Client Brief

As I was typing my client brief for the re-design of the St. Elmo's hotel I did not realize how many details went into the brief. Initially i thought of a client brief as just an overall summary about the design process but it is actually much more than that. It does summarize the process but it also allows someone to understand the amount of development that went into the concept and design for the project. From the beginning sketches to the circulation diagrams to the actual measurements all lead to a tangible result of what originally was just a vision.

This was my first time writing a client brief so I was not sure of everything that needed to be incorporated or documented but I did put in a lot of thought to what the client's envision was and how I guided the client to a design that will become part of his surroundings and his lifestyle. It was also good to see how I did or may not have overcame any design challenges for the project and how I could improve in that aspect in the future.

Residential Space

The residential space I developed is part of a redesign for a hotel to convert into apartment living. I focused mainly on the one bedroom apartment and the common space for the second floor of the project. The one bedroom is designed to have a private entrance and the initial view of some Lumicor screening on the entry closet door. As one turns into the living area, an individual can peer into the kitchen as well as viewing a peninsula for extra seating and eating space. The kitchen is supported a little by natural light as there is a window at the end of the counter but what really brightens up the kitchen is the dropped ceiling which has light fixtures that focus on the kitchen as well as the surrounding areas. There is also a dropped ceiling above the peninsula allowing one to study or eat comfortably. The living area is a smaller space but still provides the necessary components for a relaxing hang out environment. 

As one moves away from the kitchen and living area you can see a staggered wall which echos the differing heights of the peninsula sitting adjacent to it. You can either choose to go right into the bedroom or left into the bathroom. The bathroom as a closet storage as well as a leveled vanity with an over the counter sink and a frontal reach for the toilet. There is one window in the bathroom near the toilet for ventilation and natural light.There is a pocket door which connects the bathroom and bedroom allowing more flexibility in the paths and traffic in the apartment. 

The bedroom has a large closet and two windows for lots of natural lighting. There is also a little bit of a recessed ceiling in the bedroom for a dramatic light fixture to brighten up the space. 

 Model with one bedroom apartment floor plan. 

First board showing my initial thoughts and process in designing the one bedroom apartment. 

This board shows the common space which is filled with much warmer tones than the apartment to differentiate the environments and gives people the option on what kind of atmosphere they want to be surrounded in. 

This board displays my kitchen and living area. There is a rendering of how the space is envisioned as well as how it can be utilized. 

This board is of my bedroom and bath. Since they are connected by a pocket door I kept both spaces similar and cohesive with color scheme and earthy materials.