Week 2- "Lindsay, we need you to order some samples"

This week was all about samples for me.  I was either receiving, organizing, or ordering samples from 9-5.  When I arrived on Monday it was just me and Jess, as in Jess King, working in the office that day.  Danni Collins and Joy, one of the principles of the firm were at Neocon so we were basically running the show.  I was receiving the many samples that I had ordered the previous Friday.  We had 6 different deliveries of at least two boxes each time! so after we received the samples I had to try and organize it with all the hundreds of carpet samples we had ordered. our office was a bit of a wreak but that's what happens when there are five of us and four major project that have to be finished sometime in July.  After I organized the received samples I spent the day organizing the fabric sample that already occupied the office. 

Here are a few of the samples I organized... I had to fold all of them in half so that the label was facing up, then I had to color code them in ROY G BIV style with white in front. I also had to recycle any of the duplicates. It was like color theory! It was pretty fun. Then on Friday we were all back and I ordered about 200 different samples.  I am getting pretty fast at left hand typing.  To order samples I would first check our contact list to see if we had a dealer on the books, if not I would just go through the company website.  This time I was ordering drapery samples for the new UT residence hall as well as wood door samples and some more laminate samples. 

I am getting to see a lot of project organization first hand here because of the mass amounts of projects.  Pre-design for the UT residence Hall, UTRH, started before I got there, but the other principle, Deborah, and Danni are the main two people working on the project.  They have been meeting with the architectural firm, COPE and deciding what part of the project Lauderdale would be involved in.  They were assigned the lobby and lounge areas on each floor as well as the study areas.  I arrived in the schematic design phase where I worked with Danni on choosing the furniture pieces to be placed in the areas.  We went through several iterations and a few were chosen to be presented to the client.  This process lead to the design development where Cope, the client and Lauderdale came to an agreed design and followed through on the contract documents.  This is where we are now on the project. We are choosing final finishes and contracting the furniture pieces.  The next phase will happen within the next two weeks where everything will be ordered and ready for the new UTRH once it is built.  After it is built, Lauderdale will oversee all the installation so that the spaces are everything they are meant to be. 

The communication between us and all the other team members at Cope and UT have been working well together and have been sharing files as well as information in weekly meetings as well as through emails and calls.  Deborah is the head of the project when it comes to Lauderdale's part then Danni does a lot of the Cad and presentation work and The rest of us help when needed, like ordering samples. 

I met many new people through email this week while I was ordering samples.  Many Ranz was I very helpful contact at Fabricut when I needed to order some more budget friendly drapery.  She and I are even trying to find a time for a lunch.  If not a lunch then she will at least come update her samples and books. 

Comments

[MBR]

Is the new residence hall on campus the construction currently happening near the A&A building across Andy Holt? I hear rumors that this is the location of the new "dorm" building. From your description, you flew through schematics and design development was a blink of the eye, or both SD and DD were one in the same? How long has the firm had the project and working with Cope? Also, when is the expected installation. Dirt is still being moved around on the site. If project documents are being prepared (furniture specifications?), when will furniture be ordered, and who will be doing the ordering? Who is approving the furniture layouts and furniture/finish selections? Also, what do you mean by "...contracting the furniture selections." Does Lauderdale do any pre design? If no one there has shown you an example contract of how they contract for the various phases and their current contractual obligations with Cope, have them show you. Knowing this side of the design process is really important to understand. The images of the fabric selections is great in telling your story -- they are helping you "flex a muscle" you don't normally get to flex in studio to the degree you are doing it. Say hello to Dani and Jess for me!