San Francisco Design Center Student Career Forum

Attending the Forum on Friday March 4th. I entered in the IFDA (Internationl Furnituring and Design Association). competition. The design requirement was to design the lighting for an empty-nest active couple. The 2008 California Title 24 energy regulations have to be incorporated in the lighting design. I design a home that is streamlined, yet sleek and stylish for Morgan and Emily who are recently retired from their high powered professional careers. While their children are away at college, this active couple intends on traveling extensively and downsized their residence seeking a fresh, simplified and hip space. Creating a new space using iconic furnishings and modish textile epitomizes the 20th century vernacular of smart and fun that mimics the flowing graceful character of Morgan and Emily.

Modern Furniture

My project for this quarters Construction Documents class is a case study on the Barcelona Pavilion designed by architect Mies van de Rohe in 1929 for the International Exhibition. This is an exciting assignment for me. Part of the assignment is to draft three millwork pieces. Mies intended for the pavilion to be bare, hence it is difficult to create three millwork pieces. So I am drawing the Barcelona chair, which he designed specifically for the pavilion. As I learned this, I was astonished - after all this chair is the icon for modern furniture design and is still manufactured today!


Drafting this chair affirms my passion for interior design, amazing me that it is as fresh as if it had been created yesterday. Let me point out that I could not find anywhere – digitally or in print – any drawings with specific dimensions or details, so I am creating it as best I can from the Knoll website (the current patent holder). My meager CAD talents turned out a fairly nice rendition and I embrace all things modern, even when they were created over 80 years ago.