes strongly influence my design style today. I'm still a southern girl at heart.

This visit I was able to do some house tours which I have never done. I especially enjoyed a tour of the Calhoun Mansion which I do not have any pictures of, because they do not allow photography within the home as it is still a private residence. The Calhoun Mansion is ecclectically decorated almost like a museum, with decor from all around the world including some pretty creepy taxidermy on the 3rd floor.

My Bus/Shelter Design

I chose to experiment with a unique form, taking inspiration from a spider web reflecting the bus routes. This form allows bus users to utilize the bus stop in a different way. Rather than sitting on a straight bench, one can sit on any side of it and can still see the road because of the open design. The glass ceiling provides shelter as well as the opportunity to view the surrounding natural area located on Tate Street in Greensboro.

Alexander Fisher- The Peacock Sconce

The Peacock Sconce was made around 1899 by Alexander Fisher. A sconce is used as a holder of a light source on a wall. He designed the sconce for the sole purpose to be exhibited and not used within a home. However, if the sconce were to be used within a living space, the space would be designed in the style of the arts and crafts movement. There is also a strong influence of art nouveau, because of the peacock motif relating back to nature. The use of metals and the enameled decorative peacock feathers give off the impression that this would be a higher class home. The windows are therefore taller with long sweeping curtains, ideally velvet. The fireplace is more grand with a frame surrounding it along with a larger mantle. The furniture pieces included in the space are from the art nouveau movement with very organic details such as the swirling woodwork in the couch on the back wall. Furthermore, the decorative pieces added to the space reflect the natural theme of the peacock as well. There is a vase in the far corner of dried flowers and the rug in the center of the floor has an art nouveau influenced swirl. The same swirl motif is shown in the oversized mirror as well as the metal fire screen. Alexander Fisher’s use of metal is also reflected in several other areas of the room including the mirror on the opposite wall of the room and the fire screen just below the sconce. The Peacock Sconce represents a harmony between embracing nature with the art nouveau and arts and craft movement, and the industrial revolution with his use of steel and other metals.

WAS Benson fire screen

The fire screen was designed by William Arthur Smith Benson in 1891 in England. He was considered a master of metalwork, the fire screen being made of a combination of bronze and copper creating leaf like parts that fanned to cover the fireplace. Unlike many other designers during the arts and crafts movement, Benson wanted his designs to be used for mass production and really embraced the industrial movement.
This approach to design is a stark contrast to the John H. Belter sofa which is a very intricately crafted piece of furniture. He creates overly embellished woodwork, that is a Rococo Revival and a very high style look. This sofa is in no way appropriate for mass production. Belter's approach to design is one of a kind pieces. He is especially known for his work with carving rosewood, which is a very organic material, as opposed to the bronze and copper pieces that Benson is known for. Benson's work is much more streamlined and focused on form, rather than the embellishments of Belter's woodworking.
However WAS Benson worked similarly to Isaac Merritt Singer who created the Singer sewing machine. Singer was quick to embrace the industrial world as well by creating a sewing machine for commercial use. His design was much more practical than those that had already been invented. He made several improvements such as switching from a curved needle to a straight one. Once he started his own company he began to target sewing machines for people’s homes. Benson's fire screen is much like this in that he was able to bring a part of industry into peoples homes, just as Isaac Singer did with his home sewing machine.

Communications for Shelter/Bus or Bus/Shelter

For our you tube video to promote the IARC department and the bus shelter that we will create, we thought we could get the most hits if we gave it a shocking title.
A fake campaign on campus, such as vote for Stoel, would create a interest in the department and we would pass out fake campaign buttons to promote IARc and our work even further.

***Our other designs for communications are on Kurt, Katie, and Kevin's blogs.

Codes Charrette

Crazy Eights' - Codes Charrette

The Crazy Eights’


After researching, decoding, and sorting through the myriad of codes, ergonomic issues, and proxemic issues we were better able to asses our models from both the bus shelter and shelter bus charrette's. It became apparent that our original designs, while creative and inventive, were lacking in several major fundamental areas. As a group we all have varying experience with codes, ergonomic and proxemic considerations, but generally these aspects of design are new, and untaught subjects we are eager to study further. We are all in agreement that the regulations published by ADA (Americans With Disabilities Act) and various other sources, are absolutely pertinent to the design process; without these considerations impairment of fine innovative ideas is inevitable. We feel its highly important for designers, architects and even decorators to an extent, to educate themselves about necessary requirements, codes and human interactions within spaces in order to optimize the users overall experience. While ingenuity is at a premium in our industry it is also essential that we understand the how, and why aspects of codes, ergonomics and proxemic particularly as we continue to progress forward with sustainable design, which has its own intricate guide of requirements and regulations. The future of design will never be evident however, it is unmistakable that our responsibility is to our fellow citizens to create, and provide the most comprehensive, and universally acceptable designs possible. The four of us agree that our future as designers will be vastly influenced by the current design standards, and potentially new standards we set forth. The principles we learn now are going to make us all more proficient and competent designers, attributes that we should all be proud of.

Drawings of 3rd Charette Shelter|Bus

Ridin' The Bus

I chose to read the Civility and Civil Rights text after I rode the bus through Greensboro. The reading did not really affect my perception of the bus ride, although I enjoyed both. The bus ride was better than I thought it would be. I was able to ride the bus on Thursday, which gave me an opportunity to benefit from other classmates advice, such as to have your student ID ready or the bus driver will yell at you. While on the bus we sat across from one lady who had a particular interest in sharing a complaint she had about the public transportation system with the bus driver. I loved seeing the passion that she had about the matter, just like the four college boys that started the Woolworth sit-ins. She spoke of going to a council meeting to voice her opinion as well, and the bus driver was extremely supportive of her efforts, saying that it was important for the public to voice their opinions about it.
The reading for me was just as inspiring. Although I had heard the story of the Greensboro sit-ins, I had not heard it since I’ve lived in Greensboro. For me, this gave me a completely new perspective of the story. Knowing where the Woolworth building is in downtown Greensboro really helped me relate to the situation. It scares me that this happened only 48 years ago. The story of the boys staying seated despite harassment from the store as well as spectators, and choosing to stand up for what they believe is the right thing; that is something that I would love to be able to do myself and I respect them for having that courage. After that first day, the boys continued to come back to the store each day, bringing with them more followers than that previous day. They were able to get the ball rolling by catching the attention of nearby towns, and eventually there were sit-ins happening all across North Carolina.
I also enjoyed the story about Josephine Boyd, as that also occurred in Greensboro. She, like the boys at Woolworth, took it upon herself to make a change in the world. Josephine believed that she had the right to go the white high school for her senior year as opposed to the black high school that was much farther from her house. She attended the white high school all year long despite the harassment she was inflicted with by her fellow classmates. She did however receive support from a few students and teachers, and found it in herself to finish the year and graduate in the top ten percent of her class.
This experience was rewarding for me. I found a lot to be inspired by as far as who I can be as a person. I see a lot of things in the world that I think need to be changed, especially now more than I ever have before. These stories and the woman I met on the bus show me that one person can make a difference.

***photos are not uploading on blogger

Postcard to Jenny Paige

Dear Jenny Paige,
I was surprised and inspired to discover the extent to which you and your team have worked to incorporate sustainability and green design into the UNC-G campus. It is extremely important to me that we as people today are more aware of what we are doing to preserve our environment. Last year when I was a freshman, our dorm was very focused on living a green life. The idea to make it a competition on who could recycle the most bottles was brilliant because it just makes people want to recycle even more. Having the blue recycling bags in our rooms really encouraged me, and others I'm sure, to recycle rather than to throw it in with our trash. Another one of your teams ideas to better the campus is the use of trays in the cafeteria. Doing away with the trays is a great way to reduce our use of water when it comes to cleaning them as well as keeping students from wasting as much food, because they can only take what can fit on their plate. Thank you so much for making UNC-G a better place for the environment.

The Three R's and The Civil Rights Movement

I chose to read the Civility and Civil Rights text after I rode the bus through Greensboro. The reading did not really affect my perception of the bus ride, although I enjoyed both. The bus ride was better than I thought it would be. I was able to ride the bus on Thursday, which gave me an opportunity to benefit from other classmates advice, such as to have your student ID ready or the bus driver will yell at you. While on the bus we sat across from one lady who had a particular interest in sharing a complaint she had about the public transportation system with the bus driver. I loved seeing the passion that she had about the matter, just like the four college boys that started the Woolworth sit-ins. She spoke of going to a council meeting to voice her opinion as well, and the bus driver was extremely supportive of her efforts, saying that it was important for the public to voice their opinions about it.
The reading for me was just as inspiring. Although I had heard the story of the Greensboro sit-ins, I had not heard it since I’ve lived in Greensboro. For me, this gave me a completely new perspective of the story. Knowing where the Woolworth building is in downtown Greensboro really helped me relate to the situation. It scares me that this happened only 48 years ago. The story of the boys staying seated despite harassment from the store as well as spectators, and choosing to stand up for what they believe is the right thing; that is something that I would love to be able to do myself and I respect them for having that courage. After that first day, the boys continued to come back to the Proxy-Connection: keep-alive
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1st Week Journal Entry

Last week was a huge struggle for me. I expected myself to dislike the group work, but I did not expect it to be as difficult as it was. When we do individual work, it is much easier for me because I don't have to pass any of my ideas by anyone else, I'm able to make faster decisions, and I don't have to rely on anyone else other than myself to do the work. It was frustrating to be working in a group and not being able to all agree on one idea. Even though I don't enjoy group work, I do understand why it is necessary and will continue to work on my team-working skills.

Trip to Bed Linens at Belk

...as told in the form of a children's story...