THE INSTITUTE october 1997 / planet of the arts 39 Desig Social Interactions by Alexander Duff tudent initiatives can produce good results. Students at Emily Carr are in a position to use their education and creativity in practical ways for their own benefit and for the benefit of the rest of the community. The opportuni- ties in this school for students to practice and improve their skills are limited only by our willingness to get involved and to take on responsibility. Some students have already learned the impor- tance of this active participation in and around the school environ- ment. Brian Gallant and Saleem Khattak are two of them. Gallant and Khattak, both industrial design students, were among the first people recruited into the discussions for and planning of a renovated lounge space. As students of industrial design they saw the lounge project as an opportunity to put their education into practice. They also saw an opportunity to help bring together the Emily Carr community by creating a welcoming place for social interactions. The old lounge space lacked the warmth, comfort and equipment needed ‘to foster community gatherings and social events. It needed renova- tions and a new sense of purpose. Gallant and Khattak put together a set of designs that would create the physical underpinnings needed to support the new programming concepts that were being proposed for the lounge. Gallant knew the space needed a lot of work: “I think you could have probably thrown a molotov cocktail in [the lounge] and it would have looked better than it did before.” The old cafeteria was often described as being cold, empty and too wide open. It had an air- port or bus station feel to it. The two designers realized that they would have to overcome the negative history of the lounge. They did research into the old space to determine what needed to be changed. Gallant recalls, “We did a lot of surveying. We set up a lot of experi- ments, lighting espe- cially, and asked peo- ple to comment on them. We took a sur- vey of just general comments and tabu- lated them, and it told us certain things that we initially thought were really necessary weren't... like resurfacing the floors — very few people were interested in that.” Gallant continues, “There was a lot of research into material choices and what sort of things would improve the space, like colour or lighting. We did a lot of research in lighting. We went to different schools and different establishments around town, like cafés and restaurants, to check out their lighting. We realized right away that you can’t necessarily take something from one place and put it in another because each space is fairly unique.” The strategy Gallant and Khattak adopted was to change the existing light. They also devised ways to break up the space with dividers, introduce new furniture, and incorporate a stage with pro- fessional sound and light systems. Their designs reflected a new direc- tion for the lounge space. The physical renovations are just a part of a complete restructuring of the previous unfocused and formless cafeteria space. The stage, lights and sound systems are especially important to the new lounge concept. They are the backbone of a performance arena to be used by students, staff, faculty and invited guests. A space dedicated to social events is something Emily Carr has not had before. The programming of the space will concentrate on inclusive- ness, quality and the integration of social gatherings into the life of the student body. Most people would agree that the Institute would benefit from a stronger social environment. Gallant and Khattak worked out their designs from this perspec- tive. They introduced stools, bench seats and coffee tables to offset the existing and outdated blue chairs and institutional round tables. They also changed the lighting from fluorescent to halogen and softened it with hanging fabric. The main improvement was to add dividers to close up the space and give it form. Gallant comments, “If you have a space that’s comfortable, [then] it’s well designed and people feel wel- come there...that’s the main part, just feeling welcome and not intim- idated by the space. That’s another reason for these dividers here, to help break up the space a bit and make it feel like you aren’t walking into a vast empty room where everyone can see you.” Making people feel welcome and encouraging student use is one Community and participation are fostered by a place where people want to meet. ning Creative of the major goals of the renovations. Having a place where people will want to meet with each other fosters a sense of community and participation. Gallant explains, “We thought it was extremely impor- tant to have a really well designed space, because if the space is poor- ly designed and it’s uncomfortable people won't want to meet there. Even if there is a great event going on, people still won't want to come... People like to discover things, they like to have their own pri- vate areas. With a well designed space you'll get more people wanting to interact within it.” The new lounge is much more than a cafeteria. It’s becoming an arena for a host of public activities for and about the students. It’s opening up into a place to present work and to view the works of others. It’s also turning into a meeting area and a per- sonal space. Gallant has reason to be positive about the renovations. He notes, “People seem to be enjoying it a lot. I notice a lot of people having lunch hour talks and meetings and friendly discussions here. I hope it does create a more social atmosphere.” By redésigning the lounge space Gallant and Khattak have helped redesign student interactions. The lounge renovation project was created for and by students of the Institute. The full process from idea through proposal to design and construction was initiated, developed and executed entirely by students by way of the Lounge Working Group. Gallant and Khattak were brought on board to come up with the design plans for the new lounge. After their design propos- al had been accepted by the Lounge Working Group, Gallant was contracted to carry out the renovations: He quickly found that translating design plans into concrete reality was far from a linear process. Gallant recounts, “I came to realize right away that a lot of the things we originally planned were far more difficult than we imag- ined. All of a sudden all these realistic implica- tions started coming into it. You can have fun to a point, you can explore and go crazy to a point, but then the laws of physics and gravity and all that do apply. In the end I think I did fair- ly well. I've had a lot of good feedback so far.” The entire project, including audio-visual purchases, has been funded by way of an interest-free loan of $21, 000 from the Institute. Michael Clifford (V.P. Finance), who was approached by the S.U. _] Music Nights sions, and virtuoso performances by the Emily Carr choir LJ Spoken Word story telling, poetry readings, open mike, guest writers and performers from outside the Institute ] Performance Art/Dance/Theatre work by intermedia students, fringe-type plays, alternative dance CL] Open Night/Coffee Night plenty o’ guitar, anything goes, anyone with a talent (or not) L] Film/Video Night student films, rented films, special themes (e.g. horror) Namé a 5 Tick any of the boxes below to tell us how you can help out. student musicians and singers (jazz and classical), drumming ses- Phone Please drop this form off in the student mailbox of Alyssa Hutsul or Craig Stewart executive for the loan, gave his opinion on the new lounge: “ It’s dif- ferent, it’s interesting and it’s student-made, which is the main thing... so I think it’s quite positive.” What’s positive about the renovations is that they are an example of students taking on responsibility, of being proactive and getting involved in giving direction to their environment. Students have the power, by working together, to implement change. They also have the opportunity to gain valuable experience outside the classroom. Khattak explains: “This project was a good synthesis of all the skills I have learned, from concept to building. In hindsight all of the second year industrial design curriculum applied.” For Gallant it was an opportunity to actually see a continued on page 40, see “Lounge Design” crlantaniantentantantentanteniontententantententententententententententententantentes LOUNGE INITIATIVE JOIN-UP FORM We need your imagination! We need your energy! We need your input! Please do your part to make the Lounge a really happening place. C Special Events guests from outside the community (e.g. the Vancouver Opera) LJ Art Forums serious topics, debates and discussions on art work produced at the school ] Art Exhibitions coordinating and installing work by different departments and year levels on a rotating basis L] other - Give us your ideas! Ea ae ee ee en pee ee ee eee THE INSTITUTE october 1997 / plonet of the orts 39. Designing Creative Social Interactions by Alexander Duff tudent initiatives can produce good results. Students at Emily Care are ina postion to us thie education and creativity in practical ways for their own benefit and for the benefit ofthe res ofthe community. The opportuni: ties in this school for students to practice and improve {heir kills te limited ony by our willingness to get involved and to take on responsibilty Some students hve already earned the impor: tance of this active pat ‘ment. Brian Gallant and Saleem Khatak are two of them. Gallant and Khatta, both industrial design students, were among, the fist people recruited into the discussions for and planning of a renovated lounge space As students of industrial design they sw the lounge project san opportunity to put their education int practice. ation in and around the school enviton= ‘They also sae an opportunity to help ring together the Emily Carr community by creating a welcoming place for social interactions. The ‘old lounge space licked the warmth, comfort and equipment needed to foster community gatherings and soil evens It needed renova tions anda new ens of purpose. Gallant and Khatak put together set of designs that would create the physical underpinnings needed to support the new programming concepts that were Beng proposed forthe lounge Gallant knew the space needed alo of work: “I think you could have probably thrown a moloto cocktail in (the Tounge) and it would have loked beter than it id before” The old cafeteria was ‘often described as being cold empty and too wide open. It had an air port or bus station fel to it, The two designers realized that they ‘would have to overcome the negative history of the lounge. They dd ‘esearch into the old space to determine what needed to be changed Gallant recall, “We did alot of surveying. We set up alt of experi ‘ments, lighting espe ee Community and ple t0 comment on them. We took a su vey of just general comments and tabu lated them, andi told 1s certain things that, want to meet. tally thought were relly necessary wore, People were intrested in that Gallant continu, ik resurfacing the floors ~ very few There was a lt of resarch ito materia choices and what sor of things would improve the space, ike colour cor lighting, We did alot of resarch in lighting. We wen o diferent schools and diferent establishments around town, like cafés and restaurants, to check out their lighting. We eealize ight away that you cant necessarily take something from one place and put it in another because each space ffir unique” The strategy Gallant xing light. They also devised ways to break up the space with divides fessional sound and light stems. Theedeigns festa new direc tion forthe lounge space. The physical renovations are just apart of a complete restructuring ofthe previous unfocused and formless cafeteria space. “The stage, lights and sound systems are especially important to the new lounge concept. They are the Backbone of a performance arena to be used by students, taf faculty and invited guests. A space dedicated to socil events is something Emily Care has not had before. The programming ofthe space will concentrate on inchsve: ‘ness, quality and the integration of soil gatherings tothe lie of the student body. Most people would agree that benef from a stronger social environment. Gallant and Khattak worked out thee designs fom this perspee- tiv. They introduced stools, bench eats and coffe tablet ofiet the ‘existing and outdated blue chars nd institutional ound tables. They also changed the lighting fom Marescent to halogen and softened it wih hanging fabric. The closeup the space nd give it form. Gallant comments, "Ifyou have a space that's comfortable, then] its wel designed and people fs wel: come ther..tha’the main part, just eling welcome and not inti date by the space. Th Ihelp breakup the space abit and make it fel ike you aren't walking Joa vast empty room where everyone can sc yu! “Making people fel welcome and encouraging student us is one nd Khattak adopted was to change the raduce new furniture, and incorporate a stage with pro Insitute would in improvement was to add dividers to another reavon for these dividers here, participation are fostered by a place where people ‘of the major goals of the renovations Having a place where people wil wat to meet with eachother fosters a sense of community and participation, Gallant explains, “We thought it was extremely mmpoe- tant to have ely well designed space, because if the space is poor: ly designed and i's uncomfortable people wot want to meet there ven if there i a grat event going on, people still wont want to ‘ome.. People ike to discover things, the keto have their wn pi ‘ate areas With a well designed space youl get more people wanting to interact within it” The new lounge is much more than a cafeteria, Its becoming an arena fora host of public activites for and about the students. I opening up int a place to present work and to view the works of ater. ‘i Irs alo turning into a mestng area and a pers ee sonal space. Gallant has reason to be postive about the renovations. He notes, “People seem to be enjoying i lot. notice alot of people having lunch hour tks aid meetings and friendly dscusions hee, hope it does create more social atmosphere” By redesigning the lounge space Gallant and Khattak have helped redesign student interactions The lounge renovation project was created for and by students of the Insitute. The all process from idea through proposal to design and construction was initiated, developed and ‘executed entirely by students by way of the Lounge Working Group, Gallant and. Khattak were brought on board to come up with the design Plans forthe new lounge. After their design propos allhad been accepted bythe Lounge Working Group out the renovations. He quickly found that translating design plans into concrete realty as far from a linear process came to realize right aay that alot ofthe things we originally planned were far more dificult than we imag ined, Al ofa sudden al these realtic impli Gallant recounts,“ tions started coming into it You can ave fun to Poin, you can explore and go crary oa point but then the laws of physics and gravity and all that do apply In the end I think id fie Iy well. ve had alot of good feedback so far The entire projet, including audio-visual purchases, has been funded by way of an interest-free loan of $2, 000 fom the Insitute Michael Chiford (VP. Finance), who was approached by the S.U Oi music nights ‘stdentmscns ad ngs za os. ring ss Ser ard ws etree ye mt Cache spoken Word str tg poy reds open nk ‘stead prlomes tam ouse the stiste O Performance Art/Dance/Theatre ‘es yee ser gee ln erate nce open night/Coffee Night ee sing es, anyone whe) C1 Fiim/Video night sade is, ert ins, peal hanes ad) Name --------------------4 Tick any of the boxes below to tell us how you can hep out Pease drop this form offn the student maibox of Alyssa Husulo Crag Stewart it stdentsmade, which is the main ‘executive forthe loan, gave his opinion on the new lounge: ferent, its interesting and i ‘hing..s think it's quite postive” What’ postive about the renovations i that they ae an example ‘of student taking on responsibly, of being proactive and getting Involved in giving direction to their environment. Students have the ower, by working together, to implement change. They ao ave the ‘opportunity to gain valuable exper Khattak explains: "This projet was a good synthesis of all thesis I hae learned rom concept to building, I hindsight ll of the second year industrial design curriculum ence outside the classroom. applied” For Gallant it was an opportunity to actualy see a stg Boa? Wa --------------------------4 LOUNGE INITIATIVE JOIN-UP FORM We need your imagination! We need your energy! We need your input! Please do your part to make the Lounge a really happening place. D1 Special Events ‘ess om oie he community eg the Yona Ope) Dan Forums Senos oes. bes and dacs na wok pode at thes! Tan exhibitions oorsng anti wry eet prensa Jevrloet ensign TO other - Give us your ideas! ee |