#environmentsprojectthree

[albert-does-e]

Avalon Exchange - A3 Reflection

For A3, I learned how to experience a space and point out what’s right and wrong with it. I chose Avalon Exchange because I thought it was a store that had a unique identity compared to the other stores in the area. I think my documentation of the physical space was sufficient but not completely thorough. The main portion of my documentation notes consisted of the disconnect between the physical and the digital environments for Avalon (the store versus the website). Obviously if I were to take a video of the space again, I’d shoot a horizontal view instead of a vertical one.

Overall, I think my documentation could have used a bit more research and exploration of the physical space, but it was my proposal that I really dropped the ball on. A big problem of my design process is that I tend to try to design for anyone and everyone, rather than choosing an audience and creating ideas around them. Feedback during the crit for A3 made me realize that I have to know what type of person is the most important in that situation and what can I do to improve their shopping experience. Because of me trying to satisfy multiple audiences, I ran into trouble with conflicting ideas of how to organize the space. If it’s too clean, Avalon loses the identity of being a store where people can search for offbeat clothing deals. My kiosk design didn’t really feel like it had the identity of Avalon either, since it was a bit too minimal and empty.

I’d definitely try to go back to the space and research more about what type of person is commonly associated with Avalon Exchange. I learned that putting myself out there to get the information I need is crucial to simplifying the design process and giving myself a clear goal that I can work towards. Otherwise, I’ll just find myself trying to juggle multiple conflicting ideas and end up getting frustrated at myself for not thinking of the “perfect” solution.

[albert-does-e]

Video Link: https://youtu.be/u91OXPuTGCc

This is a proposal for the redesign of Avalon Exchange. I aimed to help those who are new to the store and want to find a certain type of clothing by designing a kiosk located near the front of the store that acts as a store map. The kiosk consists of general filters that narrow down the customer’s search by a significant amount, since the store’s vast clothing racks can be overwhelming upon first inspection. By utilizing the filters on the kiosk and seeing the highlighted areas, they can then go to those parts of the stores and look for what they desire. The kiosk is not specific enough to tell where every type of clothing is, but it has general filters to maintain the excitement of scavenging for steals through a thrift store.

[albert-does-e]

Here’s a short walkthrough from the front of Avalon Exchange to the back. It’s clearly pretty cramped and to be honest I’m not sure what I should be looking for. 

[albert-does-e]

Here are photos of the interior of Avalon Exchange in Pittsburgh, PA. It’s clear through these photos that the space inside the store is very cramped. There are three aisles that lead to the other end of the story -- one for men’s clothing and two for women’s clothing. The first photo are what I noticed when I printed out the photos are looked at the scenes to notice where items are located and how the story is laid out. The last photo shows hats, shoes, and bags located near the entrance of the story, but there are other shoes and bags located in other places of the story, which makes it a bit harder to find whatever you’re looking for. Also, within the racks themselves, it’s still hard to find the type of clothes you’re looking for since I didn’t notice any labels around the store. Finally, the photos show how cramped the aisles are. People have to move out of the way if someone else is walking behind them in the aisle. For my redesign, I aim to create some sort of organizational system that makes it easier to find an article of clothing. I also think some sort of elevational system (think fancy schmancy Japanese car garages...) could make the store more spacious in terms of movement.