Proposal for a Design Lab
Graphic Design is a very young academic discipline. The industry gained popular recognition in the 1940s and achieved rapid growth in the 1950s - after the war when companies accepted the value design could add to their products and marketing. Design education didn't fit into existing disciplines. At the time, it was closest to study in art, so Commercial Art was added to Art Departments, with classes often being taught by painters, renderers, or printmakers. As design evolved it became clear it was separate and distinct from art - it was a communications medium. Most art classrooms were not equipped to adequately address teaching design. I doodled some notes and sketches on the development of a Design Lab - a place dedicated to design education.
Concept
A self-contained facility for students to study and practice skills and knowledge in design; to include a drafting room, a lecture room with projection capabilities, a seminar room, small gallery space, storage, restrooms, and an office.
Objective
Create an optimum environment for learning, research, experiments, production, and presentation.
Criteria
1. Flexible space, multi-use: no interior columns (like Mies IIT)
2. Adapt to different sized classes.
3. Accommodate changing technology, equipment' materials.
4. Exposed ceiling trusses for flexible cables, lighting, vents
5. Live floor with outlets
6. Wireless capability
Fixed spaces
Office
Seminar
Restrooms
Storage
Workroom, copier, sink, break room
Modules, on grid system
Production
Desks, flat top
Desks, drafting top
Worktables
Study carrels
Presentation
Projector pedestal
Large-screen monitors
Display panels
Bulletin board
Whiteboard
Storage
Storage lockers
File cabinets
Flat files
Bookshelves
Shelves, deep, project storage
Shelves, magazines
Operations
Coat rack
Planters
Partitions
Lounge chairs
End tables
Sketches
The sketches below show a variety of options for the space and for student workstations. I often sketched on church bulletins. The usher gave me free drawing paper (the bulletin) and the preacher gave me time and inspiration.
Date
Concept, design and sketches: January 1985
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