Just a Little Participatory design!!

A few post-it notes later and we're ready to go! (Well, sort of) designing something amazing for a proposal. I'll keep you posted!

Observational Study

Its been a cray-zee week.

I decided to do a study at the forest school. I thought it would be great to spend some time hanging out outdoors and figuring out how to do research. I also thought it would be cool to, you know, do what PhD students are supposed to do, and write a paper to publish.

So I designed a little observational study where I watch kids play and categorize what they are doing, and with what...So the past three days I have been following kids around who are imagining they are a dinosaur and mapping where they are doing it - and with what.

Some UCD methods for architecture

IDEO method cards in architecture

A little study I did looking at IDEO methods cards and how they might fit into the Standard Scope of Architectural Practice.

The jellyfish have landed!

Our Art project is installed currently in Gallery FM in the ICT building at the University of Calgary. It will be up until this coming Friday. 

In this piece we focused on creating an "antidote to student stress". We used the image of jellyfish swimming as a soothing image, an audio created using the piece "Weightless" by Marconi Union, combined with voice recording reminding people to focus on their breathing. The microphone on the headset is set to pick up the sound of breathing which will alter the movement of the jellyfish. 

"The selection of the jellyfish as a source of inspiration for our group was serendipitous. We stumbled upon a gif of a jellyfish swimming, and the image captivated us. The juxtaposition of a highly technical computer software rendering to illustrate one of the simplest, most ancient lifeforms, is intriguing. We are also inspired by the organic movement and luminescence of the jellyfish. We have witnessed numerous times, children and adults mesmerized at the aquarium by the jellyfish tank. This mesmerizing effect is not an accident, but rather it is a part of the jellyfish’s evolutionary ability to attract prey and distract predators. There is something magical about the way these organisms move, respond to sensory input, and flow with the tides. Jellyfish are not very strong swimmers, they can propel themselves but typically they drift on the water current, literally “going with the flow” - an English idiom for relaxing. They have developed complex abilities to respond to light, water currents and saline content, with the simplest anatomy and no central nervous system. In short, jellyfish do not have a brain, which, we feel, is an interesting anecdote to the cerebral gymnastics students undergo in post-secondary institutions. They are one of the oldest organisms on the planet, and at this point in history, where human environmental impact has devastating effects, the jellyfish are thriving. Immense “blooms” of jellyfish populations are like a “canary in the mine”, indicating changes in global temperatures, and the importance of humans valuing our impact on the natural environment."

Presenting the work

The week of presentations

User-centered methods in Architecture:Innovation in School Design

I made a Powerpoint video of a presentation I am giving next week.

Its a challenge to describe a four year project in three minutes :)

Have a good week Rockstars!