SYNOPSIS
My senior thesis project, in tandem with two other classmates, was to create an outdoor co-working space in downtown Dayton. Each of us chose a different obstacle to tackle, mine being weather management. The Wright Connection Co-Working Hub is a place for Dayton professionals, students, community members, and visitors to come work, converse, and connect.
TIMELINE
16 weeks (Fall 2021)
TYPE & TECHNIQUES
School Project, Senior Thesis // Research, Sketching, Solidworks/Keyshot, Prototyping
Abstract
The National Aviation Heritage Area challenged the Industrial Design department at Ohio State with the opportunity to create a co-working space in the Wright-Dunbar neighborhood of Dayton, Ohio. This project is the result of needs brought forward by the Rediscover Dayton Action Plan, a plan designed by volunteers and community members. The objective is to create a space that invites community members from all socioeconomic landscapes to gather in a space, reminiscent of the Wright Brothers, that supports productivity and connection.
Introduction
The intention of inviting community members back into the business district in a post pandemic world will be explored through extensive research and thoughtful design implementations. The historic site in Dayton, OH, will be revitalized as a communal space for creativity and productivity to flourish. The site’s address is 1127 W 3rd St, and is the former home of the original Wright Brothers cycling shop. The open, grassy plot is now empty and being reimagined for an outdoor co-working space for the community’s members. The project seeks to provide the community with a space for work and collaboration, in the midst of new developments in a diverse landscape.
Research
In order to address the necessities of a communal workspace, information regarding downtown Dayton, the local history, and existing co-working trends were explored. To begin this phase, secondary research was carried out to gain a broad idea of prevalent background information. By finding articles, photos, pieces of writing, and art to study and analyze, I was able to find out more about co-working and where the future is headed. The research was broken down into five categories: main focus, science, technology, arts and business methods.
This is the link to the Ohio State Desis Lab website where our class uploaded https://desis.osu.edu/seniorthesis/index.php/kate-belliveau/
Focus Section
Science & Tech Section
Arts Section
Business Section
Surveys
Surveys were conducted to gain primary insight on the perceptions and attitudes toward co-working as well as local community members thoughts and perceptions toward downtown Dayton. Initially, a variety of surveys were sent out across multiple social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, and Reddit. The majority of the questions asked and answered were about co-working spaces in general and what effect they had on the participants lives. As initial research continued, the questions that were asked were narrowed down to the topics that we would be designing for: seating, noise, and weather. The weather responses, this being my topic, had a variety of answers but also interesting thoughts/ideas that were provoked.
Numbers Analysis
As I continued to refine my topic of interest, weather management, I continued my research into weather patterns in the Dayton area. Below are some images from WeatherSpark.com where I found the majority of my information.
Climate in Dayton
Average High and Low Temperature in Dayton
Daily Chance of Precipitation in Dayton
Average Monthly Rainfall in Dayton
Average Wind Speed in Dayton
Cloud Cover Categories in Dayton
Humidity Comfort Levels in Dayton
Ethnography
We had the opportunity to observe an outdoor co-working event, where professionals could work using Wi-Fi hotspots and electrical outlets. Attending this pop up co-working event allowed us to study the way they were used, noting the pros and cons of working outdoors as well as understanding the general use by professionals.
Later that day, our group set up tables to conduct research with the community members about wants and needs. During the building blocks activity, many people were creating spaces to sit or be covered. At the photo study, community members consistently chose images that represented a historic or artistic vision of Dayton.
Building Blocks
Photo Study
Design Conjectures
Design conjectures were used as a research method to think through possible avenues and learn from initial ideas. These are several initial “bad concepts” that could be changed or refined over time. Originally, my ideas were focused on co-working spaces, but as the project progressed, I was able to refine them to weather management.
Initial Iteration
The perspective shift or “six worlds” ideation technique helped find ideas that already exist and ones that could exist. Mix and matching ideas from these six worlds created ones that may not have been thought of before.
HYVE
The HYVE 3D or hybrid virtual environment program was used to draw on a 3D scan of the design site. This allowed me to sketch a few of my weather management concepts into a digital rendering of the site. Here, I was able to understand height and scale in 3D versus on pictures of the site.
Secondary Iteration
Three concepts were pulled from the previous ideation phase. Each one solved the weather management task in a unique way while connecting back to the original Wright Flyer. The first idea was to create a propeller like fan that could be spread over multiple tables and chairs. A hand crank could be used to make each propeller "blade" fan out or collapse. The second concept was a "mobile" of flying objects. These could be planes, kites, or any other object that goes through the air. The final concept was a canopy that could be hanging above the whole lot. After proposing these three concepts to my professors, peers, and project partners, the final concept was what I moved forward with.
Brand
I had to develop a CMF (color, material, finish) and mood board to give the design concepts a sense of form and direction. This meant capturing the spirit of the city and street, as well as acknowledging the designs of the Wright bicycles and planes. Also included were colors of the area and materials that the original Wright Flyer used. By doing this, I was able to focus on what the structure needed, rather than the aesthetics as they will have already been chosen.
Further Development
Pulling ideas from the mood board and thinking of objects that fly, form development was the next step for what would sit in the sky. By folding paper planes, patterns were found as well as how light reacted to the layered sections. These shapes and structures also followed those of the logo that was designed by one of my partners.
Materials Testing & prototyping
What materials can be used that are used should feel light and airy, as though they could fly? How can those materials be treated for weather-resistance? The goal will be found by purchasing a variety of materials and testing them. Both treated and non-treated materials will need to be tested to find the best solution.
The process was started cutting two small pieces of a variety of fabrics. These include cotton, polyester, canvas, and recycled pvc. Half of the pieces will be treated with a uv protector, sun-blocking spray as well as a waterproofing, fabric protector. After letting the treated fabrics sit for the required amount of time, both sets of fabrics were put under running water to see how well each fabric repels the water like rain.
Most of the treated materials repelled water very well. Both the treated and untreated cotton pieces did not repel the water well along with the untreated polyester and untreated canvas. The treated polyester and treated canvas repelled water very well. The pvc plastic sections had holes in them, so the water fell through the material, rather than rolling off the side. Fortunately though, the untreated pvc plastic and treated pvc plastic did not let the water soak the material.
Untreated Cotton
Untreated Cotton
Untreated Polyester
Untreated Polyester
Untreated Canvas
Untreated Canvas
Untreated PVC Plastic
Untreated PVC Plastic
Treated Cotton
Treated Cotton
Treated Polyester
Treated Polyester
Treated Canvas
Treated Canvas
Treated PVC Plastic
Treated PVC Plastic
Development & Refinement
As the shade needed further development, tape was put on the ground to measure out what the shades area would actually cover. By sizing and measuring different sectional lengths, a final measurement of fabric was decided on.
Prototyping
As I started to build small scale models with the materials, I also thought about different methods of construction and how these designs would be built in real life at full scale. It was also important to see the three concepts, mine and my two peers', placed with one another to see if they were cohesive and be able to make appropriate changes from there.
Final
The final shade is the same shape as the co-working space logo. Connected by eye hooks, each plane hangs from a metal cable that spans the space. On each cable, there are multiple shade of different sizes facing different directions. This design element plays off how different airplanes fly in the sky, all going in different directions.
The materials are the same or similar as the original Wright Flyer. The frame of the shade is made of wooden dowels to keep the structure supported in shape. The fabric portion is awning fabric which is made for outdoor use. It is protected from UV as well as waterproof from rain. Because the fabric is made for outdoor use, it is made for longevity.
Birds Eye View
View from angle above
View from center above
The end of the cable is connected to the top of the sound management wall. Screw eye hooks hold each cable in place strongly. The layered section of the fabric blocks the sunlight more, creating the “paper plane” look. This is a reference to things that can fly in the sky other than airplanes.
Each shade is bent slightly in the middle to help with the structure as well as the aesthetics. The bend helps keep the shade sitting the correct direction and not flipping over. While there is the concern of wind, using different awning fabric, like porous ones, can help.
APPEARANCE Model
While building the first appearance model, a variety of methods were used. Aluminum rods were cut to size and initially meant for the frame. Soldering and welding did not hold so other options needed to be explored.
Using wood for the whole frame was an option that was pursued after research was done on weather-proofing wooden dowels for long-term, outdoor use.
The final shade at 1/4 scale of what the entire shade would be.
