Crown Equipment Workspace
self initiated internship project - autumn 2019 - 8 weeks
The design department at Crown Equipment Corporation has repurposed what used to be a coffee shop as a low-rent research and project space, with occasional use for presentations to upper level management. This “Old Coffee Shop” feels spartan, unfinished, and underutilized despite the company seeking more space for new employees.
What spatial needs exist within Crown design? What design measures can be taken in the Old Coffee Shop to address those needs?
Primary research was conducted with eight participants across Crown Design using these methods:
Here’s what they created + some common themes found in what they made
The collage is used as a starting point to go deeper into the effects of certain built elements / objects in a workspace and to explore participant’s personal experience with workspaces.
Participants were prompted to “create your dream workspace” through collage. Results in a visual artifact that outlines beliefs and values surrounding what creates an ideal workspace.
Collage
Interview
Insights from the collages and interviews informed the goals for the new design of the space
Create dedicated
project
space or “war rooms”
Balance analog and digital resources
Create an intermediate, more
informal work environment
Enable work on confidential projects
Allow for modularity as needs change
Encourage work beyond the
individual’s desk
modernist simplicity
soft textile finishes
planar space division
Here’s a view of what the space looks like before any modification
The final proposal has two main configurations depending on what is needed in the space
For war rooms
For presentations
