Three Stage Feasibility Study in Healthy Design

Abstract

It is not uncommon for students in our interior design and & architectural technology program to be exposed to service learning projects, as our campus is one of the nations leaders in such project types. It is however uncommon for the design students to be placed on projects that ask them to step outside their comfort zone in terms of social economic interaction with community residents/partners. Asking them to set aside their personal biases to apply their design skills to a project that would create a usable space for those that are afflicted with Sickle Cell, as well as a working environment for those that provide much needed social services to them. This three part study saw our students study three options: • Renovation that would connect the two adjacent facilities currently being used by the agency. • Designing proposals for a new structure one block south of the current facility • Renovation of the larger of the two current facilities being used by the agency, and creating a new outdoor space for the users. This project challenged the students in so many ways, but the most drastic of those challenges was understanding a disease that is not recognizable to the mainstream population. According to the most current data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Sickle Cell affects about 1 out of every 500 Black/African Americans births and 1 out of every 36,000 Hispanic American births. The first two feasibility studies while dramatically increasing the useable square footage potentially pushed the agency beyond their capital campaign capabilities. This third and final included the client vacating one structure on their site and converting it into a rental property, and dramatically renovating the remaining building to increase efficiency of the work staff, and incorporate such design strategies as indoor air quality, more efficient use of artificial and natural light, and high quality heating and cooling. These design strategies are proven to have positive impacts on those suffering from sickle cell disease.