Hey All!

Sorry it’s been so long since I’ve posted a blog for you. I have been busy beyond belief, as usual. So what is happening in my life right now…. everything! School at NESAD is going really well but as you may have expected it is also very hectic. It is the middle of the semester and you know what that means. Duh Duh Dunnnnn… MIDTERMS AHHH!! My contract design I final presentation is next week and we are all scrambling to get everything together and displayed nicely on our final boards. I’m not too stressed about it, yet, but the final week usually gets pretty intense. As for my English and Lighting exams… they are looming around the corner. Lighting is tonight and I am somewhat worried because there is just so much information to digest (even though I’ll need to know it for the rest of my career). English is going to be a little less stressful because my professor lets us know what the questions are in advance (6 essays) so we can prepare for them. It’s still a lot of work cause I’ll essentially write 6 essays and memorize them but at least I know what to expect. In art history, we don’t have a midterm because there is so much information. Instead we have 3 exams and 4 papers throughout the semester. Exam #1 and paper #1 went well for me, but that is only the beginning. We are still learning Revit in construction documents and still loving it! We now have learned how to set up title blocks, elevations, sections, perspectives, and RCP’s. It is amazing how much easier life is now that we will be able to use Revit.

So, this weekend I went to the Head of the Charles in Cambridge and it was awesome! It is the worlds largest 2-day regatta. it has always been a place for college crews to showcase their rowing abilities and this year was no different. There were also many high school crews competing as well. The river was lined with vendors and even though it was raining Sunday, not a single fan was bothered and kept cheering on their favorites from the banks of the river to the bridges crossing it. You could feel the high-energy and competitive spirit all around you. If you ever get a chance to go, I highly recommend it! It was also a great place to take my Nikon and snap some awesome pictures. All in all, I give it an A+.

Well, I’m off to study my little behind off!

‘Till Next Time,

Kris

Hey All!

This week it seems that ALL of my classes have switched from space planning to lighting and RCP’s. I have never talked about ceiling types and lighting systems so much in my life! With midterms approaching I thought that I could pass on a small bit of useful information that I have learned in this past week.

How you light your space is an important part of design. A change in the lighting can change how the room is viewed. Lighting interior design contributes greatly to the look and feel of a room. There are many types of lighting which can be used in various ways. We are no longer restricted to a few lamps scattered here and there. There is a whole world for Lighting Designers (my Lighting Professor is one of them). In the psychology of light, the three main factors are perception of the space, luminous contrast, and subjective impression of a space.  Balancing general/ambient lighting, task/focal lighting, and sparkle/glitter lighting gives you the perfect space and a successful lighting design. So remember, don’t just throw a light fixture  in the middle of a ceiling! Work with the space and make it feel how you want it to fell. Don’t hold back with lighting, it can make or break your space!

NESAD seems to be back in full swing lately. The fall weather is finally here (my favorite season =) ), every class is fully engrossed in what they are doing, and everyone seems to be stressed beyond belief. Don’t get me wrong, we all love where we go to school and what we do… but art/design school is no joke. We all sigh and roll our eyes when our friends from up on the hill complain about their hour-long classes two times a week (when ours are two hour and forty minutes twice a week). We are busting at the seems with work but when we pin up and get the credit we deserve for our creative minds, its all worth it. It is an amazing feeling to show people what you have put some blood, sweat, and tears into and you are proud of it. For example, in Contract Design I we had a schematic pin up on Tuesday. This is when we pin up everything we have done so far for our MASS CEC design. It doesn’t have to be complete or even on boards, just whatever you have. Yes, we got some critiques, which always help, but it feels great to hear everyone’s interpretation of what was done. I know I’m getting a little mushy but what I’m trying to say is that as busy as I am, I wouldn’t change what I am studying or where I go to school for anything!

‘Till Next Time

Kris

Hey all!

Since most of my classes are talking about space planning this week, I’d like to focus my blogging attention on that subject. Sometimes us students get a little carried away with our concepts and get stuck in a design that we later realize can’t fit everything we need. Space planning from day one has come to help me tremendously. At times I even have developed my concept from the way I lay out my plan. In Construction Docs and Contract Design we are designing office spaces and I have come to see that flexibility is key in designing a comfortable workplace that optimizes employee productivity. So, I have come up with a list of questions to ask yourself before planning your space:

Is the lighting sufficient?

Have you considered the acoustics of the space?

How large is the room?

Are there enough electrical outlets in the room for your hardware?

Are there phone outlets and a line for fax?

Where are the windows located?

How many different types of rooms are needed and how many of each type?

Where are your main corridors and point of egress?

That is just to start you off! Then comes the task of juggling all of those components and making it look fun and dynamic. The planning stage consists of several different events for instance; you are required to change existing furniture to new furniture, or reconfiguring the company’s furniture or a combination of both. You must be capable of creating a plan that will be able to serve your goals and objectives for the future plans of the company. In order to perform office space planning, one must recognize the goals as well as the future plans. Space planning, if not done right, can be extremely costly and ineffective. Yes, we are working on mock clients, but this is very important to consider while you are learning your way around these projects. The space plan should be functional and pleasing to the eye. A satisfactory work environment keeps the employees happy, efficient and productive and it keeps your grades up as well!!

Hope that helps a little!!

‘Till Next Time,

Kris

Hey All!

So this week is full of assignments, field trips, and coffee!! I apologize for the week of missing posts. I spent this past week/weekend planning and being the Maid of Honor in my best friend’s wedding!! So much fun, but very time consuming. This week, my Contract Design class will be heading over to one of my favorite places… the Boston Design Center!! We are going to be looking at some office furniture systems and whatnot. We are all pretty excited because it is a nice break from being in the classroom. We also are finishing floor plans, reflected ceiling plans, and picking out our furniture (the reason for the field trip). We’ve got a “whole-lotta” things to do in “not-so-lotta” time. We are learning more and more each day in Construction Documents. Revit is still blowing our minds! I have an exam in History of Furniture and Architecture tonight which I am very nervous for. As for Lighting, we are on track with learning how different lamps work and how we use them in different applications. In English Lit we are reading the wife of bath… somewhat interesting with our funny professor. FEWW… what a mouth full.

Well, sorry for the short post, but I have to get back to studying for my exam tonight.I’ll keep you posted on what I see at the Design Center.

‘Till Next Time,

Kris