Establishing a Hub for Community Wellbeing

Establishing a Hub for Community Wellbeing

University of Cincinnati

University of Cincinnati

My Role

Researcher, Experience Designer

Tools

Illustrator, Photoshop, Revit, Unreal Engine, MassMotion

Team

Bray Templeton

Skills

Site Analysis, Usability Testing, Design Strategy, Sketching, 3D Modeling, Data Analysis, Interviewing, Visual Design

Overview

The Price Hill community in Cincinnati, OH is one that's historically been neglected in terms of investment in health-bolstering infrastructure. Saturated with fast food restaurants and less than half the population having a high school diploma, Price Hill needed a hub for fresh food and professional development opportunities.

I utilized a site of three abandoned buildings on a major thoroughfare to design a food co-op, culinary education space, and housing units to revitalize and sustain the residents of Price Hill.

My Role

Researcher, Experience Designer

Team

Bray Templeton

Tools

Illustrator, Photoshop, Revit, Unreal Engine, MassMotion

Skills

Site Analysis, Usability Testing, Design Strategy, Sketching, 3D Modeling, Data Analysis, Interviewing, Visual Design

The Problem

A lack of fresh food sources and adult educational programs in Price Hill has led to a population burdened by obesity and little access to economic opportunities.

A lack of fresh food sources and adult educational programs in Price Hill has led to a population burdened by obesity and little access to economic opportunities.

The Solution

Site Research

Site Research

Neighborhood Background

The Price Hill community in Cincinnati was defined by its streetcar incline that closed in the mid 20th century. While originally an affluent community, there was an influx of low-income residents in the 1950s following their 'urban renewal' fueled displacement from the city core. Today, about half of Price Hill's residents have a high school diploma as their highest level of education, and roughly 45% are considered obese.

Price Hill Incline, image courtesy of the Library of Congress

Food Accessibility

A user's current journey from the site to a nearby grocery store involves passing by 6 fast food restaurants.

Map and research by Alican Yildiz, March 2017. Our site is located by the white star.

The Existing Spaces

The 3 buildings on Glenway Avenue are currently subdivided into multiple business spaces and are connected by a parking lot. I diagrammed the existing spatial uses and user circulation entry and exit points in order to understand and adopt patterns of movement for the new design. The low density buildings of Price Hill offer a bounty of opportunities to bring in natural light.

The existing 3 buildings from Google Street View

Diagram of existing spaces in the three buildings, arrows represent entry points

Problems Identified

🚶

Circulation

How might I create comfortable transitions between the spaces?

🌳

Greenspace

Where are opportunities to create spaces to grow food and create shade?

☀️

Light

What are some ways I can bring more natural light into these spaces?

🚶 Circulation

How might I create comfortable transitions between the spaces?

🌳 Greenspace

Where are opportunities to create spaces to grow food and create shade?

☀️ Light

What are some ways I can bring more natural light into these spaces?

Program Ideation

Program Ideation

Mapping and Sketching

Food Co-op

Culinary Training Area/Cafe

Spatial Qualities Research

Spatial Qualities Research

Nanak Emporium by MACh Architects

Image of sawtooth roof from Dezeen

Village Center in Sanhe by Wall Architects

Testing User Flows

Testing User Flows

MassMotion Circulation Studies

I modeled the design concepts in Rhino3D, then utilized MassMotion to simulate a busy day at the cafe. I set up areas of rest where there will be dining tables and the queue for ordering food. My goal was to understand friction points in the user flow that need resolving. Heat maps show areas of congestion.

I modeled the design concepts in Rhino3D, then utilized MassMotion to simulate a busy day at the cafe. I set up areas of rest where there will be dining tables and the queue for ordering food. My goal was to understand friction points in the user flow that need resolving. Heat maps show areas of congestion.

I modeled the design concepts in Rhino3D, then utilized MassMotion to simulate a busy day at the cafe. I set up areas of rest where there will be dining tables and the queue for ordering food. My goal was to understand friction points in the user flow that need resolving. Heat maps show areas of congestion.

Findings

1

Connecting the food co-op and culinary education space led to users overlapping during circulation and squeezing between objects.

2

Starting the cafe queue in the center of the cafe led to users attempting to cross between others in line, this could lead to frustration.

3

In the food co-op, users are piling up in the checkout queue.

1

Connecting the food co-op and culinary education space led to users overlapping during circulation and squeezing between objects.

2

Starting the cafe queue in the center of the cafe led to users attempting to cross between others in line, this could lead to frustration.

3

In the food co-op, users are piling up in the checkout queue.

1

Connecting the 2 main spaces led to users overlapping during circulation and squeezing between objects.

2

Center-orienting the cafe queue led to users attempting to cross between others in line, this could lead to frustration.

3

In the food co-op, users are piling up in the checkout queue.

Human-Scale Simulation

Human-Scale Simulation

Unreal Engine Walkthrough

Implementing some design changes based on my findings from the MassMotion simulations, I built the spaces in Unreal Engine. I recorded a walkthrough to gauge the relative scale of built elements and the success of the user flow.

Final Design

Final Design

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