community engagement

Without community engagement, there is little potential for successful design.

This project places community engagement at the forefront of the design process. Each phase circles back to this concept, emphasizing the critical relationship between the designers and end users, and therefore the relationships within and between communities.

Without community engagement, there is little possibility for successful design.

Our team visited Lowell Elementary School in Mesa, AZ to interact with the 6th grade class. In the several weeks of activities with the students, we began to learn about the unique characteristics that each individual contributed to their class’ community. Our interactions encouraged further connection between students and team members, and helped to guide our conceptual development throughout the course of the project. In getting to know our client and end user, our team developed and strengthened our value of empathy and considerations of universal design

activity 1

In order to learn about the students, they were asked to write and draw answers to several questions pertaining to their individual characteristics, as well as their cultural background.

activity 2

Family and culture were two categories that were prominent in the students’ answers in the first activity, so the second activity helped to further explore what components make up “a day with my family” or “a cultural celebration” through writing and drawing.

activity 3

The students discussed and wrote down ideas specific to their community and their individual aspirations. These answers were centered around group activities, family, and future goals.

activity 4

The students were asked to draw their answer to the question: “What is meaningful to you within your community?” Their responses were centered around common themes including sports, flags, nature, art, and technology.

demographics

a microcosm of the country as a whole. However, Scottsdale, AZ presents a much different data set. The diversity between these two local cities offered a unique challenge in considering universal, interactive, and accessible design within the installation. United States Mesa, AZ Scottsdale, AZ Data and Graphics from the United States Census Bureau According to data from the United States Census Bureau, the city of Mesa, AZ represents

A4 analysis In the A4 Stakeholder Analysis, the team discussed the installation with the students in terms of Actors, Activities, Artifacts, and Atmosphere. The data gathered from this activity helped to guide the conceptual development for the structure, based on who would be interacting with it and what they would be doing within and around it.

actors

families kids adults people animals pets activities

eat stand rest play converse create artifacts

chairs tables light food water phones atmosphere

happy relaxed warm cool windy comfortable

Towards the end of the fabrication phase, the students from Lowell and Porter Elementary Schools came to ASU to learn about to learn about early college preparation and to see the work they had inspired. The students responded with excitement upon touring the Workshop at the Design School and seeing the structures. Having that type of interaction with the client was incredibly rewarding.