Our project is a repositioning of the reception area of the IRC to better serve IRC clients and employees. Through examination of the interior architecture of the IRC building itself, we identified areas within the space where congestion and discomfort may occur. After discussing with IRC employees and conducting first hand research of the space [IRC visits], the area of reception was targeted as a space to redesign.

Our group has been split into two areas of focus, one being that of the interior architecture itself, and the other being that which fills its spaces [furnishings, documentation, flow]. Through visitations and observations of the IRC space and discussions with IRC employees and clients, we discovered that the current reception area is small and closed off, a room which could only fit approximately 10 people comfortably. There is little privacy for discussions between caseworkers and clients, nor clients to other clients. The IRC employee who overlooks the reception area is closed off into a reception area by a wall and a glass pane. The door which enters from the reception area into the office spaces [those which contain IRC caseworkers, employees, and volunteers] is padlocked. Amongst the room are informational documents scattered upon a table in front of the reception window. The room itself creates a funnel which does not maximize a feeling of welcome which could be presented to new clientele or visitors, but rather an overwhelming congested space.

Based on the existing architecture and entranceways, what is currently the back of the IRC was redesigned to be the new reception area. The space was picked both for its scale [wide open space and tall ceilings] as well as the fact it has an existing entrance/exit. The space was large enough where it could fit more IRC clients, employees, and visitors, and include room for new seating and spaces for further, more thorough, documentation.

Using these observations targeted above, we looked to take the aspects which exist within the current reception area and move them into the redesigned IRC space. We began redesigning and reconfiguring seating and display arrangements based upon feedback from the IRC. The models of these began as modular geometric shapes, but through iterating and discussions with the IRC and mentors, the shapes were pushed into a more ergonomic and flowing form. Documentation was pushed into new forms, including larger posters and postcards exhibiting not only relevant information, but ephemera of the IRC itself. The reception area was redesigned to fit with the new forms created for seating and display. The new area includes a larger and more open space where employees would have more room to work and discuss with visitors and clients. Two more rooms were added to the reception area as places of meeting or storage as need be. A new visitor and employee flow was analyzed to choose the placement of the new fixtures of the reception area. The space is meant to be more open with visitors able to move freely about the space, with larger seating arrangements and more visible documentation. As a way to visualize these spaces and fixtures, 3D models and prototypes were created alongside large scale drawings in both an analog and digital format. Accompanying these will be a VR experience of the redesigned IRC reception area.