Transforming Spaces - Shelter/Bus

This week's challenge was to design a shelter:bus for four hurricane relief workers. I chose to design a bus for preservation students aiding in relief efforts by documenting damaged historic buildings. UNCG and Mary Washington have both sent students to New Orleans in the past to hand draw and digitally record compromised buildings. In these instances, the students stayed in a motel for an extended period of time.

CONTEXT:
When disaster strikes an area, countless people and buildings are affected. In historic areas, significant historic fabric may be lost or compromised, requiring preservation efforts through the means of historic building surveys. The concept of this project is the transformation of actual spaces and their uses through the collapse and expansion of large and small scale elements. It provides a work and living space for four students who are documenting historic buildings after a hurricane, much like the team that UNCG sent to New Orleans several years ago.

Transformation is achieved through the expansion of sections to create additional interior space, while sliding glass doors convert open, public space to compartmentalized, private and work spaces. Tables collapse to become folding sofas. Swinging doors serve as posting boards and beds serve double duty for sleep and storage.

The use of windows, skylights and solar panels transforms contained space into an interactive environment that relates the structure to the street, but allows free flowing air to circulate throughout. Aesthetically, the structural simplicity and bright colors of the interior help to generate artistic energy and a positive environment.

THE PROJECT:

Dear John Linn

I addressed my postcard to John Linn, who spoke about the 2030 Challenge. I was mainly interested in how Historic Preservation could be incorporated into this challenge, so much so, that I'm turning it into a preservation brief for the semester.

Precis - Tying up loose ends

Time for reflection: the Shelter/Bus/Shelter project charrettes seem to be winding down (for now). These precis help to give a visual tour of the last couple weeks work.

Actual Guerilla Marketing - Communicate

Drawn by Sara Zales
Drawn by BrittanyDasso
Designed by Katrina Fischer
Drawn by Sara Zales
Designed by Lauren Shepulski

Guerilla Marketing - Communicate

You can't change the world if no one knows about it.We need to get the word out about IARC and what we do here, but we don't have a marketing team, or much money, so guerrilla marketing is our best bet and it looks like fun.Guerrilla Marketing is defined as any of a number of unconventional methods of marketing with minimal resources for maximum results; any marketing campaign that uses non-mainstream tactics and locations (Webster's Dictionary for the New Millennium.)
After an hour of so of brain storming my group of four came up with six workable ideas:

Crosswalk lights. (Printed) We want to put stickers with our web address on the button you push to get a walk signal. The sticker will look like a computer cursor clicking on our address to remind people every time they click the button to get a walk signal to also click to see what we're doing.
Trash cans. (Product) But not your average trash cans. Ours don't work. The top does not swing open. The lid will say, "What if design didn't function?" and direct the user to our blog.
All Tied Up! (Scandal) We want to tie mannequins or blow up dolls to light posts near bus stops with a sign reading, "Having trouble getting around? Try GTA!" We'll put up a link to our Bus/Shelter Shelter/Bus blogs and to the GTA.
Art Show. (People) Tate Street Coffee is within itself a community of very creative people. There are ever-changing art exhibits there and we think if we can fill it with IARCers work we can get noticed.
A scavenger hunt. (Places) No, we're not talking about a list and a bunch of people scurrying around looking for paper clips and men named Bob. We envision something more subtle. We're thinking small scale numbered Minerva statues holding clues to finding out what the IARC department is doing scattered around town.

Codes (+) Modifications to our Shelters/Busses

Through our investigation of codes, ergonomics, and proxemics, we found several shortcoming in our Bus/Shelter and Shelter/Bus projects. Most of these problems had to do with handicap accessibility and cramped space. This diagram shows the necessary codes that apply to the shower bus model. To check out all three of the Fantastic Fours Diagrams and essay, please go to the Fantastic Fours Blog.

Container - Shelter/Bus Model