Experiencing Sun City House, Dundee

As part of our sustainability module, our class made a visit to an eco demonstration house in the Whitfield area of Dundee.  The house exists as a means of demonstrating, advising, educating and informing the public about renewable energy in the home.  


The building was previously a poorly constructed and thermally inefficient janitors house in the 1960s.  Due to the refurbishment of the building, a successful sustainable building was born.

building before refurbishment

artists impression of  eco build, 'Sun City House Dundee'

The image above shows the artists impression of how the janitors house could be regenerated into a sustainable building.


The building today aims to showcase technologies, materials and methods of construction that can be retrofitted to existing housing stock.  It acts as a 'shop window' to offer ideas to everyone to help them reduce their home's impact on the environment.  This can be achieved by installing a solar water heating system, using low energy lighting or creating a sun space extension - advertised beautifully on the Sun City building itself.

this image illustrates the solar panels on the roof

the interior of the sun room, where the sun maintains the heat

the roof of the sun room intensifies the heat entering the building

the shutters on the interior of the sun room aim to control the heat within the space

the exterior of the sun room

the roof of the sun room

the windows in the sun room are designed to absorb the heat from the sun.

If you touch the windows from the interior you can feel the heat radiating off them.

The existence of this house is crucial in order to educate those in Dundee on the need to become sustainable.  Through visiting this house, I personally have become more aware of how sustainability works.

Assignment 4: Conducting the interviews and piecing it together

When writing my interview questions, I adopted a semi structured technique.  I had most of my questions planned, however I allowed room for appropriate improvisation.  I used a relaxed environment for each of my interviews and for accuracy purposes I made a point of avoiding 'closed' questions that would result in a simple yes/no answer.

I carried out a 'pilot interview' with a close friend so as to find out what questions were appropriate and what questions weren't going to provide me with useful results.

I interviewed 6 people, all of different ages and backgrounds - so as to receive results that were varied.  This would then help enable me to make reliable conclusions.

After carrying out my pilot interview, I came to the realisation that there was some doubt over what a 'living space' actually was.  I realised that a 'living space' to every individual is different.  Some would automatically assume I am referring to their living room, whereas others (particularly students) would immediately think their bedroom was their 'living space'.

To avoid ambiguity when carrying out my interviews, I ensured that my first and foremost question was ''what room would you say is your 'living space'' before carrying on with the rest of the interview.

I found that out of the 6 people that I interviewed, 4 people said their 'living space' was their bedroom.  I had asked these 4 interviewees in what way they had decorated their bedroom to make it 'their own'/personal.  I found that all 4 of them mentioned pictures/posters on the wall.  They went on to inform me how pictures could so successfully relax them/put them at ease.  As I had interviewed a number of students, they obviously went on to describe how they make it their intention to get rid of the bare walls of student accommodation by filling the walls up of memories of home, family etc.  One interviewee mentioned, ''Having pictures of my family at home remind me of their existence and the happy memories I have when I'm back in that place.''  She went on to describe how she doesn't like her student room to be empty.  She admitted that she deliberately laid out 'nik naks' around her room that had been given to her from her friends/family over the years.  These items are obviously of sentimental value to her and therefore she wants to be able to see them daily as a reminder of those that are far away from her.

'nic naks'

picture showing desk space, wall space and revision notes on wardrobe

The interviewee went on to describe how she would attach summarised revision notes to her wardrobe door as a method of constantly reminding herself of essential information that may crop up in future exams at the end of the year.  This particular quality of the young student says a lot about her determination within her course.  

A young guy of 18 who also lives in student accommodation explained that he personally went to a shop to have photographs developed in the first week of arriving in university as a method of decreasing his chances of becoming home sick.  He described how he completely covered an the entire main wall within his room with his photographs to prevent him from feeling alone. The young guy went onto explain how he had also put up posters of Manchester United, his favourite football team, as a means of outwardly informing any visitors of his support for the team.  He obviously wanted to make a statement.

When I carried out the interview with a young professional female of 25, I felt that she surprisingly realised a lot about herself. When asked about the purpose of the décor within her bedroom, she explained how she had personally painted the walls to her own taste.  When I finally found out that the young woman was an artist, I immediately understood why she had made it her intention to paint her bedroom to her own acquired taste.  She is obviously proud of her talent and isn't afraid to hid it.  When asked what other items were within her 'living space' she went on to explain how she chooses to lay out teddy bears on her bed as each one reminds her of a particular person/time in her life.  She continued to talk about how they act as a visual reminder of people that she has lost in her life, and of those who remain as loyal friends in her life...

The 2 interviewees that stated that their living room was their 'living space' were the eldest of the 6 interviewees.  From this, I can only assumed that it is a parental duty to take control of the décor within living rooms in households.  A middle aged pharmacist talked about  how her ornaments on top of her open fire place were her favourite items within her living space.  She explained how each one had sentimental value.  Most were bought as presents, however there was one ornament in particular that she had made herself.  This signifies that she too is proud of a talent that she has and is willing to display the piece that she had made.

The following extract from the book 'Snoop' by Sam Gosling is related to how décor relates to personal space:
''One of our goals was to explore the ways in which people have an impact on their personal spaces.  What evidence of their characters do they leave behind? What elements of personality are most likely to leave traces?''


This secondary source allows this topic to be explored thoroughly.

Unknown to the majority of us, we can unconsciously design/decorate our personal space in a way that make us feel most comfortable.  Some of us will choose to direct our furniture towards a television, whereas others may prefer to direct their furniture around a fireplace.  Some of us regularly change the artwork on the wall, change the photographs on the mantelpiece...whereas others will keep the same art work and display the same pictures for many years.  Some people fear change, and this is illustrated in their 'living space'.  Those people who are artistic and love change may alter the atmosphere in their living space regularly, in order to change the 'mood' of the room..

Another extract from 'Snoop' reads:
 ''conscientious people have living spaces that are organised, neat, and uncluttered, and, perhaps more surprisingly, their living spaces tend to be well lit.'' 


This quote suggests that people with organised, neat living spaces are conscientious.  Is this really the case?  Does this mean that hoarders (people who accumulate 'stuff' over years) are not seen as conscientious?

I don't think there is an 'exception to the rule' when it comes to how a living space relates to an individual.  A persons living space will tell you more about the person than if you had a discussion with them.  I guess it's fair to say that people would struggle to hide their personality in their living space.

Assignment 4: Activity 4A: Choosing A Topic

This assignment asked us to pick a topic, create a brainstorm on the chosen topic, construct interview questions on the chosen topic and analyse our findings.


I chose to investigate the following topic:
''What does the way someone decorates their living space tell you about them?''


Brainstorm:

Creating a brainstorm on the specific topic allowed me to discover many areas related to my topic.  It successfully forced me to get all my ideas down on paper, enabling me to draw up a 'pilot interview'. 

Eco Friendly Arch House

In an episode of Grand designs, an eco friendly house was constructed near Staplehurst in Kent, England.  The architect, Richard Hawkes claims that it is one of the first 'zero-carbon' homes in the UK.

The house is said to be 'environmentally friendly'. -It aims to blend into its surroundings AND be self-sustaining!  The building itself is effectively a couple of timber-framed boxes that rest under a huge, unsupported arch built from 26,000 hand-made clay tiles.  The entire structure is covered with tons of soil, then grassed over.  The majority of the house is covered in earth as a method of insulation, it also helps the house to blend into the rural setting.  


Architectural designer, Doctor Michael Ramage based at the University of Cambridge's Department of Architecture was one of the helpers with this project.  His expertise are in structural design and construction technology.  He stated, ''the vaulting gives the house plenty of structural strength but obviates the need for embodied-energy intensive materials such as reinforced concrete.  It also provides it with great thermal mass, enabling the building to retain heat, absorb fluctuations in temperature and reducing the need for central heating or cooling systems''  


The structural reliance on a large vaulted roof which spans 20 metres over the building makes the building unique.

I believe that the 'eco arch' is architecturally exciting and works as an effective sustainable building, however I personally feel that sustainability needs to be an issue in homes already out there! 

I think a building like this is a great way of illustrating how homes can still look great architecturally whilst being sustainable, however I think it is important to realise that creating daring/exciting architecture can potentially alienate so many people and make them think that 'sustainable/zero carbon homes' are something 'scary'.


Sustainability needs to a topic that is easily approached by everyone.  People need to be aware that there is no reason why their traditional home can't be eco-friendly.

Assignment 3: Design Safari: Activity 3C: Observe and record

For this part of the assignment we had to decide on  a primary site to visit so we could observe how people within a certain environment behave.  We were given the choice to visit a bingo hall, a football match or a casino.


I chose to carry out this observational activity within a casino as I am unfamiliar with an environment of this sort.





Myself and a friend went along to the casino in central Dundee at lunch time, in the middle of the week.  On entering the building, we were asked for identification, forced to become members and asked to hand in our bags because they were classified as 'ruck sacks' -apparently a no go in a casino...


When we got past 'security' we were welcomed by a little Ronan Keating number ''life is a roller coaster, you've just got to ride it...'' played in the background..-i laughed.


I thought the music choice was very light hearted and relaxed -obviously intentional, as you want to try and create the 'ideal' atmosphere for those entering the casino..


Most of the people in the casino were old/retired.  I observed a number of old men wheeling what I can only assume was their wife, in a wheel chair into the casino.  I gathered/assumed the elderly couples were in the casino to make 'an afternoon' of it.  Perhaps they spent a decent amount of time within the casino so as to make their visit worthwhile.


To my surprise, the atmosphere within the casino wasn't stressful or intense - perhaps this was because I was there at a quieter time of the day.  I found the atmosphere friendly and pleasant during my visit, perhaps because the people there shared a common bond,  or perhaps they were regulars...?


I did make the decision however that the casino is not a conventional sociable place.  People do not come to the casino, (particularly mid week at lunch time) to socialise with other gamblers.  They are there to win.  They are in their 'own zone' and evidently have a '1 to 1 relationship' with the machine/roulette machine.  I also felt that these individuals unconsciously showed a variety of expression in their game.  They were so engrossed in their own business to a point that I highly doubt that they were aware of the length of time they were spending on particular games/machines.


I felt that for the players, spending time in the casino was a personal experience.  The players continued to eat and drink when in the casino, however I observed that they chose to take their food and drink with them to whatever machine they were using at that time.  I even witnessed a woman giving the 'heads up' to the bar man, as if to indicate that she was ready for her food and drink.


I feel that its the combination of entertainment, thrill and the opportunity to 'win big' that sustains an individuals/gamblers play. 





I also feel that the interior design plays a large part in the degree of success with the casino.  The interior is classy.  The bright colours and the bright lights on the ceiling are exuberant, and therefore create an excitable atmosphere and a suggest that you could 'win big'.  The bar area attempts to integrate with the rest of the interior, creating an open and friendly space. There is also a variety of seats within the interior, including sofas, high stools, and sit down tables -plenty of choice!


Even with the varied amount of seats in the interior, I found that most people present in the casino where there to gamble, NOT to sit around the bar.  If people wanted to drink, they would probably go to a bar - not a casino.


Personally, I felt comfortable in this unfamiliar environment because my friend and I could make use of the food service from the restaurant whilst remaining in sight of the casino.  If the casino didn't serve food, I would have felt more obliged to play a game so as to be accepted within the environment.


As part of activity 3C we were also asked to comment on secondary sites that we experience as part of our everyday lives.


We were asked to think about if there were any 'unwritten rules', where there unfriendly atmospheres? and how we personally felt when we were in these places..


Bus/Railway Station
The two main unwritten rules in association with a bus/railway station:

• a man should willingly give up his seat on a bus/train for an elderly woman/pregnant woman.  
• When a female with a lot of luggage enters the train, a man usually makes it his priority to help her out.  He may help her put her luggage in the over head space. 

Aeroplane

If you are travelling by yourself, the window seat within the aircraft is the typically preferred seat chosen by the passenger because it means that people shouldn't bother you to move for them because you have positioned yourself at the end of the row.

I think it is fair to say that the middle seat on an aeroplane is the most unpopular place to sit, therefore it is deliberately avoided -unless you are travelling in a group.

Lane swimming at a swimming pool

When 4 lanes at a swimming pool are divided into 

-a slow lane

-a medium lane

-a fast lane

-a sprint lane

the person entering the swimming pool will unconsciously 'access' the ability of the swimmers in each of the lanes so as to compare their own personal ability with the swimmers already in the pool -in order to determine which lane they should be part of.

It is to avoid embarrassment/humiliation that this quick 'assessment' is carried out.  

The Check out at the Supermarket

The unwritten rule involves placing an object on the conveyor belt as an indication that you aren't placing any more items on the belt.  This also allows the next person in the queue to realise that it is then their turn to place their items on the conveyor belt.

Assignment 3: Activity 3B: Ethnography Primer

''Trained ethnographers derive deeper insights from observational and immersive research than other people do.  Just like professional designers, professional ethnographers have well-developed frameworks, processes and tools that help them be more efficient, more effective and more creative.  A good ethnographer will actively encourage designers and others to participat in the process and in so doing, will fundamentiall expand their way of seeing.''
-Keren Solomon, ethnographer

Reading the ethnography primer introduced me to a number of ways to ensure design could  be potenitally more successful.

Ethanography allows us to:

-Discover Meaning
Ethanographers will look into how people make sense of their world so that designers can design products and services that evoke meaningful experience for the pulblic.

-Understand norms
By examining how people choose to express themselves through style, enthanographers can gain insight into how people define themselves within a group or a community.

-Make communication powerful
Ethnography aims to help us as designers to communicate more effectively with our target audience.  We want our message/design to come across as clear as possible.

-Be wordly
To create for the global market place we need to learn how produtcs, technologies and communications flow in the global world to ensure success.

-Observe reality
We as designers need to realise that there is a difference between what people actually do, and what they say they do.  We need to observe reality so that we can create environments that connect with people's real emotions and intentions

-Identify Barriers
Designers need to identify nuances with design so that the design can be made better.

Within my disapline of interior design, I feel that it would be incredibly beneficial to observe how a person makes use of a building spacially, before going ahead with the creation of the 'ideal' design proposition for the interior space.

Assignment 3: Design Safari: Activity 3A: Service Design Tools

Activity 3A asked us to read through examples and case studies from servicedesigntools.org to try and identify appropriate methods that could have been useful in previous design projects.


The tools that I thought appropriate for some of my previous design projects are as follows:


The Group Sketching Tool
This tool is a quick, fast and economic tool for developing and explaining ideas simultaneously.





This particular tool would have been incredibly beneficial if practised within two group projects within semester one of this academic year.  The group sketching tool would have forced the individuals within my group to come up with a design sooner rather than later!  It would have brought everyone's ideas 'out in the open' and insisted that each member of the team contributed within group discussions.  All ideas would have been brought to the table and therefore could have created some relevant conversation in relation to the project.  As part of the 'group sketching' activity, a group sketchbook could have been created, illustrating each individual's thoughts and developments throughout the project.  Other members of the group could then have further developed an other member's idea into something more ideal/realistic.


The mind map tool
This tool allows our thoughts and their connections to be made visually. 





This is a tool that I find extremely useful, on a personal level.  After being introduced to 'mind mapping' during the assignments in first semester, I have realised how beneficial they can be.  I believe that carrying out the exercise forces you to think about a topic in detail before beginning to search for any potential connections.  It's a great method to help develop the initial ideas you may have.





During assignment one in first semester, we were strictly told that there was a DIFFERENCE between 'a mind map' and 'a spider diagram'.  Therefore you can understand why I was surprised when I noticed on the service design website that there was an image of a spider diagram, NOT a mind map, used as the example image for the case study on the topic of mind mapping (image above).. I must admit- I was disappointed with the accuracy considering we had to produce accurately drawn mind maps as part of our earlier assignments....


The mock up tool
The mock up is a model, an illustration or a collage describing an idea.





This particular tool is incredibly beneficial within interior design projects.  Producing a model of an interior space allows the designer to visually assess whether the design 'works'.  The degree of spacial awareness is increased after creating a model.  A finished model also helps to explain to the client what is involved within the design, so that they are able to gain a full understanding of the proposition.  A model also helps to reduce any potential ambiguity. 


The experience prototype tool
This tool is a simulation of the service experience that foresees some of its performances through the use of the specific physical touchpoints involved.





I feel that this tool would have been appropriate if carried out within our exhibition design project.  It would have allowed each member of the group to come together to test the solution through an active participation of the users.  As the main target within this project was to come up with an appropriate and effective way of re-telling the history of jute within Dundee, we could have come up with a number of experiments as a method of finding out how best to explain the history. 


The customer Journey Map tool
The customer journey map is an oriented graph that describes the journey of a user by representing the different touchpoints that characterize his interaction with the service.


-Case Study: The Trainride





The user experience is obtained by connecting the different touchpoints in a sequence.  The touchpoints can be physical, virtual or human.


This service design tool creates a 'step to step' guide on a project to both designer and client.  It allows them to visualize the potential plan of an idea.  This tool would be useful if used within every design project.