Midterm STEMM Report

Science, Technology, Engineering, Manufacturing, and Mathematics Report

Houseboat Design

William Wall

Partners: Fletcher Kirol and Sean Hobson

Background Problem

The development of the brain is affected by its surroundings. The area in which a person is raised can affect the one's brain development. Studies were conducted by Dr. Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg and a team of scientists which examined the amygdalas and the perigenual anterior cingulate cortex (pACC). The amygdalas is a part of the brain that accesses threats and generates fear which essentially causes the body to either fight or flight. In addition, the pACC in turn regulates the amygdalas to keep the amygdalas under control. During this study, the scientists had subjects from places across the nation to undergo stress tests in a control environment.

The scientists discover that stress greatly affects both parts of the brain. In relation, the locations the subjects were living affected their results dramatically. Subjects from the countryside had more active pACC and less active amygdalas, which shows they are more calm and do not react as aggressively to stressful scenarios. On the other hand, the city subjects had opposite results so they were more agitated in stressful situations. In conclusion, the scientists realized that cities cause more stress for people which can make the people more prone to aggressive nature and more temperamental.

The city has been well known as a stressful place to live with the city's combination of heavy traffic, overpopulated areas, fast paced jobs, and health hazards covering the city. Due to the stress from the city, the brain of young kids can actually develop poorly since child's brain is not nurtured correctly. The brain is very delicate and anything overwhelming can have a negative affect on the brain's growth. In addition, the adult brain can negatively affected by the stress of the city as well. Dr. Meyer Lindenberg also explained how breaks from stressful areas to more tranquil areas can reduce the affects on the brain. The reoccurring stressors are what cause the brain to act incorrectly.

Furthermore, stress can harm many more parts of a person's body than just the brain. There have been numerous studies that have discovered that stress can cause a large array of health problems if the stress remains untreated for a long time. Some of the health issues caused by stress are even life threatening. A list of some of the health issues due to stress include, but are not limited to: heart disease, Asthma, obesity, Diabetes, headaches, depression and anxiety are 80% more likely, gastrointestinal problems, Alzheimer’s Disease, accelerated aging by 9-17 years, premature death is 63% more likely. If poor brain development was not daunting enough, the multifarious diseases and health problems that derive from stress can even kill a person. Stress actually deteriorates the mind and body until the stress renders the person useless. The brain can only handle a certain amount of stress and activity before the brain crashes. In order to avoid damaging one's body and brain, a person must escape its stressors occasionally to allow the body to relax and recuperate.

Design Solution

For this problem, I have a client of the name Anne van Hemmon. Mrs. van Hemmon is a resident of New York City and suffering from immense stress from her occupation and everyday life. The best way to solve her stressful situation and keep her from health hazards caused by her life schedule, Mrs. van Hemmon's best option would be to escape to a tranquil location occasional for a few weeks at a time to recuperate and heal the mind. The brain needs rest periods from high stress areas in order to function well.

To solve Mrs. van Hemmon's problem, I have designed a houseboat. By escaping the city to relax on the houseboat, Mrs. van Hemmon is healing her body both physically and mentally. A houseboat is the most ideal way of relaxation for multifarious reasons. First, Since Mrs. van Hemmon requires a peaceful area near New York City, docking the houseboat in Lake Ontario is a prime location. The lake is close to New York City, is connected to the other Great Lakes for easy travel while on the houseboat, and most of all, is very open allowing for the maximum relaxation.

Innovation
New Construction
Open System
Architectural Engineering/Industrial Engineering/Materials Engineering
Mass Customization Manufacturing/Prefabrication
Construction Manufacturing/Industrial Design
Science Concepts (Material Science)
Technology(Types of glass and boat specific stuff etc.)
Mathematical Computations (Surface area to find amount of paint, flooring, etc./type of calc and example)
Conclusion

Matrix

Wall 1

Billy Wall

Systems Engineering II

Ms. Green

17 September 2015

Alternate Solutions Matrix

The houseboat design which best solves the background problem while following the specifications and limitations. Essentially, the ideal houseboat will be aesthetically pleasing to the client, have ample deck space, copious large windows, a lot of living space, and be a fun and relaxing place for anyone to stay. The houseboat is meant to alleviate stress from the client living in the city. Because of this objective, the houseboat must be enjoyable for a person to live on so that is a big factor while choosing a design.

The matrix allows for the designer to find out which solutions are most viable in all scenarios for the problem at hand. In the matrix, there are multiple categories that each alternate solution design is judged according to. A score is given to each alternate solution and the resulting total scores retrieved from each alternate solution will reveal the most superior design. Since this project is the house portion of a houseboat, the categories of the matrix will have an architectural stance. The houseboat alternate solution with the highest score based off the matrix will become the design I use to create my final solution from. The houseboat designs will be given a rating ranging from 1-4 for each category so that one can see which design solves the category the best and so on.

Houseboat Alternate Solution Matrix	Alternate Solution I	Alternate Solution II	Alternate Solution III	Alternate Solution IV
Living area for at least 2 people without taking up too much space	3	1	2	4
Rooms compressed yet have enough space for comfortable living	4	1	3	2
Aesthetics	3	4	2	1
Ship height should not exceed a safe height	4	4	4	4
Deck space	4	1	2	3
Houseboat should have a strong, safe exterior material	4	4	4	4
Houseboat must have appropriately dimensioned superstructure	4	4	4	4
House portion should not cover the entire surface of ship base	3	1	2	4
Follows all legal limitations set forth by the state of residency	4	4	4	4
Can withstand the harshest weather of the particular environment	4	4	4	4
Good flow between rooms	4	1	2	3
Strong material used for design	4	4	4	4
Final Score:	45	33	37	41

FInal Decision: Alternate Solution 1

With a score of 45 out of a possible 48, there is no question that the first alternate solution is an ideal design for the final solution to be based off of. The first solution incorporates everything the client required, followed the specifications and limitations set prior to design, and has features that sets it apart from the rest of the pack. Unique features, such as the guest room private balcony and lay out of the second floor game room, caused this design to be more desirable than the others. However, one of the best features of the houseboat can be seen when first entering the houseboat. When a person first steps foot on the houseboat, one is faced with two choices of entry: front door or side stairway. If the client was coming home or bringing a couple friends home, they could enter through the front double glass sliding doors into the living room. The side stairway, however, allows the client to bring home people she may not know as well for a party or game night and can bring the guests onto the second floor deck or into the game room without having to walk through the client’s home. This allows for the client to have more privacy and avoid the risk of strangers damaging or stealing her belongings. Also, the client’s privacy increases when viewing the layout of the master bedroom. The master bedroom has a pocket door to enclose it from the rest of the house. With this, the client can gain maximum privacy with the slide of a hidden door, or she can leave it open so that she could entertain guests on the stern deck of the houseboat. Also, the master bedroom has its own bathroom connected to a shower room shared by the whole house. This let’s the client have a private bathroom while still only having one shower so that she can save room and money by only having one shower. Along with the other designs, the first alternate solution has many large windows throughout the house and has a glass double sliding door for bow and stern entrances.

The only areas that the first solution failed to achieve the highest scores in were for aesthetics, living space, and space occupied by the house. In the aesthetics category, the first solution received a 3 rather than a 4 because the second solution gave the master bedroom a bedside lake view since it was located on the second floor unlike the first solution’s master bedroom. The first solution came in second for living space because the room on the first floor takes up too much space while only housing one person, for that reason, I will be revising that design flaw in the final solution. Finally, the reason the first solution did not achieve best for the category of not covering the entire space of the houseboat with an architectural structure was that the first solution’s stern deck was much smaller than the last solution’s deck because of the layout of the bathrooms. Despite not receiving a perfect score of 48, the first alternate solution received the closest possible score and incorporates every feature in which was desired by the client and followed the specifications and limitations of the houseboat.

Mock Presentation MP1 Reflection

I.

After reviewing my presentation video and comparing it to the presentation rubric, I can see that I covered all required areas of content. I had many visuals on each slide as I presented so that the audience would not get bored. Also, I had multiple pictures of my final solution with different angles shown. In addition, I even made sure to display my matrix to the audience while describing how I decided to choose one of my alternate solutions and I then displayed the alternate solution that I chose for my final solution to be based off of once again in order for the audience to visually comprehend which solution I decided was my best. Throughout the entire presentation, I stayed on topic and did not stray from the outline I created prior so that I did not have any pauses of confusion. Eye contact with the crowd was made throughout the presentation and my ideas were concise.

II.

Overall, I had an excellent presentation. Some things that went well with my stage performance would include that I kept eye contact with the crowd throughout and kept my train of thought following my outline and did not have awkward pauses. Also, I did not display any awkward or nervous body language while presenting, but instead spoke with a precise and confident tone of voice loud enough for all to hear. In addition, I was the only presenter to fulfill all visual requirements of the presentation rubric. My PowerPoint was well throughout and designed in order to keep the audience interested. In essence, my best presenting occurred while speaking about my houseboat designs since I am well informed with architectural design. However, throughout my whole presentation, I believe I used proper grammar with a confident voice and my presentation was very well laid out and correlated nicely with my PowerPoint.

III.

The area that I believe I did the best over all other presenters, is that my alternate solution designs were much more advanced and detailed than all others by far. I had numerous dimensions and labels to go with my designs as well which increased the appearance of the designs even more. Another strong aspect of my presentation is that I was the only student to incorporate their matrix into their presentation. The matrix was a visual display to show the method of which I used to describe the method I used to decide which alternate solution best solved the background problem. In addition, I then showed a picture of the alternate solution, which I decided to use for a basis to create my final solution, with notes to show the features of the solution which caused me to choose it as the best solution out of the four.

IV.

When I present my project for a grade for the first marking period, there are areas of my presentation in which I will improve. First, I shall organize a better plan for when I present the scientific background of my problem so that the presentation audience can better understand the medical problems that affect the target audience of my project. Also, for the visual content of my presentation, I plan to show the area of the solution, Lake Ontario, more so that the audience has a better idea what the area looks like since it is a large factor in my solution. In addition, I will add more pictures of the medical problems of the background problems so that it is easier for the audience to understand the neurological studies that I am describing.

V.

If I had to choose an area that I was weakest in, I would select when I was describing the scientific background of my project's problem. I did not do a poor job describing it, however, it was not my best performance. Additionally, I felt rushed at the end of my presentation since I was reading past the bell, so that is why another area that I feel I did not cover as well as I hoped I would to be the matrix. I quickly went through the matrix and did not describe why each of the solutions received the scores that they did as well as I should have. While presenting, my weakest speaking aspect was not talking in a fluent voice while describing the background problem of my project. I spoke a bit fragmented during the background, yet corrected my speech when I started describing my alternate solutions since I am more comfortable talking about architectural design. Another smaller aspect of my presentation was that I noticed that I say the words "also" and "and" too often.


VI.

Before my next presentation, I will definitely practice a script written to describe the scientific background I have for my project. This will allow my to speak more fluently about the subject. Also, I will make sure I use more transition and conjunction words other than "also" and "and" so that my presentation sounds more sophisticated and professional. Furthermore, I will take more time to describe my matrix in order for the audience to have a better comprehension on why I decided to choose the first alternate solution as the basis for my final solution. I may also add more pictures to the background area of my presentation if I find photos that correlate well with my project.

VII.

After watching my presentation video, I realized a few small things that I do when I present which I have not known prior. First, I did not speak as fluently as I expected. I sometimes even struggled to find words when I was explaining a topic. Furthermore, I used "also" and "and" too often as transition words. However, I was satisfied that I did not have an awkward sway like most people do when they are presenting and I used my hands to present certain aspects of my project very well. Although my voice sounded strange to me, which is how all people think when they hear their own voices, I believe my voice sounded confident and dominating. After watching my presentation, I believe I did an excellent job presenting aside from the small things I mentioned which I will fix for future presentations.

VIII.

By filming my presentation, I learned a lot about what I am doing incorrectly while presenting. Some things involving my stage performance I shall be fixing for next time I present will be making my presentation of my scientific background more fluent and expanding my vocabulary for transition and conjunction words. Also, I will describe my matrix and final solution more in depth since I rushed it during this presentation because of time restraints. More pictures might be added to the background information section of my presentation as well in order to give the audience a better understanding of the neurological information I was describing. In essence, the presentation only had a few flaws which were mainly the way I presented, such as my fragmented speech and repetitive use of words, however, I plan to improve every aspect of my project that I can.

IX.

The most essential aspect of my presenting habits that I learned while reviewing my presentation was the way my speech gets slightly fragmented when I get nervous. I realized that rather than fluently speaking throughout my presentation, I slowed my speech in some areas and had constant quick pauses to allow myself to quickly gather my thoughts. This has caused me to plan to create a script prior to my next presentation and practice reading the script so that I speak more fluently throughout my presentation the next time.

Mock Presentation Pictures MP1

Overview

Detail Isometric View

Works Cited

Pictures

• Black hat SEO forum pozycjonowanie. (n.d.). Retrieved September 21, 2015.
• Busy New York. (n.d.). Retrieved September 21, 2015.
• Country-vs.-city. (n.d.). Retrieved September 21, 2015.
• Brain Basic Images. (n.d.). Retrieved September 21, 2015.
• Effects of Stress. (n.d.). Retrieved September 21, 2015.
• Malekal.com - Modsecurity Analyze Logs. (n.d.). Retrieved September 21, 2015.
• Houseboat on a Lake. (n.d.). Retrieved September 21, 2015.
• Great Lakes. (n.d.). Retrieved September 21, 2015.
• AutoCAD Designs by Billy Wall

Research videos

• The Biology of Stress (Mental Health Guru). (n.d.). Retrieved August 5, 2015. (2:57)
• What Stress Does to Your Body (Mental Health Guru). (n.d.). Retrieved August 5, 2015. (3:13)
• City stress. (n.d.). Retrieved August 5, 2015. (3:03)
• Dr. Gabor Maté: How stress can cause disease. (n.d.). Retrieved August (53:17)
• Stress and Heart Attacks – Causes of Heart Diseases. (n.d.). Retrieved August 5, 2015. (2:47)
• Building our house boat. (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2015. (10:00)
• A tiny houseboat/micro-shantyboat "The Sea Snail" (floating cabin/shelter). (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2015. (6:35)
• Lego-style apartment transforms into infinite spaces. (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2015. (9:38)
• P2P Brooklyn: From apartment to shared flat, restaurant/club. (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2015. (20:09)
• Wall Framing System. (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2015. (1:35)
• Tour of the Tiny Houseboat, A Documentary. (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2015. (8:35)
• 49' Crossover Houseboat: An Evolution in Yachting. (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2015. (3:33)
• Pier Pressure Lake Powell Houseboat Video Tour. (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2015. (10:41)
• Extreme weather house boat floats in Silicon Valley backyard. (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2015. (24:36)
• Three Level Houseboat | Epic. (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2015. (3:00)
• Platinum Indulgence Houseboat build - All Seasons Houseboats Mildura. (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2015. (6:18)
• 2008 Sharpe 16 x 75WB Liveaboard Vol Navy Houseboat For Sale on the Tennessee River. (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2015. (8:15)
• Introducing the WaterLoft from Sundance Yachts. (n.d.). Retrieved September 5, 2015. (3:52)
• Houseboat Living in New York City - HGTV. (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2015. (3:47)
• Liveaboard life: Minimalism in a tiny home at sea. (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2015. (9:42)
• Houzz. (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2015.

Research websites

• Sick cities: Why urban living can be bad for your mental health. (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2015.
• Luxury Houseboats | Custom Houseboats | Houseboat Manufacturers - Sumerset Houseboats. (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2015.
• Room & Board. (n.d.). Retrieved September 5, 2015.
• Interior wall materials for houseboats. (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2015.
• The 3 Types of Exterior Door Materials - West Shore Window & Door. (2012, December 5). Retrieved August 10, 2015.
• How to Frame a Houseboat on a Floating Base | DoItYourself.com. (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2015.
• All about Houseboats has daily Tips, Guides, Articles for House Boats. (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2015.
• 10 Health Problems Related to Stress That can be Fixed. (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2015.

Mock Presentation Outline MP1

Presentation Outline

Houseboat

Billy Wall

Partners: Fletcher Kirol & Sean Hobson

Billy Wall, Senior, MAST, SE II, Houseboat

(City Photo)
I. Background Problem:

• Brain develops differently in the city than in rural areas
• Growing up in a stressful environment causes a poor connection between the amygdalas and the perigenual anterior cingulate cortex (pACC)
• Amygdalas- accesses threats and generates fear which causes the body to either fight or flight)
• pACC- regulates the amygdalas

(City vs Countryside Photo)

• Study conducted by Dr. Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg and team of scientists to examine the amygdalas and pACC
• Took subjects from all over country, put them through a stress test
• Rural and urban area subjects reacted differently
• City subjects- very active amygdalas but little action in pACC
• Countryside- less active amygdalas and more active pACC
• Results: cities causes residents' brains to become more stressed than rural residents because of a poor connection between the two parts of the brain, causing an increase in aggression and paranoia.

(Brain Photo)

• Stress leads to medical issues
• Heart Disease
• Asthma
• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Headaches
• Depression and anxiety (80% more likely)
• Gastrointestinal problems
• Alzheimer’s Disease
• Accelerated aging (9-17yrs)
• Premature death (stress causes 63% higher chance)

(Stressed city person)

Who does this problem affect?: City residents and people with high stress

(Lake Ontario Photo)
Where is the solution?: Lake Ontario

What form is the solution in?: A houseboat

• Allows for long stays away from home
• Relaxing environment to escape stress
• Periods away from stress reduce and correct stress

Client: Anne van Hemmen

Requests by client:

• Occupants:
• 2 homeowners
• One 75lbs dog
• Frequently will have guests spend the night
• Nature theme
• Ability to design a broad decor
• Ability to relax and entertain guests on the houseboat 

Universal Features:

• Second floor
• Master bedroom and extra sleeping room included
• Ample deck space on either side of the ship
• Bathroom with shower, kitchen/living room combined to save space, 
• Large windows to incorporate a natural design
• Wood interior to give a natural design
• Fiberglass exterior walls
• Double glass sliding doors and copious large windows to allow sunlight and nature to radiate in the common rooms

Research

Notebook Entries

Discovering the Problem

Brainstorming I
Bathroom

Brainstorming VIII
Dog Ladder

Brainstorming VI
Exterior Doors

Brainstorming V
Guest Bed Living 

Brainstorming IV
Kitchen Table

Brainstorming VII
House Features

Brainstorming III
Stairs/Ladders

Brainstorming IX
Storage Unit

Summary of Research

Cities cause poor development in certain areas of the brain which can lead to mental health problems. A study was conducted by a team of scientists led by Dr. Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg discovered that the brain of a city-raised person develops in a different way than that of a person who was raised in a more rural setting. After conducting a stress test on subjects from various locations of the nation to see how their brains react to stressful scenarios and the results were shocking. The scientists found that the brains of residents from cities reacted towards stress in a more aggressive way than those brains from rural areas. This phenomenon is caused by a poor connection between the amygdalas and the perigenual anterior cingulate cortex (pACC). The amygdalas is involved in accessing threats and generating fear, while the pACC in turn helps to regulate the amygdalas. The amygdalas was discovered to be most active in the city subjects while the pACC was the least active in the city subjects. However, subjects from the countryside show the opposite brain action which is a more friendly approach to situations and a healthier brain. Also, stress induced by the cities cause an array of serious medical issues, such as heart disease, asthma, obesity, diabetes, headaches, depression/anxiety, gastrointestinal problems, and Alzheimer's Disease and even can result in accelerated aging, and premature death.
A good way to reduce stress is to take relaxing trips to peaceful locations, such as the Great Lakes. A houseboat vacation home is the best remedy to find peace. The houseboat should be very long but not very wide. Also, the houseboat should use only marine grade exterior doors, walls, and window sealant. The marine grade door and wall material makes the houseboat water proof, such as plywood, fiberglass, and simulated wood. The window sealant does not allow any water to seep past the window framework. In addition, the houseboat is very narrow and small so the house portion fits a lot of rooms in a tiny space. Combining rooms and making furniture have double purpose saves space in the house design, such as a combined kitchen and living room, pull out beds, and sharing a shower rather than having two. The client has at least two people and a dog on the houseboat at all times so accommodations for sleeping space for more than two people must be made. Also, a nature theme, as requested by the client, must be followed. The house design will be added to Fletcher Kirol’s base. The houseboat will be situated in Lake Ontario and free to move about the Great Lakes via the rivers connecting. The houseboat alleviates the client’s stress and lowers the risk of any mental or physical medical issue caused from living in the city.









Works Cited
The Biology of Stress (Mental Health Guru). (n.d.). Retrieved August 5, 2015. (2:57)
What Stress Does to Your Body (Mental Health Guru). (n.d.). Retrieved August 5, 2015. (3:13)
City stress. (n.d.). Retrieved August 5, 2015. (3:03)
Dr. Gabor Maté: How stress can cause disease. (n.d.). Retrieved August (53:17)
Stress and Heart Attacks – Causes of Heart Diseases. (n.d.). Retrieved August 5, 2015. (2:47)
Building our house boat. (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2015. (10:00)
A tiny houseboat/micro-shantyboat "The Sea Snail" (floating cabin/shelter). (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2015. (6:35)
Lego-style apartment transforms into infinite spaces. (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2015. (9:38)
P2P Brooklyn: From apartment to shared flat, restaurant/club. (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2015. (20:09)
Wall Framing System. (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2015. (1:35)
Tour of the Tiny Houseboat, A Documentary. (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2015. (8:35)
49' Crossover Houseboat: An Evolution in Yachting. (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2015. (3:33)
Pier Pressure Lake Powell Houseboat Video Tour. (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2015. (10:41)
Extreme weather house boat floats in Silicon Valley backyard. (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2015. (24:36)
Three Level Houseboat | Epic. (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2015. (3:00)
Platinum Indulgence Houseboat build - All Seasons Houseboats Mildura. (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2015. (6:18)
2008 Sharpe 16 x 75WB Liveaboard Vol Navy Houseboat For Sale on the Tennessee River. (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2015. (8:15)
Introducing the WaterLoft from Sundance Yachts. (n.d.). Retrieved September 5, 2015. (3:52)
Houseboat Living in New York City - HGTV. (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2015. (3:47)
Liveaboard life: Minimalism in a tiny home at sea. (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2015. (9:42)
Houzz. (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2015.
Sick cities: Why urban living can be bad for your mental health. (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2015.
Luxury Houseboats | Custom Houseboats | Houseboat Manufacturers - Sumerset Houseboats. (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2015.
Room & Board. (n.d.). Retrieved September 5, 2015.
Interior wall materials for houseboats. (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2015.
The 3 Types of Exterior Door Materials - West Shore Window & Door. (2012, December 5). Retrieved August 10, 2015.
How to Frame a Houseboat on a Floating Base | DoItYourself.com. (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2015.
All about Houseboats has daily Tips, Guides, Articles for House Boats. (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2015.
10 Health Problems Related to Stress That can be Fixed. (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2015.

Research Related to User Understanding and Involvement

• User/customer interviews

o Questioned client about what she desire in her houseboat layout

• Stakeholder analysis

o Spoke with client for a basis idea of my design and then expanded design from there

o Spoke with partner Fletcher Kirol before designing to learn the limitations of my design so that I could expand my ideas from that point

• Stakeholder selection & planning matrix

o Spoke with client prior to beginning to design the house

o Spoke with partner Fletcher Kirol prior to beginning to design house

Research Cards PowerPoint

https://docs.google.com/uc?export=download&id=0B9Cd1Byajtv1UDhfRUpCZmxKVkE/view?usp=sharing

Alternate Solutions

The exterior walls of houseboat are fiber glass in order to keep the inside of the home dry. The interior walls are various simulated wood and real wood designs to give a nature theme. The first design of the houseboat focuses on the master bedroom having the most access to the house without being disturbed by late night guests. The houseboat has two access points for guests: the front glass sliding doors and the side stairs. The houseboat design has four outside areas. The first outside zone is the bow deck which people walk on to get to the front door or the occupants can use it to fish and swim. The stern deck is mainly for the home owners since that deck's only access is a double glass sliding door in the master bedroom. This same concept is seen for the second floor guest bedroom's balcony area. The last remaining deck area is on the second floor and accessible through the game room as well as the stairs leading from the bow deck.

The master bedroom occupies about a third of the first floor. It can either be open to the entire house or closed off to be private for the home owners by use of the pocket door shown in yellow in the first picture.The master bedroom has a queen size bed for the couple to sleep on as well as a dresser and closet for the couple to share. Also, the master bedroom has its own bathroom but shares the shower with the rest of the house. In addition, as stated before, the master bedroom has its own deck area on the stern.

The other two bedrooms are used for guest living. The bedroom closest to the kitchen and under the stairway is the smallest bedroom but most convenient. Any room adjacent to the kitchen has a better value because of its easy access to food. This bedroom next to the kitchen is a single man room and has a dresser and closet available. The second, more luxurious guest room is upstairs right above the master bedroom. The access point to this room is up the stairs right before the master bedroom. The upstairs room has its own balcony. Two people are able to relax in chairs on the balcony and even bird watch in the night and star gaze at night with the use of the telescope.

The first room one walks into when entering the houseboat is the living room. The living room consists of a couch and desk for lounge purposes and an area to use a laptop if desired. Also, the dining table is located in the living room for the owners and guests to eat in a spacious environment. The kitchen is connected to the living room in order to save room and allow for a constant flow of food from the kitchen to the living room with ease. The kitchen has a stove, sink, and refrigerator for the owner's use. The stairway that leads to the game room is also located in the living room.

One of the best feature of this design can be found on the second floor on the bow of the ship. On the bow deck of the ship, there is an exterior stairway tucked away on the starboard side of the ship that gives people access to the second floor balcony. This balcony is an ideal place to lay out on lounge chairs and take a middle of the day nap or sun bathe all the while in complete peace and tranquility. In addition, there is a double sliding glass door leading to the houseboat's game room. By having this access point to the game room, the owners are able to invite friends over for fun without bringing them through their home. The owners may not want people to see a messy home, may be trying to avoid getting their living room dirty, or might be uncomfortable allowing first time guest who are coming over for a game to walk through their home, therefore, the double access to the game room is perfect for all scenarios. The game room itself has a game table which allows friends to partake in poker, card games, or other activities and also has a self serve bar for the participants of the game night to relax with.

The second alternate solution has a first floor exterior similar to the first solution. The bow deck can be used for fishing and swimming on a hot day and there is a somewhat skinny front door in the center of the house front. The stern deck is the best area for water activities and is open for all personnel in this design since the hallway leads to the stern. The hallway is the immediate area one is in when entering the houseboat and following the hallway will lead one to all essential parts of the home. In addition the exterior walls are made of fiberglass in order to keep the house dry but the interior walls are made of simulated wood and real wood to follow the nature theme.

The two guest bedrooms are located on the first floor. The first guest room is the first on the port side of the hallway and consists of the average bed, nightstand, dresser, and closet set up. The second guest room is the second room on the starboard side of the hallway and consists of the same essential components as the other guest room. The two rooms share a bathroom which is located as the first room on the starboard side of the hallway.

The first floor also has a living room and kitchen combined room in the stern of the houseboat. The kitchen has the average refrigerator, stove, sink, and cabinets included. The dining table is located on the starboard side of the room. In addition, there is a L-shaped couch and coffee table for friends to lounge on while waiting for a meal or just to relax and talk. The stairs leading to the second floor are located right after the guest bedroom on the port side of the ship. After the stairs on the port side, one will find the den. The den is a room for the owner to work on a laptop, read a book, or do any other work one might need completed in peace. There is a single desk, filing cabinets, and bookcase for the owner to store all books and papers needed.

The second floor is the master suite which allows for the owners to have complete separation from any guests they may have. Immediately at the top of the stairs, one will notice a miniature kitchen set up which allows the owners to wake up and make coffee or get a snack without having to go downstairs. Also, directly next to the mini kitchen is a small balcony with chairs which is meant for looking out and over the lake with a cup of coffee in the morning. Furthermore, the master bathroom door is on the starboard wall directly next to the stairway. To make the plumbing easy, the master bathroom is directly above the small bathroom. The master bathroom is the only bathroom with a shower so occupants must share it. Also, the master bedroom has a toilet, sink, and a makeup table for residents to freshen up before leaving the house.

The final section of the houseboat is the master bedroom. The master bedroom has a queen size bed, two nightstands, dresser, closet, and a small sitting area where a couple could sit and chat together in solitude. The bed in the master bedroom is situated directly in front of the complete glass wall and sliding double doors in order for the bed users to be able to wake up to a beautiful lake view every morning. Also, the occupants can walk out to their private balcony and relax on the lounge chairs. In addition to the lounge chairs, there is a telescope available on the balcony for one to use to bird watch or star gaze.

In the third solution, the exterior walls are made of fiberglass while the interior walls are made of simulated and real wood. The bow deck is open for activity while there still is the stairway to the upstairs balcony. The stern deck is only accessible by walking through the master bedroom and has an open space in order to allow fishing and swimming to occur or even hold items such as floats or waveriders. The largest open exterior space is found on the second floor balcony on the bow. One can reach the balcony through the game room or by walking up the stairway on the bow of the houseboat. This area is meant for people to relax and sun bathe on lounge chairs. If the items are cleared from the balcony, the balcony can be transformed into a dance space for parties.

The front door is a double sliding door that leads to the living room which contains a couch and entertainment unit. Also, the dining table is located in the living room to save space in the kitchen. The kitchen contains all the essential components, such as a refrigerator, stove, sink, and cabinets. The stairway to the second floor game room and guest bedroom is also located on the port side of the living room towards the stern. There is a bathroom accessible to the whole household behind the stairs which leads to the shared shower room.

The master bedroom is completely isolated from the rest of the houseboat because of its solid door separating it from the kitchen. The master bathroom is only for the master bedroom and shares a shower room with the other bathroom. The master bedroom also has a large closet with double folding doors for the couple to share. Also, there is a L-shaped couch and coffee table for the couple to sit and relax with a cup of coffee in the morning in the safety of their own room. As stated earlier, the stern deck is also a private area for the couple to use unless they desire to allow people to come back to the deck.

The second floor is designed for guests. There are two access stairways to reach the second floor. The exterior stairway leads people to the bow balcony and the living room stairway leads people to the games room. The exterior stairway is best if the owners want to have guests over but do not wish for people to be in the main area of their home. The guests can simply walk up the exterior stairs and reach the balcony for either a dance party or go into the game room for some activity. The living stairway is meant for the owners to be able to make trips to the kitchen if needed or just another easy access to the second floor from within the house.

The game room on the second floor can act as either a game area or a bedroom. In the center of the room there is a game table which can be used for card games or other board games which are located in the game closet on the starboard side. There is also a self serve mini bar on the starboard side of the game room. The way that the game room becomes a bedroom is if the game table is moved, the couch pulls out and converts into a bed for a guest to use. In addition to the makeshift game room bed, there is also a guest room in the next room towards the stern. The second floor stern bedroom contains a bed, nightstand, dresser, closet, and even a coffee making table so that the guest can wake up to a refreshing brew of coffee to enjoy. In addition to waking up to a nice cup of coffee, the guest room bed is situated in the middle of the room with a large window in front of it to give the guest a beautiful view of the lake every morning.

The exterior walls of the fourth solution is once again made of fiberglass since it is the best way for the houseboat to keep lake water out of the house and the simulated wood and real wood is the best way to follow the nature theme. The first floor bow deck remains the same as the first alternate solution with an entrance to the house and also the stairway to the second floor balcony is on the starboard side of the bow deck. Unlike the first and third solutions, the stern deck is accessible to all people. A person is able to walk through the house without advancing through any bedrooms to reach the stern deck. The stern deck has an L-shaped in order to make use of the largest room possible for outdoor activities such as swimming or fishing. The third outdoor area is found on the second floor bow. The second floor deck is the largest outdoor space and permits people to use it in multiple fashion. One can find lounge chairs on the second floor deck in order to relax and sun bathe or one can clear off the deck and have a party with friends on the large outdoor space. There are two ways to reach the second floor deck: the game room double glass sliding door entrance or the stairway on the starboard side of the bow.

The first room of the first floor is the living room which consists of a couch, recliner chair, coffee table, and entertainment unit. This area is meant for people to relax and watch television or talk on days with poor weather conditions. Also, the kitchen shares the space with the living room. The kitchen contains the usual refrigerator, stove, sink, and cabinets. In addition, the kitchen has a five person island for people to dine at for meals. The closeness of the kitchen and living room allows for the living room to be consistently well fed for events such as watching a sports game with friends or a movie night.

The mater bedroom is located in the port side of the houseboat and is the last room in the stern. The master bedroom has a queen size bed, dresser, nightstand, and closet for the couple to share. Also, the master bedroom has its own bathroom with a toilet and sink with an extend counter for a makeup station. The shower for the houseboat is share between the master bathroom and regular bathroom which is located on the opposite side of the shower from the master bathroom. This second bathroom is for the rest of the house so that the owners of the houseboat do not have to share a bathroom with their guests. The master bedroom has easy access to the stern deck because of its double glass sliding door connecting it to the stern deck.

The second floor is made specifically for guests. The guest bedroom is made for two people to room together. However, by placing a closet between the two beds, each guest receives more privacy than one would if nothing separated the beds. Also, each of the guests have their own closet for their belongings. In addition the guest room has a dresser for the guests to share but also a miniature kitchen set up. This will be mainly used for preparing coffee in the morning or having snacks and drinks in the fridge so that they do not have to make a trip downstairs constantly for food. There are two access points to the guest room which are a set of stairs in the kitchen-living room and also through the game room door.

The final area of the house is the game room. This space is for entertaining guests and even having a party if one desires. The second floor is especially good for parties since the game room and second floor deck are both available for a large crowd to interact. The gameroom has a large game table and also a closet which can be filled with games or items required for a party. In addition, there is a self serve bar with a refrigerator on the starboard side of the room. If a person needs to spend the night and the guest room is already filled, the couch in the game room pulls out into a bed. Access to the game room is by either coming from the guest bedroom or the second floor deck.

Detail Isometric View

Overview