Dissecting
Calmness
Dissecting Calmness
MA Research Project
Collaborated with Camden Learning
Disabilities Service Associate Group Project
― Cait, Sally, Stephanie, Zhuohan
― 2019
The Brief ― Space (Arriving and Navigating)
How could GCD help people with learning disabilities (and their families/carers) find the reception area at 5 Pancras Square, orient and navigate themselves, communicate with those around them, and feel comfortable with queuing or waiting?
MA Research Project
Collaborated with Camden Learning
Disabilities Service Associate Group Project
― Cait, Sally, Stephanie, Zhuohan
― 2019
The Brief ― Space (Arriving and Navigating)
How could GCD help people with learning disabilities (and their families/carers) find the reception area at 5 Pancras Square, orient and navigate themselves, communicate with those around them, and feel comfortable with queuing or waiting?
Pain Point
We found some pain points in space.
(1) Unclear ― Navigation of queuing which has a different guideline and complicated traffic lines made more confusion.
(2) Unfriendly ― Signages such as entrance, reception, and each floor sign lost a friendly tone of voice.
We offered essence parameters of floor plans from the tone of the level of formality. This scheme was fundamental criteria to estimate service and space of the building.
Our Process
We dived into the topic of the floor map. we try to analysis floor plans of each different service-oriented spaces across various scales like walk-flow, a number of devices and available staffs and each zone’s purpose
Our Question
(1) How can we balance control and clarity to produce a sense of calmness?
(2) How do we dissect and gauge this?
We tried to make our criteria based on our question. We thought high proximity, staff interaction and using a lot of digital devices but minimum touchpoint and easy navigate create a calm experience.
Our Criteria
High ― Proximity
(amount of open space)
High ― Staff interaction
(availability of staff)
High ― Digital devices
(options for self-service)
Low ― Touchpoints
(steps required during the journey)
High ― Ease of Flow
(how easy is the space to navigate)
= A calm experience
Based on the ranking, we chose the best four layouts and tried to encapsulate their systems as two models.
The first model has reception and digital devices together to cover various purpose of visitors. On the other hands, the second model has only one way from the entrance to the reception. so they can guide more clear and faster way.
In terms of the camden’s current layout, it’s quite complicated. When visitors get into the building, you can’t find your direction immediately because each direction mixed and crossed based on different users. They have more than three paths. so, that’s why people feel confused and chaos when they come into the building.
We tried to come up with possible models of Camden as adapting the previous two models. The first model is when you get into the building, You can use digital devices or reception to get a waiting number and then after waiting, you can meet the staff. Another model has only one path. combining with cafe, waiting area and seating area together in a place. Basically, we wanted to make minimum touch points and simple direction.
(1) Point of first contact is clearly seen from entrance and staff are visible and present(Self-service options are available to speed up flow)
(2) Journey should have clear and singular direction of flow
(3) Easing anxiety is a balance between having a controlled and clear space, without overdoing it such that it becomes too formal (and impersonal)
Pain Point
We found some pain points in space.
(1) Unclear ― Navigation of queuing which has a different guideline and complicated traffic lines made more confusion.
(2) Unfriendly ― Signages such as entrance, reception, and each floor sign lost a friendly tone of voice.
We offered essence parameters of floor plans from the tone of the level of formality. This scheme was fundamental criteria to estimate service and space of the building.
Our Process
We dived into the topic of the floor map. we try to analysis floor plans of each different service-oriented spaces across various scales like walk-flow, a number of devices and available staffs and each zone’s purpose
We tried to make our criteria based on our question. We thought high proximity, staff interaction and using a lot of digital devices but minimum touchpoint and easy navigate create a calm experience.
Based on the ranking, we chose the best four layouts and tried to encapsulate their systems as two models.
The first model has reception and digital devices together to cover various purpose of visitors. On the other hands, the second model has only one way from the entrance to the reception. so they can guide more clear and faster way.
In terms of the camden’s current layout, it’s quite complicated. When visitors get into the building, you can’t find your direction immediately because each direction mixed and crossed based on different users. They have more than three paths. so, that’s why people feel confused and chaos when they come into the building.
We tried to come up with possible models of Camden as adapting the previous two models. The first model is when you get into the building, You can use digital devices or reception to get a waiting number and then after waiting, you can meet the staff. Another model has only one path. combining with cafe, waiting area and seating area together in a place. Basically, we wanted to make minimum touch points and simple direction.