Tonya Sweet -- Culturally Reflective Design

Tonya Sweet

Culturally Reflective Design: Educational Strategies for the Development of Culture-Specific Products

School of Architecture + Design College of Architecture, Art + Design

Victoria University of Wellington American University of Sharjah

New Zealand United Arab Emirates

Tonya Sweet

Culturally Reflective Design

Tonya Sweet

Culturally Reflective Design

Tonya Sweet

Culturally Reflective Design

Tonya Sweet

Concept Board

Culturally Reflective Design

Wudhu It is the Islamic procedure for washing parts of the body using water often in preparation for formal prayers (Salah) or .when handling the Holy Quran It has always been said to me that while performing the Wudu, one’s daily sins are erased and are “washed away”. For example while I am rinsing my mouth, my mouth will be cleansed from whatever wrong/sinful things I have said by the performance of the Wudu. Similarly while washing my hands, whatever wrong actions I have performed during the day will be “washed away” by the water. This is why the Wudu is considered a ritual that would prepare the Muslims for prayers both through mental and physical cleanliness

Inspirational Concrete Forms

Ablution washing areas in public mosques usually provide heavy stone stools for people to sit on while performing the Wudhu.

Although it is at a public setting, each person perfroms their ritual individually

Water texture

Fo P it

Tonya Sweet

Culturally Reflective Design

Tonya Sweet

Culturally Reflective Design

Tonya Sweet

Culturally Reflective Design

Tonya Sweet

Culturally Reflective Design

Tonya Sweet

Culturally Reflective Design

Tonya Sweet

Culturally Reflective Design

Tonya Sweet

Culturally Reflective Design

Tonya Sweet

Culturally Reflective Design

Tonya Sweet

Culturally Reflective Design

Tonya Sweet

Culturally Reflective Design

Tonya Sweet

Culturally Reflective Design

Tonya Sweet

Culturally Reflective Design

Questions:

Can contemporary design support and sustain culture?

Can design assist in the development of newly defined, contemporary cultural identities?

In our increasingly globalized world, should designers create contemporary design outcomes that allow for greater cultural specificity?

Thank you.