KaitlynFitzy's Account

I'm a structural engineer in Chicago with some background in architecture and I served on the competition jury. You did a really nice thorough job outlining the flaws in the existing cafeteria. You also have plenty of good ideas. Color, natural light and sound control are important, and it's great that you recognize that. I enjoyed seeing your circulation diagram as well. I also appreciate how you addressed all five steps of the design process. It would have been better to stick with the same ideas throughout the steps by focusing (even exclusively) on the problems you identified in the beginning. I know it's hard not to introduce new ideas later on, but your argument for your design would be stronger if you'd illustrate in more detail how your design solves the problems you established in the beginning following the strategies you proposed in the brainstorming. That said, it could be a good idea to put upper levels in the cafeteria. This raises interesting questions such as how the upper levels are supported. How many columns and/or walls would you need in the space below? How do the upper levels affect natural lighting? You did a good job answering how to get up and down via elevator and spiral stair. You've explored quite a bit, and it's opened many doors for you. I hope you will continue to explore. Best!

I’m an educator in Chicago who served on the competition jury. I’ve enjoyed reviewing your project. I appreciate how you’ve considered the look and feel of the space as well as paying attention to the sometimes invisible things like heating and acoustics. All of this is so important to how a space works!

You have proposed some ambitious plans that involve carving out many different kinds of sub-spaces within this two-story space. I wonder, though, where the kitchen is in your plans. Also, you write that in your final design you chose to focus on these interior design features of the space, but I would have liked to see what ideas you might have had for outdoor spaces, as the design challenge asked. You showed us in your “collect information” stage of the design process a small outdoor seating area and point to the fact that there is another open space. How could those spaces be better utilized as an extension of the interior space?

Best of luck to you, and I encourage you to keep exploring architecture and design.

You have duplicated the food court idea, was there a different one you had wanted to post?
Good ideas. Look forward to the model!

Blue lighting is definitely very calming!

Very ambitious plan! The lounge area is a great idea! I do have a concern for the spiral staircase because it is dangerous and not for everyone especially for tall people and people who are disabled. Unless you provide another staircase that is manageable for these types of people.

The above comment is a good and clear strategy to focus more of your attention on if you think it's important to you. You do have a lot of ideas which is great! It's good to think about everything. But there needs to be a clear concept or something that you are going to focus more than the others and will be the main driving force of your design!

I agree. Many students do their school work during lunch. Absorbing more sound is good. Perhaps looking at divided seating areas like booths or seating areas set aside for quite study should be a consideration in your solution.

Wow that does not look good you got the pipes just stuck out there and it dont not look very appealing.

Looks like you have a big doorway but little doors maybe you could fix that.