Sister City



Seattle, Washington

  By evaluating a culture different from our own, we can learn how to improve our lifestyle. The words work and stress are used far to often in the same sentence.Creating a balance between work and home life can take the stress out of a daily routine.  In the United States, most health disorders are because of the unhealthy eating and living habits. For this project, research of Milan's wellness in their culture will be compared to that of the US.
      Seattle, Washington, the "Sister City" to Milan, Italy is going to be the location of Landor's new office. Both cities are home to shopping, historical landmarks and great cuisine. These two locations also share the same Mediterranean climate and are bordered by mountains. A big difference however is Milan's lack of a large water feature. Seattle surrounds the Puget Sound, affecting the cuisine immensely, while Milan only has a man made lake city people escape to in the summer.
   Milan is a fashion powerhouse. The city is driven by well dressed workaholics who spend their down time on shopping. Even if shopping in "The Rectangle of Gold" is too expensive, locals head to the nearby outlet stores. The price tags still aren't cheap but hunting through runway fashions for a bargain is always worth it.  The outlet stores are located right outside the corso Vittorio Emanuele II, one of the oldest malls in the world. For a nice relaxing day, a walk through Fiera di Senigallia is a top choice. It is one of the many flea markets within the city.
   When shopping gets to be too much, relaxation can be achieved at any one of the famous spas such as, Lepri (owned by a famous hairstylist), Terme Milano, and the Bulgari Hotel. Spas however, are mostly sought after by tourists or wealthy vacationers. The city has a boisterous night life, a lot like Seattle, where happy hour starts after the work day is over and lasts well into the early hours of the morning. Hollywood is usually crowded with hip and artsy people while Loolapaloosa offers wild dancing. Meals are often a time to spend catching up with friends and family. Coffee, cafes, and happy hour are a time out from the stresses of work. These are the customs that keep stress levels down. Leave work at work and have a nice dinner with the family. Meal time in Milan is not rushed, everything else waits.
   A major difference between these two countries is eating habits. Americans generally get a quick hour to eat lunch so businesses can remain open throughout the day. In Milan however, they have whats called the three hour Pranzo. Italians take their time to gather around a meal and savor gourmet food. As for the Americans who are so busy rushing themselves, they usually grab a bite to eat at the quickest location, aka McDonald's.  Fast food restaurants are a pandemic spreading through the streets of the US.  They allow laziness and decrease the motivation to pack up a healthier lunch or pick a better choice.
   Looking at Americas all work and no play lifestyle compared to Milans work AND play lifestyle really shows where the stress comes in. Bringing a better dining environment into the work place may decrease the amount of fast food visits by employees stressing to eat within a short break. Taking another leaf out of Milans stress free environment could be to have a small cafe or convenience store within the building. It could offer magazines, snacks, coffee, cafe tables, and maybe WiFi. Adding small touches of relaxing activities at work would make it a more enjoyable and stress free environment.

Herman Miller

    On Wednesday October 6th, a Herman Miller representative gave an informative presentation on the company and its systems. Overall, the presentation was upbeat and interesting.  I had not known about many of Herman Millers policies directed towards the well being of its employees and the environment. For instance, employees must be within a certain distance of natural light. I personally loved hearing that. Who wants to sit in a cubicle under fluorescent lights all day? Definitely, not me. Another policy that really stood out was the company's need to blend in with its surroundings. This is accomplished beautifully at the world headquarters in Zeeland, Michigan. Herman Miller also stays environmentally friendly in their product design by renewing, reusing and recycling. They have over 10 "Cradle to Cradle" certifications on products ranging from seating to keyboard and mouse supports. This company gives the design world and the environment a beautiful future.

The Design Yard, Michigan.



 The first mind blowing product our rep introduced us to was the new Embody chair. According to Herman Miller, this chair promotes benefits for our body and our minds. Its understood that this chair allows more oxygen into our blood stream which improves brain function and boosts creativity. It's also advertised as a positive alternative to regular desk chairs, specifically for people on the computer all day because its provides back support and prevents stiffness. As if that wasn't enough to make an office designer drool, this chair is also environmentally friendly. The chair uses nonhazardous waste, renewable energy, recycled content, and at the end of its life-cycle, 95% can be recycled. Is that a chair or what?

The Embody Chair by Herman Miller

   Herman Miller addresses ergonomics in the office by a research-based set of products titled "Thrive." Thrive's entire idea is based off the phrase, "Feel better, Work better." This line offers ergonomic solutions in the office promoting healthy alignment and gives guidance on the correct way to use products to their full advantage. They think of people before the product and back it up with research. The Embody chair, as mentioned previously, is the newest part of the Thrive portfolio. The spine-like fingers supporting the back of the chair are made to constantly support the spine and keep a healthy alignment whether leaning backwards or forwards. Herman Miller looks at every aspect of their product and lets the consumer know what's in it for them.
   The entire presentation made me want to dive right into our new office design project. So many options and solutions are found through this company. One system that really stood out to me was the "Resolve" system. It's a pole based system that can be very useful for squeezing more into smaller spaces comfortably. Our rep informed us it can be very difficult to design with because of its lack of linage but also makes for an interesting outcome. Resolve allows a space to be fun and imaginative. Because this product is based on the 120 degree connection, it centers the worker and allows for maximum desk space. Learning about these systems; their advantages and disadvantages has really opened up a wide range of options for my office space. Thank you Herman Miller for a wonderful, informative presentation and the jar of honey!!

Site Analysis: Milan, Italy

     Landor, a graphic design group, is expanding their offices internationally. The city assigned to me is Milan, Italy, better known as the fashion capital of the world. It will be my job to include the contemporary aspects that represent the massive design industry there. Throughout this project I will be designing the interiors of an office space and developing design solutions for everyday problems people face in these settings. To begin the project, the site must be analyzed.

     Milan has a rich cultural heritage but it is best known for its huge design and fashion world. Streets, such as Via Monte Napoleone, are lined with fashion houses and couture shops. The cuisine is world renowned and the nightlife is famous. Milan is not only trendy, it is also very historical. The Italian city is filled with ancient museums, galleries, churches and one of the most beautiful cathedrals in the world located in Piazza Del Duomo.

 Piazza Del Duomo; Milan, Italy





     Milan is part of the Mediterranean climate. However, like any  other major city, the micro climate from the urban population causes weather to be more extreme. Summers, especially July and August can be unbelievably hot and humid. Along with the sweltering heat and humidity comes disease-ridden mosquitoes. Winter, although the city is mostly protected by mountains, are very chilly with temperatures occasionally dropping below freezing, rainy and covered in heavy fog. Average temperatures in the city's center are 39 degrees in January and 86 degrees in July. Wind is typically unusual except during the spring months when wind storms blow in off the Alps, often causing damages and injuries.



A heavy fog rolls over Milan in the winter months.

Many architects are redesigning Milan for  Expo 2015, the theme is Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life. Projects are underway throughout the city to rehabilitate unused  industrial buildings. This will impact the way I develop the new Landor office.  This affects technology and creativity and how they relate to designing the inside sustainably. The new office is located on Via Tortona, part of a business district. My goal is to ensure that the building fulfills its duties while blending in with its surrounding neighborhood.



Street view of new Landor office.



Olio Board