Unit 7 Summary

                                 Finishes add to the idea of experience in big ways. Depending on the finishes the designer chooses, the experience that a person has may change or be exaggerated. AN interior finish includes anything that you come in contact with in an interior space, the walls, ceilings, floors and additional pieces. Contrast and texture add to an experience as well. Contrast draws someone in to the space and texture encourages someone to touch it, such as wall or ceilings.

                  One big factor of adding to the experience is the finish of the color the designer chooses. Color can bring about different feelings for a person and give an idea as to what is meant to happen in the space. Lighting also contributes to the space because everything is seen by the audience and light can draw people in further into the interior space. An example that came to mind is the Toys R Us store in New York City’s Times Square. The bright lights, colored floors, winding floors, themed walls and flashing signs encourages people to walk further in. People want to follow the candy path and to follow where the bright, flashing lights are coming from.

   Toys R Us is an example of how lights, textures, and color can draw people in and give them a better experience because of the finishes that were chosen. (Images are taken from Google Images)

Design vs Decoration

While interior design and decoration seem and sound like the same thing, they are not. Florence Knoll herself considered herself in the article an ‘architect’ and ‘interior designer’ but did not want to be referred to as a ‘interior decorator’ or ‘furniture designer.’ I believe her stance is the same as mine. I believe the two are just similar and related but are two different aspects of a bigger picture. They work together to create a space with a certain vision in mind. I think the main difference is that interior design is the way it is made, from the architecture, they materials used, and the way the space is set up. While decoration is the finishing’s and final touches added to the interior design to allow the place to have a specific feel and look to the interior. Interior design would be the explanation of ‘why the chair is there’ while decoration is ‘why that color and texture pillow is used.’ In the Knoll Showroom tour, the specific interior design ways are labeled as perimeter, core, efficient, and adaptive. The decoration would be the added pieces to complete the space.

                  The history and theory of interior elements shows how their interior design became their decoration; such as when they used recliners are part of their daily life. The interior design became used as decoration. The people in prehistory used their version of paint to paint and tell a story on the wall; which I consider decoration.

                  I believe that my thoughts on the differences of interior design and decoration will be strengthened because of the next unit on furnishings. I will be able to see how they use furnishings and decoration to finish off their design and make it a cohesive look.

Case Study 7 - Salk Institute Motif

The Salk Institute is simple in its design both inside and outside on the courtyard. Since it lacks specific design and motifs, I decided to pick and imagine what could be used as a motif in the Salk Institute. I decided that something similar to the Greek Key would work well in the area. The simple straight lines appear on the travertine courtyard as well as the entrances that line the courtyard area. The square design I created allows the simplicity of the space to continue but maintain the straight lines. The entire space is consistent with using geometric shapes like squares and rectangles.

                  The simplicity and stone of the space appears to give off a more masculine look. The focus is for those who are at the science institute to find and start a cure to diseases. The Salk was built and designed by all men and at the beginning of the time in 1957, only men worked and spent time at the science lab.

                  The man contacted to deign the Salk Institute, Louis Kahn, focused to design a simple but inspiring building; specifically, spiritually inspiring. He made the building two symmetrical bases with two identical sides separated by a courtyard. He took advantage of all the natural light used, the simple scene, and perfect location along the Pacific Ocean. He intended to create a calm, serene feel within the middle of the symmetry. He creates a mind, spiritual, and intellectual retreat with his simple design point towards nature.

                  The craft and building of the Salk Institute was a focus on the symmetry and nature aspects. There is a symmetrical balance, as mentioned above, that is made even more clear with the water feature that lines the middle of the travertine courtyard. The water feature lines up almost perfectly with the sun. This allows the focus of the people to look towards nature and the Pacific Ocean so they are reminded of how small they are compared to the vast ocean. The space also strives to make the people become ‘one with the ocean.’

Unit 06 Summary

                  Throughout the unit on experiences within an interior space, I began to learn to look past just the materials but more into what the materials did for the space. Lighting, artificial or natural, does more for a space than just making it brighter. It can cause a room to feel more calm, it can create certain shadows in a particular space, and it can help reveal more materials being used in the space. An experience can be created through the light and materials because of the way they work together to give off a particular vibe and make a person feel a certain way. Stone can make a place feel grand and elegant while wood can make a place feel cozy to a person.

                  More than just materials, I learned that the way people place themselves, near or far from another, give a sign as to how they interact in a space. This is mainly talked about using the word proxemics. If people are within a certain amount of space, and are close together, it invites a person to be social and to make conversation. If people were to place themselves further away, they do not want people to be within their personal space. Studying the way people behave in a space can also be done by looking at the room they are in.

                  Looking at a space like the interior included, it is able to be seen how people should behave within. This is a grand foyer within a house. When one first walks in, their eyes are drawn up the steps because of the big steps. There is no chair or seating areas within the foyer, this shows that people do not sit in this room. This room is for the entrance and the seating that is within the back portion of the house invites a person in the next room to sit and be social. The materials in the space are a smooth, finished, creatively decorated flooring that provides elegance and sets the mood for the remainder of the house. The designed ceiling with trim and the mix of wood (stairs) and stone flooring provides a cozy but grand home.