Kortney Allen - Denney Hall

Research was done prior to completing this portion, which can be found under the Design Research section of my portfolio.

The current space

What does Denney Hall currently look like and what are the functions of the space?

Background of Denney Hall

With a central location on campus, Denney Hall is home to the Department of English and a Digital Union in the basement. With its location, students are close to 18th Avenue Library, Terra Byte Café, Thompson Library, and the Oval.

2nd Floor

The second-floor space is an open hallway. The featured cutouts include bench seating, which allows students to be able to sit in-between classes.

Basement

The basement is also an open hallway, with benches placed along the wall to create seating. It is also home to the Digital Union.

Circulation Diagrams

2nd Floor

Basement

The Problem

What are the current issues and pain points with Denney Hall?

Current Issues

No Versatility

No multi-functional spaces, comfortable furniture, or color.

No Identity

There is no identity that represents its users.

No Biophilia

The current seating options leave users feeling exposed and does not allow for areas of respite.

Persona's

Name: Kiana

Age: 25

Major: English

Pronouns: She/Her

A first-year non-traditional student, Kiana commutes to OSU's campus. She spends the majority of her day in Denney, as most of her core classes are there. Since she has big breaks between classes, Kiana likes to find a quiet place on campus to work.

Pain Points:

There are no private spaces in Denney for Kiana to be able to work. There are also no comfortable seating options that allow Kiana to be able to work there for the majority of the day.

Name: Jack

Age: 21

Major: Visual Communication Design

Pronouns: He/Him

Jack is a third-year VCD student. Recently, he and his friends started a podcast and have begun to use the studio in the Digital Union in the basement of Denney. While waiting on the studio to open, Jack and his friends like to sit and work on homework in the 3rd space that Denney offers.

Pain Points:

There are no places for Jack and his friends to work collaboratively while waiting. There are also no tables where they could sit on their computers and work.

Problem Statement

Denney Hall currently does not have a sense of identity that represents its users. The space is uninspiring and lacks engaging elements, such as color and biophilic aspects. Students do not feel any sense of urgency to stay in the spaces as they are being required to work out in the open in uncomfortable seating. Since all of the seating options are the same, there is an absence of versatility.

Process

The process from the beginning until the final design.

The Solution

New design strategies for Denney Hall

Design Strategies

Versatility

Create collaborative vs. private spaces that include comfortable and functional furniture.

Identity

Create a sense of identity within the space that enables the users to feel more creative.

Biophilia

Create places of respite that allow users to take moments of pause.

Wayfinding

Use color and graphics that allows users to be able to navigate through the space.

Visual Positioning Board

Material Board

The Final Design

The new strategies implemented into Denney Hall create the final design.

Concept Statement

Home to the Department of English, Denney Hall now has a strong identity that allows students to have a stronger connection with their studies. By using different book genres, graphics, colors, materials, and furniture, there is more impactful wayfinding. Spaces are now versatile and multi-functional, allowing for distinct working styles. Creating spaces that are collaborative and private allows students to now find themselves working in the 3rd space that the building has to offer. Denney Hall is transformed into an open, organic, and inviting space.

Inspiration Boards

These boards inspired the color choices, materiality, and furniture within the different spaces throughout the hallways.