DiscoverDesign.org is produced by the

2012 national competition project #120 | cafeteria redesign

By mgarrity4 | L Redesign your school Cafeteria | 2012 National High School Architecture Competition

Curious about the instructions for this cafeteria design problem? >>

Show Hide

Welcome to the 2012 DiscoverDesign National High School Architecture Competition!
These are the instructions for entering a design project in the competition.

Design Challenge Background
Cafeterias are often dark and crowded. They are uncomfortable and unhealthy.

Design Challenge Brief
The challenge is to redesign your high school cafeteria and re-think how your school’s cafeteria should, or could, function asas a healthy eating space. What does a cafeteria look like that is designed around a person’s needs?

You may redesign the interior of the existing cafeteria space, expand on the existing space, or design a completely new addition on to your school building. Your design should contain all the spaces and functions required for a typical school cafeteria – a variety of seating options for students (inside and out!), as well as a food storage, space for the kitchen, outdoor eating spaces, serving areas, and places to pay for the meal. You should also consider sustainability issues and the environmental impact of your design.

What should I upload in this Overview step?

Write a short description of the problems you will be trying to solve in redesigning your school library.

What is the Design Process?

How do you start a project? How do you get from the design problem to the final design? Learn more about the design process here.

Identify the Problem : Redesign High Point Regional High School’s current cafeteria, into a more modern, efficient and thoughtful design.

Curious about the instructions for this step of this cafeteria design problem? >>

Show Hide

In the Collect Info step of the design process, you try to gather as much information as possible about your existing school cafeteria, along with the students and staff who will use it.  You can't propose new solutions until you figure out and document what the existing problems are.

Try This

  • Walk around the interior of your school building and take photos or a short video of the existing cafeteria. You can upload those photos or short videos here. Be sure to write a detailed description for every image.

Think About

  • How many students need to be seated in the cafeteria during one period?
  • What types of furniture is used in the existing cafeteria? Does it need to be movable? Why or why not?

Try This

  • Interview students, cooks, and other staff about what they think of the existing cafeteria.  What changes would they make to spaces if they had a choice?
  • Make a list of those features that you really like about how your cafeteria looks and functions.
  • Make separate list of all the ways that your current cafeteria is not so well designed (chairs may be uncomfortable or the light is poor, or there are really great outdoor eating areas).

Try This

  • Take measurements of the overall dimensions of your existing cafeteria.
  • Take interior photos of the hallways and entrances that lead into your existing cafeteria.

Think About

  • What are the different pathways that students use to get into the cafeteria now?
  • What types of food are available in your cafeteria? How are they stored?

 

Try This

  • Visit Flickr or another photo sharing site and search for other types of cafeterias to determine good and bad examples of how cafeterias accommodate user’s needs, especially teens.

Think About

  • Does your new school cafeteria need to look like the same typical cafeteria with long rows of tables?  What other eating spaces around the world are inspiring and interesting?

What should I upload in this Collect Info step?

Consider uploading photos, a short video, and a site plan drawing of your existing school library. Help us understand the existing conditions and the location of this room.

How do I collect Information?

How can collecting information help me with the design problem? Learn ways to collect information that will help you with the design process here.

mgarrity4's work for the Collect Information step:

Summary
Problems with the Current Design 1) Outdoor Seating – Currently there is no accessible outdoor eating area for students.
The Annex has some natural light but not much. This is why I would like to add a outdoor area....
0 comments
The Cafeteria Annex's garbage area has no organization sometimes these garbages even get...
1 comment
This is the garbage section in the main cafeteria. It is very unorganized and recycleables are...
0 comments
This is lunch lines in the main cafeteria. It is extremely easy to steal from these lines. Also, it...
0 comments
Another view of the lunch lines in the cafeteria showing the food section. You dont even get to eat...
0 comments
The single set of doors to exit the main cafeteria into a hallway that more than half the cafeteria...
0 comments
The main cafeteria that is extremely crowded and has no real traffic flow.
1 comment

Curious about the instructions for this step of this cafeteria design problem? >>

Show Hide

In the Brainstorm Ideas step of the design process, you put some early ideas down on paper that show what you've found in the Collect Info step.  You also might take more photos to show specific new ideas you have. 

The simple diagrams you make here will help you understand how the existing cafeteria location and design compare with your new ideas.

 

Try This

  • Walk around the exterior of your school building and take photos of possible locations for your new cafeteria with outdoor seating.

Think About

  • Will this cafeteria replace your school's existing cafeteria or become an addition to a different part of the building? Will it be built in an empty lot or space?  Will it be underground or built on the roof?  You decide.

Try This

  • Use Google Maps to view and print out an aerial photo of your school. 

Think About

  • Spend some time looking at the aerial photo of your school.  What types of other buildings surround your school?  Homes, businesses, parks, parking lots, or an empty field?  How will these other buildings impact the design of your new library?
  • What types of streets surround your school? Are they busy or quiet?     

Try This

  • On a piece of tracing paper placed over the aerial photo of your school, sketch a diagram showing a large arc around the building to show the path of the sun throughout the day.  This drawing is called a site analysis diagram.  (Remember, the sun rises in the east and sets in the west.)
  • Draw other lines on this diagram to indicate the best views around the building.

Think About

  • Based on the site analysis diagram you've sketched, where is the sun located throughout the school day? 
  • How can the indoor and outdoor seating areas of your new cafeteria be positioned to take advantage of the sunlight for good lighting?

What should I upload in this Brainstorm Ideas step?

Consider uploading hand sketches or a quick study model of all your first ideas. You can scan these drawings or take photos of your model.

How do I brainstorm ideas?

Brainstorming ideas is your first step towards making an informed decision to the design solution. Learn more about that here.

mgarrity4's work for the Brainstorm Ideas step:

Summary
My Ideas to Solve the Problems with the Current Design
I added a lot of seating into the outdoor courtyard so that students can eat.
0 comments
The Senior Lounge is set up in the old in school suspension room with a table and vending machines.
0 comments
I added garbage bins in both the annex and the Main Room making it easier to recycle and throw out...
0 comments
The added food court in the main room makes for a much easier traffic flow and lunch lines.
0 comments
The exiting traffic flow from the main room is simple you just exit into were the lunch lines were...
0 comments
The entering traffic flow
1 comment

Curious about the instructions for this step of this cafeteria design problem? >>

Show Hide

In the Develop Solutions step, your rough ideas come together with drawings and models that can show others your solutions for a new cafeteria.

Important! Since DiscoverDesign is about investigating the design process, the other people viewing your project - other students around the country, your teacher, and the competition judges - want to see how your ideas have changed over time. This means that while you're working on your digital model, you’ll want to be sure to keep re-saving it with a new file name every few days as you work through the steps.

Try This

  • Draw a sketch or use software such as Google SketchUp, AutoCAD, or Revit to illustrate your ideas.  You can upload photos (JPG files) from your SketchUp model, video fly throughs (FLV files) of your SketchUp model, or drawings (DWF files) from AutoCAD.

 

Try This

  • Make sure your cafeteria includes the following types of spaces and furnishings.
    - indoor seating area (tables, seating)
    - outdoor seating area (tables, seating)
    - food storage (shelves)
    - cook desk (place to check out)
    - small office for kitchen staff
    - bins for recycyling

 

What should I upload in this Develop Solutions step?

Consider uploading images (JPG, GIF) of your rough digital model. It's ok if your model is still a work in progress. Show an axonometric or perspective view with people, which will help others understand the scale of your library.

How do I develop solutions?

Look at all of the ideas you gathered in the last step. How do those respond to the needs of the space? Learn more about developing solutions here.

mgarrity4's work for the Develop Solutions step:

Summary
I took my ideas developed during the brainstorming process and used Autodesk Revit to create plans and renderings. Below you will find my solutions to the problems facing my school’s cafeteria -
Outdoor eating area - You can sit around the protruding fish ponds or sit over by the wall with...
0 comments
Senior Lounge - Has a tile floor with many lounge cars to sit in. Also, it has a table so that the...
0 comments
Trash Area is now bins which are much larger than garbage cans and can be pull out easier. The...
0 comments
The Lunch Lines run down both sides of the cafeteria making it easier to walk through and you get...
0 comments
I added another door connecting from the Annex to the cafeteria in hopes to much improve the...
0 comments
This is the Cafe' Annex. This room can easily be turned into a meeting room. The annex has a...
0 comments
This is the floor plans to the Cafe' annex,cafeteria, and courtyard. They are all right next...
0 comments

Curious about the instructions for this step of this library design problem? >>

Show Hide

The final step of the design process is to create more finished drawings that illustrate your ideas to others. Remember, your explanation text, and the types of drawings, images, and models you share need to tell the whole story of your project to someone who may or may not have ever visited your school.

You might want to share floor plans, elevations, renderings of your digital model, photos of a physical model, or a video animation of your model.

Continue to collect feedback from your peers, teachers and the online community to help you improve on your final design. Be sure to review and add constructive comments on the work of other students who are solving the same design problem. If your ideas change, be sure to explain your thinking and let others know about the new work you have posted to your account.

What should I upload in this Final Design step?

Consider uploading final hand or digital renderings, images of your finished physical model, or your finished digital model (as a DWF file).

How do I know I have my final design?

Consider all of the design considerations you made in your last step. Use feedback from students, teachers, and mentors to finalize your design. Learn more about finishing your design here.

mgarrity4's work for the Final Design step:

Summary
My Final Design Consists of the Following… 1) More coloration than the developed solution page in each rendering. 2) In room camera views, turned into renderings.
Courtyard view standing in front the entrance the students will be entering through to eat out...
0 comments
The senior lounge with its "kickback" circle of chairs and a table for students to eat at.
0 comments
The new revised trash section with the recycling to the left and the trash to the right. The...
0 comments
A picture that shows how that traffic flow will incorperate into the placement of the tables.
0 comments
The extra door to help improve traffic flow from the Annex into the Cafeteria. This will help...
0 comments
The Cafe' Annex which can be used for both meetings and as a place to eat. There is an island...
0 comments
2 comments