I N S I D E making as thinking
INSIDE, OUTSIDE, INBETWEEN’ is a collection of significant moments throughout my five years at the Acera School. This journey was a creative and emergent process of unlearning and ridding myself of preconceptions I had about education, the role of design, meaning-making, and myself as a learner and educator.
Photos and projects by Esteé Hill Not to be reproduced or shared without esteehill@gmail.compermission.
Reflecting on these moments I want to share how: - hands-on learning and making allow us to connect disparate elements and systems to create a more complex, integrated understandings, play and playfulness allow us to make meaning at the intersection of making, the environment, and social systems, project-based learning increases problem-solving and collaboration skills and improves students’ tolerance of the unknown. This is not intended to represent a curriculum, a comprehensive retrospect, or Acera as a whole. This is a small part of many creative paths diverging and converging in the search of authentic learning experiences.
Architecture & visual spatial learning specialist
‘
INSIDE reflects on creating connections across disciplines as demonstrated in a series of student design projects in the innovation lab. These projects were mainly situated in electives or core class thematic collaborations. Like the wall-less space in which we worked, there was no real beginning or end to the creative process. Thematically these are loosely organized around: - our relationship with nature against the backdrop of biophilia, biomimicry, and green form-findingdesign. through sculptural making, pavilions as spaces for new experiences and connections, - transforming space to place in the context of urban interventions. The work I am sharing is anchored in my belief that hands-on learning and making allow us to connect disparate elements and systems to create a more complex, integrated understanding.
Creating connectionsacross disciplines
Small pieces big ideas
collaboration
Organic
Steps
Steps in the right direction Building blocks of nature: Investigating mycelium Green building Buildings living systems Biodegradable sneaker Incorporate and innovate Biophilic studio Organic lights Natural dyes and bioplastics Experimenting with edible ice cream bowls
Zoomingout
Zooming in
Imagining
Imagining future structures
Exploring tactile qualities and environmental requirements
Researching and building future
urban spaces
Harnessing the power
of nature for innovation
innovationpower
thinkingDivergent
Framing a design challenge
principlesorganizingDefining
Deconstructing
Deconstructing
Peer feedback
workOrganicspaces
Nature inspirationas
Prototyping
New nature
Creating
Creating naturalExperimentingdyes with bioplastics
Accessing&Brainstorming
AccessingBrainstormingoutcomesfuture applications
Making
Making your cup and eating it too!
Constructive
Constructive collaboration Observing nature Known patterns - New forms Sculptural weaving & making Hive Human nature Urchin Creatureinstallationcreation:passion project
formspatterns,Familiarnew
Small
Small actions, big outcomes
Understandingcomplexstructures
Joyful hands-on problem
problem solving
Organizing
Organizing
and implementing solutions
passionIndividualproject
Public pavilion presentation
presentation
Creating shared
shared spaces & experiences Pavilions Experiments in form and structure Exploring sensory design Designing for all our senses Material and feeling: pneumatic igloo MIT popup pavilion Movement and form Immersive playgrounds Origami shelter Kinetic structures Forces defining space Experiments in tension and Recycledcompressiontubular ceiling installation
Public spaces for diverse experiences
experiences
Experiments in form and
and structure
Designing for all our senses
Familiar geometries, new forms
Pneumatic pavilion
Reflecting
Popup
Popup pavilion
Immersive playgrounds
Origami shelter
Kinetic structures
Experiments in tension and compression
Recycled structures
Creating place Impact of time Photo essay on urban form making Social dynamics of urban planning Shifting social spaces Cyanotype installation Molding public opinion Material exploration in clay Urban acupuncture Iterating and prototyping solutions Feedback loops
Changing times
Social dynamics
Cyanotype installation
Shifting priorities
Assessing needs
Science&Art
Form exploration in clay
Primitive - Future organic
Unconventional making
Multi modal prototyping
Feedback loops
Passion projects Henry Pavilion design competition School greenhouse Anya Natural building: earthship greenhouse Julia Tiny house modelling Niyathi Recycled flat pack chair Vera Trash to treasure fashion Juliet Wearing my garden: natural dyes and garment making
Pavilion design greenhouseSchool&
Natural earthshipbuilding:greenhouse
building:greenhouse
RecycledTiny house modelling
Recycled flatpackchair
Trash treasureto
Wearingmygarden
Photos and projects by Esteé Hill Not to be reproduced or shared without esteehill@gmail.compermission. Architecture & visual spatial learning specialist
Costa Rica 2022 -DesignPermacultureChallenge
Becoming‘certifiedagreeneducator’
I N S I D E - O U T S I D E - I N B E T W E E N Esteé Hill 2022