The Center for Disability Services has been serving its community for over 80 years with more than 80 locations over 15 counties. The center is a non profit organization that works to empower people with disabilities and give them the support they need to have happy, productive, and healthy lives. With over 300 different diagnoses, the center provides multiple programs and services for all age groups and abilities to ensure support for each individual that leads to successful growth. The task was to redesign the lobby for the Albany, NY location specifically for the Kevin G. Langan School and Clover Patch Preschool. The problem areas included, the non-functional layout, safety issues, accessibility concerns, acoustic issues, lack of visual appeal and overall branding, outdated and misused materials and colors.
The goal was to address these issues and create a design where circulation can occur in a safe way and activities and operations can be more successful. Noise in the space will be lowered, lighting will be fixed, furniture will be updated to be more functional, imagery added, and signage updated. This solution will be valuable to everyone as the design will be focused on the students while making sure it is staff-friendly as well. By redesigning the lobby, it will become an environment where students feel welcomed immediately and excited to go to school. Whether students have to wait in the lobby or go through their lobby on their equipment for therapy, the redesign of the lobby will make those experiences more effective and enjoyable. This work is fundamentally important because every student at the Center for Disability Services deserves a high-quality environment. By prioritizing these design changes, it ensures that the lobby is a place where students feel comfortable, welcomed, and safe as soon as they enter the building.

Olipop is “a new kind of soda” that tastes like the soda everyone knows, with added microbiome and digestive health support. Olipop is a healthier choice with prebiotics, plant fiber, and botanicals. The company’s mission statement is to make the world a better place with a product that supports people’s health while being enjoyable at the same time. Along with the brands mission are three main missions Olipop works towards: feed life, adapt and improve, and enjoy. They believe that by nourishing the life within us (our microbiome), improving their product as more data is discovered, and giving people a healthy and delicious option to satisfy cravings, Olipop is working to improve wellbeing. For this project, Olipop, being a fully remote company, decided to expand its brand by having an office where employees can feel inspired, energized, and connected as a team to create their best work. Olipop has contracted the designer for the tasks of space planning and interior design work for their first flagship office in Chicago, Illinois. It was important for the Olipop brand to be showcased throughout the design, including their drinks, colors, and branding. From the first step into the elevator lobby the brand’s vibrant colors are showcased. Individual colors are used throughout the design, including each department to represent a different drink from the Olipop brand.

Comfrt is an online clothing vendor that caters to individuals with psychological difficulties, such as anxiety, depression, or those with a certain sensitivity. “Our goal is to help you feel grounded and supported, inside and out,” states their mindset page. Their line of clothing accurately represents what they wish to advertise, crafting each set with ease of maintenance in mind, as well as being gentle and soft to the touch. The additional weighted aspects of their hoodies provide a sense of ease, mimicking an embrace, allowing their customers to realize the physical sensation of cherishment. To reflect the values of Comfrt, the interior is finished with a combination of white and pale wood accents, enforcing a sense of cleanliness, invitation, and a hint of the natural essence. Each space is well accessible, highlighted by a series of track, pendant, and recessed lighting that highlight the brand’s integrity on the shelves. In addition, “Comfrt Zone,” a semi-enclosed space, rests near the cash wrap, encouraging customers to connect with it, find a moment of silence, or simply recover from the toils of shopping.