Built Environment Descriptions

Digital Space Description- Woodruff Arts Center

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For my digital space built environment, I chose was www.woodruffartscenter.org. The website is for the Woodruff Arts Center. The opening webpage, which is presented below, is aesthetically appealing and has six sections that viewers can search to explore the site. Using those sections, you can discover the art, plan a visit to the center, plan an event at the center, explore the Woodruff, support the center with various forms of donations, and see the different programs and initiatives that the Woodruff Arts Center has to offer. Due to the abundant amount of information presented on the site, I focused predominantly on the four sections that were the most captivating to me.

 

woodruff art opening page

 

When you scroll down on the opening page of the Woodruff Arts Center site, a page of tabs appears. Each of the tabs allows you to explore the site and find information on an array of things. The viewer has the option to check out ticket prices, donate time and money to the center, plan an event at the center, use the center as a form of education, and parking at the center. Each section for the information is presented with colorful, people friendly images, while still being useful and guiding people to what they were searching for.

 

woodruff tab options

 

Located under the ‘Explore the Woodruff’ tab is the Woodruff Arts Center Overview page. The purpose of this section no the website is to provide people with a little bit of background information on the center itself and its reputability. It establishes a sense of credibility by mentioning its great accomplishments, such as being “one of the largest arts centers in the world, home to the Tony Award-winning Alliance Theatre, the Grammy Award-winning Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and the High Museum of Art, the leading art museum in the Southeast.” That level of prestige makes people feel like it is worth their time and money. However, even with that notoriety, it is still a place where family can go with their children, students can go with their friends, and adults can go for a evening out.

 

woodruff overview

 

Under the ‘Visit’ and ‘Parking and Directions’ tab on the website is a map that provides people with a map of the area surrounding the Center and the address. This is intended to help people located the Arts Center and get a general understanding of its location. It also  provides people with the specific directions based on their location to the Woodruff Arts Center in they choose to do it that way. This is an important section to note because it can be difficult not only to find things downtown, but also to find parking at the places. By providing people with easy directions, it encourages them to come out.

 

woodruff address

 

The final section of the Woodruff Art Center website that I found particularly useful was the ‘Panthers at Woodruff Arts Center 2015/2016 Season Pass’. As a Georgia State student, writing on a blog for other Georgia State students, it is beneficial not only to me, but for my peers as well. Before exploring the site, I did not know that Center has a program with our school. This section it is located under the ‘Programs and Initiatives’ tab, which is where the website shows its relationship with local Universities, programs, and whatnot. Based on the information that I gained from this section of the website, I actually bought a pass for myself and my boyfriend and followed the direction on the page for how to redeem the passes. We are going after final are over to view the exhibit on Jean-Michel Basquiat. With the guidance of their user friendly website, it was all so easy!

 

GSU at woodruff arts center

Topgolf, Midtown

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For my internal built environment, I chose Topgolf, Midtown. Although it was not on the list for internal built environments, I was encouraged to choose it because of the fun that I have with my friends there and the fact that I work there. In my option, it is a much cooler place to observe than a coffee shop, museum, and market. Over the course of the past few weeks, I have spent a hours exploring and observing Topgolf from the perspective of a guest rather than an employee.

With an area as large, diverse, and captivating as Topgolf, one image could not fully show its greatness. Thus, I collected various digital records to show its best attributes. The records represent the attraction well because they show almost all that Topgolf has to offer. Topgolf is located at 1600 Ellsworth Industrial Boulevard, which less than a ten minute drive from my apartment and the Georgia State campus. When I first moved downtown, over the summer, Topgolf was not yet opened and still in the process of hiring people. At the time, I was unaware of what exactly Topgolf was and had no interest in working there. My roommate, however, did and got the job and kept insisting that I come golf with him. After one time I was hooked, which is why I felt that I should observe it as my internal built environment.

My digital records included a picture of the outside of the building, my bay reservation, the full bar, the lounge area, the target goals, and a video of my friend Alyssa demonstrating how the golfing works. The outside of the building is illuminated with bright blue lights that can be seen from down the street, which draw people in. In order to get a bay, which is where people golf, I had to make a reservation. I wound up on the second floor at bay 25; it was labeled “225”. While people are waiting on their bays or just hanging out, they can go to the bar or the first floor lounge. The bar is also illuminated with bright blue lights and is fully stocked. The lounge has pool tables and video games that people of all ages enjoy.

In my time observing Topgolf, I spent most of the evening at a bay with my friend Alyssa. I taught her how to swing the golf club and the goal of the game that wanted to play. We played a game called “Top Score”. To get a ball, she just had to wave her foot or the club over a sensor and a ball would be dispensed. With her blue women’s clubs, she hit the ball off of the platform and into a target in the outfield. For the game “Top Score”, we received points based on how many yards the ball went. The computer at our bay knew who got what points because of a computer chip in the ball and in the goals that matches our bay. The technology is so cool.

Topgolf was so much fun to observe. Alyssa and I ordered dinner and dessert from our bay, toured the building (even though I’d seen if before as an employee), and watched the different groups of people enjoy their time there too. The various groups of people ranges from families, to dates, and even to a Delta group that rented out an area. Some people are genuine golfers, while others are amateurs (such as myself), but regardless of the person, age or gender, everyone can come and enjoy themselves. Although I typically spend roughly 30 hours a week at Topgolf, it was amazing getting to see the place from a new perspective. It was so lively and entertaining.

Golfing at Topgolf

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This is my friend Alyssa. I asked her to come with me and be my demonstration for how this golfing actually works. A ball came out of the box in front of her onto the green golf mat. Then she put it on the white tee. I showed her how to hit the ball into the target since she had never golfed before. She hit the ball off of the mat and out into the arena. From there, it landed in a goal and she reviewed points.

Octane Coffee Shop- Downtown

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Octane

This is Octane Coffee Shop in Downtown, Atlanta. As my friends and family know, I have a thing for coffee shops. It is a cute little place. Music and chatter fill the atmosphere. The variety of people in shop is extremely diverse. I spent a few hours here doing homework and observed business men and women, students lime myself, baristas making beautiful lattes and people there just to hang out and have a drink. It was interesting watching everyone use the space in their own way.