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Students Design Solutions for Child Development Lab and A.S. Children's Center

Art majors in Kris Zappettini's spring 2002 class, Human Factors in Interior Design, contributed fresh ideas for two child care space-remodeling projects. Over the summer, some of their ideas became three-dimensional as the A.S. Children's Center infant and toddler space underwent construction and redesign.

One student, Kali Mangle-Wallace, completed a summer internship in which she played an important role as a go-between among Facilities Management and Services (FMS), the contractor, and A.S. Children's Center staff. "I have a child development minor as well as an interior design major, so I knew the needs of the children, and I could read floor plans," said Mangle-Wallace.

"We went to the Child Development Lab before we even started this project," said Zappettini. "I made the students sit in the environment and come to an understanding about their clients, who are much different from what they originally assumed. They had to revert back to their early childhood days and think about size, height, and material."

Students presented their designs to the class and project stakeholders, among them Cindy Ratekin of the Child Development Lab (which serves three- and four-year-olds), Susan Toussaint, director of the A.S. Children's Center (which will cater to infants and toddlers with the new space), and Melissa Groves, faculty member who helped write the grant. The presentations included a design statement summarizing the issues, a plan view, and samples of color schemes, as well as furniture and lighting ideas.

These "design boards" remained on campus during the summer as references for Toussaint and Groves as they finalized designs with FMS. They got the added benefit of Mangle-Wallace's enthusiasm to learn about the interior design process and implementation of a plan.

Juggling such practical concerns as storage units and flooring with psychological issues such as socialization and privacy gave students an inkling of what awaits them in interior design careers. "What I try to do is have students think beyond their egos. What considerations do they need to bring to their design solutions that will lead to more holistic, better designs?" said Zappettini.

Suggestions for solutions and innovations included bamboo flooring, a renewable resource as well as texturally pleasing; modular cribs that can accommodate infants and toddlers; upward lighting, so young clients needn't stare into fluorescent bulbs while their diapers are changed; and a Velcro wall with matching balls and objects to fling onto it. "What the students were given was a shell of a room that really wasn't designed appropriately for children," said Groves about the A.S. Children's Center. "It was used as a cafeteria, and it's been a tech shop for as long as anybody can remember. With the redesign, what we're offering is a high-quality program that ensures the children not only are well cared for, but also have experiences that enrich their lives—what we call developmentally appropriate practice."

Mangle-Wallace ran into real-world obstacles for implementing suggested solutions during the summer, including the cost of a bamboo floor, a limited university paint palette, and the challenge of presenting an entirely new idea for light fixtures to FMS. An FMS electrician came up with the fixtures that were finally used.

With such tangible contributions to the university to motivate them, the students' enthusiasm for the design projects was high. "I think student involvement was heightened because they knew it was a real project," said Zappettini.

Mangle-Wallace, who is still involved in the finishing touches on the infant-toddler space and now is working directly with children as an assistant student teacher, leaves not only with a design for a real project, but with the rich experience of contributing to a professional team. "I feel fortunate to have had this internship. It not only gave me the opportunity to see a school assignment turn into a real-life design project, it also gave me a chance to combine my two passions—child development and interior design."

Taran March and Kathleen McPartland