_i exist by implication_

See below for a detail of the animation.

What will the future be like? Where will we be? Who will we meet? Most importantly… How will we identify ourselves and to others?

The exploration into what the future may look like continues.
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As part of a studio project, I carried out an exploration in the spirit of the PixelVision. Honoring the tradition of pixelvisionaries, I underwent a personal study of my way to-and-from design studio. I recorded these different videos using a point and shoot canon s70 digital camera, which since it was not really intended for video recording, it provides an “amateurish” feel and look.

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As we explore and venture into the future, we meet to collaborate together and see what the future may hold for us.

Click image for high resolution.

The future really caught our attention.
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November is here. We are approaching the end of the line with symposium, which only means that we are now approaching the interesting times.

Brainstorming sessions have begun.
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[All of these images where drawn with light on a 30 second exposure photograph.]

How will you relate to your digital self? Will your digital self dictate who you are?Click for HighRes
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It’s that time of year. We are half way through the semester and I’ve decided to refocus all of my research.

What drives in human beings the need to be remembered? Why is it sometimes crucial to leave a mark behind? Why do people want to communicate that they were here or there? We can see this along history… from cave drawings, to the Pyramids of Giza, to royal paintings, to photographic portraits, to bathroom stalls, to contemporary social networks as facebook and myspace. Other people want me to know something about them, and they want to be sure that I remember it for a long time.
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See Contribute, a stop action presentation from today’s class.

Model thought, envisioned and created in 1 hour and a half as a reaction to the phrase:
Empowerment as me jumping on top of you and screaming like crazy!

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The Culmination of the all-nighter

During my presentation
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This story, which is the product of a in-class brainstorming session with the rest of my classmates, uses exact quotes given to me by my peers (in red) and I have created a whole fictitious narrative around them to explore the idea or concept of empowerment.

Welcome back to another segment of Who’s pica is it anyway?

] For this segment the rules are simple: a random person of the crowd will yell out a theme for two of our improv graphic designers to execute. Then, remember those little paper pieces that were handed to you at the beginning of the show? Those papers where you could write whatever you wanted on? Well, every 15 seconds, our improvisers will incorporate one of these statements into the overall dialogue. (If you later decide to go online and download the transcript, we will include the nicknames of those who submitted statements.) Let’s begin!

_Master of ceremonies_ Our improvisers for the night are girgen29 & pirindinga. Anyone have a theme in mind?

] not even a second went by and a voice from the side of the room yelled empowerment (crispygonzo) [

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The Designer

The file uploaded, but the designer was still in control.

As a graphic designer, I wonder about my possible contribution to a social & architectural development project. How can I aid other professionals whose practice and form are key in improving people’s lives while recontextualzing their social condition. How can I help them understand the possibilties that are at hand?

I analyzed the case study of Quinta Monroy at Iquique, Chile. This social housing development project was idealized by architect Alejandro Aravena from the Elemental Group and the Barrio Chile civic organization.

In this case study, and in many others that the group has already finished, Elemental does a wonderful job of working with the community. It understands that in this kind of relationship, understanding social realities is the key to the success of any endeavor. It is not possible to come in with a brilliant idea, impose it and carry it out. If no interest is shown on the community’s opinion, nothing will take place.

Seminars, collaborative sessions, educational exercises, informational meetings… just a small sample of the efforts that Elemental performs to gain confidence and understanding from the members of communities, which are usually skeptical any kind efforts made in order to improve their way of life.

My project concentrates in the touch point between these two groups (architects vs. community members). I explored the possibility of a visualization system to allow a better dialogue between the architetcs’ diagramatic style and a verbally denoted system that allows for the community to develop a sense of ownership and understand that this kind of project is not an imposition, but a template for them to develop within. It’s about realizing the unlimited possibilties.

These are the images of my presentation. You can download a high resolution if you prefer.

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These are initial renditions of the explorations for our new studio project.

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Ten (10) Possible Strategies for Designers to Improve Communication Management with Communities

The following are not presented in any particular order, as implementation of all or some strategies may vary from case to case:

1. Elucidating the Big Picture
Community members often argue their cases focusing in particulars, often missing a large scale, wider-scoped understanding of the issue at hand.

2. Make the Community’s Questions Your Own
Identify questions and concerns that are key to the conflict and address them before they are articulated as such. Answer them directly, and proceed to explain; not otherwise. Making sense is about acknowledging pro’s and con’s.

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