The Process of Design Projects - Case Study Example

Personal design Learn plan The plan for learning is to ensure that I use the design practice as a means of identifying my personal style of design, conduct technological research and comprehend sustainable and green design. The study will also aid in gathering information from different disciplines on how to have an effective design. This information will facilitate in ensuring that it is possible to have a reflection on how design influences the quality of life. Such is vital since design influences the life of individuals in the social world. Hence, there is a need to generate new ideas in the process of design projects. Thus, the final presentation of the design should include a mixture of simplified functions, which offer a good decoration for the interior space. At my masters’ level of study, I seek to ensure that my presentation for the design is well organized and has an element of clarity. I will learn the design methodology by having a continuous design practice. The practice will aid in knowing how to make the design be special and narrow such that it captures attention in a small area. Such a practice will also create opportunity for learning the functions, which when added in the design project give the best outcomes. In addition, there will be a focus on researchers involved in the designing process. Moreover, I aim at increasing my design skills from the design experience. This will facilitate in identifying the weaknesses and the strengths of my design. Hence, it will be easy to have a balance between weaknesses and strengths. In my future career, I am at doing a real project, which will involve communicating with the customer to identify his or her needs for the design. I also seek to comprehend the design values needed in the social world. These include design styles for the population in the social environment. Further, I focus on understanding how I can mix the personal style with the population in order to have a unique style for the customers. Personal design Improving the elderly persons’ quality of life and make functions into space planning Introduction/ Background The personal project that I have chosen to do is coming up with a nursing home interior design meant for the elderly people, in my home country. First, most old folks in China do not have the opportunity to be taken care of by their children because of the reproduction policy in China. The policy limits the required number of children in each family to one. This results in a situation where that single child does not have time for his/her parents, thus neglecting them. Secondly, I felt that most of the designers today put their focus on designing for the younger generation, but not the elderly. These interiors are often fashionable, unique and vivid. Thus, I wish to include these elements into the nursing house design, so that the elderly would have a chance to experience what the youngsters do. Research Methodology In designing this project, my main aim is to provide a good environment for elderly people in my hometown. The connection with the contemporary world is capable of enhancing comfort for the elderly. Such will ensure that the elderly have a comfortable lifestyle. The project is also aimed at enabling me explore my strengths and weakness during the whole designing process. I used the radiant and integrated mind map to analyze space planning and decoration for the nursing home’s design. This was using a range of researches to learn what functions in a nursing home. It was also through identifying various services that are necessary in such a nursing home. The interior space is reliant on the natural elements and colours used. Thus, the elderly can have a good environment, which ensures that they get adequate rest by using emotional and insight based colours. Through the designing process, empathy is key in understanding what the elderly are going through thus motivating the space efficiency and decorating for with the comfort of the elderly in mind. Design Process To begin this design, the research conducted focused on interiors for the ageing population and the care services suitable for the elderly. This ranged from the decoration of the design to concept statement to develop new and creative ideas for the nursing home. I also studied the nursing home care guide to analyze the layout of the space planning to enhance the effectiveness and organization of the interior space planning organization to cater for the elderly people. Various factors influenced the interior design ranging from the suitable colours to various natural elements. The main consideration was to make the best use of colours to evoke the emotion of these elderly people. The project also considered the provision of better environment for their rest and activities. Further, in this project air quality, crowding, ergonomics and lighting effect on the occupants of the nursing home are considered. The arising question was what is the best way to supply a warm and friendly atmosphere for the interior? The nursing home design has three floors with each floor having different functions. The first floor is designed to act as reception for the customer. Therefore, it has a big common space at the centre area, and a separate private space with an open space for elderly activities. At the same time, there is a designed panoptic window at the north orientation, enabling residents to enjoy a common space, and attract the persons coming in this space. The common space is the heart of the first floor. There is also a beauty shop, salon, nursing care office, adjacent to the common space. The aim of the first floor purpose is to enhance external expression services offered. It allows the customers to know what services are offered in this nursing home. From the design, the second floor will incorporate a sports centre, game room, theatre, therapeutic recreational activity and the likes. These facilities will provide numerous activities for them. Each floor will have a reception table, to enhance communication with elder people, to help them understand the solutions to all the problems that they might have. At the third floor, the common facilities include the swimming room, library, gallery centre, and religion office. To help the elder people receive new information, and develop their interests. I have designed five different types units. This was considering the preferences of the elderly. Some of them prefer private space, others like association with others, others prefer daylight into them bedroom, while other do not. Therefore, the different unit can give them free space to choose. At the same time, a part of unit design has the kitchen area to help elder people practice their independent ability. Furthermore, it incorporates the design of different types for dining room, with the main one at the first floor making the space special thus bringing fresh feeling for the elder people. The second floor dining room provides the food for religious belief people. The third floor dining rooms will serve the customers enhancing their privacy and greater services. Reflection on design process I have found out that I have always focused on decoration and space organization to design the interior space. I did not pay attention on technology, and sustainable materials. Moreover, I lacked enough creativity to innovate this interior and space decoration. My research mostly focused on nursing home design and services of the past. I also faced challenges in finding available research on green design, sustainable design, and technology. Moreover, incorporating these functions into the design project to improve the quality of life of the elder people was challenging. Secondly, for the rendering design I researched on more finished materials, and did not focus research on new materials and finishes, or develop old element generation into new materials. For example add green design, make new material finish and design innovation into the interior space. The research direction was limited, and most of the time I used layout space planning, not decoration innovation while doing this project. Therefore, this design did not have the strength to enhance the interior space innovation. Conclusion During the study of design mythology in this semester, and considering that it was my first time to conduct a personal project, I lacked a good connection with the design and design methodology. The nursing home not only need a good space layout for elder people to live in, but also need to have creative innovation of decoration in the interior space. Such will ensure that they enjoy a modern design that gives the best environment to relax while improving their quality of life. At the next design project, I will change the design methodology, beginning with material finishes, research, and develop texture element, from design on one unique small space, into a big unique space. Read More