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THIRD PRIZE: 2012 national competition project #075 | cafeteria redesign

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

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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.

Identifying the Problem:
-School cafeterias seem mostly to be spaces for nourrishment and social gathering. At times these spaces may feel dark and crowded, along with
other interferences that may induce discomfort, and this each person experiences in different ways. So, why not attempt at appeasing all of these
experiences.

These are the things that should be thought of as problems with solutions that require being often observed, analyzed and evaluated:
-- Lighting (artificial/natural), how it affects people and their performance
-- Outdoors- providing shelter from heat of the sun (position of sun in relation to site)
-- Circulation of traffic-flow, which could result in less areas of congestion
-- Making the facilities accessible to all
-- Furnishings/Seating options and how their arrangement could affect circulation
-- Material and its impact on the environment
-- SUSTAINABILITY, effective use of energy (appliances), use of materials, disposal of waste, etc.
-- Color, space, form and the overall aesthetic
-- Offer an environment that encourages healthy eating and stimulating conversation

Objective: To create a space that is inviting yet fulfills the purpose that it serves (A Cafeteria). As well as keeping in mind the ideal of comfort and
making sustainably conscious decisions.

Comments

Excellent! Don't forget in your research to find inspiration to help you to develop a strong concept.

By DASH Architecture, Educator at 12:54 pm, 09 April 2012

I very much enjoyed reviewing this project as a juror for the final round of the competition. What really stands out for me with your project is how the design evolves through your process and study. The notes and observations made in the research and brainstorming phases are well organized and have a graphic clarity - they communicate your direction and ambitions very well. These are important skills as an architect, and making a good first impression (which you do) meant we were really interested to see how this project developed.
The jury unanimously enjoyed your concept model. To me, I enjoyed the structural "spring" of it - it really looked as though it wanted to open up (like a book), but was held together with the tension members (the strings). This was a very enjoyable part of your design. I regretted that your final model didn't have this same energy - or at least we couldn't see inside it in the images you shared with us. If you had revealed the interior of your project, and shared some "conventional" architectural drawings (beyond the lovely axonometric) in your final design then your project would have been very, very complete.
But be supremely encouraged by this amazing work - congratulations on achieving so much - you were obviously very motivated by the assignment, and demonstrate skills that are going to stand you in great stead as a communicator and problem solver. Your ideas and presentation have an energy that is wonderfully refreshing and uninhibited. You are artful. GREAT JOB. This project was a pleasure to review.
Good luck.
Peter Exley FAIA

By FunArchitect, Architect at 10:52 pm, 19 June 2012

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

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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.

Organica's work for the Collect Information step:

Summary
-Analizing the space one is going to work with I believe is a key element in collecting information that may set up a more informative direction in research.
In the preceding step it was asked to come up with an overview of the intentions we had in mind to...
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This peice of information is an analysis of the existing cafeteria space as well as its outdoor...
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This is known as the multi. purpose room-- most of the schools events occur here. There is only...
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Here is where the food preperation occurs; but because this is a satellite kitchen rather than...
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This area provides a space to sit with fellow classmates and enjoy lunch while experiencing the...
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This is the botanical garden that serves us students as a teaching tool and allows a more open...
1 comment
Research can consist of many different ideas, topics or subjects, but one is forced to narrow it...
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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.

Organica's work for the Brainstorm Ideas step:

Summary
My method of brainstorming consists of sporadic thoughts or ideas that eventually begin to show clarity and some fluidity of ideas, mental images that have been sketched out awaiting a tangibl
This is an exploration of material and bizarre ideas, such as creating an untraditional shape for...
12 comments
Here location is put under consideration. The site being located in south Florida gives way for...
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This is another sheet of the exploration of some conceptual ideas: especially that of the red...
10 comments

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

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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.

Organica's work for the Develop Solutions step:

Summary
Developing Solutions: exploring ideas thought of in the last step and refining them.
Further exploring the idea and making it a more solid tangible product. Considering the spaces in...
1 comment
3 comments
Elevations
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Curious about the instructions for this step of this library design problem? >>

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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.

Organica's work for the Final Design step:

Summary
The final design is composed of the refined concept that was developed back in the brainstorming step.
The final model gives an idea of what the space may become. It almost makes the idea a tangible...
1 comment
View shows the way that the use of skylights may add to the lightness of the space as well as be...
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An exploded axonometric at an 1/8"= 1' scale, to show the space as a whole and some...
1 comment