Baumgartner Designs

Concept, Universal Design, and Historic Preservation were heavy influences in the designing of this project. The project is a remodel of an old gymnasium into a half residence and half gallery for the artist Len Zeoli, his visually impaired wife, and their in-laws.

Concept

The design was based on an original pulley system of the historic gymnasium. From the pulley system, I took the words raw, functional, and connection. These words are used throughout the design to drive a lot of the choices on how the main residence connects to the generational suite and many aesthetic choices throughout the building.

Design Application

It is important that the original building is seen throughout the design. This is implicated by revealing and exposing the building's brick structure and allowing the building's natural shapes to drive the design of the space. In the residence, there is low gloss and high contrasting materials for impaired vision and clean lines throughout the space for easy navigation. A contrasting sense of connection and separation in the residence is created by having an auditory connection between the main residence and the generational suite while maintaining visual privacy among the tenants. While the floorplan of the residence is squarer and more structured for the visual impairment navigation, the free-flowing floorplan of the gallery reflects the rings of a tree since Len's medium is wood. Len also believes in a connection to nature so it is replicated in the walls, flooring, and other material choices. In the gallery, there are tall walls of green to make the viewer feel small like they are walking among tall trees, and the carpet feels as cushioned as a well-worn hiking trail. Ambient noises and natural lighting through a skylight also add to the immersive experience.

Skills Used

Universal Design
Historic preservation
Hand Rendering 
Aging in place 
Gallery design
Pattern design
Concept development
Immersive design
Code application
Spatial planning
Material specification

Programming