We organized our research and sensemaking around the four elements of the

Placemaking Framework

1. Uses and Activities: spatial attributes that convey what you can do at AHG
2. Comfort and Image: affordances and communications that support needs and expectations and provide useful information
3. Sociability: cues and configurations that enable individual and group work, dialogue, and sharing
4. Access and Linkages: ways that people can move to/from spaces, use amenities and resources, and form a mental model of AHG

Problem areas that emerged from sensemaking include:

Uses and Activities

• Students feel a lack of ownership of AHG.
• Students are unsure about what they have access to.
• Reserving space feels institutional, and students doubt the system works.
• Students rarely know what their schedule looks like two weeks in the future.
• Students working on 3D projects will go to ART to use the woodshop.
• AHG is geared towards small groups—not individuals or large groups.
• Individuals feel too exposed. Large groups feel too exposed OR take over the entire space.
• Due to noise and proximity, the AHG is geared towards quiet, small project groups.
• There is a lack of nooks and crannies in the building (the space is great for groups but not individual or other kinds of work).
• The cues in the environment (reset signage, table markers) are seen as part of the environment, leading people to ignore them and not think twice about them

Comfort and Image

• The space doesn't have a strong personality.
• AHG looks, feels, and sounds like STEM.
• AHG doesn't look comfortable (hard lines, edges, surfaces).
• People who aren't in design can't tell that AHG is for Design.
• Our signs and message are outdated making it look like we don't care about the space.
• Students feel policed and patronized in the space.
• There is no example of what quality looks like, just random projects here and there.

Sociability

• Students don't feel proud enough to show off AHG.
• There aren't enough spaces for people to work individually.
• There aren't a lot of places for people to be anti-social.
• Noise travels freely throughout the space.

Access and Linkages

• AHG is tucked away and hard to find for newcomers.
• Students get locked out of unused rooms while The Commons fills up.
• Students that need to do 3D projects have difficulty accessing AHG/Labs on short notice.
• The only resources not behind a locked door are power outlets.
• Students don't know when classes are in/out of session, so they struggle to use classrooms for study and projects.
• Students lack flexible seating options.

Show/explain the 2 x 2 prioritization board (and accompanying boards) that helped narrow the research down to the main three problem areas

Three Primary Problem Statements

explain it

Download the PDF file to use for presentations

AHG Placemaking problem statements_Spring 23.pdf

HOW MIGHT WE FOSTER COMMUNITY IN DESIGN?

The problem is AHG feels transitory and unsettled. Design students (and faculty) don’t seem comfortable enough to settle down and call it home.

This is a problem because, without an established presence, meaningful exchange within the community is less likely to happen outside of class time.

This is a problem for design students, faculty, and staff who want a shared place around which to build community and share its benefits.

We hope to change the dynamic of the building and support its intended occupants by transforming AHG into a space for the design department that is more welcoming, comfortable, and interactive.

WHAT IS THE LOOK AND FEEL OF DESIGN?

The problem is that there is no consistent, curated culture of display or signage that contributes to a unified Design identity in AHG.

This is a problem because without coherent examples of design work on the walls, the strengths and potential of the Design department aren’t fully showcased, and students miss out on inspirational moments that help them see relationships between disciplines and find mentors in the school.

This is a problem for design students, staff, and faculty who want to draw inspiration from each other and the work. It’s also a problem for visitors who don’t know much about Design or that AHG is our home.

We want to activate a more narrated vertical space in AHG to drive Design storytelling, dialogue, and engagement at UT.

WHAT ARE THE ACTIONS AND ATTITUDES OF DESIGN?

The problem is that students struggle with invisible barriers that arise when accessing and using Anna Hiss Gym. Students are intimidated by the woodshop and digital fabrication lab and confused about how to access them. Furthermore, they lack the knowledge of when classrooms are in use, so they are more reluctant to use the available studio supplies in each classroom.

This is a problem because students’ reluctance to use the resources at the AHG means that tools and technologies that are important for building design skills sit unused while labs are dark and empty. Students see the Anna Hiss Gym as a place where classes are held and not a place where they feel comfortable creating.

This is a problem for design students, especially those affected by COVID, who do not understand everything available and possible in the space that should feel like their home away from home.

We want to change this by clearing away the barriers and making the space resources clear to students, staff, and faculty**.**