Not sure how that phrase was started, but the end is near for this semester. It has flown by! I have learned so much and have been challenged in a very wonderful way. Taking on Loray Mills
is quite a challenge in some ways, but we are getting better at handling the expectations and deadlines. Not always easy for sure, but we are getting through it. You always want more time or just another tweak or two…but I am learning to prioritize project deadlines and get it done. I pretend it is a bonafide client with a level of excitement about what I have to share with them and that motivates me to get moving! Looking forward to our group crits and our presentations next Tuesday…I cannot wait! Now to get it all together!!
Coming down to the wire!
Carto DB is pretty cool.
So, I remembered to look into Carto DB for mapping Loray Mill Houses into a visual database and I am a fan! This program must be the same one that are used to make the beautiful maps of cities around the world with colorful graphics. Here is my upload to Carto DB with the excel file that Cat posted for us. It was a little intimidating at first, but now I know how EASY it can be to use this program. Awesome!
https://alpuppo.cartodb.com/viz/d8bbf220-ee10-11e4-8eaf-0e8dde98a187/map
OpenStreetMap contributors © CartoDB CartoDB attribution
Tight Lines Design, Raleigh
David Mauer’s design firm Tight Lines Design is very inspiring. Listening to him describe the transformation in the Cooke Street neighborhood and the positive energy that is creating real
community in the area was inspirational. If it can happen there it can happen anywhere, right? The ingredients for the transformation included a shared greenway, front porches, differing designs and finishes and a back yard space that is open instead of sectioned off and fenced. The “eyes on the street” model helps keep suspicious activity to a minimus and the neighbors are
looking out for one another instead of looking the other way. They are invested in keeping the neighborhood safe, and continually weaving the connections to a stronger community.
Thank You David! http://cookestreetcarnival.com/
http://tightlinesdesigns.com/community/cooke-street
Loray Mills Plan Review with David Mauer and Tom Berry
Lucky Us! David Mauer of Tight Lines Design and Tom Berry from the School of Design at NC State joined us to share their insights on the foundations of our plans for the Loray Mill Village Houses. We broke into groups by house type and each presented our ideas, narratives, materials and challenges. Their responses were measured and thoughtful. I was losing sight of the purpose of moving into a smaller home and had extended the walls to provide more space. The beauty of designing within the perimeter of the original footprint of the house made it seem more honest in how I would approach the creation of spaces for my clients. These are not luxurious, sprawling McMansions but a strong little village that housed strong folks a long time ago. I feel a need to keep that purity in some way. Colors in cream, gray and light tans along with worn metal finishes and cozy elements like a strong leather chair seems right to me. Not too much.
I really hope that our guests can return for our final presentation. I appreciate the time they took to share their thoughts and will think about what they shared to see how my design changes will be incorporated into the final design.
DesktopAndy Rose Kitchen missionvt
DesktopAndy Rose Kitchen missionvt
Parklet Presentations
Final Presentations for our parklet designs were presented this morning to representatives from Scuppernong Books, Triad Stage, Downtown Greensboro Incorporated, the City of Greensboro and UNCG Public Relations. A few professors also stopped by to listen to our presentations. Overall, I feel like we did a very nice job with our projects and were ready to show our designs after the very long winter storm break. I always feel like there are a few more iterations needed. Feedback from our guests was very positive and they asked a lot of great questions about how construction may occur with the materials we used. Presentation skills for me are an area where I need a lot more practice. I have the speaking center phone number on my desk and it is time to go see them! I want to be a strong presenter and not get so bothered by the presentations that my work is not presented fully. Others in my area feel the same way. We also decided that two weeks prior to the next presentation we would meet to practice our presentations and see what we might improve. I really feel like I learned a lot doing this project in a real world sense. I have a lot to learn! I think everyone loved this project. On to Gastonia! Sorry you weren’t here Jo! 
Process + Models
As I skid into third base with ideas dropping and crystallizing it seems to me that I love the design process. It is frustrating, exciting and in the end gratifying. My design may not be chosen as the one that will be built but liking what I made is important to me. The final stages are pretty full at the moment. I have been modeling, sketching and figuring out what is needed, what is fluff, what is junk and remembering the user experience. Many users, many experiences. I have to have an approachable, adaptable space to make this a viable design. Sustainable, modular, interesting and oh yes, it has to look great! So…here are the sketches and process models I have been working on with another flurry of activity this weekend. The finishes may need to be tweaked a bit and the model will need a few iterations but I like where I am heading. A family experience for a young professional couple with two children, ages 5 and 7. Their experience in the parklet and at Scuppernong Books will hopefully make them want to return soon.
Desk Critiques
Our desk critiques have been especially helpful to my process. Seeing my design through the reactions and questions is allowing me to tweak forms and making my design more cohesive. The restraints of the project have forced me to define only the necessary areas and objects. Some are only implied, but through the design. Incorporating my design narrative and reformulating it to fit with my true end user is valuable for my presentation. Cat French is a great teaching assistant. She validated some of my process that I thought was a flaw, but it is just part of the design process for her as well. I feel that my model and presentation will convey my vision for the Scuppernong Books Parklet. Hope they like it!
Process / Idea Updates for Studio
Sketches…tons of sketches. For me it is just faster to draw out my ideas and the Revit model takes time to do what a pen can do in a flash. Revit is awesome, but I need my ideas more solid before I model or I lose a lot of details. I have been to the moon and back in the range of direction for the design, which is typical for me. I really enjoyed making a very fun and interactive space with a whole nautical adventure theme but it was geared heavily toward children. I suppose since I taught my children to read while we were homeschooling I love to see that fire lit in kids that enjoy books.
You can go anywhere in a book. My concept of the Nautilus and Fibonacci Golden Spiral inspired my design being very organic in form with one piece flowing into the other. Community minded in the sense that the parklet space would be used by a wide range of ages and for multiple purposes, I designed with that adaptability in mind. The pieces are modular but can be bolted down under a kickplate to hide the attachment area so a tripping hazard would be avoided. The flooring would be constructed of Bison Screwjack pedestals and the Wooden Tiles. These can be used again in another parklet and are completely adjustable. 
Branding in Studio
Learning to brand myself is interesting. I am creating self marketing materials for Pro-Practice and can see that with our projects this semester it is definitely time to think of myself as junior designer and show up prepared as such. I am very excited about the parklet project! I am learning so much from studio.
First Design Critique for Parklets
Great morning of practice presenting our ideas…need to work on that and practice my key points as I refine my design. My concept is the Nautilus shell and the Golden Sprial aka Fibonacci Number aka the Golden Ratio. I presented my first sketches and created some views for the presentation but they need much more refinement. I enjoy what Revit can do and I am capable of using it but at times my ideas are not
getting to the place in Revit where I feel it is representing my idea fully. Easier to draw. I need to learn how to model components in Revit very fluidly. Practice makes perfect I suppose.
Steve from Scuppernong Books came and listened to our pitches for the parklet and offered valid concerns regarding acrylic use, plants and other uses of the space. I thought he really enjoyed what we had created for him. I want to push my design further and offer a few versions and get them into Revit, with perspectives, elevations and cross sections. Gathering material samples will be helpful. Construction documents will help this come together. Work harder, work smarter! I chatted with Stoel today about some ideas I have to further my design and support my vision. I feel very good about where I am headed.
I saw some awesome projects today!
Allie Puppo 