i have never thought about how a blind person lives, i have just thought how i never wanted to be that way; a horrible thought i know, but in all honesty... i am being truthful.
when i first entered in the waiting room/lobby space i saw it as bland and drab. i felt the space had no spirit, and even though i know all people who enter there are not blind, i felt it said they cannot see, so why focus on visual aesthetics? the only space i felt that had any spirit to it, was the small, and rather tacky indoor garden.
indoor garden
After going up and passing through a yet dull office space we entered the large warehouse. this space was your typical dim light with ultra violet lights, concrete floor, and bland concrete walls.
Warehouse
my favorite area was the working area. it was so busy and so alive. i have never seen so much action going on in one place. it felt like being in the very center of a beehive. everyone working, moving at a quick speed, almost like robots. it did feel like you stereotypical sweatshop, not in work or ethics of the place, but just the style of the room design. dim lights, closed off to the world, no idea of the world outside. i believe opening that up would do amazing aesthetics not only to the interior space, but the city itself. it is a world worth viewing.
Factory
Factory
it was amazing to see an environment like that. true human production at it's best. while the building felt lacking in aesthetics appeal, it should not dull the ethics and spirit of the facility. what these people are doing both workers and management should be proud of themselves.
now i feel like the facility should reflect that spirit.
Entering the exhibits of the museum gave me a new light and feeling for the space and what it needs to provide in the lobby space. This truly is an amazing space after one gets an entire feeling for the space.
When I first came in I entered the Jewish heritage of the south exhibit. I found this to be very interesting. I never knew so much Jewish connects were throughout the state. I also really enjoyed the fact many things were interactive, and you could touch and open, and try on. This was a very exciting museum experience. I have never been in a setting like that where one was allowed to have so much freedom in their learning experience in the museum. This is something the lobby lacks. This is a very interesting aspect to the space as a whole. Maybe a small example of how their museum works ahead. Something people could get a feel of the freedom liberties within the museum.
Moving beyond this space I visited the Civil War guns and knives room. I see the cultural connect to the history of the south here, but I found it to be my least favorite and rather boring. It felt much more cold and disciplined room on the trip. I did however like the paintings on the wall in this room. I felt they not only added a aesthetic to the room, but linked art and history conflicts together that is always an interesting aspect in learning about history I think.
Moving deeper into the weaving path of this museum I enter the historical exhibit of Greensboro. I found this space to be very exciting. It creates it’s own time capsule. Where I did find it campy and a little excessive at moments, it did feel very welcoming and created an image I don’t think harms the idea of Greensboro. It also was very hands on and made this feel more unique then most people would be to museum learning.
Down another spiral staircase we are met with what was once the old church. I find the preservation of the stained glass window to be very fitting with the history and tradition of the space, and I found this entrance oddly enough more inviting and unique then the one they presently use as their lobby space. This is also the start place to enter the Voices of Greensboro exhibit.
This is the largest and lengthiest of all the exhibits, as it should be since I think this part sums up the entire idea of this museum space as a whole. It creates a time line from Native American start to what Greensboro is like today; different generations of all races and finical statuses, from sports to entertainment, to Greensboro’s contributions to the globe. They had it all. Where it was a very interesting site to see, it lacked in the unique hands on approach that much of the other museum used. It made it feel very standard to all other museum spaces that I have been to in my life, and honestly made me not enjoy this main attraction of the space as much as I feel I possibly could have.
After winding and weaving through the maze of the Voices exhibit we are brought into the gift shop. I find the placement of this space rather odd. It feels like I should have already passed by it, or I haven’t quite reached it yet. The space was very relaxing when I comes to museum shopping, but I felt it lacked in personality to the space overall. It felt many of the items were nothing more then what one could find at their local Target or Pier 1 imports. There was a small collection of original pottery from the local Sea Grove pottery area, and that was very nice to see. It also tied in very well with the local pottery collection exhibit that lie just ahead of the shop.
One of the strangest things I found was the cemetery off of the gift shop. Since this use to be an old church there was a very historic graveyard outside. It was one of my favorite parts of the museum experience. It was a true chance to walk more amongst the long history of the city. It was also a very added experience of offering an outdoor learning opportunity. The part I found so odd, is how it came off of the gift shop, and how without real close examination of the door leading out, one would not think this was a part of the museum trip. I even had to ask if I was even allowed to go out there.
As I said before, through the shop we enter the last real exhibit of the trip, pottery and some more examples of historic living in Greensboro. This part was an interesting space. I enjoyed getting to see the old designs of the nice interior rooms. It made me to begin thinking an overall theme of this interior space would add a lot of character to the lobby space and add much more of a connection to the space overall. The real connection was the colors that are used and how much of the lobby already shows these, and the lighting pieces that were used. They were chandeliers that would add aesthetic appeal for the mezzanine unlike the lighting fixtures presently, which really add no experience looking over from that mezzanine now.
Finally we come to the small Dolly Madison exhibit before we come out on the mezzanine leading back down to the lobby. Leaving with much more ideas for the lobby space and how to connect it better with the rest of the space.
My overall main thoughts are that people need more of a hands on experience to showcase many of the exhibits that are ahead, and the lobby overall should reflect a design theme of some period, possibly very similar to the Cone interiors. This could create a more historic connection over all in that lobby space.
Seeing the museum overall did give me many more ideas on what could be done with the space, and I think of my trip as just another tool in adding inspiration to me ideas for designing the space.
After visiting the three sites. I have decided that personally I would like to work at the WAM or IOB. These two spaces were my favorite ones.
WAM I would like to get more hands on building training, that is something I have never really done before. I also would really like to work on conceptional ideas on where to put the chest and what ideas it could be used for. I haven't heard a true idea on what to use, and I would like to be involved with that project as well.
At IOB I greatly enjoyed the idea behind the factory, their history, and the possible concepts for designing that space. I felt the possibilities were endless there. I still struggle greatly witch sketches and drawings, but I would love to come up with ideas for them. Concept work would be amazing at this project. I would love to think up ways to relate the design ideas to the ideas the company holds in their long history of operation.
GHM was not so much a favorite place to visit. Where I like the shape and design of the building, and coming up with possibilites of what could be sound amazing, it just didn't make my top interest. However given the chance to work there as well would be an amazing chance no matter what.
I believe my strengths lie within being able to come up with creative ideas to help building the project. I think I am a very creative mind, and I find working with materials, and looking at colors, and possible design ideas, give me the most inspiration and help me work at my best.
The Industries for the Blind, INC. has a 78-year history in Greensboro. When the company first began it gave jobs to the blind to have them feel as though they had a civil service duty in society. They made mops and brooms. It was a non-profit organization.
Today they make profits, pay wages for the seeing impaired employees, have huge accounts with the United States military, and employee over 215 people. They employee people from all walks of life, and even from other nations; most with sight disabilities.
With such a long lasting relationship with North Carolina and Greensboro, it is amazing we know very little about them like we do… Well, they wish to change that.
The idea for the space is to open it up to the world, both physically and metaphorically. The space lack very few windows, a sign of former management that didn’t quite see the employees as the people they deserved to be seen as. They felt too much exposure to the world, would limit their ability to work more productively.
When entering the space we are met with the bright morning sun shinning over the building and the parking lot that we stand in. It gives the building a bright feeling, but all of this is quickly lost.
When we enter we have a small lobby, very vacant of color, and even personality. The front desk is behind a glass window, and the door that leads beyond is locked.
After being buzzed through we come to a small stairwell. Elevators are also located here. In a corner we see an indoor garden. It feels very tacky and lacking in much taste to be as honest as I can be. It is a nice touch though. It is the first real moment of the space as a whole, a true moment of “Zen” if you will. This becomes more justified the deeper I go on the journey.
Up the stairs is where offices and conference room is located. This space has much more natural light coming in from windows, but still is outdone by the ultra-violet ceiling lights.
Through the offices we enter the factory. We see storage rooms, vast rooms with crates and shipment ready to send out, work areas alive with machines and workers. This area resembles more of a beehive of activity. Everything feels alive. Through this Journey we circle back around and come out at the indoor garden once again.
And as promised… Zen.
Zen gardens are to allow for tranquility to find meditation possible. I feel the factory, as a whole, is in somewhat meditation.
The workers, many of who are seen to be disabled too much of society are allowed to work and be fully functioning members of the world. They go to work everyday, make wages, and learn skills. They are proving lack of sight does not have to be a set back in being a person in society.
Just as mediation is to teach one the way of the world, the meaning to life, so does this company. It gives these workers a chance at their own life. That is why I feel that indoor garden is such a useful tool for this space.
This space should be more open. Allow the world to see into the space. It is an amazing space with great potential to not only these people’s lives that work within, but also the meaning of their work to the world.
A spiral in from the world, we find North Carolina, then even smaller into Greensboro, deeper that we go we find downtown, and centered within that our spiral brings us to the Greensboro historic museum.
Curves and spirals is the first taste I get of the space walking up to it. The building has a dome like shape and all the windows are curved and arched with circular shapes within them.
Upon entering the lobby we are met with a curved with light shinning in from the huge curved windows I mentioned on the walk in. I large curved wall, with a spiral staircase leading up stairs to the exhibits.
The room lacks warm colors and is mostly dark green walls and tan title floors with a little mix of dark red diamonds within them. The only bright colors we see are the banners of history on the walls, and these feel mute in the large space.
To the left we find a small exhibit showcasing one of the larger exhibits upstairs, but it feels very cramped in the space. There is also an auditorium off to this side in the back of the space, but the path of travel there is not quickly noticed.
On our right we find a small and somewhat out of place welcoming desk, the large spiral staircase that leads up to both a dimly light 2nd floor mezzanine floor and on to the third floor exhibit rooms.
Straight ahead is a small cove, the offices of the museum to the left, restrooms to the right.
The space is large and has many possibilities, but it seems lacking in the purpose and use of the facility, to showcase the history of Greensboro. It could also benefit from the large windows providing natural light. The interior lights are odd shaped and lack to add any purpose to the space. The colors in the space could become warmer to enhance the area and make it more inviting.
More of my process on the space to follow… To be continued.
I was part of the team to come through the courtyard side of the building. When first entering one can see many pieces of art surrounded by trees within the walls of the courtyard. There was strange sounds coming from speakers that gave the area an odd feeling.
Walking under the covered walkway leads into a small hallway where the elevators and the restrooms for the main floor can be found, the lobby can be seen through the glass doorway, along with the gift shop.
When inside of the lobby the feeling changes into more silence and a darker, cooler feeling. Light quality is much less in here, except for a rounded out opening leading up to a sky light, the rim of the opening is covered with crude human figurine sculptures.
To my left I see the stairs leading up to the second floor galleries, the check in desk and the entrance from Spring Garden street, to my right the doorways into the auditorium and classrooms along with a long, dark hallway leading to galleries, and a strange human sculpture in front of a glass window at the end of the hall. The scene is some what powerful and eerie.
The walls are plastered and the floors are dark marble, which gives the space both a clean and cool feeling.
In my diagram I wanted to focus on the paths set up to led people around the space. It is a very defined line and axis that is set up for people to follow that is very similar to cathedral lay outs in Europe during the dark ages. This I find somewhat ironic, since this is perhaps a temple of art. I also felt that the materials where something to be focused on.
