FINAL BOARD PRESENTATION

This is what my 8 boards put together looked like. I have listed the boards separately, so that you could see the indiviual board and what it represented.




Board 1: Gives the Design Concept, the Building orientation and design and the Program.



Board 2: Gives the Grocery Store Concept, Design and Inspiration, Perspectives of the Grocery Store and Cafe.



Board 3 and 4: Give the Design Concept for Level 1 -Extended Stay Lofts. Shows typical floor plan and perspectives with materials and furnishings.





Board 5: Gives the Design Concept for Level 2 -Affordable Lofts. Shows typical floor plan and perspectives with materials and furnishings.



Board 6: Gives the Design Concept for Level 3 -Universal Design Lofts. Shows typical floor plan and perspectives with materials and furnishings. It also has some pictures of appliances that are Universal in design and at appropriate placing.





Board 7: Describes my Focus 1 - Alternative Energy and Sustainable Design. It covers 3 areas - Solar Energy, Wind Energy and Green Roofs.





Board 8: Describes my Focus 2 - Universal Design in the Resident. It gives examples and covers various areas in the kitchen and bath that should be covered by Universal Design.

FINAL RENDITIONS OF PLACE DU VIVRE

The below illustrations are my final renderings of my project. I named the grocery store "Marche de Frais" which is French for "fresh market" and named the cafe "Cafe Le Rieux". My concept for the grocery store was a fresh market where people would shop often emulating the feeling of an European open air market. Space is limited - the retail space of the store is approximately 7,400 sq. ft. - so most of the items the store would stock would be fresh items such as fresh produce, fresh seafood, poultry and meat and specialty items.

The ceiling heights were kept at 18 feet and were kept exposed (painted black), the floors are stained concrete and wood was used over columns and beams to create a rustic feeling. Wood fixtures were used in the produce section and throughout the store. Awnings were used over the windows and the produce carts to also create the market feeling. My inspiration came from an Italian grocery store called Eataly (www.eataly.com). Fresh bread will be delivered daily and will be sold retail and used for the sandwiches made in the cafe.

PRODUCE SECTION OF GROCERY STORE

CAFE IN GROCERY STORE

I designed 3 levels of lofts: Level 1 -Extended Stay Lofts, Level 2 - Affordable Lofts and Level 3 - Universal Design Lofts. All of the lofts will use sustainable materials such as:

* Stained concrete flooring (Extended Stay Loft 1)
* Bamboo Wood Flooring (all other lofts)
* Vencork Flooring (all loft bathrooms, except E.S. Loft 1)
* Wheat based cabinets with bamboo veneer (affordable lofts and
Universal Design Lofts)
* Salvaged (reclaimed) Wood - Cabinets in Extended Stay Lofts
* Energy Star Appliances
* Energy Efficient Plumbing fixtures
* Low VOC (volatile organic compound) Paints and Stains
* Paperstone counters
* Eco friendly furniture by Green Culture Furniture
* Lutron Fabric Shades
* 42" access in kitchens and hallways
* Universal Design concepts


Level 1 - EXTENDED STAY LOFTS - these lofts will be located on the 3rd floor of the building and were designed to meet the needs of people that come to Baton Rouge for business (or other reasons) and will be here for an extended length of stay. The square footage of these lofts was kept between 590 sq ft and 780 sq ft. I used a French Country (light yellow, blue and gold) to create a warm and intimate feeling to the spaces. I felt that this was important to make people feel more at home while being transient.



EXTENDED STAY LOFT #1


FLOOR PLAN - EXTENDED STAY LOFT #1



EXTENDED STAY LOFT #2 - VIEW FROM KITCHEN AREA



EXTENDED STAY LOFT #2 - VIEW FROM SLEEPING AREA


FLOOR PLAN - EXTENDED STAY LOFT #2

Level 2 - AFFORDABLE LOFTS: These lofts were designed to meet the needs of the community. There is not enough affordable housing downtown. These lofts will run from 680 sq.ft to 1100 sq. ft and rent would be under $1100.


AFFORDABLE LOFT - 3 BEDROOM


FLOOR PLAN - AFFORDABLE LOFT - 3 BEDROOM


3 - Universal Design Lofts: These lofts were designed to meet the needs people who were a little more affluent and wanted lofts that incorporated universal design - so that they could age in place. These lofts offer 1 bedroom and 2 bedroom plans and most have balconeys. Universal Design features were applied throughout the lofts, with greater focus in the kitchen and bath areas.


UNIVERSAL DESIGN LOFT - VIEW FR DINING ROOM


UNIVERSAL DESIGN LOFT - FULL VIEW OF KITCHEN


UNIVERSAL DESIGN LOFT - VIEW OF DINING AREA

Loft Floor Plans

This floor plan is for the 8th floor which will be larger lofts and will offer better ammenities. These lofts focus more on universal design and their application.



This floor plan is for lofts 4-7 which are affordable lofts. They will have some universal concepts, such as wider doorways and hallways and will use sustainable materials.



These lofts are the Extended Stay lofts - their size is approx. 580 to 830 sq. ft. They are smaller in size because they set up for efficiency and are for short term leases (1 month to 3 months).

Logo Design - Final Rendition

I have worked with my logo a little more and decided on the below logo for my project. The 3 symbols represent "wind energy, solar energy and healthy food (living).

These two perspectives were modeled first in Sketch Up and then will have color and texture applied. My goal was to create an "open air market feel" similar to the European markets inside. My inspiration for this was the Italian grocery store Eataly in Torrin, European open markets and various farmer markets.

Grocery Store Floor Plan

Universal Design Concepts

I would like to apply the following Residential Universal Design Standards to the 8th floor, which are the largest of the lofts. The lofts on floors 3-7 would not allow all of these standards to be applied because of space, but I would like to incorporate them whereever possible. The following list of standards have been established by residential universal design practioners. It is not complete and often varies from designer to designer.

Appliances:

Cooktops - maximum 34 inches (86.4 cm) above the floor

Dishwashers - raised to align top rack with countertop

Refrigerator Drawers - start at 18 inches (45.7 cm) above floor

Bathroom:

Toilet - Seat 17 to 19 inches (43.2 to 48.3 cm) above floor, though standard
height may be better for some people.
- Clearance - 18 to 36 inches (45.7 to 91.4 cm) clearance at front and
side

Countertops and Work Surfaces:

Height: 28 to 34 inches (71.1 to 86.4 cm) up to 42 inches (106.7 cm) for tall
people.
Width - minimum 30 inches (76.2 cm)
Depth - maximum 27 inches (68.6 cm)
Knee Clearance for seated users - 27 inches (68.6 cm) high, at least 17 inches (43.2 cm) deep and at least 30 inches (76.2 cm) wide.
Toe Clearance under base cabinets: 9 inches (22.9 cm) high, at least 6 inches (15.2 cm) deep, at least 30 inches (76.2 cm) wide.

Doorways:

Widths: clearance of at least 32 to 34 inches (81.3 to 86.4) with door open (a 34 inch door - 86.4) provides a 32 inch clearance (81.3 cm); a 36 inch (91.4 cm) wide door provides a 34 inches (86.4 cm) clearance.

Threshold: .25 inch to .5 inch (6 mm to 1.3 cm) height; .75 inch (1.9 cm) for exterior sliding doors (thresholds flush with the floor are best for all doors).

Electrical Outlets:

Height: 15 inches (38.1 cm) above floor (18 to 25 inches(45.7 to 63.5 cm)

Residential Universal Design Standards: The following list of standards have been established by residential universal design practioners. It is not complete and often varies from designer to designer.

Appliances:

Cooktops - maximum 34 inches (86.4 cm) above the floor

Dishwashers - raised to align top rack with countertop

Refrigerator Drawers - start at 18 inches (45.7 cm) above floor

Bathroom:

Toilet - Seat 17 to 19 inches (43.2 to 48.3 cm) above floor, though standard
height may be better for some people.
- Clearance - 18 to 36 inches (45.7 to 91.4 cm) clearance at front and
side

Countertops and Work Surfaces:

Height: 28 to 34 inches (71.1 to 86.4 cm) up to 42 inches (106.7 cm) for tall
people.
Width - minimum 30 inches (76.2 cm)
Depth - maximum 27 inches (68.6 cm)
Knee Clearance for seated users - 27 inches (68.6 cm) high, at least 17 inches (43.2 cm) deep and at least 30 inches (76.2 cm) wide.
Toe Clearance under base cabinets: 9 inches (22.9 cm) high, at least 6 inches (15.2 cm) deep, at least 30 inches (76.2 cm) wide.

Doorways:

Widths: clearance of at least 32 to 34 inches (81.3 to 86.4) with door open (a 34 inch door - 86.4) provides a 32 inch clearance (81.3 cm); a 36 inch (91.4 cm) wide door provides a 34 inches (86.4 cm) clearance.

Threshold: .25 inch to .5 inch (6 mm to 1.3 cm) height; .75 inch (1.9 cm) for exterior sliding doors (thresholds flush with the floor are best for all doors).

Electrical Outlets:

Height: 15 inches (38.1 cm) above floor (18 to 25 inches(45.7 to 63.5 cm)

Sinks:

Height of front edge - maximum 34 inches (86.4 cm) - recommended range similar to that for countertops and work surfaces.

Depth to faucet: maximum 17 inches (43.2 cm) - 12 inches (.3 m) preferred.

Clearance underneath - minimum 27 inches (68.6 cm) high - preferably 29 inches (73.7 cm), 30 inches (76.2 cm) wide; maximum 17 inches (43.2 cm) deep, including 8 inches (20.3 cm) to under sink pieces.

Sink depth- maximum 6 1/2” (16.5 cm)

Storage:

Shelf height for accessibility by seated user - maximum 40 t0 48 inches (101.6 - 121.9 cm)

Washer and Dryer:

Front loading with door opening between 15 and 34 inches (38.1 to 86.4cm) above floor. Recommended minimum circulation space in front of machines - 30 to 48 inches (76.2 by 121.9 cm).

Windows:

Maximum sill height for access and views: 36 inches (91.4 cm)

Principles of Sustainable Design

Principles of Sustainable Design include the ability to:

optimize site potential;
minimize non-renewable energy consumption;
use environmentally preferable products;
protect and conserve water;
enhance indoor environmental quality; and
optimize operational and maintenance practices. According to the GSA, utilizing a sustainable design philosophy encourages decisions at each phase of the design process that will reduce negative impacts on the environment and the health of the occupants, without compromising the bottom line. It is an integrated, holistic approach that encourages compromise and tradeoffs.

FOCUS STUDIES

The main object of this project was to provide affordable housing for people who worked downtown and people who were planning an active retirement. Research and current developement has shown that creating residential areas downtown would help revitalize the downtown area while helping to curb urban spraw and pollution. My two focus areas which are alternative energy and universal design help strengthen the above goals of my project. I intend to research different types of alternative energy, such as solar and wind power and geothermal energy to see how they could be applicable to my building. Some of these energy applications are available in our area now, while others may be available in the near future. I will provide company names and product suggestions for these new energy solutions. I will try to incorporate sustainable/green energy into the design of my project where applicable and feasible. I intend to implement universal principals in designing my loft spaces in order to make them living space that would accomodate various living needs. Universal design would allow a person that was looking towards retirement to age in place.

I would like my building to get LEED certification, if possible. I feel that if I implement sustainable design practices and alternative and green energy, the building should meet LEED certification qualifications.

I would like to use photovoltaic cells on the roof to provide solar power for hot water heating and possibly some of the energy needs of the eighth floor, which will be upgraded lofts.

I would like to use solar lights on the outside of the building that gather energy from the sun during the day and then use the stored energy to light the different entrances and exits.

I would like to propose using Suntech’s MSK Solar Design Line TM products, which are building integrated photovoltaic products (BIPV), in the future. These transparent glass panels can be used as windows, skylights, roofs, curtain walls and almost any other vertical or sloped construction surface. What makes this product so affordable is that it is not mounted on the building structure as usual PV installations, but actually replaces the structure, becoming an integral part of the building skin.

Schematic Design - Block and Stacking Diagrams

Schematic Design - Adjacency Diagrams

The Philosophy and Practice of Integrated Design

I attended a workshop yesterday given by Bill Reed, one of the co-founders of USGBC. It was very informative as it discussed sustainable design as part of a larger picture than just achieving LEED status. Bill Reed spoke of the importance of sustaining life, and understanding the patterns that make up our eco systems. He stressed that nothing should be taken as a whole, but as a piece of the whole - and that the relationships between objects and other objects should be taken into account when designing.

Site Visit - Fresh Market

On Saturday, January 17th, I made a second site visit to The Fresh Market- 10555 Perkins Road. My purpose for the visit was to speak with the manager to get a better understanding of the store's actual retail square footage. I also wanted to check some of the measurements that I took on my first visit and see if there was anything that I might have missed. The manager, Vicor Dupre, said that the store's retail space was approximately 8,800 sq. ft. with another 24,000 sq. ft being dedicated to storage, coolers/freezers and office space. He also confirmed the preference for neutral warm colors, such as red, browns, beige and cream, in their company's store design. The store did have public restrooms in the front of the store that were gender specific and ADA. There was not a designated customer service area. Victor said that they have the manager paged when needed.

Grocery Store Inspiration - Eataly

http://www.eatalytorino.it/eatalytorino/welcome_eng.lasso

The Biggest Food and Wine Center

The ambitious new Eataly project is taking life in Turin: A food and wine center where visitors can buy, taste and learn about high-quality food and drink.

In the heart of the city, near the Lingotto convention and shopping center, you can find all the sustainably priced Eataly products on display in a vast marketplace. This is much more than just a food store. Our products are closely tied to their own history, culture and true flavor, within the reach of everyone who is interested in deepening their understanding of good, clean and fair food.

Meeting with Alecia Weichers, Committee Member

I have been corresponding with Alecia Weichers since about mid-September through email on various aspects of the project. Her input has been very helpful as she not only works as a designer, but works downtown and is in the age group that my project is trying to appeal to. Last Thursday, we had a meeting where we discussed what Alecia would like to see in a grocery store or loft. She had a preferrence for a more natural environment (use of wood, crates, soft natural colors, etc) for the grocery store. My French Market concept fits well with her suggestions.

Logo - Personal Logo Developement

Logo Design 1 - In the first 2 designs, I used a either blue or green with white to create contrast, with yellow as an accent to balance the design. In the 3rd design, I used yellow and green with white as the accent to create a more subtle contrast. Text and graphics were placed horizontally in all 3 designs. Graphics were used to symbolize alternative energy. The shape of the design would not be considered unique.


Logo Design 2 - In the first 2 designs, I used a combination of green, black and white to create contrast and balance. In the 3rd design, I used black and white only to create a sharper contrast between the text and images and a more balanced logo. The 4th logo was created predominately using green and black with white as an accent for the same effect as logo 3. This logo could be considered having a unique shape with the windmill inset in the black square which could symbolize the building. All 4 designs were created using horizontal and vertical placement of images/text.



Logo Design 3- All 3 logos were created using a combination of black and yellow with white as an accent to create a very strong contrast and bold image. The 3rd logo (larger logo) with the bolder windmill is a more effective logo as it is more balanced and has a stronger presence. There is not a unique shape to the logo by itself, but the combination of the three graphics could become recog-nizable for Place du Vivre without any text.

Logo Design - Developement Research

What is a logo? According to the article “A Logo Today” by Catherine Perrry, “The logo of a company is the shortest and most precise form to express the individuality, judgment, image and intention of a person or a company. Often people identify a particular organization by its logo. It is short, smart and has an immediate appeal to the clients of a company.”

There are 3 types of logos:

1) Font-based logos - logo using text to represent the company.

2) Graphic logos - Includes a graphic that is usually symbolic of what the company
does, includes text.

3) Illustrative logos - logo that defines what the company does.

A logo, should be well thought out and planned, since it is often the first perception of a company and can make a lasting impression. A logo should focus on four areas: shape, presence, weight and contrast. It should be unique, yet remain simple.





Solara Lofts- Is a solar energy condominium complex.

Solara’s logo:

• Is in the graphic logo catagory. It uses three colors for simplicity and contrast - blue, white and yellow. Blue, which symbolizes honesty and calm is used for the background. Yellow, which depicts cheerfulness, is used for the 3 circles. White, which evokes serene feelings, was used for the text.

• Uses the same font but in two different sizes for contrast. Uses vertical or stacking orientation for placement of text. Has a good presence with both the text and graphic design filling the area designated for the logo and clearly identifying the company. It looks balanced.

• Strengths: The logo is able to communicate with the graphic of the yellow circles the concept the business being affliated with solar energy. Its name is strong as it reflects the concept of the business. It uses text to identify what type of business it is (lofts).

• Weaknesses: The logo really doesn’t differentiate itself from the mass of logos that are on the market. Its selection of colors are not bold, but soft with a pale blue and yellow.


Tower Lofts - Are energy efficient lofts that were created in a landmark warehouse.

Tower’s logo:

• Is a graphic logo. The tower and cloud is symbolic of the tower being a “sky dock”, which rises above the rest of the building and provides a place to enjoy panoramic views of the city. The graphic of the tower and cloud presents a very recognizable, although not unique shape for a logo.

• Utilizes 3 basic colors, white, sky blue and black, to create strong contrast and simplicity.

• The same font and font size is used for text and it is placed vertically stacked.

• Strengths: The logo is simple, using negative space and line, to represent the business. It presents a balanced image with presence. The black and white contrast is eye catching, with the blue cloud emphasizing the height of the tower. The logo is very related to the name and the business.

• Weakness: The logo really doesn’t give much insight that the building is historical or that green design is a focus for the lofts.



Park Place on the River - is a complex of 2 and 3 bedroom rental condominums.


Park Place’s logo:

• Is a font based logo. The logo uses the text to identify and rerepresent the company.


• Two colors, white and green, were used to create a bold contrast and strong presence. Green, which is identifiable with the words peaceful and harmony, was used for the background.

• White was used for the two different fonts. A more formal font style was used for the condo name and for the subscript to create a image for the building that will be seen as elegant. It will also help make it more identifiable.

• Text was oriented vertically.

• Strengths: The placement of the text is kept simple, yet presents a balance and elegant presence.

• Weakness: It is not really unique. There are other condominiums and hotels named Park Place.

Meetings with Alexis Bounds - Grocery Store Mentor

My mentor for the Grocery store portion of my project is Alexis Bounds, Store Planning and Design Specialist for Associated Grocers. Her experience and insight with grocery store planning has been invaluable as she is very up-to-date with current industry trends. There also is very little available to the public on grocery/supermarket planning and design. I have met with Alexis three times since October with one being a site visit to Fresh Market. I have been corresponding regularly with Alexis since September by email and Alexis has sent numerous emails to me with links to suppliers, equipment and industry news.

At our last meeting, Alexis and I discussed the color trends that grocery stores are leaning towards and which stores have had success with these colors. I want to design my grocery store, which is a fresh market, around a "French Market" design theme. The current industry colors, which are earthy and natural, will work well with this concept. My inspiration for this idea came from a grocery store in Canada name Eataly.

Tease the Senses

According to Mark Lanini of Landini Associates, "food shopping is a sensual experience and canny designers create retail environments that tease the senses". He also state that people "shop with their senses"..."taste this, squeeze that, fill your lungs with the aroma and feast your eyes".

Project Goals

• First - to provide affordable housing for city workers and other residents, while revitalizing the downtown Baton Rouge area. This housing would appeal to young workers between 20 and 30 years old who prefer an active city life to the quiet suburb life and empty nesters who want to live near good restaurants, museums and cultural events.

• Second – to provide a grocery store that is convenient to the residents of the building and other city residents.

• Third – to provide short-term housing for city visitors who are either in Baton Rouge for business or visiting family. One floor would be allocated to these extended stay units with leases running from a week to three months.

• Fourth – To provide each resident a dedicated parking place in the building. These parking places will have secure access (gated). There will be a few parking spaces allocated to the Extended Stay guest.

• Fifth – Follow sustainable and universal design practices were applicable and when possible. Incorporate green energy such as solar and/or wind energy.

Design Problem.

There is a shortage of affordable housing downtown due to past urban planning and development policies, which favored residential growth that moved away from the city’s core. This urban sprawl created traffic congestion and contributed to existing air pollution. Recent environmental and economic concerns added to this problem with the cost of gas rising and concern over limited natural resources being raised. A drive towards residential development downtown is being actively promoted in order to bring life back to the city and to help contain the urban sprawl. This is appealing to many city workers who want to spend less time traveling between their homes and other destinations. My project addresses this problem by providing affordable residential housing downtown and creating businesses, such as a grocery store, that will support the community and aide the downtown's revitalization efforts.

Inspiration

Two events this past summer shaped my choice for my Senior Capstone Project. The first event was my father and brother each having strokes and losing their abilities to drive. This greatly affected their quality of life as they are now dependent on other people to get to needed destinations such as the grocery store, doctors, bank, etc. I began to think about Baton Rouge’s residential communities and our suburban sprawl which has created traffic congestion and pollution. Our way of life is very dependent on owning a car, especially with Baton Rouge’s limited mass transportation system. In addition, I found that those who were able to get around via their own vehicle, spent too much time in traffic creating stress and vehicle related expenses.
The second event which shaped my Senior Capstone Project was Hurricane Gustav and the current focus on our global energy and environment problem. I was already interested in residential solar energy prior to Hurricane Gustav …but Baton Rouge’s lengthy power outage intensified this interest. I felt that there had to be a more efficient and economic way to produce energy for our homes and businesses. Power companies are now offering grid systems that allow extra power to be stored and sold back to the power companies for profit, thus allowing individuals to produce their own energy and make money.

I became aware of smart growth communities and the "town center" concept that was springing up across the country. Digging a little further, I also became aware of a movement to create mixed residential areas through adaptive reuse of already established buildings.

My Personal Design Philosophy

In today’s global world, boundaries between work and home have been blurred and overlap personal spaces and time. Americans, especially, spend too much time surrounded either by interior walls or the inside of their car, while traveling between work, home and other destinations. They do not get to spend a lot of time outdoors. I enjoy creating organic and sustainable spaces that bring the outside into the inside, either visually or mentally. I also like merging interior space with exterior space thus expanding indoor living to the outdoors.

I believe that a good design should evolve not only from the client’s needs, but also from the surroundings of where the space is to be created. Materials and finishes should be selected that reflect this environment and reinforce it. I am partial to incorporating multiple or large windows in my designs to frame nature and/or to utilize natural daylight as much as possible. I feel that some of the best art that you can add to a space is from nature and nothing can match its color or vibrancy. Like Frank Lloyd Wright, I like to repeat elements throughout a design and believe that a design should flow from the inside to the out, integrating the building and its furnishings with its surroundings.