Grace Branch

This is my sophomore fall semester project, which was focused on creating a rental space out of 15\'x30\' boxes (the biggest size that would be shippable). In coming up with a general concept for the space I wanted to do something that I felt my friend and I could enjoy, so I created a two bedroom space that had a kitchen, living, and dining space, as well as separate bathrooms that met with a bath and shower room in the middle. I envisioned a very feminine, kind of spa feel for the space, because that felt like something you would want to stay in when away from home. You can go and explore wherever it is you go and then at the end of the day unwind in a soothing environment. I really enjoyed working in a monochromatic color palette, it made the search for furnishings and finishes a lot more fun, and overall it was cool to see what products were available to fit the theme. Before making revisions this was my first time using Sketchup, and it was cool to experiment and see what I could do in the program with a space that I created entirely on my own.

This is the sophomore studio winter semester project I did, and it was a very different design direction and concept for me that served as a challenge but also a fun experience. We took a building in downtown Detroit and we had an interior designer (in my case GianCarlo Valle) that we had to put in this building; with that information we had to create a space that could house the design offices, a workshop, and an experience for the public. This space has a lot of room for working, there\'s both a woodshop and a textiles studio that can be used, as well as an office space for the staff, and a conference room. The other half of the building is more for the public that can come in and experience the brand. There\'s a showroom that displays GianCarlo\'s furniture, so someone who comes in can see the versatility of the pieces. There\'s also a food and beverage area that makes the space feel more inviting, and that could be used for any industry events. I wanted the studio to feel like it could be a little day trip; someone can come to Detroit and go to the building, taking their time to eat and drink, go walk around and look at the furniture, sit in it, and maybe even purchase it, and they can see the process of designing and creating one of those pieces. This was a challenge because it was in a pre-existing building, and it was such a large space, but it was really fun to see what I could do in that kind of space especially with an already well-established brand.

This sponsored project was also done during the winter 2022 semester of my sophomore year, and although it was a challenge it was a very fun experience. I collaborated with Nicole Kinkade, a classmate of mine, for this project, which gave me some insight on working with other people. Ka\'armuu Kush, from Detroit, is an actor and director who wanted to create a program that would allow students in the city to get film experience at a younger age to really open their eyes to the possibilities that exist in the film world. Ka\'aramuu asked our class to design a school bus that could house equipment for filming, editing, screening, as well as other necessities like food and a bathroom. Ka\'aramuu also wanted the aesthetic of the bus to mirror that of Shinola, a popular Detroit brand, and reflect the potential sponsors of the project, Apple and Beats by Dre. Nicole and I did a lot of research on the brands to create a space that best suited the space while staying true to the inspiration Ka\'aramuu had in mind. This project was difficult at times due to the three weeks time span we had to do it, as well as the fact that it was putting so much on a bus, but I think Nicole and I did a good job with creating something that fit what was wanted.