Campaign Projects Developing a self directed project
My practice is in the area of sustainability – which I articulate as the development of projects that look at material and systemic sustainability in Industrial Design Projects. A lot of these projects are speculative and propositional so located in the future. I work with a set of defined methods and strategies to think through the projects and develop the solutions. In recent years I have seen the amplification of the social dimension in my projects – and I have also seen the outcomes of the projects as social innovations. Often I have seen the projects become new, viable and self sustaining business ventures – which are social entrepreneurship ventures. I campaign for a dematerialised world and therefore privilege service design – which in recent days has seen me move towards interaction design which is needed in the development of and delivery of services.
I see two kinds of students in the studio. One with clear projects (developed in Research Methods) and others who can; one, quickly come up with a project idea in the area of sustainability, or two, work on a project within my campaigns. This latter is a cluster of projects that I have been working upon for quite some time and also a new project – a closed loop ecosystem for a university campus in India. Therefore the topic spread will look like this: 1. Individual project 2. Closed System (12 design projects)
Modelling solutions
Ecosphere
No sewage pipe – extreme water use challenge Clothing care Washing, cooking and cleaning Zero waste – no garbage out of campus Energy – self sufficiency Food – Urban agriculture Subterranean bunkers – cool room Transport – No personal vehicles and sharing
Social Innovation
Food – Local food, student food Health Sharing Car and car sharing Bushfire Bunker Diabetes
I went to shed number 4 in the Docklands area, I heard speeches and passed around the food. Amidst all this I wrote the words that were floating around.When I had finished - I pulled out my phone and took this picture. I see the words and they say it all. ‘We will most certainly have disaster and suffering, but we should begin work now to avoid catastrophe’.
Key Learning objectives: to refine your ability to conceive, plan and execute a self directed project & to explore an individual way of constructing design practice.
Content
The main content of the course will be your learnings from the project area(about the subject area) you choose. In addition you will be required to deploy all the skills and knowledge you have acquired about design practice through the three years in the program. This last will constitute a revalidation of your abilities – and your realization will be arrived at through a process of reflective writing.
Methods
Sketch design, research, propositional design, prototyping
Online Resources
Your online resources are: The blog of my practice http://campaignprojects.wordpress.com/ and Blackboard.
Schedule
Calendar - Week 3 (end research), week 6 (at risk check) and week 8 for closure (presentation of digital finals), week 8 to 15 is for execution/ making.You will work collectively with your tutor to develop your project time line in your project. Additionally you will have to participate in the presentations scheduled with the other tutorial groups.
Activities
Bushfire bunker: This is a warm up exercise and is your experience for pro-bono work in design.You are required to develop a sketch scheme in the best traditions of pen and ink drawing. The assignment will be done over two weeks – week 3 your sketch submission. Develop a detailed project:You have to develop your project with enthusiasm and vigour. Exhibition/presentation:You will present your project at the mid semester review and at the end of the semester.
Deliverables
Skills
What you deliver at the end of the project – Digital, Report/ Folio, Model/ Prototype – will be proposed by you and discussed with the tutor.
Wordpress:You will be required to learn wordpress which coupled with Firefox and its addons (scribefire, delicious, vodpod) will afford you a unique research method. You will keep notes through the whole period of your project – and pull off your final publication from the writings compiled in wordpress. This exposure will afford you a byline, and develop your online publishing capability.
Evaluation The course will adhere to the spirit of ‘grades at the beginning of the course’ – and so you will indicate your grade aspiration (as a letter grade).Your grade will be validated at the end of the semester through a peer review process.
Endnote:You will be required to learn Endnote.You have to compile all your readings and literature research into an endnote bibliography.
Readings and References
Yi Yuan, Car for Car Sharing, Campaign Projects 2008
You will develop a detailed endnote bibliography of your readings.
Pre-Major Project, 24 Credits, March 2009 Tutor: Soumitri Varadarajan (soumitri.varadarajan@rmit.edu.au) Contact Hours: 4 hours per week over 12 weeks. [48 hours contact] Non-Contact Hours: 20 hours per week over 12 weeks [240 hours] Location: Building 87 [levels 4 & 5] Time: 9.30am –12.30pm Thursdays