The main concept behind the new design is using the vertical ribs to define spaces and create a place to share the history of the IOB. The system utilizes the three hallways to present visitors with the history of the products, people and stories. We chose to space the ribs on the display walls to standard paper sizes so it would be easily interchangeable as the company grows and develops new products they want to share with visitors. The system also acts as a wayfinding device with larger ribs placed in key areas defining the "special" places within the building. The ribs are only located on one wall commonly the right wall in each space because in some visual disabilities contrasting colors and surfaces help while in other types contrast strains their eyes creating a unpleasant environment. Since the design is only on the right wall those who need the contrast will benefit while the others will be able to focus on the less contrasting wall, this creates a specialized space for both types of visual disabilities.
We viewed the conference room as the center of the company and wove the vertical ribs together on the ceiling which created a zone over the table used for meetings. Between the ribs we added writable and tackable surfaces for brainstorming and presentation displays to make meetings more efficient and involved. There was also a need for a side table for food during meetings but needed to be stored when not in use, to solve this issue there is a table attached to the wall below one of the tackable surfaces and folds down to be stored under the display area. Overall we focused on displaying the history of the Industries of the Blind and employees as well as creating multifunctional displays used to create a experience for all who view it.
Below are a few images to give you a better sense of the design.
