Natalie Cheng.Sarah Burgess.Keta Rina.Rose Chung.

Creating a Homely Environment for Students.

Contents01

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Introduction

Primary Research 1

Primary Research 2

Concept

Statement

Secondary Research

Development

Final Proposal

Personal Reflections

01 IntroductionIt has already been a year since Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI)’s commence-ment. With gratitude to the French ar-chitects Coldefy & Associés, Architectes Urbanistes for designing our unique and school building, staff and students of HKDI lived with the campus a whole year as how it was designed. In another words, there were no extra add-on facilities around the school in the past year. In 2012, we students find the need to improve the campus for more convenience and effectiveness in the process of learning design.

A design school is not complete without an artistic ambience. Posters, paintings and portraits are missing to lighten up and warm up the campus. Moreover, there should be adequate facilities to promote creative thinking. There are definitely ample of emp-ty spaces around HKDI campus which can be further furnished, for example, the 2/f po-dium, the rooftop garden, the 24 hour zone, the area on 8/f etc. Apart from a suitable atmosphere, interactions among students from various disciplines should be encour-aged as well. It is through communications with people of different mindsets that we have a clash of inspirations. What’s more, at the end of the day, what is most treasurable are friendships made during your school days.

To enhance our learning experience as de-sign students, our group proposes to make the school a homely one. To be able to think freely requires permission of the envi-ronment and atmosphere. You feel com-fortable when at home because you can do anything you desire without any restric-tions. More freedom should be given to our students to promote creativity. To achieve this, facilities should be compatible with our objectives. School areas with resemblances to kitchens, living rooms, back gardens are possible. A home-like environment does notonly refer to the physical places but spiritual connections as well. More assisting facili-ties and schemes may help design students interact with each other. A home-like learn-ing environment is essential for our school to flourish since it is where we stay in for most of the time.

In our proposal, we would present our ob-jectives, researches and findings, sketches as well as our final proposal. We sincerely hope that our ideas would be taken into considerations after your viewing of our report.

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02 Primary Research 1

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- to find out the sources of inspiration of design students- to understand the creative thinking patterns of design students- to understand what is yet to be improved in our campus- to find out the sensual preferences of design students

Target: Design Students

This is done by posting questionnaire ques-tions onto www.surveymonkey.com . Responses are collected online.

Descriptions:

Objectives of this research:

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To design students, creativity means sharing ideas and inspiring each other. Over half (69.9%) of respondents claim that a crea-tive space is where you inspire each other with ideas. Freedom of expression is also very important. (60.9%) of respondents think a creative space is where you can draw or paint anywhere.

Brief Analysis: Question 1

Comparatively speaking, spiritual values such as freedom of thoughts and actions are what considered more valuable than being provided with a physical space to use, be it for project discussion (26.1%) or showcasing area (23.9%).

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Design students are easily inspired with the environment and the surroundings. There are 73.9% responses claim that observations in daily life are what usually inspire them.

Brief Analysis: Question 2

Moreover, 56.5% of responses show that design students usually get inspirations from graphic-related magazine. This shows the importance of visual stimulants.

Brief Analysis: Question 4

Laid-back and relaxed atmosphere is prob-ably the best for creative thinking. If there were to be a background music for think-ing areas, the majority (45.7%) would prefer Jazz. Classical music is also high in votes with 43.5% responses supporting.

Soothing environment is favourable for creative thinking. A more quiet environment is usually preferred. Pop songs and country songs were rated the lowest to be in a cre-ative thinking zone. No background music is also welcomed with 32.6% responses.

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Brief Analysis: Question 8

Novel ideas come to design students’ minds when they are relaxed. Daydreaming is when they usually get new inspirations. There are 75.5% votes. Listening to music is also a kind of stress-relieving activity which invokes inspirations.

There are 65.9% votes. A comfortable and low-stress environment is where inspirations usually come from, for design students.

Brief Analysis: Question 9

The results show that design students like to stay at school. 75.6% votes for a 24-hour ac-cess to LRC

*Charts by surveymonkey.com

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- to have a clearer idea of what individuals need in studying design

03 Primary Research 2Interview with HKDI students

This is done by randomly asking school-mates questions in Zone 24 during lunch-time. We tried to find schoolmates from different discipline.

What we have discussed was voice re-corded and below is the notes taken.

Descriptions:

Objectives of this research:

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CDM - VC

Improvements:

- more computers

- graffiti wall problem: no time to paint

- want to have a Printer Room

- stationery shop

- creative place: should be quiet, can eat inside

- locker use: some doesn’t use lockers yet they have one

- lift: always have to wait

- small canteen

- can have a self-serve coffee shop

- LRC: can let students suggest what books they want to add in LRC, can add message box

Jewellery

Improvements:

- facilities not enough

- slow lifts

- Add more sofas(existing ones not enough) - some little rooms

- Roof garden: don’t go there always be cause windy

- 2/f outdoor no chairs and tables. Better to have more

- LRC not enough information: sound design, music

- Want to have a room to hear music. Just for music. Sound System Room

- Creative space: have sound system. CD library. Not enough CDs. Should be more genres of music

- LRC only got one exit. Not convenient when go to washroom

- Welcome the idea of graffiti walls

- Add more sofas

- Zone 24 should have hot water provided.

- Have cup noodles but no hot water

CDM Music

Improvements:

- Roof garden: should plant more flowersWet weather

- Increase choices of $14 lunches in Canteen

- Exhibition in B: can be more large scale. Too small now. Duration too long

- Can have more music areas. Perform in more places in HKDI

- Weather > too wet > wet locker

- Too much space

- Materials > have to have 6 signatures to get a small piece of foam board

- Want to have more space to work > open classroom > need a quiet place > time: not only at night

PID

Improvements:

- Better firewalls in computers (USBs always infected with virus)

Overall Analysis for the Primary Researchs

Design students may have already treated their school as their home sub-consciously. During interviews, different interviewees mention about adding more sofas in school coincidentally. According to the survey, there are half of the respondents who would think more sofas are needed in school. Furthermore, design students are willing to and in fact have to, stay in school most of their time. According to chart 9, 75.6% responses claim they would want a 24-hour opening LRC.

Based on the primary researches done, it is shown that the creative thinking patterns of design students are inclined to be of a free style one. In addition, they like to think undis-turbed. Freedom and expression are a de-sire as reflected in chart 1. 60.9% responses claim they would want to draw and paint anywhere at school. Moreover, from chart 2, 41.3% responses agree that personal con-versations are what usually inspire them.

The time when design students are most inspired is when they are under a state of relaxation and relief. According to chart 8, respondents feel most inspired when day-dreaming and listening to music, the vot-ing rates are 75.6% and 65.9% respectively. This can also be reflected in their choice of background music for work. From chart 4, 45.7% responses, which take up the majority, opt for jazz and 43.5% responses prefer clas-sical music.

Pop music and country songs are having a relatively low voting rate (23.9% and 17.4%) and this shows that lyric music is not desira-ble under a thinking mode. 32.6% responses even say they would like it without back-ground music. Individual and private think-ing space and time is needed.

ConceptBased on the analysis of surveys and in-terviews done, our group proposes to en-hance learning experience by creating a home-like environment in school.

- to allow students to think freely

- to promote quality communication among students from different disciplines

- to provide students with place to think and reflect individually and independently

- to provide convenience for students in acquiring artistic materials

- to create an artistic ambience

In a comfortable learning experience, the school can efficiently promote freedom of thoughts and encourage quality inter-per-sonal relationships between students from different disciplines.

Objectives

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A good learning experience comes from freedom of thoughts and genuine inter-personal-relationships. What is better than having a homely environment?

Statement{ }

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Why we choose a home-style Theme? First of all, it is to match the typical creative thinking style or pattern of design students. As mentioned in the overall research analy-sis, design students like to think indepen-dently and with a relaxed mood. Our group would want the school to be home-like so that students can feel comfortable in a learning environment.

There are two directions when defining what comfortable is. On the physical level, it would mean that you can stretch however you like and to be in a calm atmosphere. A non-sophisticated stylish design would be refreshing. On the psychological level, being comfortable means to be free from stress and that there is no restrictions in thinking,

Home is unanimously a place of comfort. A comfortable environment is helpful for learning and doing design because it can make you more concentrated in a calm and quiet state. It also promotes freedom of thought when you are under a state of trust and relax. A comfortable environment also helps in inter-personal interactions. It would allow people to be their true selves all the time. People would feel more comfortable talking to others. Relationships in school would also be more genuine.

Another reason to adopt a home-style theme is that the school is actually where design students stay most of the time. It would be nice to make it homely so that everyone in school would have a sense of belongingness and not feel so lonely.

Objectives:

- to find a professional model to base on so that our design would be more home-like

Findings:

Family Environment Scale By Bernice S. Moos & Rudolf H. Moos

06 Secondary Research

An Ideal Family

Scales Include:

Family Relationship Index:

Cohesion, Expressiveness, Conflict

Personal Growth:

Independence, Achievement Orientation, Intellectual-Cultural, Orientation, Active-Recreational Orientation, Moral-Religious Emphasis

System Maintenance:

Organization, Control

DevelopmentProposal 1

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Wall of Inspiration

Other Proposals:

to have projection wallsto have an iPad gallery to have a film night regularly

To try discover a way for students to

Interact.

After ConsultationBelow are the comments gathered from ourtutor and classmates:

Comments gathered for 2/F podium design (Swings)

- not homely enough- the before and after image should be from the same viewing angle

Comments gathered forthe escalator.

- May not be practical > how often should the escalator be painted with something new?

- What should be the content to suit the duration of paint?

>>>> Solutions

- cancellation of idea

>>>> Solutions

- Add more facilities usually found in a homely environment

Comments gathered for 1/F student room (material room)

- can think of some other cupboard designs to put materials

Comments gathered for 2/F labyrinth

-better to show the walls in the rendering

>>>> Solutions

- use wooden cupboard

>>>>Solutions

- show the walls

08 Final Proposals

Projection Walls

Descriptions:

The projection walls is proposed to be along the walls on G/F. As for the contents, they could be for example, graphic images designed by students or they could be photos of outstanding work of students. In this way, students’ hard work would be appreciated and they would have more confidence for more future achievements.

Self-served Cafe

- left: top view- below: micro views of the cafe

The cafe resembles a kitchen in school. It is an alternate place from the crowded can-teen. Students can stay and have a tea. They can bring their own food and store them in the cupboards provided. They may also want to use the food vending machine. The self-served cafe is also an interaction hub for schoolmates. Apart from chit-chatting, school-mates from different disciplines may also combine minds here!

Stage and Stand

Descriptions:

This is where music students display their talents. This is not only a place beneficial to music students but also to student audi-ences. With a musical atmosphere, students can think more relaxingly and more creatie ideas would come out.

Music unites. With music in the air, students would have a greater sense of belong-ingness for the school. As for music stu-dents, performances would definitely be a chance for them to show their achieve-ments.

The Swings

Descriptions:

This is also for recreation and thinking. The movement of swings gives a laid-back at-mosphere, which helps relieving stress in a hectic design life.

iPad Gallery

Descriptions:Shown are different probable versions of how an iPad gallery would be like. This is where students store and down-load works into the iPads provided by the school. Students would walk along the gallery and share inspirations and works. There would be intellectu-al-cultural interac-tions which helps personal growth of individuals.

Left upper: micro view of the iPad gallery (version 1)

Descriptions:The area is designed with a monotone so that it gives a cyber feel and this allows stu-dents to stay focused on the glowing iPads.

Left lower: micro view of the iPad gallery (version 2)

Descriptions:There are lighted chairs in the iPad gallery. This gives a feeling that our school keeps up with techonology advancement and pre-pare students to be elites of the future.

Materials Room

Descriptions:This is where students exchange leftover/ extra materials. They can put down some materi-als or get away some useful ones during the opening hours. In this way, students can ob-tain materials conveniently and in a low-cost way.

Slanted Desks for Self-study

Descriptions:The desks are located near the materials room. The slanted desks are espe-cially good for design students because the slope provides a comfortable angle for user to view what is on the desk.

Art Jamming Room

Descriptions:Drawing stands are provided for students to draw at anytime they like during opening hours. This allows students to freely express themselves. It is also where they can sharpen their drawing skills.

Cheerful Decoration

Descriptions:By adding planta-tions along the edg-es, the monotone campus would be brightened up with warmer and natural colours. This would make the school a

Fountain

Descriptions:By adding a foun-tain with stairs, stu-dents can have an extra choice for a seat. It also makes the school more lively.

9/F Top View

09 Personal Reflections Sarah Burgess’s Personal Reflection: 61905S_1A

Once completing the project, there have been many realisations as to why certain as-pects didn’t go so smoothly. However, the main lesson I have learnt throughout working to this brief, Is the importance of communcation within a group.

It is difficult to work around schedules that don’t always adjust well to one another, and to make people realise how important it is to discuss work in person, not through the comput-er as you can not explain so easily. Communication within this group has not been good and because of this, our work has suffered. I hope that if there was a chance to work to an interdisplinary brief again, both teams would co-operate conjunctively from the very beginning.

Also, understanding the proposal is very important and with a language barrier it is dif-ficult in any project. I’ve learnt that in order to express an idea, you have to present with confidence and great understanding. When presenting one idea, I couldnt make it clear because of the insufficient practise presentation board I had produced, as it was conflict-ing with my spoken ideas. Before completing any presentation board, we should make the proposal clear to all group members so we can all have a great input, together.

Working with the interior design students has been fun, It has made me realise that in eve-ryone there is areas of strengths and weaknesses and between us we have had to figure out to which team member each strengths belongs to in order to complete a strong final outcome.

As I was responsible for the presentation board and final design of the report, I have come to find that with more time management and understanding of each others schedules we could of spread the work out more evenly, however, I have enjoyed learning about new directions and working to a proposal and working in new, exciting subject areas.

Cheng Hong Ting’s Reflections: [61905A 1A (10)]

After completing the project, it occurs to me that the biggest lessons are to cooperate and communicate with different people as well as to develop a persuasive presentation.

I see that different people have different working patters. It is not just about what subject they are studying but their personal unique inclinations. For me, it would be easier to un-derstand and arrange concepts first then practice what I have learnt. I originally expect-ed people to be on the same route as I am since this has been going on so well with me. I expected teammates to know their parts immediately and then we can combine eve-rything conveniently. However, there are teammates who would find difficulties in attend-ing team meetings or understanding the concepts. There are obstacles along the way. It seems that no one ever totally fulfills anyone’s expectations. Nevertheless, we have also contributed significantly in the end.

To have a convincing presentation, the way of presenting matter most. They are like the basic structures of an architecture which our final work would sit upon. Without research-ing, without analyzing all the way and without sounding evidence, the final work would sink or collapse. As I am mainly responsible for putting together ideas and rearranging the report, I have a deeper realization in this part of learning. As for communication between different subject students, I do not think it is quite helpful in my learning. I know that inte-rior design students are used to working individually all the time but they should be more aware of the importance to attend meetings. It would be ideal if they could explain to us more about the procedures of finishing a piece of work so that we can arrange a better time schedule.

It has been an experience working on this project. I hope to have more assistance for us in cooperating inter-disciplinarily if similar projects are to be completed in the future.

KetaRina, Cheung Pok Wan. 61913S. 1A. 03. Mon 09 April 2012

Interdependence is always a higher value than independence. However, it is hard to do, especially for those who are really independent in his early stage of life. In my group, I think four of us are really independent, with confidence and having our own ideas. Yet, I think I am lucky that all of us have the same goal—to do the best, so that we do not have many arguments.

I am really glad to do projects with students from different department and aspect. Through discussion, we learn from each other and grow up together. Win/ Win is a frame of mind and heart that constantly seeks mutual benefit in all human interactions. Like this project, if students can contribute each strength to the project, I am sure the project will be doing better than finishing oneself. On the other hand, I deeply believe that, no mat-ter you are great or in the lower quartile at the moment, it does not mean anything. Great people may have weakness and weak people may be not graded against the full use of their present capacity or potential. Therefore, I enjoy doing group projects. Besides provok-ing new ideas, I can see my potential and challenge my limitation.

( 205 words)