Digital Space Realization

This work is a representation of work completed by the IDEXlab (Integrated Design Experience Laboratory), a collaborative design/build studio at Appalachian State University, partnering with local Town of Burnsville to design a renovation for their Police Station and Public Works office. Working with an existing building, the team collaborated with the client to understand the program goals and user needs. Site visits were conducted to gather field measurements and as-built conditions to understand project context and constraints. The team research relevant precedents and articles to inform design direction and to both empathize and best support the health, safety, and welfare of the users. The team maintained active communication with the clients via request for information (RFIs), interviews, and meetings. This pre-design process informed the digital and design processes moving forward.

Design process emerged from hand sketches, procreate blocking and bubble diagrams, to SketchUp models to study schemes and iterations. Design decisions determined were modeled in an Autodesk Revit Worksharing model for creation of building information modeling (BIM) including design documentation drawings. Autodesk AutoCAD was used for plan development and also for creation of layers for the physical model to be laser cut and then hand built. Enscape, a real-time rendering and virtual reality plug-in, was used to visually see and understand design proposals through both renderings and virtual reality walkthroughs.

Final results included a multipart design package for the client, including (1) construction documents; (2) specifications and materials tray; (3) presentation boards with renderings; (4) physical model; (5) project estimate; and (6) a virtual reality walkthrough.