Design Project Blog

In 1960, the term 'proxemics' (noun) was coined, but proxemics is not a 57 year old 'thing.' The definition of proxemics is " the branch of knowledge that deals with the amount of space that people feel it necessary to set between themselves and others." Proxemics are innate, you are born with them, however the amount of space needed is different depending on who you ask. Cultures play a big part in the amount of space individuals feel they need. Proxemics also play a crucial role in designing making it imperative that designers and designers in training, like myself, understand proxemics. So as I have already mentioned, proxemics are innate. Babies have proxemics; If you crowd a baby, it isn't going to be happy. It may not be able to verbalize why it's not happy, but it sure knows how to scream that it isn't happy. I have an almost 3 year old niece and a one year old nephew that are prime examples that humans are innately different and they i...

If you google 'control theory', you are going to find some long-worded definition that has to do with engineering and mathematics, which would be great for people like my brother, the engineer, but I'm a designer. The designer definition of control theory is "a sense of control over our world and our place in it." To elaborate that and dumb it down at the same time, people like to be in control of their environment, control is what makes people comfortable or uncomfortable in a familiar place or even unfamiliar places. A broad example of a place one would feel comfortable in, even if it is unfamiliar environment would be a place that is easily navigated with well lit areas of interest and easily seen directional signs. As for the theory itself, there are three types of control that play a part. Those types are cognitive control, behavioral control, and decisional control. Cognitive control is the ability to change the way in which we perceive an environment. ...

As a student coming from a small town that I adore, it has been deeply engrained in me that beauty comes from the little things. As a result of this mindset I would say every part of my philosophy is based off of the fact that details are everything. From beauty, to health, to functionality, the details are what separate a space, from a designated space with a purpose, such as a 'room', from a 'family room.' The differentiation between a well designed space and a poorly designed space is all in the details. The first aspect I mentioned is that detail effects beauty. An apartment can come fully furnished, the bedroom with a bed, side table, desk, and a dresser, but until you add sheets and a matching comforter, a lamp or a candle on the side table, and a picture on top of the dresser, the room is not appealing. All of these aspects could vary between people what that bedspread or lamp, etc. would look like, but basic details of what people expect to see in a designated...