PROCESS BOOK mdes 2011/2012 summer 2011
joseph rau
Table of Contents
6030 6200
000.0 001.0 001.1 001.2 001.3
Intro to Process Book Intensive One: Intro Lecture w/ Rudi Meyer “This Sucks w/ Michael LeBlanc” Design Process & Thesis Structure w/ Marlene Ivey 002.0 Intensive Two w/ Karen Jans 003.0 Intensive Three (cancelled) 004.0 Intensive Four w/ David Peters
3 5 6 9 14
005.0 006.0 007.0 008.0 009.0
32 38 42 46 50
Assign. One: Three Plants and a Planter Assign. Two: Plant as Self-Portrait Assign. Three: Plant as New Technology Assign. Four: Plant as Climate Assign. Five: The System
20 27 28
010.0 FreeLab
53
011.0 Thesis Development
57
4
Joseph Rau
5
000.0 It has been suggested that it is through the “doing” that our most profound learning and creative experiences occur. If this is accurate, reflecting upon the processes involved in the “doing” can only help to inform and inspire future design tasks. The following is an overview of a number of design projects, and the processes related to their completion. These projects were required as a part of the summer semester of the NSCAD MDes 2011/2012 program.
Introduction to Process Book
6
Joseph Rau
001.1
Intro Lecture w/ Rudi Meyer
An eye-opening lecture touching on a number of carefully woven topics related to design in a historical sense. Including, but not limited to: the evolution of design teaching from 11AD to present, understanding roles of information and knowledge, design philosophy and methodology, and perhaps most importantly: research through practice.
related readings: “Ontological Designing” Anne-Marie Willis; “Why Philosophy?” Tony Fry; “Manifesto For Redirective Design” Tony Fry, Clive Dilnot; “Redirective Practice” Tony Fry; “Environmental Ethics” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy; “Dead Institution Walking” Tony Fry; “Design as Speculation” Carlo Franzato
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1
2
4
3
1 Symbolic of the seven liberal arts as promoted
by the great philosopher’s and supported by the apostles (pagan vs. religion?!?)
2 Philosophy used to talk about things that may have
been taboo otherwise...crucial in developing critical thought.
3 Once again the Industrial Revolution is tipping the
scales in favour or mass destruction rather than progress and evolution.
4 This is huge: teaching one to reflect (explicitly)
upon what/how/why they have done. Learning how to do this properly has had an undeniable impact on how I approach design / life.
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Joseph Rau
Intro Lecture w/ Rudi Meyer
1
2
1 Research through practice: still struggling
with this one occasionally...its often only through reflection that the value becomes apparent.
2 “Options narrowing due to technological de-
3
terminism” - I like this statement very much. We have set a trajectory and our only choice is to follow upon that same arc or angle, until something gives - whether that is our environment, our capacity to continually advance technologies, or our roles as determinants of the goals and objectives of new technologies.
3 This idea of “Wicked Problems” is a bit un-
settling, as it is very much related to the incredibly complex (perhaps unsolvable) issues I hope to address in my thesis...wicked solutions will certainly be required.
9
001.2 The intention of Michael LeBlanc’s “This Sucks: Visualizing an Un-Designed World” assignment was to imagine a world in which design has been “sucked out”. In doing so, we would each contribute our own vision of what this might entail, in both graphic and written format, and then combine our collective thoughts to be presented in a digital book form on www.blurb.com. Enlightening to say the least, I was introduced to a variety of new design considerations and constraints. Typesetting, paginating, webhosting, etc, etc. Somewhat intimidating, but at the same time a great opportunity to gain some experience directly related to the preparation and production of my thesis document.
“This Sucks” w/ Michael LeBlanc
To un-design a situation such as this would function only to further disconnect humans from their natural surroundings. Certainly some would venture in on their own accord, but the potential to become lost in a nature we no longer inhabit, or to cause greater negative ecological impacts (due to uninformed trailblazing or unfamiliarity with natural processes) is amplified under less designed circumstances. Although it may seem counterintuitive at first glance, removing design from our most unforgiving environments will only deepen the wedge that inhibits us from embracing, understanding and appreciating our environment.
Although humankind’s preoccupation with modifying our natural environment has often been to the universal and irreversible detriment of both man and nature, efforts have also been made central to the notion of reconnecting humankind with its surroundings. Wilderness trails weaving through landscapes yet untouched by urban sprawl and unquenchable development provide safe and directed passage into wild environments that have often become too foreign and too unfamiliar for many of us to venture in unguided. The experience and environment is designed in the best interest of all involved, facilitating a situation respectful of the inherent fragilities of the human-nature relationship.
lost in nature
10 Joseph Rau my two page spread for “This Sucks...�
“This Sucks...” w/ MIchael LeBlanc
11
1
1 Project overview / explanation 2 Initial concept ideas 3 Requirements of group to get
book to press on schedule.
2
3
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Joseph Rau
1
2
1 Elaboration of initial concept: removing de-
sign from the implementation of cemeteries, as places of rest and solace. The concept was ultimately rejected. I think in large part to my failing to articulate the degree to which design does actually play a role in facilitating these spaces.
2 Exploration of the types and chronology of de-
sign in the process of designing not only cemeteries, but the memorial process as a whole.
“This Sucks...” w/ MIchael LeBlanc
13
1
2
3
In finalizing my content for the “This Sucks” document I reflected a great deal on my own experiences with nature, from the perspective of both an active participant and a designer. One of the most important things I drew from this reflection was that people (all creatures really) shape their surroundings, and doing so in a subtle, thoughtful manner can have great effect in connecting one to their own environment, and if done carefully and appropriately can help to mitigate further degradation of the surrounding ecology.
1 Explanation of the ramifications of removing
design from wilderness (trail systems).
2 Characteristics / roles of trail systems in large-
ly wild landscapes.
3 What is “lost in nature”? Explanation of differ-
ent levels of “lost”.
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Joseph Rau
001.3 The goal of our first day with Marlene Ivey was to uncover and illustrate our own personal design process. The objective was reflection followed by coherent communication of a highly complex and often convoluted process. The reflective aspect of this assignment was simultaneously humorous and humbling as it functioned to elucidate the fact that so much of what I considered to be “my design process” was actually very malleable and not nearly as standardized as I may have expected...which I have grown to realize is fine, despite my own personal diversions that often extend the process a bit. Our second day with Marlene saw an investigation of the actual structure of our
Design Process & Thesis Structure w/ Marlene Ivey prospective theses. Title pages, Acknowledgements, Table of Contents, etc, etc... In order to further appreciate the importance and role of these headings we each designed and built three dimensional representations of the thesis structure. Our representational structures were to have both literal and abstract elements of expression.
related readings: “Remaking the Map” Carly Berwick; “Visualizing Research” Gray & Malins
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DESIGN PROCESS MAP Joseph Rau
1
gather and archive design inspiration
3
2
4 5 6
process diversion
7 8
10 11
client diversion
9 12 13 14
1. define problem 2. develop program with client 3. investigate analyze problem 4. research (precedents, related data) 5. draw & incorporate inspiration 6. conceptualization / iteration 7. become frustrated 8. re-evaluate concept / inspiration 9. throw wrench into it
10. review with client 11. evaluate input from client 12. refine concept 13. implement / execute design 14. evaluate design ** return to any of the previous black steps
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Joseph Rau
1
2
3 1 The first explorations of my design process in
words.
2 Initial visualization of design process. Begin-
ning to recognize how convoluted the process can become as a result of personal and client related diversions.
3 Closer to final product, realizing that the pro-
cess has the potential to fold back upon itself at nearly any point in time.
Design Process w/ Marlene Ivey
17
1
1 Finalizing structure and relationships between written and visual
representation of my design process.
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Joseph Rau
3d representation of thesis structure
The second half of our time spent with Marlene was dedicated to investigating the structure of our theses. As a part of this investigation we built 3D models representing our take on the thesis structure. My model is a very literal representation of the thesis structure, with each element of the model representing a strategic portion of the thesis structure. (See Illustration on next page for an explanation of the form in relation to the components of the thesis.)
Thesis Structure w/ Marlene Ivey
19 1 Some guidelines and suggestions regarding the
thesis (structure) from Marlene.
2 Breakdown of thesis structure, with icons used to
express the elements representation in my three dimensional model.
3 Conceptual illustration of my three dimensional
model, with annotation of each element as related to thesis structure.
1
2
3
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Joseph Rau
002.0 Our week spent with Karen Jans from Parks Canada was an intense exercise punctuated with group brainstorming sessions, guest speakers, and mass transmission of information. The objective for this particular intensive was to develop a strategy targeting members of the “Singles Scene” (Canadians aged 18-34) and new Canadians within that demographic, in the hopes of making them more aware of, and subsequently more likely to visit Parks Canada’s National Parks, Marine Conservatories and National Historic Sites.
Intensive Two w/ Karen Jans
parks canada presentation
related readings: many Parks Canada documents
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parks canada slide show illustrating our strategy
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Joseph Rau
4
7
1 Explanation of concept strategy.
Keywords: kitsch, nostalgic, singles scene, camping culture.
5
1
2 8
6 2 Further
explanation: budget camping tours = removal of fear, cost, hassle.
3 Clarification of objectives: con-
venience, partnerships, awareness, links to nature, revenue.
4 Specifics of strategy implemen-
tation. 5 Built-in advantages of strategy. 3
6 Specifics of marketing cam-
paign.
7 Examples of merchandise re-
lated to launch and maintenance of marketing campaign. 8 Opportunity to launch campaign and excursions from National Historic Sites in urban centres.
parks canada slide show illustrating our strategy
Intensive Two w/ Karen Jans
23
1
1 Investigations into profiling with Meyers-Briggs
and Parks Canada’s Explorer Quotient. Quite revealing actually upon looking back. 2 Outlining the characteristics of our target demographic. 3 Comparative explanation of different types of group / team mates. 2
4 Our demographic is not terribly inclined to sleep in
a tent while camping?!?
5 Parks Canada’s perception of the visitor experi-
ence at one of their amenities.
3 4
5
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Joseph Rau Patterns and practices to improve the tempo of your teamwork
Attitudes and Barriers to Visiting Parks Canada Places 2009 National Survey of Canadians
This experiential workshop will help you understand and better navigate the patterns of work that is done in teams. You will learn about personal styles that influence group process and observe the challenges that get us bogged down. We'll explore key practices that enable each person's best contribution – creating shared commitment and timely results.
If you ever have the chance to observe predators in the wild, you may notice that they operate in cycles. Most of the time, they display barely any movement. They project a sense of calm focus, as if they’re waiting for a particular moment. Then it comes! Their muscles are charged with intensity as they sneak up on their prey and strike. When it’s over, they return to their original calm. The cycle is back to its beginning.
Final Report
MONTRÉAL, TORONTO, VANCOUVER
Prepared by Environics for Parks Canada December, 2009
June 2010
People learn in similarly cyclical fashion. They pass between action and reflection, between activity and repose. To be truly effective, teams need to find a way to tap this rhythm — to create not only time to think, but time for different types of thought and collective discussion. One tool to help understand this cycle and the tempo of your teamwork is the “wheel of learning” 1. In any project or initiative, working either individually or on a team, each stage of the cycle demands deliberate attention before you move to the next:
more concrete
Individual Doing
Reflecting
thinking and feeling
Deciding
Connecting
more abstract more action
more reflection
1
Wheel of Learning, by Rick Ross, Bryan Smith, Charlotte Roberts, from The Fifth Discipline Fieldbook, 1994 Fourth Wave Strategy Inc.
Atlantic Service Centre External Relations & Visitor Experience
Service Delivery Agreement / Project Brief Date of Last Revision: June 1, 2011
Page 1
Parks Canada
Look Design Guidelines
1
Parks Canada Design Guidelines How to make our look sing.
1.0 Project Name (include job # if applicable)
PROJECT IDENTIFICATION Culture of Camping (to be revised)
Project Description
To introduce and recontextualize the culture of camping to new Canadians and those Canadians who have not previously experienced camping in National Parks, by implementing low cost customized solutions for training, travel and accommodation. Building on the emotional and brand equity already held by Canada’s National Park System.
2.0
PROJECT OBJECTIVES •
Successful completion of the project will meet the following objectives:
• • • •
3.0 Target audiences for the project are defined as follows:
4.0
TARGET AUDIENCES •
25-34 year olds and new Canadians within the “Singles’ Scene”
PERFORMANCE MEASURES • •
The measurable objectives of the project are:
Establishing healthy partnerships between P.C. and outside investment. Increase awareness of P.C.’s amenities and services. Link natural and urban environments. Create revenue streams through merchandise and increased visitation. Provide simple and convenient manner of introducing Canadians to their national parks system.
• •
•
Groupon visitors will constitute 20% of all P.C. visits within the first year of implementation. Groupon visitation will increase by 15% in each of first 3 years of implementation. To increase annual revenue of P.C. through merchandise sales and increased visitation of field units. To decrease cost, hassle and trepidation related to wilderness and camping, resulting in greatly increased visitation from target demographic. Increase brand equity and recognition of P.C. by 25% within target demographic.
variety of documents provided by Parks Canada for reference and direction.
Intensive Two w/ Karen Jans
25
1
1 Aging demography of Canada noted by Parks Can-
2
ada employees. Duly noted by their dated philosophies regarding web presence and cellular / wi-fi access in Parks Canada sites. 2 Main strategic outcome / objective: develop a strong sense of connection to national parks, historic sites and marine conservatories. 3 Recognition of challenges and motivations related to our specific target market. 4 Validity of Parks Canada’s Xplorers program is
questioned by members of public, largely parents and children. Due in part to corporate nature of program.
3
4
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Joseph Rau
Intensive Two w/ Karen Jans
1
2
1 Breakdown of our strategy to reach out to new Canadians and members of the Singles Scene. 2 Sketch of aforementioned strategy.
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003.0 Unfortunately we were not able to complete this intensive due to unforeseen circumstances. Time was restructured towards thesis development and review, as well as a day long drawing class with Rudi.
Intensive Three w/ Arlene Gould
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Joseph Rau
004.0 Our week long intensive spent with David Peters revolved around ideas of linguistics, business management and the free knowledge movement. Our first objective was to become Wikipedians by contributing or editing a topic of our choice (check “Randolph T. Hester” for my contribution) for the online encyclopedia. We then worked with David and one of his clients from Wikipedia to critique and develop strategies related to encouraging the emergence of Wikipedia-focused social groups. The remainder of the time was spent hearing about David’s ideas regarding communication and business management.
Intensive Four w/ David Peters
david talking about communicating
related readings: numerous suggested readings in David’s syllabus
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Objective:
1
Wikipedians at
To encourage emergence of Wikipedia-focused social groups. To create tight-knit communities of enthusiastic Wikipedians worldwide. To contribute to the world’s largest body of accessible knowledge.
1. Current Students of Damascus University 2. Faculty of Damascus University 3. Alumni of Damascus University
Wikipedia Page:
Conferences/Events:
3
2
Strategy: To encourage the students, faculty and alumni of Damascus University to celebrate the contribution of their shared knowledge and culture. To develop nurturing online Wikipedian communities and engaging real world events.
4
Wikipedian Networks:
conferences/events will be held locally to celebrate culture, knowledge and community. Examples of these events may include: Cultural Events: February 14: Valentine’s Day March 21: Mothers Day April 17: Independence Day July 28: Ramadan Iftar / Annual Meeting September 7: Bosra Musical Festival November 14: Falafel Day December 28: Holidays Party
Groups Wiki Groups Wiki
Wiki Groups
WikiGroups
[edit] Create New WikiGroup
Click on groups Main page Community page News Events Join Wikigroup Meetups Live chat Help Recruit Friends Become Ambassodor Language
Wikipedian Contribution Awards
Guest Speakers (Alumni, Special Guests, etc)
http://en.wikigroups.org/wiki/home
Wikigroups......social network
Wiki Groups
Celebration of Knowledge and Community:
Wiki Groups
Set up new wikigroup for your university
Log-in now
Wikipedians at
University of Western Ontario
Wikipedians at NSCAD University
Wikipedians at Harvard University Wikipedians at
University of Glasgow
Wikipedians at Bauhaus-Universität Weimar Wikipedians at MacQuarie University WikiGroups around the world
[edit] WikiGroups around the world
a selection of slides from our group presentation
1 The goal of this task was to encourage the emergence of Wikipedia-fo-
cused social groups. We chose to focus our attention of creating social groups at the University of Damascus to provide an different cultural perspective and visual language in relation to Arabic culture. 2 Illustrative of our target market: students, faculty and alumni of University of Damascus...found all over the world. 3 Visualization of a revised Wikipedia page, suited to the right-to-left Arabic reading/writing style. 4 Examples of real-world conferences / get-togethers that might be held to help bolster / celebrate the idea of Wikipedian social groups.
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Joseph Rau 1 Some keywords related to David’s understanding
1
of professional communication and action.
2 2 types of knowing: what & how. “What” is much
3
4 5 6 7
more common and accessible than knowing “how”. He also mentioned the idea of somatic learning and how one’s brain may be somehow distributed throughout the body...alluding to the fact that people are able to perform complex and extremely fast movements (i.e. playing the violin) faster than they are actually thinking. David presented a nice idea about the overlapping space between our concerns and practices being host to meaningful outcomes. Some facts about Wikipedia presented to us as context for our “request” or assignment. Jay Walsh was our contact / presenter from Wikipedia. “Recovering perfectionist”: something more of us should be striving for perhaps. GLAM: galleries, libraries, archives, museums. I want to look into this a bit further.
2
3
5
4
6 7
Intensive Four w/ David Peters
31
4
1
5
1 Some of David’s musings, of particular interest was
the comparison of assessments and assertions.
2
2 Interesting analogy of the design process as a nar-
rative structure in literature.
3 “Design as a practice of care” = “meaningful out-
comes”?
4 Co-creation and co-design: does this actually hap-
pen in the real world?
5 More talk of assessments and assertion, leading
into David’s summary of Fernando Flores’ theories regarding communication.
3
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Joseph Rau
005.0 The main objective of this, the first assignment of MDes 6200 course, was to select three plants we would spend the semester growing and thinking about in unusual contexts, as well as to design and build a planter that would house our plant selections. As someone who has “spec’d” thousands of plants for installation this task was surprisingly difficult. The assignment criteria and growing conditions made it very difficult to find plants that made sense contextually and physiologically. As it turns out I had a couple of casualties in the process (perishing before I even had a chance to plant them in my cloud), to the right is victim number 1.
Assign. One: Three Plants and a Planter
victim no. 1
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TETRAHEDRAL SPORES P T E R I D O M A N I A CREEPING RHIZOMES COSMOPOLITAIN D I S T R I B U T I O N LITTLE $$$ VALUE NO FLOWERS OR SEEDS 360 MILLION YEARS S P O R O P H Y T I C REPRODUCTION DRYOPTERIS FILIX-MAS
1
plant as self-portrait poster (iteration 1)
2
1 Struggling with the task of abstraction, this series
3
of posters caused me the most turmoil of all of the poster assignments. Too much time spent trying to avoid literal representation and probably not enough trusting my initial feelings about the plants themselves. They still make me cringe a bit when looking at them now.
2 Early ruminations about what I was thinking I want-
ed my planter to represent conceptually. Looking back I think the idea of a scaled down environmental context somehow subconsciously re-emerged in my assignment five paper and poster.
3 Initial plant selections / options.
34
Joseph Rau
1
Biotechnology? mumps roots
stalk
snake bites
ritual immunology
Echinacea Purperea
plant as new technology poster (iteration 1)
2
1 Hedgehogs, helvetica and echinacea as biotech...
3
interesting choices. This actually made me question whether I was ready for graduate design school. I think this also helped me to realize that doubt and turmoil are essential to growth as a designer / human.
2 Echinacea research. I thought this was a bit of a
stretch from the beginning but I struggled to find an interesting biotech plant that would grow indoors. I ended up supplanting echinacea with fungi for the my assignment 3 paper / poster.
3 Fern / self-portrait research / initial ideas. I was
immediately drawn to the fern for my self-portrait plant and was pleased by the discoveries I made in assignment 2.
Assign. 1: Three Plants and a Planter
35
viola labradorica
native & invasive
1
plant as climate poster i(iteration 1)
1 The visual representation of culture often ends 2
up being very literal and regionally caricatured, I found this very hard to avoid in creating my poster. Presented with the idea of climate as culture coupled with the objective of finding a plant that represented that relationship, I (surprisingly) was able to find numerous plants that fit this description. The difficulties inherent in the selection process became clear when I realized that many of these plants would likely not grow in our studio.
2 I selected Viola labradorica as my “climate� plant.
It is hardy, native and the purply mass contrasts nicely with the feathery fern fronds in my planter.
36
Joseph Rau
Cloud
Plan
2
ter v
1.0
Construction Info: 40mm
410mm
40mm Painted Steel Rod
1
300mm
Painted Steel Planter 200mm
Steel planter to be welded, primed and painted to dimensions & colours detailed. Drain holes to be drilled in base of steel planter, to allow drainage into groove of wooden base. Steel rods to be welded to interior base of planter (magnets will be used to suspend posters from rods). Pro-mix soil, Zeba moisture retention and organic plant food will be utilized as growing medium. Orientation of planter and configuration of planting will be deteremined based on availability of natural sunlight in to the studio. Two separate plant nodes will exist in planter to accomodate differing moisture requirements of plant materials.
40mm
Planter Elevation
Painted Wooden Base
40mm
120mm
85mm
40mm
70mm 100mm
120mm
40mm
Planter Plan
Moisture Collection Groove
Planter Base Plan
1 The initial concept for my cloud planter was meant to sit on a table or
podium of some sort. I was also drawn to the idea of contrasting the curvilinear planes of the cloud with strong geometry, as shown in the angled steel rods in this concept drawing. Although rods were removed from the final concept, the geometry was reinforced further through the angular tension of the aircraft cable used to suspend the cloud from a steel ibeam in the studio. 2 Photos of completed (and near completed) planter.
Assign. 1: Three Plants and a Planter
37
1 Trying to figure out the relationship between
clouds, plants and humans. My understanding was that it was a reciprocal relationship that goes much deeper than the specifics of the hydrologic cycle.
2 These two pages were drawn out the night before I
1
went into the metal shop to start constructing my planter. They contain material lists, construction details, dimensions and a somewhat convoluted strategy for assembly. It all came together quite quickly once I started cutting, bending and welding the steel (with guidance from Sandy) in the metal shop. I had a number of pictures of the build process, but unfortunately these were lost as my old cell phone finally reached its fate of built in obsolescence. 3 It wasn’t until the steel cloud portion of my planter was constructed that I realized that it needed to be suspended from the sky rather than perched on some sort of structure. These are some crude and hesitant attempts at thinking about what sort of podium I would construct for the cloud...prior to realizing that clouds belong in the sky.
2
2
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Joseph Rau
006.0 The main objective of this project was to realize and illustrate the specific characteristics of one’s self in relation to the characteristics of the plant selected for this exercise. Not in the physical sense so much as the manner in which we respond to (or in spite of) our environments. The process undertaken to draw out these relationships started with very making general but descriptive lists of characteristics of both myself and the plant. These lists were refined and prioritized to include only the top three metaphoric relationships, from which a basis for the poster became clear. I also managed to kill my initial selfportrait plant (see right) prior to actually planting it...again.
Assign. Two: Plant as Self-Portrait
victim no. 2
related readings: “Sensing Nature...� Kataoka Mami
39
1
adapt plant as self-portrait poster
1 The poster is meant to illustrate three specific re-
lationships between the characteristics of the fern and myself. Without too much elaboration, the main themes were related to: identity, entanglement, and basic needs. 3 Micro-pattern of fern root system,
2 First draft of poster.
2
utilized as a not-so-invisible grid for the layout of my poster.
3
true to identity
adapt
quick to transition
simple/basic needs
40
Joseph Rau personal ramblings and discovery central to uncovering metaphors for poster
Assign. 2: Plant as Self-Portrait
41
1
1 I wasn’t completely aware of it at the time but these sentences bear some serious
weight in the development of my thesis.
42
Joseph Rau
007.0 Though the main objective of this assignment was to investigate a particular plant in relation to its application / utility in a technological sense, I had an ethical urgency from the outset to illustrate the value of removing technological innovation from biotechnological processes. New technology is often rooted in humankind’s relentless quest for “advancements” and “progress”, however it is often the antithesis of this quest that has the most profound and promising effects in nature. Removal of man from the equation of natural processes often lends to situations of mutual benefit and actual sustainable growth. The plant (actually fungi) that I decided to research in the end is a perfect example of “non-technology “ as the best technology.
Assign. Three: Plant as New Technology
white-rot fungi
related readings: “Design, Product and Systems Change” Sabine Junginger; “The Problem with Design / What Voice Can Design Have” Davies & Parrinder; “The Future of Technology and Design” Keiichiro Fujisaki; “The Sins of Syn Bio...” Jim Thomas
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1
WHITEROT FUNGI phanerochaete chrysosporium
BROWNFIELD CONTAMINATION GENERATIONS
abandoned oil refinery (ab) travelling east from edmonton, an abandoned oil refinery and its derelict infrastructure traces the edge of the freeway for kilometers.
FUNGAL BIOREMEDIATION
>
toxic the site is no longer used, but years of industrial work have left behind soils contaminated with: polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH’s), pesticides, synthetic polymers and numerous other dangerous chemicals..
WEEKS
application
absorption
of fungi
of toxins
application of white-rot fungi to contaminated brownfield sites begins the process of bioremediation.
like magic, white-rot fungi are able to absorb and process the worst of the chemicals that we have put into the ground, within a matter of weeks. pcb’s, pah’s, munitions waste, synthetic polymers...all removed from the soil.
decomposition upon absorbing the chemicals and growing through an entire life cycle, the mushrooms begin to decompose. the organic material left behind attracts other organisms, and a new ecosystem begins emerging.
>
emergent ecosystem new ecosystems are formed quickly and naturally in the urban voids and wastelands that fragment our urban landcape and ecology. more plants = more biomass = more air / resources / life.
REDEVELOPMENT YEARS
>
economic liquidity there are hundreds of thousands of toxic brownfield sites in north america alone. prohibitive remediation costs and fear of permanent contamination keep these sites from being utilized as they should. fungal bioremediation could help remedy this.
plant as new technology poster
1 Although my first plant selected for this particular assignment was Echinacea purperea, the plant often uti-
lized for its immuno-boosting qualities, I found that the depth of suitable research material was a bit shallow for an investigation of this nature. Numerous other students shared similar concerns as the plants selected for this assignment were selected in large part due to the growing conditions of the studio. In talking with Christopher it was agreed that we could select a different, more suitable plant to be used as the basis for the poster project. As such, I chose to investigate a plant / fungi that has incredibly redeeming technological qualities and has intrigued me for some time. White-rot fungi has a natural ability to absorb a wide range of organo-pollutants very quickly. After doing so it decomposes, leaving behind entirely uncontaminated remnants of itself to fuel subsequent and emergent ecosystems in its wake. In my poster I have illustrated a sort of timeline, or chain-of-events that illustrate the quantifiable evidence and surprising qualities of this particular process of bioremediating an abandoned oil refinery site. The feedback I received regarding this poster suggested that I could have further explicated / illustrated the actual process of the absorption / processing of the contaminants. In looking back I think that the imagery could have been much more visceral and engaging with more attention paid to illustrating the metabolizing of oils, solvents, etc.
44
Joseph Rau
1
2 1 Refined description of what exactly is occurring
during the fungal bio-remediation process.
2 Somewhat chronological mind-map of process of
bio-remediation.
3 Specific criteria related to what needed to be illus-
trated by my poster.
4 Early visualization of the process / timeline.
3
4
Assign. 3: Plant as New Technology
45 Joseph Rau June 14, 2011
MDes 6200 Assignment 3: Written Response In the year 2000 the Dutch design firm Droog released a collection of products, collectively entitled Do Create, which included an aluminum chair-sized cube to be bashed into a form resembling, and functioning as, an armchair by its users (with an included sledgehammer), as well as an unbreakable rubber-lined porcelain vase that would inevitably gain character as its owners battered and smashed it at will (Davies & Parrinder, 2010). Although the intention of this collection was to elicit thoughts of process rather than violence, the process itself remains strikingly reminiscent of the manner in which humans have have often relegated their surroundings and those taxonomically “inferior” to them as a means for progress and utility in defining (designing?) our future (Davies & Parrinder, 2010). Unfortunately for those “inferior” to us as humans, there is no rubber lining buffering this system of change. Biologically based technologies (among multitudes of other modern advancements) often fall within this category. Genetic engineering, biorobotics, even nanotechnology all provide forward momentum and technological trajectories that we, as a scientific community, tend to uphold. But how often do those responsible for facilitating these advancements take time to reflect upon what we have learned thus far regarding the effects that “progress” and innovation have had not only on the health and integrity of our surroundings and fellow inhabitants of this planet, but our own health and integrity as humans? “Not often”, one might intimate when considering the degree to which our environment and its indigenous species are able to sustain life abreast the current rate and embodiment of human technological advancements. Fortunately not all progress is blinded by its own gleaming potential for greatness, some is slowly becoming cognisant of the innovative qualities inherent in pulling back and allowing things to happen as they did before our collective hands were soiled with the remnants of modified DNA strands and agrochemicals. e remediation of contaminated brownfield sites through the application of White-rot fungus is one such process. White-rot fungus or Phanerochaete chrysosporium, has proven effective in the transformation and bioremediation of a wide range of organopollutants, including: munitions waste, pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH's or petroleum based toxins), bleach plant effluent, synthetic dyes, synthetic polymers and wood preservatives (Pointing, 2001). As evidenced by the work of mycologist and mushroom enthusiast Paul Stamets, highly contaminated brownfield sites can be transformed into fertile oases of healthy biomass through the application of white-rot fungi within a matter of weeks (http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=BelfLIJErek; Nugent, 2006). In a process of reversion, or passive transformation from artificial back to natural, toxins in the soil (many of which, ironically, are products of previous iterations of biotechnological processes) are consumed and processed by the mushrooms, which then decompose, and attract and fuel new forms of organic life, resulting in self-sustaining ecosystems and increased biomass (Nugent, 2006). As suggested in the article “e Sins of Syn Bio” published in Slate magazine, attempts to supply the steadily rising global population with food, land and natural
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008.0 The intention of this assignment was to draw parallels between the manner in which my selected plant reacts to local climate and the way Haligonians (or Nova Scotians) respond to the very same climate. In terms of the poster the ultimate objective was to illustrate these responses to climate as an embodiment of regional culture, or a deeper understanding of “nature”. The written portion of the assignment further illustrates my understanding of these particular relationships.
Assign. Four: Plant as Climate
initial poster concept (printed vellum overlay on printed bond)
related readings: “Climate and Culture...” Tetsuro Watsuji; “The Hidden Dimension” Edward T. Hall; “Experience of Architecture , Echo of Space” Atelier Bow-Wow; “The Physiology of Time” Anna Wirz-Justice
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1 JFMAMJJASOND
JFMAMJJASOND
JFMAMJJASOND
JFMAMJJASOND
JFMAMJJASOND
plant as climate poster
1 This particular poster (and the initial poster concept) consist of one sheet of 11x17 vellum overlaid on one
sheet of 11x17 bond. The pink and yellow lines were printed on the vellum to illustrate the mean temperature per month and number of fog days per month, respectively. The rest of the imagery illustrates a temporal and seasonal shift in relation to the blooming tendency of my selected plant. My assertion was that the unusually eager blooming capacity of viola labradorica, in spite of Nova Scotia’s often foggy and dreary weather, was reminiscent of the vibrantly painted homes in Nova Scotia...ostensibly also painted to counteract the monochromatic haze that blankets the region regularly. Although I did receive some great feedback regarding the redundant nature of the lines on the vellum, which I certainly would have changed had another revision fit into the schedule, I think I would also return to utilizing the circles of the first poster...in hindsight they make the blooming pattern more apparent and don’t take away from the implied temporal progression...or perhaps done away with the circular / dot patterns altogether and illustrated the blooming pattern through the colour of the houses?!
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1 Initial ideas / sketches about Haligonian culture /
climate.
2 Feedback from initial draft: emphasize cycle and
get rid of circles.
3 This is me trying to figure out how to emphasize
the cycle.
4 And me justifying my concept to myself. 5 Feedback received during final crit. I thought the
gradation of vellum and further reductive qualities of the house images were great ideas, but wasn’t convinced that I should have gotten rid of the circles from the first poster.
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Assign. 4: Plant as Climate
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Joseph Rau July 6, 2011
MDes 6200 Assignment 3: Plant as Climate 4 Written Response As suggested by Watsuji, in a fleeting moment of lucidity in an otherwise overtly existentialist examination of the self as related to climate, cold is merely a phenomenon or element within climate (Tetsuro, 1961). This can be said of all singular characterizations of climate. For the purposes of my examination I will rely on the phenomenon of fog within the marine climate of Halifax, Nova Scotia in conjunction with the biological response of my chosen plant, viola labradorica, to provide insight into the regional culture of Nova Scotia. In the Atelier Bow-Wow article “Experience of Architecture, Echo of Space” the author(s) exhibit a wonderful and inspiring sensitivity towards an unexpectedly delicate, yet sensorially overwhelming architectural marvel perched thoughtfully in the jungle of Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica (Atelier Bow-Wow, 2009). The marvel over which they lavish emphatic praise, consists of not much more than a series of small cabins, a tiny restaurant and some other very basic amenities tied together by an elevated wooden walking path (Atelier Bow-Wow, 2009). The structures themselves are lifted above the jungle floor on stilts, seemingly to both preserve the ecological integrity of the substrate over which the buildings sit, and to provide a passive buffer between the creatures inhabiting the jungle floor and the human inhabitants of the establishment (Atelier Bow-Wow, 2009). Constructed of carefully chosen wood, mosquito mesh and nylon, the structures keep out unwanted jungle guests, while allowing a palpable porosity to the lively and engulfing surrounding environment (Atelier Bow-Wow, 2009). This careful and unobtrusive architectural interjection balancing shelter and exposure for visiting tourists is lauded openly by Atelier Bow-Wow for its “form of being” (its presence within the environmental context) being so finely in check with its “form of doing” (the spirit of the lodge) (Atelier Bow-Wow, 2009). Their decided and genuine appreciation regarding the fine balance of “being” and “doing” piqued my own interest on this topic and I began to consider the role of the viola labradorica, (a plant native to Nova Scotia) in this equation of “being” and “doing”. After some deliberation I came to a personal understanding that the maturation of a plant within its native environment could be nothing but the purest expression of this sentiment. An absolute reflection of its natural environment, the native viola labradorica needs nothing more than what is supplied by its indigenous habitat to fulfill its life cycle and role within the greater ecosystem. Contrastingly however, the characteristics of this plant also lead me to believe that it may be functioning more in spite of its native surroundings than as a reflection of them. A plant that thrives in shade and blooms profusely twice in one season, such is the case with the viola labradorica, is unusual, if not persistent and perhaps a bit unruly, admirably so. This is an especially apt description when considering the thick blankets of Haligonian fog that often diffuse the precious solar radiation required of photosynthetic processes and flowering. This colourful response in spite of the dreary monochromatic haze of fog is not terribly dissimilar to the traditional Nova Scotian practice of painting the exterior of one's home with vibrant colour, ostensibly for the very same reason. Up to 200 days per year, Haligonians are cloaked in fog Joseph Rau 6, 2011 (http://canadaonline.about.com/od/novascotia/a/halifaxfacts.htm). Undoubtedly a nuisance atJuly times, the fog dulls the visage of the environment while leaving people damp, depressed, and visually under stimulated – in desperate need of colour and contrast in their highly perceptive human lives. In the words of Edward T. Hall: “patterning of perceptual worlds is a function not only of culture but of relationship, activity, and emotion” (Hall, 1966). Nova Scotians and Haligonians have effectively embodied this statement by defining a recognizable aspect of their culture (i.e. the vibrantly painted homes and shops) through both emotion and action in response to their climate.
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009.0 Unfortunately “Assignment 5: The System” was cut short due to extenuating circumstances. Fortunately though, the initial draft of the poster and the written portion of the assignment contributed nicely to my own comprehension of my thesis topic. My intention is to finish the data visualization assignment and potentially include it as a visual addition to my thesis. It has also allowed me to think a bit differently about the manner in which data and information can be effectively presented using different graphic dimensions and conventions. The objective of this assignment was to illustrate a system of cause and effect, in relation to a portion of the thesis, through metaphorical representation via the plants and planter as a system.
Assign. Five: The System
some of the parts
related readings: “Climate and Culture...” Tetsuro Watsuji; “The Hidden Dimension” Edward T. Hall; “Experience of Architecture , Echo of Space” Atelier Bow-Wow; “The Physiology of Time” Anna Wirz-Justice
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Stroget street bans motor vehicles. Copenhagen, Denmark.
Another street bans motor vehicles in CPH.
Jan Gehl begins documenting quanititative and qualitative changes to the city.
Additional streets ban motor vehicles in CPH.
20 04 Jan Gehl publishes “Public Spaces Public Life�
potential for great things? with a bit of work, certainly.
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Assign. 5: The System
1 In my mind, Jan Gehl is one of the
most influential minds to speak and write about urban design and life in cities. He also developed the methods of quantifying and qualifying the usage of public space, these methods are now used globally in studies of urban space.
2 A wonderful example of Gehl’s
empirical qualification of space.
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010.0 This project was undertaken under the auspices of the relationship between NSCAD MDes program and the Dalhousie School of Architecture, also known as the FreeLab Project. After listening to a number of FreeLab leaders present their project ideas we each selected our top three groups in which we would prefer to participate. Project leaders then placed us into the groups of their choosing. Fortunately I was selected to participate in the camera obscura group which had been my top selection. It was clear from the outset that the objective would be to build some form of portable room-sized camera obscura that we would eventually move throughout the city allowing people to enter and experience the city from a different perspective.
FreeLab: Camera Obscura
early camera obscura used for drawing one’s surroundings
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design / build process - see following page for image descriptions
FreeLab
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image descriptions: 1 Initial exposure to camera obscura. We covered up the windows in Maria’s office with black plastic garbage
bags, cut a hole the size of a quarter and to our surprise the outside world came in upside-down on the interior walls of her office. 2 First concepts. It quickly became clear that a folding structure may provide us with the portability, interior space and relatively low weight required for our portable, room-sized camera obscura. 3 We made two full scale cardboard models of our two favourite paper concepts, this being the beginning of
the first one.
4 This is the first model again, fully constructed out of cardboard. It was shorter than we expected inside due
to angle of walls and pitch of the “roof”. 5 An upside down bus going past on the interior walls of our first model, as it sat on the lawn of the Dalhousie architecture building. Many garbage bags were used to make this version light-tight enough for us to begin to see with any clarity inside the camera obscura. 6 Beginning construction of the real and final version that we would eventually move around the city.
7 Full scale cardboard mock-up of second concept. This is the form we ended up choosing to build out wood
and fabric. Entry and exit is facilitated by lifting or “accordioning” the structure up and back enough that someone can crouch their way in, and then take a seat on the ground. 8 Cutting, stitching, taping, gluing, and re-stitching about 30 square meters of blackout fabric 9 Laying out the plywood panels in order to mark and mask the fabric, prior to applying over 10 gallons of con-
tact cement to both the fabric and plywood.
10 Fully assembled, in the folded / transport-mode position. It ended up being heavier than it looks and less
durable than we had hoped so we were only able to set it up at the public library and public gardens.
11 Best part of the entire process. Watching kids and adults alike as they sat awestruck by the images inside the
camera obscura. Fortunately the smell of contact cement dissipated slightly when the camera obscura was moved outside, it was pretty toxic when we were testing it inside...”this thing smells like cancer!” was one notable reaction once the structure was folded down around them. 12 Located on the corner of spring garden and south park street. We all walked away from it for a bit to watch the reactions on people’s faces as they noticed this strange object on the sidewalk. 13 Set up in the exhibition space prior to presenting our project to the other FreeLab groups.
paragraph submitted for FreeLab publication:
Joseph Rau NSCAD Master of Design Student August 3, 2011 The Camera Obscura FreeLab provided a unique opportunity for trans-disciplinary investigation and collaboration of both form-giving and experience design. Through discussion, conceptualization and iteration we were able to produce an object and experience that challenges and obscures traditional notions of transformative and transportable structures and the human visual and experiential capacity. The experience as a participant in this process was both informative and positive in that I was able to see a project through from concept to construction, as well as experience in person the level to which it inspired wonder and joy in the members of the public who were also able to experience our camera obscura.
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FreeLab
1 Our FreeLab project leader Maria really liked
the idea of the movement of the camera obscura through the city to be a processional type of event, where it would be carried through the streets. A nice idea, until we realized how heavy it was. 2 Crude sketches of an early concept consisting of a cylindrical core, from around which fabric would unfurl into a shape like that of a snail shell to create the interior space of the camera. 3 Calculating dimensions of plywood panels best suited to minimizing wasted wood (offcuts)...very limited budget. 4 Investigating options for fastening edges of fabric that need to be open during construction but fastened in order for the structure to stand. We ended up spending about 10 (hu)man hours hand stitching these particular seams once the panels had been glued to the fabric and the fabric had been trimmed.
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011.0 This section will present material related to the development of my thesis, not only as an archival process, but hopefully also as a platform from which new ideas will continue to spring forth. Therefore the breadth of topics considered, muttered about and stricken from the list will be great, but hopefully becoming more refined as the pages are turned. The information is presented chronologically from the pages of my sketchbook, illustrating the path of my thoughts, ideas and related research.
Thesis: General Development
resource material
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1 My earliest notes about what I thought I wanted
to investigate for my thesis. Key ideas: symbolism, wayfinding, colour. These words still feel like they mean something in the context of my thesis topic. 2 A list of action / descriptive words describing what I thought I wanted to investigate. Many of these words are still applicable. 3 Again, this idea of environmental graphic design or wayfinding, and how it relates to the urban environment and those who inhabit these environments.
Thesis
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1 A quick bubble diagram drawn
during our library orientation. The theme of wayfinding persists in my thinking here. Recognizing that it presents opportunities to introduce colour, vibrancy, etc. 2 Beginning to think about ideas related to environmental psychology (cognition, perception, etc) and the fact that public art is something I want to be included in the discussion. Also realizing that the idea of wayfinding as a thesis topic is too short-sighted, it needs to be more about the human experience of the environment. 3 This must be from a bit earlier as it is focused on the idea of symbolism in the landscape, from which I was redirected very early on.
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visual culture?
Thesis
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public art here, even spinning wayfinding and site furnishing as such, under the guise of functional public art. It became clear to me at this point that the form of the city as a whole was less important to my thesis than were these visual elements within the urban landscape. All of this is still very related to the current focus of my thesis research. 2 Trying to break down exactly what / how I was thinking about the topic.
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3 Critique and preconceptions related to contempo-
rary urban form.
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1 1 Some of my initial resources. 2 Thinking about the effects / limitations of infill
development in relation to addressing the human experience in the urban form.
Thesis
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1 An investigation of the effect of policy on criteria
related to urban design and development.
2 Formulating a revised thesis framework for my
final degree project proposal overview submission. The focus is still on addressing the human experience in the built urban environment, but it is now framed in the context of visual culture...
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Thesis
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Thesis
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VISUAL CULTURE and the BUILT URBAN FORM: ADDRESSING THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE VISUAL CULTURE
INFORMATION
ART
VIBRANT
FUNCTION
STIMULATING
RHYTHMIC
UNIQUE
HUMAN EXPERIENCE
BUILT URBAN FORM
SENSORY PERCEPTION
PUBLIC REALM
SPATIAL COGNITION
EMOTIONAL RESPONSE JOY
UTILITARIAN
WONDER
HOMOGENEOUS
MODERNISM POLICY INDUSTRIALIZATION
ove r v i ew :
Given the exacting consideration afforded to meeting the technological and infrastructural requirements of a continually growing and dynamic urban population, should the development of urban environments not also endeavour to address the perceptive, cognitive and emotional capacities of its human inhabitants? Can these human capacities, or what will be summarily referred to as the “human experience” begin to be addressed through the enrichment of visual culture within the public realm of our cities? As suggested by environmental psychologist Ann Sloan Devlin in her book Mind and Maze:...“a much
richer visual environment and one better suited to human needs might emerge if designers and planners knew more about the cognitive capabilities of their users”. Although Devlin refers singularly to the cognitive capabilities of humans, one must also recognize that this cognitive ability is inextricably linked to the human capacity for sensorial perception and emotional response. Considering that vision remains to be the dominant sense for most humans, is it not logical then, that the visual culture expressed in our urban environments has profound potential to affect the human experience in relation to one’s urban environment?
Joseph Rau August 15, 2011 Master of Design Program Summer 2011
thesis proposal poster