DORDT UNIVERSITY - GAMING GUILD
THE BRIEF
Dordt University is a private evangelical Christian university in Sioux Center, Iowa, founded in 1955. The Honest Pixel was hired to do Spatial Branding and Interior Design for the Gaming Guild, a gaming club on campus that strives to build community and provide opportunities for education and leadership. The Gaming Guild gives students who are passionate about gaming the opportunity to explore the link between faith and gaming, while providing a community for gamers who are committed followers of Jesus. The goal is to help gamers connect with each other, think more broadly about their calling as gamers, and develop their own gaming-related gifts to serve God’s kingdom. In addition, Dordt is exploring the possibility of adding a Gaming & Faith program to their academic catalog in the near future. Dordt is one of the only Christian universities currently seeing growth in their enrollment numbers, so as Dordt and the Gaming Guild continue to grow, they are looking for opportunities to bring even more functionality and creativity to their spaces.
Brad Hickey, the Gaming Guild's Director, reached out to me to redesign their current Gaming Guild space as well as provide interior design and spatial branding for 2 future expansion rooms. The Gaming Guild currently meets in the basement of a residence hall on campus. The space has an industrial feel with concrete and CMU walls and houses a lot of utility equipment for the entire building that needs to be protected. Student study space and classroom space for the entire campus is in high demand, so we began to think creatively about how to best utilize the space in a way that would engage imaginations and invite community while addressing the basement aesthetic.
Brad Hickey, the Gaming Guild's Director, reached out to me to redesign their current Gaming Guild space as well as provide interior design and spatial branding for 2 future expansion rooms. The Gaming Guild currently meets in the basement of a residence hall on campus. The space has an industrial feel with concrete and CMU walls and houses a lot of utility equipment for the entire building that needs to be protected. Student study space and classroom space for the entire campus is in high demand, so we began to think creatively about how to best utilize the space in a way that would engage imaginations and invite community while addressing the basement aesthetic.
THE PROCESS
The initial goal for this project kickoff was to understand the target audience, the current use of the space, what they dream for the future, and any pain points they're experiencing. The first steps were a discovery session, story development (directed by Zach Miller of Storyland Studios), spatial programming discussions and a 360 degree photo scan of the entire space. Once we nailed down the conceptual direction, I developed a Mood Board and Sketches, which the client was able to provide great collaboration and feedback on.
THE GOALS
I collaborated with Dordt University leadership to develop the following goals for the design of the space that would serve as a guidepost for the entire project.
• A welcoming lair for students to be themselves, share adventures & make connections
• An immersive space that allows students to connect with a nostalgic sense of play
• A fun environment for building community around nerd culture, play & gaming
• Seek opportunities for students & leaders to collaborate in bringing the vision to life through their creativity
• A welcoming lair for students to be themselves, share adventures & make connections
• An immersive space that allows students to connect with a nostalgic sense of play
• A fun environment for building community around nerd culture, play & gaming
• Seek opportunities for students & leaders to collaborate in bringing the vision to life through their creativity
THE FINAL DESIGN
The concept for the final design is driven by an immersive and layered story. The spatial design centers around a forgotten and overgrown industrial foundry that has been reclaimed by a guild of artisans ready to cultivate the overgrowth and repurpose the neobrutalist shell into a thriving space for gathering. The design features a unique and storied juxtaposition of historic elements. Layers of neon, crawling vines, and industrial found objects sit atop cracked concrete and brick with exposed, rusted rebar and painted, distressed mock foundry logos.
BEFORE
AFTER: BIOPHILIC, NEOBRUTALIST COMMON SPACE
• Variety of seating, storage and gaming spaces
• Industrial patterns and textures
• Foundry found objects like crucible fountain, steel drum tables, and rusted plant hanger
• Warm, industrial lighting with modern glow of colored LEDs creates a cozy yet edgy young adult hang out space
• Signs of growth, life, and cultivation with moss wall, planters, greenery
• Industrial patterns and textures
• Foundry found objects like crucible fountain, steel drum tables, and rusted plant hanger
• Warm, industrial lighting with modern glow of colored LEDs creates a cozy yet edgy young adult hang out space
• Signs of growth, life, and cultivation with moss wall, planters, greenery
BEFORE
AFTER: SPEAKEASY ROLE-PLAYING ROOM
This role-playing games room is a much loved space for the gaming guild. The stories and experiences created through role-playing games have a special place in the hearts of the students and leaders.
• Tucked away and slightly secret
• Industrial mill transformed into an eclectic speakeasy with a coded control panel door
• Remnants of plaster and brick with worn mill windows (TV frames) and classic finishes
• Cozy tavern vibe with industrial furniture and warm lighting
• Statement piece bar made of cracked concrete and exposed rebar with a distressed mock foundry logo, sitting below a metal catwalk ceiling
• Tucked away and slightly secret
• Industrial mill transformed into an eclectic speakeasy with a coded control panel door
• Remnants of plaster and brick with worn mill windows (TV frames) and classic finishes
• Cozy tavern vibe with industrial furniture and warm lighting
• Statement piece bar made of cracked concrete and exposed rebar with a distressed mock foundry logo, sitting below a metal catwalk ceiling
BEFORE
AFTER - CONCRETE GARDEN STUDY SPACE
Dordt University leaders were very excited about the potential of expanding the usable space of this basement to include a large study space and classroom.
• Neobrutalist elements with biophilic design creates an interesting and inviting third place for students
• Creative interventions to address layout issues from utility equipment and exposed pipes within the space
• Variety of industrial-style seating configurations for gathering, studying, and focussing
• Moss wall, astroturf hill, hanging greenery, warm lighting, and pops of color promoting mental & physical wellbeing
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