INTERIOR DESIGN PORTFOLIO BY AIMEE GRAY

INTERIOR DESIGN PORTFOLIO BY AIMEE GRAY

YEAR 3 Final Independant Project Tree House TREE HOUSE My final independent project was an initiative aiming to develop innovative, sustainable, healthy learning environments incorporating biophilic design principles that could be used as a benchmark for future school developments. This has been achieved by designing an innovative, adaptable solution utilising the 14 principles of Biophilic design. The design can be used as a template for future developments and can be adapted to suit the specific requirements of future projects. The design visibly demonstrates sustainability to all users and will encourage people to learn more about it. The ethos has been integrated within the design and promotes healthy environments and social interaction. Tree House has been designed to offer flexibility allowing the users to adapt the space to their needs and requirements this also offers better social interaction opportunities. The flexibility to open space and connect with the outdoors creates better learning environments and limits the boundaries between the inside and outside environment. The interior has been designed to engage and motivate students and staff, future benefits such as improved attendance, test results and performance will hopefully be seen along with improvements in health and well being. The new design will not only benefit the users and tackle the lack of school places available but also benefit heaton moor and the surrounding community, it will provide better services for local residents, regenerate a disused site and help the economy by providing jobs and better education facilities encouraging people to move to the area. Overall I think the Tree House concept has been successful and could be developed further to create a sustainable, innovative solution to help tackle the lack of school places available, sustainability and create improved learning environments for future generations. INNOVATIVE.SUSTAINABLE.HEALTHY LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS. 01

YEAR 3 Final Independant Project Tree House PROPOSED FLOOR PLAN......LEARNING ZONE RECEPTION CLASS Classrooms x 2 Shared area with outside access Toilets Cloakroom Storage PROPOSED GROUND FLOOR PLAN PROPOSED FIRST FLOOR PLAN...ACTIVATE Multiple use hall with outside access Learning resource area Kitchen Storage...LEARNING ZONE YEAR 1& 2...FACILITATE Classrooms x 2 with outside access Storage Toilets Cloakroom Lift Reception & waiting area Admin office Heads Office Meeting Room Staff Room Plant server 02

YEAR 3 Final Independant Project Tree House FINAL SHOW 03

YEAR 3 Project 1 Smartworks SMARTWORKS Smart Works is a UK charity that helps women get back into work by providing interview clothes, styling advice and interview training to help them feel confident enough to get back into work. Our brief was to work with the Stockport branch to design a new scheme for their current site. The client required a welcoming warm environment with a boutique feel reflecting their brand identity and ethos. I aimed to clearly define the space using lighting and different flooring creating a functional space for clients and staff. My concept was to create a sustainable environment to inspire clients and help them to feel confident. 04

YEAR 2 Final Independant Project Green Kitchen GREEN KITCHEN The final project of our Foundation Degree was our Independent Project our brief was to come up with a concept for a business and source a building ourselves. I decided to use Heaton Moor substation a grade 2 listed building in Heaton Moor and created The Green Kitchen, a café, recreational cooking school, market place and event space dedicated to providing good nutritional advice, sustainable and seasonal food and supporting local businesses. I really wanted to utilise all the existing features of the building and maximise the space and height. I came up with the design concept of creating an environment promoting health and sustainability in an industrial raw environment. I considered many layout options until I decided on my final one, then started considering the functional and aesthetic requirements. There were many design considerations including incorporating inclusive design into my project and ensuring the building was usable for everybody, considering how to maintain the buildings historical features, the implications of the building being grade 2 listed and the fact that it was in a conservation area, health and safety factors and current building regulations. I carried The Green Kitchens ethos throughout the final design by retaining the original features and materials. Sustainability was a key factor in the material choices and keeping our impact on the environment to a minimum. 05

YEAR 2 Final Independant Project Green Kitchen SECOND YEAR FINAL SHOW 06

YEAR 2 Project 2 Regeneration REGENERATION Regeneration Design Brief No 186 are an interior design agency based in Manchester formed in 2007, they are renowned for their innovative and creative work and due to expansion and re-branding they are relocating to Platt chapel. They quickly became one of the UK s leading creative interior design agencies and have a large portfolio and over 200 clients. They offer a full service from branding and identity design alongside the interiors they create. The new office will accommodate 25-30 employees, They would like a working environment to reflect their brand identity and create inspirational work zones for their employees whilst making the most of the height, space and original features of the chapel. No 186 want to create a dynamic, collaborative environment emphasizing team culture and flexible working. They are focused on the health and well-being of their employees and would like this to be reflected in a modern working environment. 07

YEAR 2 Project 1 Exhibition EXHIBITION Exhibition Design Brief Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council have requested a redesign of the ground floor at Stockport Art Gallery to include a reception area, small shop, an exhibition and a café whilst maintaining the original features of the Grade 2 listed building. They require a topical exhibition to run for 3 months as a way of promoting the gallery. The Exhibition will be used to promote an aspect of WW1, this year also commemorates the start of the first world war and Stockport art gallery was built to commemorate those that lost there lives in WW1. Using a variety of object based and experience based design we will create an exhibition aiming to communicate a message by engaging with the audience. The main purpose of the building was to perpetuate the names of the fallen Stockport men who made the supreme sacrifice. So to commemorate the centenary I wanted to create an exhibition showcasing memories of their lives. I chose to use a range of objects belonging to the soldiers and really making these and the stories attached the focus of the exhibition. Objects are a catalyst for emotions and by using these objects it encourages people to connect with the subject emotionally and makes what happened real. 08

MATERIALITY YEAR 1 Project 4 Materiality The design brief for Materiality required us to design a restaurant concept influenced by an influential artist of the modern art movement. My idea was the Art Café Restaurant an upmarket, independent restaurant group renowned for its high quality food and service. It was set up in 2008 by a renowned chef and has gained a great reputation for serving regional, seasonal food to discerning clientele. The Art Café Restaurants are always located in character buildings with quirky appeal. The interior design of their restaurants always enhances a buildings original features whilst reflecting the companies ethos. Maintaining part of the buildings original character is important. Each restaurant in subtly based on an internationally recognised and influential artist of the modern art movement. My chosen artist was Mondrian. The clients wanted the interior to reflect a chosen artists work and to create an atmosphere that enabled a smooth transition between a day time cafe to an evening restaurant. Inspire by Mondrian s work I wanted to use a grid formation and utilised the beams to create a 3D layout by creating screens. This creates a natural flow through the building and also gives a sense of privacy but does not affect the views throughout the building. During the De Stijl movement he adapted his work into what he called new plastic art. It was here he used 3 primary colours and a grid of black vertical and horizontal lines. I have chosen to use the colours only on the ground floor as this helps to create a more fun, casual cafe area for daytime service that will successfully turn into a bar area in the evening. I also chose to include the colour green as felt this fitted in with the sustainability factors. The unrestricted views have been maximised by the use of glass throughout the rear of the building. This also maximises the natural light and allows it to flood the building. During this project we developed our sketch up skills and continue to gain knowledge in this area now. 09

YEAR 1 Project 3 Habitation HABITATION The Design brief for our Habitation project was to improve and redesign the existing communal areas at Edinburgh Close Sheltered Housing to fulfil the changing needs of the residents and to create a user friendly, comfortable and welcoming space for the residents to improve their standard of living. During this project I developed my skills in zoning and floor plans, started using auto cad and gained model making skills. 10

ARTEFACTS Artefact required us to produce a design for a meeting pod to be located in the Co-op s headquarters public area using sustainable materials. YEAR 1 Project 2 Artefacts My research gave me a great insight into the Co-op, its values and its ethos. This helped me gain an understanding of what they might want the meeting space to represent. I didn t just want to make a meeting pod for the sake of it I wanted it to have a connection with the company. My ideas led me to think about using the create, collaborate and concentrate areas we had been shown on our visit to the Co-op. I came up with three different designs for meeting areas and started to pull mood boards together for each area and focused on the collaborate zone. This area to me was what the Co-op stood for. Using natural sustainable materials was very important to me and visually I wanted it to shout this to people. I chose a minimal colour pallet and OSB as my main material due to its sustainable properties. I wanted to create a multi functional space that represented the companies ethos and background. Research shows that companies that take into consideration what employees need to be effective can create well designed workplaces that increase productivity. An office s design should also be based on the organisations ethos. A well designed work place can increase productivity but also boost morale. I think it should also showcase a companies identity and values whilst fulfilling the demands of the employees and I think my meeting area does this. 11

STRUCTURES YEAR 1 Project 1 Structures Our first project design brief was to explore sustainable design principles in relation to a project inspired by nature. We were required to design a small scale shelter for Educational visits for the Forest Explorers in Delamere Forest. I created an abstract interpretation of a small scale shelter, my inspiration came from the tree roots I saw during our visit to Delamere. I wanted to create a structure that evolved from the ground as if it was growing there I also wanted to use wood so it looked as if it was part of the forest. My other inspiration came from the light and shadows created by the tall trees & forest canopy and I reflected this by using wood slats. I took this idea and started sketching shapes but found it easier to make 3D models with paper. I started experimenting with shapes and found inspirational images of curved and round structures. During this project I learned to develop more ideas instead of sticking with one, from this I also learned to challenge myself more creatively and now have the confidence to explore alternative ideas. 12

UMBRO During my time at Umbro I worked as a visual merchandiser creating VM guidelines and training documents for UK and Global retailers to create brand consistency and ensure Umbro was presented to the highest standard across different markets. I attended and supported set ups at different trade shows including Bread and Butter Berlin and worked alongside the EMEA merchandising team to launch Umbro concessions in Spain. I successfully led a team to set up a trade show in China to launch the new retail system and produced set ups each quarter to support sell ins and global licensee meetings. Umbro Visual Merchandiser 13