How can a third space introduce human centered methodologies to architectural practices actively exploring workplace design?

Studio.Bash

This project was the culmination of my Bachelor of Science program and served as my final project. It provided me with an opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills I had acquired during my academic journey to a real-world design challenge.

The academic setting laid the foundation for this project, offering a structured and supportive environment for exploration and innovation. It allowed me to put into practice the principles of human-centered design and explore concepts like the 'third space' and the 'bash,' which have been central to my academic learning.

Research Cafe

Welcome to the Studio.Bash Innovation Hub, where we invite you to embark on a journey of discovery and experimentation alongside the community.

Step up to our bar and choose your Bash. For instance, if you're looking for a relaxing beverage to unwind, consider our Chill Out Smoothie. On the other hand, if you're seeking an energy boost, the Speedball Smoothie, brimming with revitalizing ingredients, might be your perfect choice.

Adaptable Workspaces

Our versatile tables empower the community to customize their work areas, providing them with the creative freedom to shape their environment as required.

Unwind, Unplug, and Connect

Within the community research cafe, you'll discover an outdoor lounge space. This partially secluded area, strategically positioned away from the bustling street, serves as a gathering spot for local events and provides Gensler employees and clients with an inviting environment to present their initial ideas.

Gather in the Bash Rooms

The innovative meeting bash rooms offer both clients and employees a private setting for project discussions, particularly during the project's initial phases.

Studio.Bash introduces clients to a fresh perspective right from the project's outset, achieved through the use of these adaptable meeting spaces. The trio of bash rooms ensures plenty of room to fuse the clients' viewpoint with that of the employees, fostering the generation of initial ideas.

Stroll Through the Labyrinth

Engage in speculative brainstorming by traversing the walking labyrinth, a path that begins at the lower level of Studio.Bash and guides participants to the upper floor. The walking labyrinth provides individuals with the opportunity to reflect on initial project kickoff ideas and concepts, allowing for thoughtful consideration along the way.

Stay Alert

While traversing the walkway, be prepared for intermittent stops, as the design process is not always a linear journey. Occasionally, new creative insights or "bashes" may emerge along the path, prompting unexpected detours and exciting opportunities.

Reflective Reading Haven

Upon reaching the summit, clients and employees have the option to visit the contemplation library, where they can delve into secondary research to enrich their initial project concepts.

The contemplation library also serves as a tranquil space, bathed in therapeutic warm lighting, offering a rejuvenating atmosphere for clients and employees. This warm illumination revitalizes individuals, enabling them to return and synthesize the myriad ideas they've absorbed during their visit.

Harmonize and Engage

Adjacent to the contemplation library lies the synthesis playground, designed for both employees and clients to harmonize data and structure ideas for further exploration.

The whiteboard walls in this space serve as digital work surfaces, facilitating the capture of ideation, which seamlessly syncs with users' devices for enhanced collaboration and organization.

Learning Through Prototypes

Within the prototyping workshop, clients and employees have the chance to craft essential prototypes for testing their initial concepts. Users can choose to be hands-on in the process, or they can engage the robotics studio to manufacture larger-scale pieces on their behalf.

Project Pitch and Discussion

Concluding their day, clients and employees descend to the research cafe where they come together to present and discuss their initial findings and progress on the project.

This collaborative and communicative session serves as a platform for sharing insights, brainstorming, and refining their project ideas and direction.

Come Bash with yourself, Bash with the community and Bash with clients.

Overview

Summary of Final Thesis Project at Art Center College of Design

The final thesis project at Art Center College of Design is centered around two main objectives:

1. Incorporating Human-Centered Design Principles into Architectural Practices: The project aims to bridge the gap between architecture and human-centered design, emphasizing the importance of considering people's needs and experiences in architectural design. This focus seeks to promote designs that prioritize the well-being and comfort of the individuals who inhabit the spaces.

2. Treating Space as a Prototype: In this project, the concept of space itself is treated as a prototype, allowing for innovative exploration and experimentation in architectural design. This approach encourages a dynamic, adaptable, and flexible perspective on architectural spaces, which can be refined and improved based on feedback and evolving user requirements.

The final thesis project explores how these drivers can be integrated into architectural practice, offering a fresh perspective on the design of spaces that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also user-centric and open to ongoing improvement.

Challenge

The challenge at hand is to find a way for a "third space" to actively introduce human-centered methodologies to architectural practices with a specific focus on workplace design.

Opportunity

This challenge presents a unique opportunity, which is the introduction of Studio.Bash, a living prototype by Gensler. Studio.Bash has the potential to serve as a pioneering example of how architectural practices can incorporate human-centered design principles into their work, especially when it comes to reimagining and improving workplace design. This innovative project can lead the way in reshaping architectural practices by emphasizing user-centric, adaptable, and flexible design solutions.

Role

Branding Strategy
Environment Design
UX Design

Skills

Rhino and Vray
Abobe Creative Suite
Research
Model Making

Gensler's Article: Transforming Decision-Making in Design

In a recent article, Gensler shares its vision for a groundbreaking approach to design decision-making. The core ideas they aim to explore are:

1. Enhancing Tangibility and Transparency: Gensler is striving for a decision-focused process that is not only more tangible but also exceedingly transparent. This new approach empowers both clients and design teams by making the decision-making process more understandable and accessible.

2. Solutions-Focused Deliverables: Gensler is advocating for a shift towards solutions-focused deliverables. This means that the focus isn't solely on identifying problems but also on providing concrete solutions. This approach encourages a proactive mindset in design.

3. Aggregating Individual Decisions and Solutions: Gensler's innovative concept involves the aggregation of individual decisions and solutions into decision streams. These decision streams serve as visual representations of how each choice directly impacts the business value. This provides a clear, real-time understanding of how design decisions contribute to the overall success of a project.

Gensler's vision aims to revolutionize the design process by making it more client-empowering, solution-oriented, and business-centric. It reflects their commitment to pushing the boundaries of design methodologies and creating a more inclusive, dynamic, and value-driven approach.

2016 Gensler Workplace Report: Insights on Employee Needs

The 2016 Gensler workplace report shed light on crucial employee requirements and desires within the modern workplace:

1. Collaboration and Ideation Spaces: Employees expressed a clear need and desire for working surfaces that would facilitate design collaboration and individual ideation. This signifies the importance of providing dedicated areas that foster creative teamwork as well as personal brainstorming and problem-solving.

2. Diverse Workspaces for Creatives: Creatives, in particular, emphasized the importance of having a variety of different spaces that were purposefully organized around specific work styles. This underlines the necessity of a workspace that can cater to a range of activities, from focused, solitary work to dynamic, collaborative endeavors.

3. Diversity in Surroundings: Employees articulated their desire for diversity not only in the physical spaces but also in the people, ideas, cultures, and work styles that surrounded ffthem. This indicates a preference for inclusive, multicultural, and interdisciplinary work environments that can inspire and promote creativity and innovation.

These insights from the 2016 Gensler workplace report highlight the evolving needs of the modern workforce, emphasizing the significance of adaptable workspaces that can accommodate various work styles, encourage collaboration, and promote diversity and inclusion.

Third Space

“It’s not home (1st Place), its not work (2nd Place), its somewhere in between, a public hangout.”

-Howard Schultz, CEO Starbucks

User Insights

• New vantage points 

• Flexible spaces

• Inspiration around every corner

• Mix of creative disciplines
  and cultures

Who

Studio.Bash caters to a diverse range of users, including:

1. Gensler Employees: Gensler's own staff members are active participants in Studio.Bash, utilizing the space for creative and collaborative work.

2. Clients: Clients who collaborate with Gensler on various projects also have access to Studio.Bash, using it as a platform for project discussions, presentations, and idea generation.

3. Students: Studio.Bash welcomes students, offering them an environment in which to learn, experiment, and explore the intersection of architecture, design, and human-centered practices.

4. Community Members: Perhaps most significantly, Studio.Bash is open to the community at large. Community members play a vital role in creating a strong sense of human connection within the space, and they contribute to the vitality of the creative neighborhood. Their presence and engagement help fuel the dynamic atmosphere that Studio.Bash aims to foster.

By accommodating such a diverse range of users, Studio.Bash creates a unique ecosystem where ideas, collaboration, and a sense of community thrive.

My primary driving force behind initiating this project, as I delved into the world of Studio.Bash – a third space designed for Gensler employees, clients, and the wider community, was to unravel a series of compelling inquiries:

1. Integrating Human-Centered Design into Architecture: I found myself pondering how to seamlessly infuse human-centered design methodologies into architectural practices. My curiosity extends to not only identifying the potential obstacles but, more importantly, pinpointing the remarkable opportunities this paradigm shift might bring.

2. Community Integration and Cultural Transformation: One key question that arose was centered around the transformative potential of opening a corporate workplace to the broader community. I was eager to explore how this openness can serve as a catalyst for cultural change within both the workplace and the neighborhood.

3. Human-Centered Design's Impact on Spatial Program: Another intriguing aspect that captivated my interest was the influence of a human-centered design perspective on the spatial program. I aimed to uncover how such an approach could reshape the way spaces are conceived, designed, and experienced by the people who inhabit them.

4. Space as a Living Prototype: Lastly, I was captivated by the concept of viewing a space as a living prototype and how it might revolutionize our approach to future design. I sought to understand how this perspective might enable ongoing innovation, adaptation, and the creation of spaces that are not just static but responsive to the evolving needs of their users.

These thought-provoking questions served as the driving force behind my exploration and dedication to this project. They reflect my deep-seated curiosity and commitment to reimagining the intersection of architecture, human-centered design, and community engagement.