A GRADUATE STUDIO SPACE

The graduate student in the disciplines of architecture and interior design enters an intensive program of self-directed research, study, exploration and creativity. The goal of the proposed GRADUATE STUDIO space is to offer students a creative “shelter” that will support a sense of independence while allowing for the necessary and desirable interaction with fellow graduate students.

The strategy for achieving this goal has been to design a unique workstation system which alludes to the aedicule, a shelter or container within a container, and to the Louisiana vernacular landscape of the double roof structure. The workstation offers the graduate student a greater sense of personal space supportive of functional needs and indicative of the elevated status of a master degree candidate.

An aluminum and steel armature provides structural support for interchangeable work surfaces, storage and display components, power/data access and lighting. The perforated canopy “shed” creates a sense of privacy and personal scale within the large, open volume of the existing interior. Flexibility for the reconfiguration of components is critical to address both individual and group needs. The standard four-student module can be transformed by selectively removing canopy and workstation components to produce a shared display and critique “wall” opposite a two-student module.

The design holistically supports and enhances the natural and artificial lighting conditions as well as the mechanical and electrical systems within the existing studio environment. The incorporation of sustainable materials and practices in the fabrication of the workstations reinforces the graduate students’ commitment to responsible design.