JULY/AUGUST 2011
Design Institute IDV Students Partner With The Gerson Institute
The Gerson Institute, a local non-profit organization known for helping others, got a little help themselves when they asked Design Institute students to partner with them to help redefine their new corporate headquarters. The Gerson Institute is an organization dedicated to providing education and training in the alternative, non-toxic treatment of disease. Working within the $100,000 budget to remodel the interior of a 3600 square foot building shell in Golden Hill, students enrolled in the Interior Design V course spent the Spring 2011 semester developing innovative design solutions for this dynamic group.
Founded by Charlotte Gerson in 1977, this organization is based on the work of her father, Dr. Max Gerson who pioneered the use of nutrition as the core for the body's natural wisdom. "Each day they prepare a fresh, organic, vegetarian meal with carrot/apple juice for their staff, so their kitchen remodel was the big ticket item," states Lily Robinson, instructor. "Other spaces included a shipping department, bookstore for walk-ins, office space and custom elements such as a 'remedy cabinet' for the doctor to store her supplements and homeopathic aids."
Anita Wilson, Director of the Gerson Institute was excited to work with the students on this project and shared with us why. "One of the things we really love about your program is that social responsibility overlay and the fact that you are also environmentally friendly. The Gerson therapy could actually be called 'green healing. We would love for the outside of the building to let people know that an environmentally responsible team who cares and shares locally and globally has moved into the community."
Nine groups presented their ideas to the director and staff of the institute on March 31, 2011 at Design Institute. Concepts ranged from "Modern Remedy" based on the paintings of Mondrian to "The Breeze Cottage" which took advantage of the offshore prevailing breezes of the site and re-envisioned the headquarters as a healing space based on the colors and textures of a beach cottage.
Students of the winning group, Amber Garner, Kimberly Harmening and Cachel Rupp, impressed the staff with their imaginative reorganization of the corporate structure of The Gerson Institute. Their winning concept, based on "Bone Cells" renamed each department with a corresponding type of bone cell and imagery which reinforced their function as "structure," "support" or "protection." The staff was also impressed with the space plan which accommodated all of their working and storage needs as well as a central gathering space outside the new kitchen. The group brought their plan to life by including a detailed cost breakdown in their final presentation.
In the remaining weeks of the semester, all of the groups banded together behind the leadership of the chosen design scheme to produce a set of construction documents. The students got a taste of real-life collaboration on a project that would be expected upon graduation. This learning experience, from gathering information in the field, to presenting to real-life clients, and final specifications, not only enhances the students' portfolios but will set the student apart in interviews in the future.
Visit the following links to view the students in action:
http://www.youtube.com/user/DISDedu#p/u/33/w7qUNtdq2e0
http://www.youtube.com/user/DISDedu#p/u/12/xGdnkoNuoaM
http://www.youtube.com/user/DISDedu#p/u/11/E59orx4cx0M
http://www.youtube.com/user/DISDedu#p/u/15/X4M9vhHKa-0
Want to know more about the Gerson Institute visit http://www.gerson.org/