Universal Design in Green Mountain Ranch Style

Posted on July 5, 2014 by sreicis

Recently I had the privilege of becoming a Green Mountain Ranch fellow. I spent a week at the ranch in Northern Colorado with three colleagues from other colleges and universities in the United States. During the week we were able to share our universal design projects, tour the ranch, experience living in a universal design home and gain incredibly beneficial knowledge and guidance from our host, Cynthia Leibrock. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMd-l-cIxSI&list=PL90A5FD3F71AFADAA

So how would I describe life at Green Mountain Ranch? Simply said….wonderfully comfortable! This was a most inspiring experience. In addition to Cynthia’s remarkable home are her skills as a host and mentor. The sharing of ideas started each morning with breakfast and continued throughout the day. Sessions were both on site and off. As we engaged in Cynthia’s healthy lifestyle we continued our collaborative learning experience spending many hours hiking, climbing and enjoying nature at its finest. Pictured above are fellow Nancy Asay, her husband Ray, fellow Jane Huges, fellow Sandra Reicis, Frank and Cynthia Leibrock and fellow Erin Adams, as we enjoyed a collegial dinner out. Our travels took us to breathtaking sites in Northern Colorado as well as South Eastern Wyoming.

We even saw some local wildlife who accommodated us with some pretty amazing photo opportunities. This elk is posing at Rocky Mountain National Park.

RE.STYLE Design Competition from ASID

Posted on May 12, 2014 by sreicis

The ASID New York Upstate Canada East chapter sponsored a RE.STYLE Design Competition that challenged members at any level to repurpose any kind of object into a creative, interior design related fabrication. The judging and display occured during the Network 2014 event held recently in Syracuse, New York. Designers were encouraged to create a piece of furniture, light fixture, art object or other item that directly related to Interior Design. What a fun and inventive approach to sustainability and adaptive re-use! Your only limitation was your own creativity. It also placed students in competition with design professionals. Constance Strother, a Junior in the Villa Maria College Interior Design Program submitted the lighting fixture that she designed and fabricated for the Lighting and Acoustics class and came away with a third place prize! Villa Maria College gets to be doubly proud, since the first place award went to Villa Alum Caroline Barr.

Visiting a Masterpiece….Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob

Posted on March 20, 2014 by sreicis

Although I take my sophomore class to Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob each year, I honestly say that it never grows old. This tradition has continued for over 10 years and it can be said that we have a pretty good system right now. The size of this year’s group put us into two separate tour groups. Pictured at left outside Fallingwater are Sara Rozeski, Kaeli Bigelow, Elena Pellegrino and Melissa Wheeler. The visit coincides with a studio project that explores residential design, domesticity and serving the needs of the those who reside in the space. Students are challenged to re-think what a home should be and inspired to create the home of the future. Sustainability and Universal Design are two factors that need to be incorporated, but the ‘idea’ of home is what generates much thought… as well as much thinking ‘outside of the box’. Whether you love Wright’s designs or not, I think everyone would agree that you would not consider these homes to be inside a box. Even more enjoyable is the wonderful sculpture garden installed by current owners, Lord and Lady Palumbo. Works on display include Andy Goldsworthy, Claes Oldenburg, and Sir Anthony Caro among others. The Red Army (1991) by British artist Ray Smith is in Painted Steel. Two section of the Berlin Wall are also on display.

A Class Visit to Phipps Conservatory

Posted on March 18, 2014 by sreicis

Integrating field trips into the studio experience is both educationally beneficial and just out right fun. In the interior design program at Villa Maria College we combine experiential activities with assignments and projects. It not only improves student learning but inspires students to think beyond their normal visions and explore new ideas. Finding inspiration is not always a simple task. Developing a solid concept will take a pragmatically sound project and move it into a new world of creativity and innovation. The sophomore studio, which is Interior Design Studio 2, went in search of inspiration for a sustainably designed home focused on universal design principles at the Phipps Conservatory in Pittsburgh, PA. Included in our tour was a visit to the new Center for Sustainable Landscapes. The center explores water purification as well as alternative energy sources. A vertical wind turbine provides energy but is also safer for birds and produces less noise as well. The purified water is then used to water the plants. The center is a tremendous support to the mission of the conservatory. The students were able to see the introduction of a sustainable strategy followed through to application and environmental benefit. This is one of the ‘greenest’ botanical centers in the country. At Phipps the botanical displays are complimented with glass art that is designed and fabricated not only by the world famous Dale Chihuly, but also by many talented local artists as well. This creates a synergy as well as a balance between the beauty of the natural world and the beauty created by the artist’s hand. In the succulent room a playful Dale Chihuly is suspended from the ceiling, accentuating the prickliness of the botanical display. Local artist Gary Guydosh has created the installation ‘Wonderland’ where we see both flora and fauna interpreted in glass.

Chic Rustique….for the bathroom

Posted on September 15, 2013 by sreicis

Karen Mattoon is manager at the Tile Shoppe, located on Walden Avenue in Lancaster, graduate of Villa Maria College Interior Design, and terrific friend to the college and the program. Together with Amanda Kubiak they created a unique bathroom space, inspired by the equestrian park setting at the Knox Family Summer Estate. Bathrooms abound in the mansion, however, the talented designers working on the project have made each and everyone stand out as unique. Using reclaimed barn wood for the vanity and accent wall, the concrete work is showcased and set off. The floor, stonewalls and concrete coutertop were custom manufactured.

Villa Interior Design Alumni….Making a Difference

Posted on July 29, 2013 by sreicis

Pride of place and community support are hallmarks of Villa Maria College Interior Design Alumni. This year’s Junior League Show House was one of the most beautiful ever, and it was also one of the most spacious. As a professor in the Interior Design Program it gave me great pride to document over 20 spaces that were products of the efforts of Villa students and alums. From grand spaces like the Master Bedroom and the outdoor terraces to bathrooms and sewing rooms, it was exciting to see so many familiar faces sharing their artistic, creative and design talents. The Garden Party was attended by a record breaking turn-out and the logistics of moving through the house were crowded, but we were able to gather a sizeable number of students and alums to capture a photo opportunity in the IDA designed room. Pictured above are Melissa Pleace, Debbie Ziccardi, Barb King, Karen Mattoon, Sandy Nelson, Danielle Schiavetti, Barb Reformat, Joe Battaglia, Rebecca Duda, Caroline Barr, Sandra Zygaj-Borowski, Tara Clack, and Constance Strother. This is a terrific Villa story that I take tremendous joy in sharing. Keep an eye out for our commemorative poster featuring all the terrific spaces that have the Villa touch! Pictured above is the Bird of Paradise Hallway, by Terry Litzinger, a graduate of the Villa Interior Design Program, she brings 20 years of experience to both commercial and residential design, bringing a classic, sophisticated style that is inspired by nature. The chandelier in this space was a vintage birdcage that underwent a transformation to create visually interesting light patterns in the space.

Why Interior Designers Matter……..

Posted on March 27, 2012 by sreicis

The 2012 Interior Design Education Council (IDEC) National Conference was held in Baltimore, Maryland, March 19 – 22. “IDEC represents the unique professional interests of interior design educators in the United States and worldwide. IDEC provides forums for sharing innovative strategies for interior design education, expressing a range of views on important issues, and disseminating research findings. Members of IDEC educate individuals,families, fellow professionals, and students, and influence policy makers about the interior design profession.” This year’s conference included a student video competition exploring the question…..Why Interior Designers Matter…. The winning entry was a very clever and informative submission from the students at Radford College in Virginia.

The second place submission was from Iowa University and focused on the benefits of hiring a professional interior designer.

The third place video focussed on the economic benefits of professional interior design and qualified interior designers.

becoming familiar with Bjarke Ingels…..

Posted on February 28, 2012 by sreicis

The Danish architect Bjarke Ingels and his Coppenhagen based firm BIG has won the Kimball Art Center competition. This international competition was charged with designing a new home for the art center in Park City, Utah. So what makes this design the winner? According to Maurice Cox, a member of the selecting group, “BIG won the competition by proposing an iconic building that honors the spirit of Park City’s past and looks ahead into the 21st century.”

Terrace of the proposed Kimball Art Center

The proposed design appears to be a series of skewed Lincoln logs. The architects have struck a balance between context and current. They will also be going for a LEED Platinum rating for the new building.

Restaurant of the proposed art center

Spanning the entire height of the building is a signature staircase that emulates the striated form of the building.

So if the art center resembles Lincoln Logs, check out the video featuring Legos. I think I see a pattern here…..

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