-thesis-summer 2008

The design of my thesis is in full swing! I chose the site of my design to be in the new urbanist community of Ivy Hall, located in Chicago, Illinois. Ivy Hall is located adjacent to the University of Illinois, and consists of 152 condominiums, 31 town-homes, 36 single-family homes, commercial/retail/restaurant facilities, and part of the student housing for the university. The location and design of Ivy Hall has an efficient impact within and outside of the community, as transportation is cut down, and community gathering is emphasized. For my thesis, I am focusing on the student housing buildings, which are located in Ivy Hall, but are owned by the university. The buildings are located on the historic Halsted Street, home to the start of the Blues Brothers! When Ivy Hall was designed and constructed, many challenges were taken to preserve the structures and materials that the local community had grown to love throughout the years. The facades of each building were restored to resemble the originals, and the unused bricks of each facade were laid among the streets of the community. Currently, each student building consist of four levels, with retail on the first level and student apartments on the second, third, and fourth levels. I am converting the third and fourth levels of the building into a series of live/work lofts that will facilitate entrepreneurs who have businesses that directly relate to the specific majors offered at University of Illinois. Therefore, each loft owner must offer a mentoring program to accommodate specific field-related students at UIC.

My thesis will focus on the following studies:

Conceptual Elements: stemming from a core

Mobility [macro to micro] in the following parts:

New Urbanism/Mixed-Use Design
Qualities and Successes of live/work lofts
Learning Theory [learning from mentors and education]

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Visual Narrative

I am new to Chicago, and even newer to the business world. I recently graduated with my bachelor’s degree in design, and my masters in architecture. I am a 25 year old female, with no ties. I have always loved the city, and decided to open a firm. With months of searching and extremely hard work, I found the perfect live/work loft in the Ivy Hall Community, located directly across from the University of Illinois at Chicago. I will be the first occupant and owner of the entire building. Five years ago, this was my dream. Now it is a reality.

I fell in love with my new “home”, and I can run my business directly under my loft. From the front of the building, you can tell there are two stories, but would never know that it is all occupied by the same person. This is the diversity and character that drew me to this building.

Upon entering into my firm on the first floor, the space is completely open. Ceiling heights, windows, partitions, and flooring all contribute to the first impression that is created automatically. There are multiple niches that were seemingly made for me. Many of the structural systems and materials are exposed, leaving a feeling of connection to the space. A variety of heights are seen on the partitions, ceiling, and built-in units, providing quaintness and diversity in the function of the space. Although it is compact, these small details create an open environment. The way in which it has been designed allows me to customize it however I like. I believe I will use the partitions to provide privacy when meeting with clients. I could also use one of them for a workspace, or even a display area. I have windows on three sides of the building, as one side is directly next to another live/work loft that I will, hopefully, be occupied soon. The windows are in all the right places, allowing natural light to flow through the space perfectly. Some are floor to ceiling, others are four feet from the ground, and many are either skinny or wide. This is the variety that I love. As of now, the walls are white. They will change later. After all, I am a designer! The ceiling and floor have varying patterns that also define the spaces of my work environment. I find this incredibly helpful in defining areas.

The stairwell to my loft is concealed by a series of thin columns, which provides privacy and aesthetic appeal. There is also a secured lock with a fingerprint entry. I absolutely love my quant loft. The first thing I notice is how open the space appears, although it is very compact. Floor to ceiling windows surround me, creating beautiful views of the Chicago skyline.

The more open spaces are placed around a central core that houses my bathroom. This is the only space without windows, and that is fully enclosed. The stairwell is placed near skylights, as there are no windows on the walls.

There are several built-in units, allowing for amply storage. Where there is a piece of furniture, there is storage above or underneath. There is a strong resemblance between the first and second floor features, but the differences come in with the functionality of each space. Shelves are built in above some of the open doorways, and on many of the walls that are lining the doorways or certain areas in the walls. This means that they do not take away from open area or floor space. The manner in which the built-in units are manifested helps me maintain organization throughout. My favorite built-in is the window seat that is seen from the entrance onto the second floor. I have always dreamed of having a window seat, and this one has a direct view of Chicago. This is my favorite place to relax. Of course, there is storage underneath the seat, and surrounding me on all sides. It may sound like too much, but it was designed to be subtle and non invasive.

My kitchen is tiny. It is all a 25 year old single needs though. It has all of the modern essentials, with ample storage. It leads to either an open living space, or a small dining area. When I say small and open, it depends on what each space is used for. They do not have to be set living or dining spaces. I could have used them otherwise.
The two spaces that have to be set in stone are the bathroom and kitchen, in which the plumbing, water, and electrical units are in place. The largest space will be used to entertain guests. I love having dinner parties, so I left this space for that.

My bedroom is off of the central core as well, and is on the opposite side of the entertaining area. Eventually, I may move the entertaining area downstairs into a versatile space, but I have to get organized first.

I would like for each space to be a different color, as it will define it as it’s own, and give a personal character to it. Although the spaces are small, the perfect color choices will give a subtle, yet detailed boundary to the environment. One would not think that a space as small as this has so much detail. Oh, but it does! There are many intricate details that are seen in the texture, ceiling, floor, and walls. Texture is found in the door and shelf handles. It is subtle, but it is there. You have to appreciate detail in order to appreciate it.

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