The Story Of PlayGarden
PlayGarden
Contents Page Learning experience
6-9
Research & method
12 - 15
Concept development, visualisation & realisation
18 - 23
Discovery through research
26 - 35 38 - 39
LearningExperience
Experience
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The on-going rebel-led violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) bears witness to the death of more than 5.4 million people – the biggest death toll of any conflict since World War II. 2.7 million of the dead have been children, more than 200,000 women and girls have been the victim of sexual violence or rape. The DRC has the largest number of child soldiers compared to any other country. Despite this, the war has rarely caught the attention of the international media or designer thinkers.
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Learning Process Abstract v. Tangible ideas Abstract, ideas brainstorming
Sept
Oct
Nov
Product refined and packaged
Product testing was sent to DR Congo allowing for further development
After further research, Ideas became the tangible product.
Dec
Jan
Feb
PlayGarden complete
March
April
TANGIBLE
Discovery
In order to organically discover solutions for those under constant threat of war, I went to eastern DRC with an open mind. I asked the people about their personal challenges and ideas began to brew, but didn’t fully form. The first stage involved discovering the struggles from the target market. This started the design process by allowing it to grow into abstract ideas. Design Without Borders in Oslo, Norway, inspired the on-the-ground research.
Ideate
This phase involved narrowing down what I learned into the key themes and patterns. The initial problem definition became a coping mechanism for children severely affected by war. These children are among the most vulnerable, whilst also being the nation’s future leaders. They can therefore be viewed as being a central target group for promoting future change in DRC. Creating a ‘safe haven’ (Sagi-Schwartz 2012) through play, as a basic normal need for children, would allow them to naturally process their experience. In essence ‘play’ can become part of their therapy and reduce the torment war creates.
Prototype
Based on feedback gathered from conversations with the aid workers at Justice Rising, a trauma therapist and design companies City of Play and The Yard, the design rapidly became a prototype. This was then able to be tested in its intended location in eastern DRC, allowing for further refinement. The final design is a compact play area, which aims to preserve and restore childhood. The positive feedback I received from the user testing served to increase my confidence as a designer. This ultimately enhanced my overall learning experience. The initial idea needed validating by its user, otherwise it would have remained only of theoretical value. Testing proved that the design could be utilised for many different forms of play and by all ages.
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Re
tin
g
Collaboratio n
rch sea Re
Over the time provided for this project I found myself juggling five different segments continuously. This chart shows how my time was divided.
Ideation
fi n
in g
s Te
Collaboration
Ever since the first research trip in July 2013 I began collaborating with Justice Rising, involving those who live in DRC along with those working and living in the UK and US. Throughout the academic year I collaborated with Dr. Sarah Whittaker-Howe, City of Play and The Yard, who have all helped shape this project and formed more research. Collaboration occurred on a daily basis.
Ideation
The ideas for this project went through many brainstorming sessions. After every collaboration, new abstract ideas were generated which developed into a more practical solution after further research.
Research
After following up collaborations with some idea generating, further research was carried out in order to find the best solution. Collaboration and Research took most of the focus as I believe this is what will best sustain a project, having the connections along with the knowledge justifies the end solution.
Testing
The product was successfully tested in DRC. Feedback was given which allowed further development to continue. “It was so exciting to see the children come alive� - Aid worker, Kim.
Refining
The design was refined into story form in order to best present the concept in full.
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Research&Method
Target Market Eastern DRC; the heart of Africa’s largest ongoing war.
PlayGarden was user tested in eastern DRC alongside Justice Rising helping meet the needs of those immediately affected by conflict.
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Neighbouring war affecting DRC Justice Rising FCO Recent affected areas
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What was observed...
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I asked an aid-worker at Justice Rising what the war was affecting most and their response was - “The children, they are traumatised.� After this conversation I knew the product would be targeted at children. After further observations I found their play supplies were highly limited to what they could make themselves with cardboard, sticks and string. I also asked rescued child soldiers to draw what they wished they had as children and they all drew play features. This lead to further brainstorming involving play interpreting their drawings shown.
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ConceptDevelopment, Visualisation&Realisation
Brainstorming in summary
Cylinders and cups
Their shelter, made out of bamboo and straw.
Interpreting, a drawing done by a rescued child soldier
Smaller hand held toys
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After brainstorming several different ideas ranging from large to small scale, I set myself a much tighter brief in response to feedback given by tutors; suggesting I make my outcome more simplistic. I discovered that a selection of cylinders carefully coloured and branded for the community would be a good place to start. After brainstorming all it could do and being impressed with the number of routes it could take to market, I settled on this concept with confidence. Further conversations with City of Play lead me to understand that PlayGarden’s simplicity would spark children’s imagination. After being shown around The Scotland Yard I was informed that children seemed to enjoy sand box play with simple objects more than the large climbing frames, this validated the potential in my design concept. Dr Sarah Wittaker-Howe also informed me of PlayGarden’s capabilities for trauma therapy.
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Materials and Colour Choice
After modelling the concept out of card, wood and plastic I could see the plastic tubing accelerating in its properties best. I then had to consider the most efficient manufacturing solutions with the materials at hand. Meanwhile, it would also need to be compact fit aircraft cargo requirements most effectively. Therefore, the materials chosen after product testing was, 4mm thick acrylic tubing and a birch-ply lid. All surfaces were sanded and primed for several coats of spray paint.
PlayGarden The colour pallet for PlayGarden took its surrounding muted tones and brightened them up into a pastel collection, providing the children with a colourful escape.
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Collaboration
I asked aid worker Lisa if there were any messages that would be helpful to integrate into the design. She explained that it was hard to get the children to aspire as they mostly fear making it through the night so messages to help them dream for the future would help. Icons became the solution.
Material Choice
I first considered stencils to be the most viable option, yet realised there were bleed lines which would compromise the visual integrity of the concept so I chose to use vinyl instead which was successful. The bold black allowed them to stand out enough to catch the eye of the child but its size allowed it to remain just a focal point.
Feedback
After user testing they explained that putting the Congolese Swahili words underneath the icons would help explain clearer what they were. Therefore for the second batch they all included Swahili.
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Costs & Manufacturing
Costs £325 for materials to The buyers would be charities or a produce 3 sets of community who values PlayGarden’s PlayGarden (There benefits after seeing its successful user are 10 cylinders in a feedback. set).
Who buys this?
How is it produced?
PlayGarden is a bespoke concept which will be produced to product demand. Due to its individuality, as well as uniqueness to its community (e.g., icons, language, sizes and colour) this would not be fit for mass production unless it were to be later standardised to fit their requirements.
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Lower costs are available within DRC using bamboo as an alternative at £30 yet will need more intensive labour due to less advanced machinery.
Transport & Packaging Aid Relief (eg. Red Cross, UN)
PlayGarden is its own packaging. By simply adding a lid on top, each cylinder can act as a vessel and filled with aid relief materials. Once the package arrives at its destination it can be rolled instead of carried. After its contents are emptied the children would be given the “SteppingStem”. The cylinder will also have stickers included for children to add aspiration icons of their choice.
PlayGarden
If the play system on its own is desired to be sent to a community, then one would fit inside the other and be shipped out side by side. In this case the PlayGarden set would be premade and custom fit with icons of the user’s choice. PlayGarden can also be purchased locally and taken to the intended location by using the hollow centre as packaging.
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DiscoveryThrough R e s e a r c h
First Prototype & Test
From Edinburgh to Eastern DRC
The first batch contained eight cylinders with 5mm thick PVC lids and two cylinders with 3mm thick acrylic lids. The two stripy cylinders with acrylic lids were intended to be used as drums due to their stronger echoing sound and the others were for spacial awareness games or whatever else the user desired them to be. The aim for this design was to keep it simple along with abstract allowing the user to form it into what they percieve as its best function.
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PlayGarden’s Journey
Aid worker Lisa Hall transported PlayGarden in an extra suitcase fullfilling the requirements for Brussels Airlines. Once on the ground in Kigali PlayGarden made its way on a 3 hour bus jouney across the board then a further 8 hours into the RedZone. PlayGarden made it with only one broken lid after being transported by a plane, taxi, bus and in a landrover. The terrain is mostly lava rocks making the journey exceptionally bumpy.
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It was amazing to see the kids come alive. 31
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It was really great being able to see the splashes of colour against the dirt 33
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“The nursery kids rolled them, echoed in them and jumped from one to the other. They also loved using them as drums� 35
Research lead to Discovery
When we took PlayGarden to the older kids we simply put it in a field and then walked away, when we returned they were having their own little dance party with the cylinders lined up in a circle being used as drums and dancing in the centre. Kids also rolled them. Drumming and dancing is a big part of their culture.
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Reflection
The roads are really rough, so this acrylic drum broke. They seemed to use them all as drums and also to jump on so the difference wasn’t clear. Having them all the same would be better.
If there is anyway to make the icons more clear by just adding in the Swahili then that would be great. Just so they definitely know what the figures represent.
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