Co-Designing Arctic Entryways
This project centers on creating a feedback tool to gather insights from Alaskan residents about the role and design of Arctic entryways. These transitional spaces protect homes from severe cold, reduce heat loss, and provide practical storage. By engaging local voices, the project ensures that if an entryway is built, it reflects the lived experiences, cultural values, and specific needs of those who call Alaska home. This project ws led by students in Virginia Tech’s IDPro program, working closely with community partners and mentors to prioritize meaningful, user-driven design. Low-fidelity prototypes were essential for facilitating early, collaborative exploration, allowing community members to engage directly with preliminary design concepts, express priorities, and refine spatial and functional ideas before advancing to higher-resolution models.
Forensics Style Prototype
An interactive prototype designed to gather feedback from Alaska Native communities on Arctic entryways. Using string, images, and categories, participants link priorities like insulation, storage, and lighting to design elements, ensuring solutions reflect cultural values and real needs.
Doll House Prototype
A low-fidelity model designed to visualize Arctic entryways and spark feedback. Its abstract form let community members define spaces based on their routines and values.
Visual Catalogue
A tool that shows common Arctic entryway features like storage, flooring, and door types, so community members can explore options and share preferences for future designs.
