We divided the space into two zones: the public space and the private (office) space. The classroom had a lot of different requirements that we needed to take into account: acoustics, lighting, and accessibility among some of them. For this reason, we needed to pull this room off of the window line.

To gain a better sense of the space, we put together a series of low-fidelity volume studies. This allowed us to better understand the constraints of the existing building core and how a corridor along the window line would feel.

Preliminary study of the reception

We created a quick finish plan to map out our floor transitions and get a better understanding of where wall finishes would be applied.

Working off of the finish plan, we then began applying materials to our 3D model. The client also requested a branding/social media wall along the exterior of the classroom wall. The intent of this was for visitors to pose in front of and tag them in their posts. We provided them with two options. Option 1 was approved and with small modifications.

I took ownership of the FF&E package. I put together a furniture package: ancillary, workstations, meeting rooms, reception, etc. The reception desk was completely custom. We worked with a furniture consultant to bring the design to life and coordinate equipment specifications, finishes, and power requirements.

After we finished inputting our materials, we rendered out the views to present to the client for review and feedback.

These drawings were really challenging. There was a lot of coordination that needed to take place, particularly with the classroom. We worked with MEP, acoustic, food service, lighting, and furniture consultants. I oversaw a team of junior designers who were in charge of executing the drawings. I reviewed their work, answered their questions, and jumped into the drawings to assist with meeting tight deadlines and tackling particularly challenging design items such as the custom slat features.

Snippet of the Construction Plan

Snippet of feature wall elevation

Feature wall details

This project took place right in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic so there were a few unique challenges that we were exposed to. Our timeline was thrown way off and the project was put on hold for a few months. The other big challenge was coordinating elements with many different sources. There were specifications that needed to be selected for the food services industry that I had never worked with before - it was a fun learning curve and I'm thankful that I had a knowledgeable team on my side that was always open to answering my questions about items I wasn't as familiar with!