youDESIGN Contest Winners

Contest Description | Winners | Honorable Mention | Judges

My design aims to create a functional environment that is also calming. School is usually a very stressful place to be, what with cliques and tests. I wanted the lobby to exude calmness and be a relaxing place. To do this, cool, calm colors such as blues, pinks, and purples were used. I also tried to reflect calm with the check-in area, which is an igloo shaped structure. I thought the igloo shape would be more appealing and less threatening than a table/desk, metal detector or cubicle. The uniquely shaped check-in area also acts as a centerpiece for the lobby and draws people in so that they will want to check in. To display announcements I envisioned several large TV screens. To go along with the theme of a calm environment, besides showing announcements, the screens could also show soothing scenes and sounds like the ocean or a garden, and when the screens are not in use, they can run the SETI (Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence) institute's screen saver and help search for aliens.

I chose to wall off the student study/relax area so that it could be relaxing and quiet even when the lobby is very busy. The student area contains desks for studying as well as cushions for sitting and relaxing. The student area also contains smaller versions of the lobby's large announcement screens. The seating cushions in the main lobby are designed to be used fluidly. They are not static pieces of furniture like benches and can be stacked and pushed together to achieve the desired seating arrangement. The lobby itself was made to be open and airy so people won't feel so confined and squished when it becomes very busy. However I still wanted the lobby to encourage interaction, so aside from the study/relax student area and the check-in area, there are no imposing walls or doors, which make people feel confined and stressed.