Friday, September 19, 2008
Depicting Things
Week 1:Une Chaise (Chair)
Graphite/Crayon de Plomb 5B (Graphite Pencil)
Week 2:Une Chaise Lounge (Lounge Chair)
Aquarelle (Water Color)
Week 3:Une Table de Salle a Diner (Dining Table)
Encre (Ink)
Codes To Live By
What was your experience with the various requirements to support human activities and needs? While researching through the Federal Reserve and Interior Graphic Standards documents our group found it very interesting how much thought went into meeting the needs of humans. There were specific codes on things like railings, protruding objects, chairs heights and turning spaces for wheelchairs. I think it is very important to break apart spaces into codes and standards not only for safety reasons but also for accessibility purposes. The most important thing we learned while researching the codes, ergonomics and proxemics of our group’s bus shelter and shelter buses were that these codes are in place for everyone not just the average human. For instance just the other day I was walking down the sidewalk when suddenly there was a two-inch drop to the connecting sidewalks and I lost my balance and almost fell. I believe this was because the designer for the pathways did not follow the specific code for making surface heights distinguishable by color or texture. The Interior Graphic Standards book had diagrams showing people of all ages in different positions and also included height requirements for the max and min handicap persons reach.
What would you recommend to designers about changes necessary to better accommodate varying abilities?
We would recommend to designers that before you begin to design your space try to think about all types of people that would be experiencing or using your space. Take every part of your design into consideration and look up codes for things from height requirements to safety precautions. Also, make your design versatile so it is easy to alter to accommodate human activities.
How do codes help in design?
Codes help us to design for the community that we live in today. They provide us the standards of humans and their activities while allowing us to break the limit on how far we can go to help others.
How do you anticipate codes will change your work as a designer?
The codes that we have learned over the past two days have already helped us tremendously because they have forced us to look at specific flaws throughout our group’s designs. Later on we hope to learn more about different codes, as they will continue to change and impact the way we view design.
What would you recommend to designers about changes necessary to better accommodate varying abilities?
We would recommend to designers that before you begin to design your space try to think about all types of people that would be experiencing or using your space. Take every part of your design into consideration and look up codes for things from height requirements to safety precautions. Also, make your design versatile so it is easy to alter to accommodate human activities.
How do codes help in design?
Codes help us to design for the community that we live in today. They provide us the standards of humans and their activities while allowing us to break the limit on how far we can go to help others.
How do you anticipate codes will change your work as a designer?
The codes that we have learned over the past two days have already helped us tremendously because they have forced us to look at specific flaws throughout our group’s designs. Later on we hope to learn more about different codes, as they will continue to change and impact the way we view design.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Shelter Bus: Hurricane Mobile Relief Group 9
For our Shelter:Bus charette we chose to create two different types of buses. One included a cafe with lounge area and entertainment downstairs with tables in an open comfortable sitting area upstairs. The other bus model included a sleeping area with bathrooms. Below are pictures of our process with sketches and our final models.
Here are a few of our ideas for our final two bus models. We had 10 major needs that we felt should be accommodated....
1. water2. food
3. clothing
4. first aid
5. sleeping arrangements
6. entertainment
7. daycare
8. recreation
9. showers
10. internet access
We combined in our two buses alot of the ten physical needs that we addressed in our list. Our extended bus is our sleeping quarters bus that includes clean clothing and showers to freshen up. there are beds included and various tvs for entertainment.
Our double decker bus is primarily used as a cafeteria. we included a cafe with tables and chairs along with pantries of food and a endless supply of water.
We wanted our buses to a comfort zone, a place where you could relax and clean up after a natural disaster a place that could implement the feeling of being home.
Both sketch ups used a by design by Kieran at the Google 3d warehouse in sketch up.
We also pulled common images from our drawings and with the use of photo shop to implement ideas about the contents of our buses.
Our double decker bus is primarily used as a cafeteria. we included a cafe with tables and chairs along with pantries of food and a endless supply of water.
We wanted our buses to a comfort zone, a place where you could relax and clean up after a natural disaster a place that could implement the feeling of being home.
Both sketch ups used a by design by Kieran at the Google 3d warehouse in sketch up.
We also pulled common images from our drawings and with the use of photo shop to implement ideas about the contents of our buses.
Bus Interviews
Ok… so our first interview was with a college student, her name is Nicole Taylor. She had on her Burger King uniform heading to work she complained a little about the bus being late and I asked her if it usually ran late and she said “No not ever.” She told us her mom insisted that she stay on campus for two years before moving to an apartment near campus. Lauren explained to her about her town house and the prices. She told us that she rode the bus to save money to help with school and it was just easier transportation for her while being in school. Just as the bus arrived we concluded our conversation by telling her about iarc and our plans to hopefully build a bus shelter here at Tate St. where she was waiting. We asked her if we could possibly take her picture she smiled and said sure before she boarded the bus.
Lauren and I then headed towards the bus stop to get some more details from the people about GTA. We honestly walked around for maybe 15 minutes trying to find the right person to ask and quite frankly this was a quiet Saturday morning. So we decided to sit inside the depot and low and behold as we where watching news about Ike on CNN a lady walked in and sat down beside us. She was an African American woman who looked to be in her thirties. We decided to strike up a conversation with her, she immediately took to us and we talked for a good half hour waiting on the bus. We asked her if she road the bus frequently she said “Everyday, if not I’m walkin’.” We laughed together and she asked us if we where students we said yes and preceded to tell her about our project and our hopes of helping the riders out with a few more shelters. I asked her if a lot of bus stops had shelters she said “ no, very few have shelters you just mostly have to stand, and even if you walk to some shade just a few feet away and your not directly by that sign they will leave you.” I was astonished, I had know idea they where so strict. She began to tell us a little bit about her life, she had always been riding the bus she said when she was little her family traveled a lot, her dad was in the military. She told us she was ready to leave NC “somewhere else,” she said, “new people new scenery.” We where also shocked to find out that you have to wait an hour for the bus on weekends, we couldn’t imagine what it must be like to plan your whole schedule around the buses. Before we left we asked her for her picture she said “no, no pictures I’m not the photo genic type” so we said that’s ok and asked her for her name and she said “Lolitta Mills”. Since we don’t have a picture I’ll do my best to describe her, she had on a flowing floral patterned white and red blouse with crimson red gaucho pants you know the big flowing business pants and white heels. Her hair was pulled back in small rows of braids that formed a pony tail in the back, she carried two bags which where clear that seemed to be like a purse carrying everything a woman might need.
We made a lot of observations while we waited as well…. There was one man who came in exhausted and hot from the humid air outside just to find out that he just missed his bus and would have to wait another hour before it would return. A lot of bus riders are just like you and me one man walked in sat on the bench and pulled out his laptop. Stereotypes get attached to a lot of things and we begin to judge when really it’s just people like you and me trying to save money with just as much class as someone driving an expensive SUV, actually their smarter they don’t have to pay for gas. Seriously though, you gain respect for something you didn’t understand, that now with a little research, you do.
Lauren and I then headed towards the bus stop to get some more details from the people about GTA. We honestly walked around for maybe 15 minutes trying to find the right person to ask and quite frankly this was a quiet Saturday morning. So we decided to sit inside the depot and low and behold as we where watching news about Ike on CNN a lady walked in and sat down beside us. She was an African American woman who looked to be in her thirties. We decided to strike up a conversation with her, she immediately took to us and we talked for a good half hour waiting on the bus. We asked her if she road the bus frequently she said “Everyday, if not I’m walkin’.” We laughed together and she asked us if we where students we said yes and preceded to tell her about our project and our hopes of helping the riders out with a few more shelters. I asked her if a lot of bus stops had shelters she said “ no, very few have shelters you just mostly have to stand, and even if you walk to some shade just a few feet away and your not directly by that sign they will leave you.” I was astonished, I had know idea they where so strict. She began to tell us a little bit about her life, she had always been riding the bus she said when she was little her family traveled a lot, her dad was in the military. She told us she was ready to leave NC “somewhere else,” she said, “new people new scenery.” We where also shocked to find out that you have to wait an hour for the bus on weekends, we couldn’t imagine what it must be like to plan your whole schedule around the buses. Before we left we asked her for her picture she said “no, no pictures I’m not the photo genic type” so we said that’s ok and asked her for her name and she said “Lolitta Mills”. Since we don’t have a picture I’ll do my best to describe her, she had on a flowing floral patterned white and red blouse with crimson red gaucho pants you know the big flowing business pants and white heels. Her hair was pulled back in small rows of braids that formed a pony tail in the back, she carried two bags which where clear that seemed to be like a purse carrying everything a woman might need.
We made a lot of observations while we waited as well…. There was one man who came in exhausted and hot from the humid air outside just to find out that he just missed his bus and would have to wait another hour before it would return. A lot of bus riders are just like you and me one man walked in sat on the bench and pulled out his laptop. Stereotypes get attached to a lot of things and we begin to judge when really it’s just people like you and me trying to save money with just as much class as someone driving an expensive SUV, actually their smarter they don’t have to pay for gas. Seriously though, you gain respect for something you didn’t understand, that now with a little research, you do.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Project 2: The 3 R's
I have to be honest when we received the instructions for this project I was a little nervous. I had never rode the city bus for any reason and I was definitely not looking forward to it now. I did not have a chance to first read the Chafe excerpt, so I read it after my experience.
While standing at the curb on the corner of Walker Ave. and Aycock St. I decided to be opened minded and make this a learning experience.
When the bus finally arrived, 15 minutes late, we swiped our UNCG first cards and boarded the bus. We took route 9 that headed inbound towards the downtown bus depot. While on the bus I noticed that it was truly not as dirty as I had previously imagined a city bus being. We started up conversations with some of the people that were riding beside of us and learned about why they were riding the bus and how long they had been taking city transportation.
A lot of the people we talked to heavily relied on it to get groceries, get to work and to go to school. While heading downtown on West Market St. I first noticed the United Methodist Church on my left followed by the huge Jefferson Pilot building towering over us on the corner of Greene St.
Then we turned right, by the by the line of apartment buildings, and dead ended on East Washington St. at the J. Douglas Gaylon Depot.
At the depot we pulled into our slip and let off the passengers that were connecting to a different bus and let new passengers on.
A few minutes later we started going again this time back towards the city and onto Friendly Ave. We turned left while passing Center City Park and Bank of America. A few minutes later we got onto Aycock St. and drove past UNCG. The bus let us off at the corner of Spring Garden and Mayflower Rd.
Overall I had a wonderful experience because of the people who I went on the adventure with and the people on the bus, including the bus driver, we so nice and helpful. I was so relieved to get back to my car though because it is definitely inconvenient to not be able to go directly where you need to go in the shortest amount of time.
After reading Civility and Civil Rights I was able to open my eyes to the struggles of segregation that were experienced here in Greensboro, NC. I can not imagine what it must have been like to live in those times, but I am however very proud of how far we have come today in our society. I found it amazing that there was a plaque for Rosa Parks placed in the front of every city bus, recognizing her for her actions in standing up against hatred. The article also made me want to further research the Woolworth sit-ins and appreciate the courage the students had to stand up for what was right!
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Entropy
The first week of school can only be summed up in one word, ENTROPY! I was having a very calm and successful first week until it came time for the studio class as a whole to come together on Friday. We were asked to create one huge project with our smaller and dissimilar projects. It was absolute mayhem because their should just never be that many people in one area trying to state their opinions at one time. I learned two important things last week one is that 60 people should never have to work together on anything and two that there is more to way finding than meets the eye. The picture that I chose represents how I felt while sitting in the lobby downstairs last Friday. Every one's words were getting lost in the chaos and I just ended up getting a big headache.Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Project 1: Path
For our first project in studio this semester we started with taking a look at the community and the different paths that people take on a day to day basis to find things. When I first started thinking about this assignment I wrote a simple list of things such as signs, colors, shapes but now after reading Kevin Lynch's book The Image Of The City I have opened my eyes to details such as huge landmarks, lighting, visibility and obstructions. Below are some of my initial sketches from my house off of Tower Road to my destination the Glenwood Branch Library.
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