Sage. Collection POST-OCCUPANCY EVALUATION AT SMITH RESEARCH CENTER. Michelle Hay Emily Larason Jillian Schuck Erin Stump Madison Rief Aliya Mexmonova

Transcription

1 Sage Collection POST-OCCUPANCY EVALUATION AT SMITH RESEARCH CENTER Michelle Hay Emily Larason Jillian Schuck Erin Stump Madison Rief Aliya Mexmonova

2 INTRODUCTION In this project, research of the Sage Collection spaces was evaluated. Through post occupancy evaluation of each individual space within the Sage Collection an understanding of the space was gained. Within the Sage Collection a photography studio, mannequin room, offices, tools and utilities, and various storage are seen throughout. These spaces have their own tasks and areas of focus. The Sage Collection is located at the Smith Research Center, which is mainly for Interior Design students. Since, the Sage Collection shares a space it is difficult for the Collection to properly manage and organize their collection. Intention of space, what s working and Smith Research Center not working, what needs to be changed, and how effective is the space are Floor Planthat & Bubble Diagram questions are answered throughout each space within the collection. 11 1

3 BACKGROUND SAGE COLLECTION The Sage Collection was created by Elizabeth Sage, the first professor of clothing and textiles at Indiana University, who determined that historical clothing should be studied. Her collection expanded into museum-quality collections and study collections that demonstrated historical and couture fashion. For Indiana University, students and professionals can use this collection as an information source, as the collection includes exhibition clothing and also hands-on clothing for classrooms. Clothing is a very general term for this collection because the items it contains go beyond just an outfit, yet the collection goes from accessories, to large trunks that may have been used to store clothing, to makeup application. LOCATION The Sage Collection was located in an old bowling alley that was renovated into a large storage area for the collection. This space was not on campus and caused some problems with having students and employees drive out to it. The space was also not managed by IU which caused some security issues. The collection has since moved to the Smith s Research building on IU s campus. This helped with security and location preference, yet there are spatial and storage issues. ASSIGNED METHODS In order to gather information about the Sage Collection the group used post occupancy evaluations. As a group, we interviewed the assistant curator and an employee and observed environmental behavior. Within each case study, different aspects of POEs are used to represent data and research. 2

4 CASE STUDY OVERVIEW OVERVIEW This project is a production of a post occupancy evaluation, POE, of the Sage Historic Costume Collection at Smith Research Center. Each student in the group was assigned a specific space within the Sage Collection on which they were to create a separate case study. Through interviews, observation, and video recordings we collected data for the evaluation of spaces. Our main interviewee was Kelley Richardson, who is the assistant curator of the Sage Collection. Through conversation, we were able to get a closer look at the and how they are being used currently. After the evaluation, we were able to create a future plan on how to improve the space, by giving short and long term perspectives. In general our short term ideas included tearing down some walls to create bigger rooms, instead of so many small ones. Long term, however, suggests that the best improvement would be to acquire a new building that will function properly for people all who are using it - a building that will fit the user, instead of having the user fit to it. Smith Research Center Smith Research Center Floor PlanFloor & Bubble Plan & Diagram Bubble Diagram Smith Research Center Floor Plan and Diagram 114 A 114 A N 140 N 140 G 140 G

5 CASE STUDY PROCESS TOURING THE SPACE The process was started by looking at each individual space. Kelly Richardson, the assistant curator, was our tour guide through each space giving us information as we walked through the areas. Emily, her assistant, helped us with our second run through the space. She gave us the full experience of what goes into each space as well as providing us with even more information, such as what works and doesn t work within each space. INTERVIEW QUESTIONS After the tour, we got together with Kelly as a group and interviewed her on each space. Going off Kelly s general ideas, we developed questions and probing methods to get more information about the spaces. Specific questions and open questions were asked individually by the people who were in charge of their particular space. RESEARCH OF OTHER SPACES By researching other museum curator spaces the finding of these different ways for the space of the SAGE Collection is adequate and inadequate. ASSESSMENT Through this research we realized that while the space at Smith is working for now, there are many facets of the space that are not perfect for the needs of the Sage Collection. 4

6 CASE STUDY VIDEO THE SAGE COLLECTION POST-OCCUPANCY EVALUATION PLAY VIDEO HERE 5

7 CASE STUDY ROOM 140 OVERVIEW Room 140 is a suite of rooms that house the main office and work space of the Sage Collection. The space has three larger rooms used for storage with smaller rooms used for office space, work rooms, and smaller storage. Of all of the spaces none of them have enough room to accommodate their needs. The layout of the space is a little choppy and the room is completely across the building from the other spaces where the mannequins and a majority of the artifacts are stored making it difficult to maneuver the spaces and go about the daily tasks of maintaining the collection. Interview Kelly Richardson, Assistant Curator 1 How many people need office space? There are 2 people that need an typical office and 2 others that just need working space. 2 What are the needs of the offices The offices need computer space and a storage area. Is the current size of the office sufficient? My office is actually a little on the large size, I would rather have more work room than a large office. 6

8 CASE STUDY ROOM 140 FINDINGS After conducting interviews with Kelley Richardson and her grad student assistant, Emily, we were able to find out more about the main storage room 140, of the Smith Center. At the moment, this space serves as the main storage center for the Sage Collection. Initially, the space was supposed to be used as a work area with tables and such for students to work in collaborative groups, to have meetings, dress mannequins, etc. However, because of the lack of space for storage, that room too, became filled with shelves and holds most of the artifacts and books of the collection. While talking to Kelley and Emily, we discussed different ways through which we could improve the space and make it more functional. GENERAL DISCUSSION In room 140 there are two office spaces and two work rooms. These spaces serve their purpose fairly well and only need a few adjustments. Short term there isn t much that could be changed to make the spaces work better. Some of the spaces could be rearranged a little but it would take longer to make any big changes to the space. Since Kelly said her office was a little on the large size the two offices could be moved to where the work rooms are now since those rooms are slightly smaller. Then the wall between the rooms that would now be work rooms could be removed to make a larger work room. The biggest solution to the problem would be to get a completely new building with a better set up so that the work room could be a large open space that allows for many tables to have group meetings and more space to work with the articles in the collection. In the original plan for the space there was an area set out to be a large work space but due to a lack of storage space it was used as shelving spaces instead. The offices could be downsized a little so that they fit the space requirements a little better and didn t have too much space. 7

9 CASE STUDY ROOM 110 OVERVIEW The storage space in room 110 of the Smith Research Building is used for storage of historical garments. It is climate controlled the best it can be in a space like the Smith Building. By adding dehumidifiers and thermostats they can keep the humidity down and make sure the room stays at a constant temperature. While the space in Smith is working now for the needs of the Sage Collection, there are many things that can be improved. Since there are small problems with the space being adequate with the needs of a curator, this Smith Building is not the prime spot for the Sage Collection to be housed. In this study we will be addressing the needs and wants of the Sage Collection staff and discussing how the Smith Research Center is or is not fulfilling those needs. Interview Kelly Richardson, Assistant Curator 1 What is the ideal layout space for the collection? Ideally, open space that allows the rooms to be closer together. The exception is that room 110 still in its own room that is climate controlled and appropriate for the garments. 2 Do the dehumidifiers in room 110 fulfill the climate needs? They help, but it is not perfect. A building with better HVAC unit is the most desirable. Are you concerned with mold growth? The boxes that the garments are stored in help, but mold growth is still an issue and concern. 4 Are the sprinklers above the garments boxes an issue? They pose a risk of damaging the garments. Other museums and conservation places have a better system that uses a gas form of fire extinguisher rather than water. 8

10 CASE STUDY ROOM 110 FINDINGS In room 110 you can see that there is only one dehumidifier (Image 1) and that the space is a large room that needs more than one dehumidifiers to keep it climate controlled. Like previously stated by Kelly the dehumidifiers are not perfect for the collection storage. Other than the dehumidifier, the garment boxes (Image 2) are the only thing protecting from the environmental risks. With the threat of climate control and the sprinkler system, the garments are at risk. The sprinklers are right above the shelves (Image ) and can possibly damage the garments. After research and interviewing Kelly, there could be a better fire system for a space that stores historic items. 1 2 GENERAL DISCUSSION Some of the main things that are not working in room 110, are the climate control, the sprinkler system, and the amount of space. Users of room 110 stated that there is only enough room to store boxes, not get in them and work in the space. And like previously stated, the climate control in room 110 is okay for now, but it is not desired. Lastly, the sprinkler system is not ideal for a room with historic items and a different system, like a gas system, would be better. After the completing research for the Sage Collection room 110, the Smith Research Center is not the ideal space for the collection. The ideal space would have a better HVAC unit, a different fire safety system, and more open space to combine work and storage. 9

11 CASE STUDY ROOM 178 OVERVIEW The purpose of this case study was to understand how functional the room 178, which is used as storage for mannequins and other props, and how the room can be improved for the Sage Collection. The mannequin room is composed up of two room connected together by a door in the middle of the two. Both rooms are very small and have big windows in each. Using methods from post occupancy evaluations, it was determined how this space could be improved for short term, mid-term, and long term use. Interview Kelly Richardson, Assistant Curator 1 What are some difficulties of using the mannequin room? I have to climb over things in order to get what I need and I have to move things around a lot. There are also leaks in the room and the light and temperature effects what can be stored in this room. 2 What is stored in the mannequin room? Full mannequins forms, stands, and separate boxes filled with pieces of mannequins, such as hands. Do you wish there was space to store other items? Yes, props. We need more shelving to store items on. It would be nice to be able to store the gray covers we use over the mannequins and the under garments that we use to cover the mannequins underneath the clothes. 4 What other spaces does this room need to have access to? Would it be useful if it was combined with other storage? It doesn t really need to be connected with room 110. It would be nice to have the storage for mannequins and photography equipment in one room if we had the space for it. 10

12 CASE STUDY ROOM 178 FINDINGS Through the evaluation process, it was discovered that the mannequin room would be more functional if it accommodated more than just mannequins. Through Kelly s interview, it appears that the hopes for this room were to be able to store all the things that deal with the mannequins and the formation of them so that the mannequin can be created and prepped in one room, as well as taken apart. The interview also suggested that there needs to be more storage options because, as of right now, there are no shelves or areas to put the boxes up from the ground. Kelly mentioned that there are leaks that happen within this room which can cause harm to the mannequins and the items that may be stored in this room. The room is cluttered and unorganized due to the lack of space and shelving for storage. Kelly had mentioned that she always has to climb over things in order to get to certain parts of the room. She also desires for the mannequins to be organized by size, however the space does not allow for this function. The floor plan shows the space and how the partition wall and door cause the room to be separated into two really small rooms. This causes things to become unorganized because of the separation. The floor plan also shows that the room is placed on the exterior wall, causing sunlight, air conditioning control, and water damage to be a high concern. 11

13 CASE STUDY ROOM 178 GENERAL DISCUSSION Some of the main concerns within room 110, are the climate control, the sprinkler system and the amount of space. Users of room 110 stated that there is only enough room to store boxes, not get in them and work within the space. Like previously stated, the climate control in room 110 is okay for now, but it is not desirable. Lastly, the sprinkler system is not ideal for a room with historic items, instead different a gas system would be best. After completing the research for the Sage Collection room 110, the Smith Research Center is not the ideal space for the collection. The ideal space would have a better HVAC unit, a different fire safety system, and more open space to combine work and storage. 12

14 CASE STUDY ROOM 114A OVERVIEW In the Smith Research Center, room 114 consists of three spaces in one area. The focus of this space is for tools and utilities. In room 114A, laundry, freezing, ironing, and storage happen. Due to the fact that the space is fairly small, only one person can pass through the during a given time, which can make it difficult to get tasks done. A freezer, washer, and dryer take up one wall and the storage cabinets are on the opposite wall. There are no windows in the space, just a fluorescent light that is above the space. Interview Kelly Richardson, Assistant Curator 1 How often is the tools and utilities spaced used in a week? The space is used during exhibition time three to four times a week, but not as often on a regular weekly basis. 2 What is the process of cleaning the clothes? How often? No Sage Collection pieces are cleaned here. Gloves, sheets and covers are the main washes. The cleaning of these items is an everyday chore and the tough part is remember to go back to the washroom once you have already moves on. What is the process of freezing the clothes? Incoming pieces that may have an infestation, weepy materials or pieces with holes are frozen. Two cycles of a 48-hour time period occur. Freezer items are wrapped individually. Fur and feather are important to freeze so they stay intact. Mold and mildew are deactivated in the freezing process. 4 What makes each piece eligible for cleaning or freezing? Anything that is new to the collection or items that may have infestation as well as furs and feathers are eligible. 1

15 CASE STUDY ROOM 114A FINDINGS From my interview with Kelly, I gained a lot of information. The tools and utilities space is convenient in order to clean, store, and freeze items of the Sage Collection. One suggestion that Kelly gave for this particular room is that a thawing table is needed. When taking the frozen items out of the 48-cycle period, people usually take the items out and place them on top of the freezer. Kelly said putting the frozen items to thaw on top of the freezer defeats the purpose, due to the fact that it ll take longer to freeze. Since, the sheets are cleaned daily due to them being used for storage, displays, and mannequins. The sheets pile up over time, so a hamper is needed for this area. Another, idea is to have a timer for the Sage Collection people so they remember when the washer is done as well as the dryer. Since, the main office space is fair from the tools and utilities space it is hard for them to remember when someone did laundry or when they put laundry in. GENERAL DISCUSSION Overall, the Tools and Utilities space works for now, but things need to be added in order to make it improve. A hamper, timer, and thawing table are needed for this space in order to make the cleaning and freezing process run more smoothly. The space is a decent size, but in order to improve the area more space is needed. The Tools and Utilities space should move closer to the main office space, so when new items are delivered it would come start to the freezing and cleaning room instead of having to walk it down the hallway, which could cause safety issues for the Sage Collection. 14

16 CASE STUDY ROOM 114 OVERVIEW In the Smith Research Center, room 114 consists of three spaces in one area. The focus of this space is for tools and utilities. Room 114, is the larger portion of the space, dedicated to photography and miscellaneous storage. This space also serves as a pass-through for those desiring the washroom. The photography equipment used to display the items and clothing is kept out and set up for quick ease of use when needed; however, this setup can get in the way of other functions of the space. Interview Kelly Richardson, Assistant Curator 1 What would you like to change about the photography? This space needs more room for lighting setups and storage for photography equipment and accessories. 2 How often are pieces photographed? Pieces are photographed almost daily. They are photographed by categories, such as accessories and dresses. where then a digital image is attached online. Would the space benefit from windows? No, this photography space would not benefit from windows because the artifacts and garments are very sensitive to light. The exposure to natural light or an extended amount of time could cause irreplaceable damage to a piece. 4 Do you need more storage for the equipment? Yes, more storage for the photography equipment would be very beneficial to the space. The current square footage is great; however, it would be ideal if the small storage room in 114, which is currently used as mannequin and exhibit storage, could be used for photography equipment storage. 15

17 CASE STUDY ROOM 114 FINDINGS Through several conversations with Kelly, it was discovered that the photography of the Sage Collection is a small, yet mighty, aspect of maintaining their collection. The collection actually desires to photograph more of their pieces, rather than just photographing the new or pieces that go onto other exhibitions. The aspect of photography in a museum collection like this can really give outsiders a feel for what the collection is all about. It was decided that the current square footage of the space is ideal in size; however the actual layout and organization is the problem. The space is used a pass-through for those desiring the washroom. Since the photography equipment is always left out for ease of use, it can get in the way of the walk-through path. The current attached storage closet in room 114 is used as miscellaneous storage for tools used in exhibitions and random mannequin pieces. It would be ideal to use this storage space completely for the storage of photography equipment and props. By doing so, this would alleviate the congested walkway and lack of storage. GENERAL DISCUSSION Overall, it was decided that this tools and utilities space works for now; however, some things should be added and rearranged in order to make it function at its best. The addition of storage would allow for more lighting and better organization of props, rather than the current metal storage cabinet stuffed to the brim. Through the better use of the current storage room, this photography facility would actually function smoothly. 16

18 CONCLUSION PROJECT In this project students were asked to research and produce a Post Occupancy Evaluation for the Sage Collection that is located at Smith Research Center on the Indiana University Bloomington campus. Students individually evaluated a section of the space and discovered the issues and needs of each through observing and interviews with users and then collaborated to decide the best way to solve the problems presented in three different time frames. The first is what could be changed in two weeks to make the space work better, the second is what could be changed in six months to a year, and the third is what could be changed in two years or more. FINDINGS In every space the Sage collection occupies the major issue is a lack of space and a bad layout. All of the storage is spread out across the entire building making it a task to track down multiple artifacts to do a display. The rooms that are more conveniently located close to each other aren t the correct conditions for the types of artifacts the collection has since they must be kept in climate controlled rooms away from sunlight to preserve them. There is no exhibition space at all meaning none of the artifacts can be displayed which defeats the purpose of having the collection. Workspace Future Building for The Sage Collection Storage OFFICE 17

19 CONCLUSION DESIGN RECOMMENDATIONS Room Short Term The short term solution within the next few weeks would be to find a storage space for the clothes that are hanging in smaller rooms on the left side of the main room, then move the racks from room 140 to the smaller rooms. Room Mid Term Besides serving as the Sage Collection center, the space also serves as a classroom on Fridays for Apparel Merchandising students. Most times, they end up using one of the Interior Design studio rooms; however, those rooms are not always available. The possibility of tearing down walls between rooms and creating one bigger room would allow those students to have a small space for those classes. However, this still will not be enough room to serve as a proper work area for bigger meetings and classes. Room Short Term For this time period it is recommend that the Sage Collection buy floor to ceiling shelving to go along the walls of the first room. This would help provide storage for the boxes and other props that need to be stored in this room. It could also provide protection from the water leaks. Another solution suggested is that blackout curtains could be purchased to control sunlight and air control. Room Mid Term Within 6 months to 2 years, it is recommend that the partition wall and the extra door be taken out to create one open room. This would allow for a more open space so that it is easy to move mannequins around and other items. It could also allow for more shelving units to be installed. 18

20 CONCLUSION DESIGN RECOMMENDATIONS Room Mid Term The mid-term solution within six months to a year would be to add more dehumidifiers to the space that would help with climate control. Black out curtains would be a benefit, because even though the garments are in boxes, they still are at a risk for damage. There is also a possibility that the storage could be moved around so there is more space to work. Room 114A - Short Term The addition of a foldout table for thawing, instead of having to put the frozen items on top of the freezer. I would also have a hamper in the space, so it helps with the sheet storage mess. Lastly, add a timer in the office, so when the laundry is done they can remember to change it. Room 114A - Mid Term For the mid term changes there should be a nicer thawing table. Having a holder for the excess water drips would help. Although the timer put in the office is a simple short term fix, moving the washer and dryer into the main working space would benefit because it would be easier to know when the items are done instead of walking across the building. Room Short Term Short term changes for the photography space would actually improve the function of the space the most. Through rearranging the miscellaneous storage cabinet, more photography props could fit in as well as the equipment. This would also alleviate the congested walkway issue. Room Mid Term For the mid term changes, the entire space of room 114 could be dedicated to photography. Since the washroom could be move into the main workroom, this would leave plenty of storage for equipment, props and even the storage racks of an assembly of items that need to be photographed next. 19

21 CONCLUSION DESIGN RECOMMENDATIONS Overall - Long Term Room 140 No walls in the office with an open collaborative space for working More open floor plan, with no walls, and space to spread out work All storage is closer together organized for an ease of use Possible space for museum-like display for the community Room 110 New and improved HVAC unit Larger space for more working areas Connected and closer to other storage and other working spaces Different fire prevention unit, perhaps gas instead of water based Room 114 More room for working space when photographing items Space to spread around equipment and items in a photo shoot Area for storage of photography accessories for ease of use Storage is connected with mannequin room and other storage Area can be part of larger open storage combined Tools and utilities connected to other spaces that they are used Ease of access to items being stored in the tools and utilities Room 178 Mannequin storage connected to storage in room 114 specifically Lots of open space for work and easy access when in a rush It is recommended that the Sage Collection, as a whole, is moved to a large open space plan that allows for the different spaces to be closer to each other and to have a bigger areas to work. It is nearly imperative that the building has a better HVAC unit to protect the garments and more space for students and staff to work and explore the collection without having to make long trips between rooms. The additional square footage to have a small museum display area would be a great benefit to the beautiful collection as well as the entire community. 20