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University of Florida

An Interactive Restaurant


UF Faculty:
Luis Mejia Puig
Department:
Department of Interior Design
College:
College of Design, Construction and Planning

Partner Faculty:
Edgar Martinez
Department:
Facultad de Arquitectura, Urbanismo y Diseño
Partner Institution:
Universidad Autonoma de Occidente

Partner Faculty:
Carlos Araujo
Department:
Departamento de Diseño
Partner Institution:
Universidad Icesi

Partner Faculty:
Jose Andres Moncada Quintero
Department:
Departamento de Diseño
Partner Institution:
Universidad Icesi
Title: An Interactive Restaurant: Where Interaction Goes Beyond Spatial Boundaries
Project Description:

Students at UF and overseas were required to work with their counterparts in designing a restaurant's interior space that acknowledged the culture of that place. 

Students had to interview one another in assigned groups between the three institutions to learn about cultural traits and spatial characteristics to propose a design solution. At UF, our students were Interior Designers and at the Universidad Autonoma de Occidente, Industrial designers taking an Interior design course. At Universidad Icesi, they were Industrial designers working on experience (UX/UI) design. This blending of different views enriched their cultural background and helped them understand how different disciplinary perspectives can shape the same project.

To learn more about how the facilitators designed this project and its evolution over multiple implementations, watch this facilitator interview or read this facilitator article. See the following resources to hear from UF participants about their experiences designing a restaurant interior and a museum interior in different iterations of this project:
Learning Outcomes:
  • Understand the terminology and language necessary to communicate effectively with members of allied disciplines 
  • Learn how to propose an exciting concept for a design proposal (applied creativity)
  • Demonstrate the ability to apply space planning techniques throughout the design process
  • Understand and apply building codes and regulations in a design proposal
  •  Effectively express ideas and their rationale in oral communication and visual media appropriate to a range of purposes and audiences
  • Understand the elements and principles of design and related theories, including spatial definition and organization
  • Effectively apply the elements and principles of design throughout the interior design curriculum to two-dimensional and three-dimensional design solutions
Participating Countries: Colombia
Number of Participants: 27 UF students; 13 Universidad Autonoma de Occidente students; 11 Universidad Icesi students
Discipline: Interior Design
UF Course Code & Name: IND2214 - Introduction to Architectural Interiors
Project Duration: 5 Weeks
Activity Type(s):
  • Student-to-Student Dialogue
  • Student-to-Student Project
Time allotted to each activity:
  • Synchronous Activities: 4 hours per week
  • Asynchronous Activities: 4 hours per week
  • Individual Work: 8 hours per week
Technology Tools: Zoom
Sequence of Activities:
  • Icebreakers: The project was introduced in a synchronous meeting with all students present. From there, they were paired in groups with peers in other institutions and were required to exchange information. At the end of the project, the students were required to communicate their rationale for why the outcome pertained to the culture and environment.

  • Engagement: Students used class time and outside of class time to engage and interview their peers.
  • Collaboration: Students used class time and outside of class time to engage and interview their peers.

  • Reflection: The outcome of the project. Finally, a Padlet was developed to share all projects between students for further exploration and discussion.
Final Project Examples: