A space for RMCAD students to connect with one another, and themselves.

For this project, our group was tasked with redesigning the first floor breezeway that connects the EPiC and Diamond buildings on the campus of Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design. Our theme for this space is diversity, equity, and inclusion. With recent events, it is important now more than ever for the voices of the marginalized and disadvantaged to be heard and taken into consideration.

During our research phase, we conducted interviews with several individuals throughout our community. Several of these individuals are classmates at RMCAD. After the interviews, we discovered that there was a need for the school to provide students with a voice and a sense of belonging. Our project grew to include the entrance and elevator rooms as well, and with the new real estate, we saw an opportunity to include a rotating gallery in our redesign. Spotlight Gallery would feature new student work each term or semester, and would encourage students to submit based on changing themes of self expression. On the opposite side of the breezeway, we have situated chalkboards in the shapes of speech bubbles, question marks, and exclamation points.

This interactive element inspires active discourse amongst RMCAD students and gives them a chance to share their experiences. The impact we hope to have is making sure the voices of the students are heard and brought to an equitable space, a space that is inclusive to everyone and reflects the strength of the school through its diversity.

This project was a collaborative effort between Sean Drost, Chandra Romberg, Lauren Varin, and Ryan Kasper.