ASID Foundation Awards 2019 Research Grants

November 6, 2019  by Jane Chero in Business Strategy, Designer Weekly, Industry   

When selecting the 2019 grantees, the ASID Foundation research committee prioritized four topics of interest: 1) Design for Mindfulness, 2) Divergent Creativity | Co-Creation, 3) Design for Imperiled People: Humanizing Environments, and 4) Measuring the Return on Investment through Post-Occupancy Evaluations, and awarded $10,000 each to four projects.

“The ASID Research Committee had a difficult task this year with many wonderful submittals on each theme. We are pleased to award the four selected entries. Strong research helps lay a foundation for the design industry and continues to advance the profession and make a positive impact of people’s lives,” says Kay Sargent, co-chair of the ASID Foundation research committee.

“The winning research projects are notable for the quality of the creative questions being explored, the rigor of their methods, and by leveraging technology tools to help them more effectively assess and ultimately enhance the impact of building design for people in a wide array of environments,” comments Lisa Henry, co-chair of the ASID Foundation research committee.

The 2019 awardees are:

Pre- and Post-Occupancy Evaluations - a Means for Contributing to Positive Outcomes

Project Manager: Jane Rohde, principal, JSR Associates, Inc.

Principal Investigator (PI): Dr. Debra Harris, CEO, RAD Consultants and associate professor of Family and Consumer Sciences, Baylor University

This study will establish an evidence-based methodology for developing a pre-/post-occupancy evaluation tool that compares desired outcomes with performance outcomes and ties the measured outcomes to the return on investment (ROI) based upon building occupant data.

Rohde and Dr. Harris explain, “We are very excited about the receipt of the ASIDF Grant that will be used for the development of a post occupancy evaluation (POE) tool for the design community. The POE process development is part of a larger effort to integrate POE directly into BIM software utilized by designers based upon the feasibility results recently completed through the Small Business Innovation Research program sponsored by the CDC and NIH.”

Post-Occupancy Engagement: Exploring Augmented Reality Technology as a Tool for Assessing and Enhancing Effectiveness of Building Design Strategies

PI: Dr. Leah Scolere, assistant professor of Interior Design, Colorado State University

Co-PI: Dr. Laura Malinin, director of the Nancy Richardson Design Center and associate professor of Interior Design, Colorado State University

This study pilots an innovative methodology using augmented reality (AR) technology intended to enhance occupant learning, creativity, and health/well-being for a post-occupancy evaluation (POE) of a new LEED-Gold academic incubator facility.

Says Dr. Scolere and Dr. Malinin, “ A Building That Teaches: The ASID Foundation Grant enables us to re-imagine the POE experience using mobile phones and augmented reality to capture real-time data and engage occupants about how a building teaches, promoting health/well-being, and creativity. We are thrilled to explore the potential of AR to enhance interior design practices!”

Investigating Art + Design Incubators as Places of Co-creation

PI: Dr. Newton D’Souza, associate professor and chair of Interior Architecture, Florida International University

Co-PI: Dr. Asha Kutty, assistant professor of Interior Architecture, University of North Carolina, Greensboro

Collaborators & Advisory: Steelcase, Inc., Ratcliffe Incubator of Art + Design

This case study of Ratcliffe Incubator in Miami will examine the extent to which spatial attributes facilitate or disrupt co-creation using a mixed method technique consisting of experiential sampling and activity mapping.

Says Dr. D’Souza, “The study will investigate Art + Design Incubators as places of co-creation. This deep dive analysis will be conducted to elicit spatial and functional affordances of such emerging place types, further enhancing the quality of the workplaces of the future.”

Under Duress: Leveraging Design to Foster Mindfulness in High Stress Emergency Departments

PI: Dr. Shabboo Valipoor, assistant professor of Interior Design, University of Florida

Co-PI: Dr. Sheila Bosch, assistant professor of Interior Design, University of Florida

This study will identify design strategies for creating effective environments for healthcare professionals working in emergency departments (ED), specifically design attributes that support mindfulness and stress management practices.

Says Dr. Valipoor, “This grant from the ASID Foundation will support the development of a design guideline to facilitate mindfulness in emergency departments. The guideline will enable designers to enhance the life of frontline healthcare professionals who work in notoriously chaotic environments, often at the expense of their own well-being.”

The ASID Foundation Research Committee selected the winning projects based on a range of qualifications, including relevance of research, potential impact of design, strength of research methods, and more. This year’s committee members include: Sally Augustin, principal, Design With Science; Tamie Glass, associate professor, The University of Texas at Austin, School of Architecture; Lisa Henry, CEO, Greenway Group; Denise Rush, dean and faculty, Boston Architectural College, School of Interior Architecture; Kay Sargent, principal and director of Workplace, HOK.

To review the winning projects, visit www.asid.org/foundation/programs/asidf