Interior Design Kicks Off Project Z
Project Z
On October 16, 2013, The Department of Interior Architecture and Design kicked off its first vertically-oriented department-wide design charrette and competition.
To start the evening, students were introduced to the design scenario: harboring 50 occupants and 5 dogs in the Fine Arts Annex for two weeks, during an intense zombie outbreak in Tallahassee, Florida. The students were expected to adapt the building interior and certain elements of the exterior by creating a safe haven for the users and providing for their basic life needs. External experts were invited to provide specialized presentations on topics pertinent to the design scenario, in the form of break-out sessions. The presenters and topics included: urban planning by Bill Pable, medical concerns by Dr. Daniel J. Van Durme, HVAC and plumbing by Larry Ruben, electricity by Pat Patterson, and architectural considerations by David Gilchrist. During the event, an actor from the School of Theatre, Mark Bacon, played the part of the zombie, roaming throughout the main lecture hall and the rest of the William-Johnston Building during the break-out sessions.
Following the kick-off, students immediately began working in their teams. The undergraduate teams were distributed vertically with two sophomores, one junior, and one senior each. The graduate teams were distributed similarly with at least one first year graduate student on each team. The vertical orientation sought to create a stronger connection among students across the entire department and provide the opportunity for improved leadership and mentorship skills building.
The deadline for the students was 11:00 AM on Monday, October 21st, when all of the work went on display. The faculty will judge the student work and award recognition to the top student teams in both the undergraduate and graduate categories. Awards night is scheduled for Wednesday, October 30 at 5:00 in 2005 of the William-Johnston Building.