Our assignment was to redesign and make over the art office. Before the renovation, the space was dim, cluttered, and full of furniture that made the room feel smaller.
The first step of the process was to consider the different uses and needs the office would have to serve, and then create a floor plan accordingly. We conducted interviews with the art teachers to find out what needs they had for the office space. From these interviews, we decided that the room would have to be separated into purpose-specific zones: a work zone for students, a large desk for Mr. Ratkevich, a conference zone, a kitchen area, and plenty of storage space. Using these requirements, I designed this floor plan:
After we completed our floor plans, Mrs. Chang came to help us pick a color palette and and give advice about the design. We finally agreed on these colors:
The bright and soothing colors promote productivity and calm, and also help reflect some of the light in the room, since it has no natural light source. We planned out what color we would paint each wall, and had paint generously donated by Benjamin Moore. Then, we started to paint!
I helped paint the large wall leading out towards the math hallway, and all three doors. Of course, prior to painting the walls had to be bare, prepped, and washed. I helped remove the bulletin boards from the wall, wiped down the heater, and scraped off imperfections from the math hall wall.
This is what the office looked like after we finished painting. We are still waiting for some donated furniture, but aside from this the art office is pretty much complete.
This project taught me a lot about designing a space for others. Specifically, I learned about how "zoning" can be used to create order and make the most of every part of a room, because it gives every activity its own space. I also learned a lot about how certain colors influence people. For example, blues are calming, but extremely bright colors on a small space can make people restless. In addition, I learned that when painting a room, you must also consider the exterior of the room, to make sure that the paint doesn't clash with the colors directly outside the room. When we picked our color palette, we had to choose colors that would not clash with the red lockers in the hallway. Lastly, I learned how to make a space that is attractive yet still comfortable, by arranging furniture such as tables and different zones in ways that promote good flow, such as putting the conference table in the center of the room for easy access to the kitchen area for when it is used to eating, yet separate from Mr. Ratkevich's desk to allow him to work in peace. I think that the art office has improved substantially, and I am proud of the results.
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