School project – Diploma
Melbourne Polytechnic Cafeteria – Interior design & Decoration, Commercial
As our third project, we were given our very first potential live commercial project. Reorganise the floor plan and furnish the cafeteria of our university. It’s a competition where the big prize is to get your project realised.
“HATCH & BLOOM”
A garden to explore the mind & nourish the soul,
A nursery for diversity cultivating individuals & personalities, An orchard farming creativity until ideas bloom
DESIGN AXIS
This new space should allow students to achieve primary needs such as eating but also listen and respond to their other needs. I used the Maslow Pyramid of needs as a sociological basis to elaborate the perfect space.
- PHISIOLOGICAL NEEDS
A place to eat
Yes, first of all, this place is meant to replace the existing cafeteria and should provide the same catering function and sell food and drinks. - SAFETY NEEDS
A place to feel well
More than a cafeteria, this student lounge also has to provide students with a place to feel safe and improve their well-being over an intense day of class. - BELONGINGNESS AND LOVE NEEDS
A place to make friends
While students can feel well in it by themselves in here, this space also has to offer a pleasant place to meet up and allow relationships and friendships to bloom. - ESTEEM NEEDS
A place to accomplish
This student Hub has to offer students a place where they can work confidently on their projects, with all the useful tools they need such as desks, quiet space and IT materials. - SELF ACTUALIALIZATION NEEDS
A place to reveal potential
Last, this place purpose is to help achieving one’s full potential, providing everything to facilitate personal development and blossoming.
PRE-ANALYSIS
The original floor plan didn’t make much sense, it was just a big disorganised open space with plenty of seating everywhere (about 140).
FLOOR PLAN PROPOSAL
The new proposal includes the creation of delimitated areas with set purposes and a total of 241seating.
- CAFÉ RESTAURANT 70 seats
- SELF KITCHEN 18 seats
- POLYVALENT 48 seats
- SOFA 37 seats
- STUDY 52 seats
- MEETINGS 16 seats
- PING PONG
- OUTDOOR
DESIGN CHOICES
CAFÉ RESTAURANT
While re-designing the all space, we have allocated a
generous surface to the “Restaurant area”.
- The seating area sets the tone of the concept, with various shades of greens, a lot of plants and wood.
- Green associates perfectly with nature and matches the essences of our concept. It’s also known as an emotionally positive colour, giving ability to love and nurture ourselves and others.
- This space includes the food service area, re-imagined with a new and design and now offers healthy food such as salads, soups & appetising sandwiches, a café selling hot drinks and fresh juices, all completed by a comfy seating area and its lovely dining cabins.
- The food menu is clearly highlighted and visible on the wall with a painted charcoal board.
- It’s equipped with professional coffee machine, juicers, and other relevant appliances such as toaster, soup warmers and refrigerated food displays.
- The old “fridges” area has been replaced by a long custom-made bench, multiples round tables and chairs to create a welcoming café area.
POLYVALENT AREA
The second massive part of the new layout is the
Polyvalent area.
- As per its name, this area is to be used for various purposes, that’s why it’s been designed with various seating options and can either be an extension of the dining area, host casual meetings or facilitate socialization.
- A palette of light blue and green shades is being used here, balanced with bright pink touches.
- Pink brings some kind of loving and caring vibes by its reference to love and nurturing.
- Used through the lighting fixtures, it also can visually refer to the blooming flowers from our concept board.
SOFA AREA
The original space didn’t have much of cosiness nor conviviality. The new sofa area is meant to create an intimate and comfortable space to chill, chat with friends or relax on your own.
- Blue is being used a lot here, as it’s a psychologically calming colour and implies serenity and facilitate relaxation. It’s also an important colour referring to Melbourne Polytechnic’s palette.
- Touches of pink are used through lighting and the Kushiwa armchair to contrast with the dominant blue and link with the polyvalent area
STUDY AREA
As part of the university campus, this student hub also has to provide a studious atmosphere.
- In response, we have created a study area with desks and IT material accessible to student at any time.
- The room is equipped with printer, scanner, and 16 computers.
- Individual versions of the dining cabins have been created to allow students to isolate and focus.
- Green and white are the main colour in this room.
- Green is known as stress-relieving, and – a bit paradoxically – invigorating. It’s been shown to improve reading ability and creativity which is appropriate in this space dedicated to study.
- White isn’t stimulating to the senses but opens the way for the creation of anything the mind can conceive and can be associated to seek of excellence.
MEETING ROOMS AREA
2 different layouts through 3 meeting rooms.
- The central room is designed to be casual with comfy armchairs and feature pendant lights.
- It’s the blue variation of the pendant used in the polyvalent area over the high-top tables.
- Here again it created link through the rooms with redundant elements.
- The two other rooms are designed for 6 people gathering and appears more formal in its layout.
- A custom-made booth, upholstered with one of the fabric from the wooden cabins and combined with a lot of cushions has been associated to a large meeting table and the same chairs used in the study area for consistency.
- We have used here a different flooring of artificial turf to give the feeling of being in a garden, cultivating ideas and creativity.
- All rooms are equipped with IT material, projector, screen and white board.
OUTDOOR
The outdoor has been modified, trees have been removed and replaced with white and pink roses trees and decorative fences have been erected.
- Regarding the furniture, we have changed all tables and seating to blend better in the decor using the Olive – Palissandre range from Hay’s collection.
- Benches now have outdoor cushions to allow more comfort.
- The lighting layout has been enhanced with plenty of feature bulb garlands and floor lamps.
A lot of warm colours are used to warm up the place and create a warm-hearted atmosphere.
Greens and blues are dominants while contrasted with yellows and pinks.
Plants and vertical vegetal structures are used a lot and everywhere to enhance consistency and create unity through nature vibes.
There is no proper use of straight angles in the furniture choices, curved and rounded pieces are used to facilitate proximity between individuals.
Individuals spaces have been organised to allow privacy and focus.
The all place is design as a vegetal space, following the ideal of a garden to explore the mind & nourish the soul, a nursery for diversity cultivating individuals & personalities and an orchard farming creativity until ideas bloom.
