Interior Design Project

I live in a one room flat, with separated kitchen. My long term friend from Poland moved in to my flat. It is not very common in Finland to live together with a friend in the same room. Actually I haven't heard anyone living like that. I wanted to rearrange my furniture. I had to think, how to make the only room arranged the way, that we would have a little privacy. Our day rhytm could be sometimes a bit different, so I wanted to ease our everyday life as much as I could by changing the places of furniture.

I had same time a course in my university called Exploring Based Interior Design. We had to choose a space, and make an interior design based on the needs and preferences of the user. I decided to make my course project about my situation at home. I focused on my friend's needs and wishes. We had to organize different kinds of tasks to the user, which would reveal something about the user.

In the beginning of the course we learnt to use a software to design interior. This software was called CADlite. I got really excited about this software, and I spent hours with it. Here is how my bedroom/livingroom -combo looked like:

Here are the tasks that I made her to do:

1. Take pictures of places what you are looking often, and from points of views where you usually spend time.

The pictures revealed to me how much storage place she needs, because there could be seen so much her stuff around. At this point, she was sleeping in the low futon couch next to window. I realised how much there was light and many of my handicrafts in progress were visible.

2. I made a model of the room, and I cut movable furniture from cardboard. My friend had to move furniture and make few versions. I took pictures of them.

It was eye opening to see other person's solutions to this problem. I had also made many versions with this board, but they were different.

3. I had interview with her. I asked pretty normal things, but I also had few surprising questions. Some examples:

How important is darkness for you when it comes to sleeping? Do you sleep
when it is daylight?

How important is darkness for you when it comes to sleeping? Do you sleep
when it is daylight?

Is there some sort of storage need that I haven’t provided? 

Do you find any activities that you find hard to have place or possibilities to
perform?

4. Scaling task

Look at the interior space. How do you feel it?
Mark the spot to each line according your impression. For
example, if you feel that the interior is original/distinctive,
place the dot in the line close to that word etc. You can also
invent your own counter terms.

5. Daily routine

If you have to share a room with someone, it is crucial when each of you are going to sleep and wake up.

After these tasks I made my decisions of new furniture arrangements. My friend got her own area, which was my former sleep corner. I found the project really inspiring. This kind of user-based research is giving the designer so much more inspiring information. Playful tasks also help, when the user isn't really sure what she/he even needs or wishes.