Course Reflection 10

About this class:
I thought this class was awesome! It interested me in going further in the field of design and I hope to meet more interesting people like Gabe that teach class (you rock dawg!). The blogging format was innovative and I really liked it. Overall, if anyone was interested to see what the Design major can be like and what is covered, this class is for them.

Journal 10

Team Jack!
Julia
Cindy
Rachel
Ben
Be
Chris
and myself

links to previous entries
J08
J09

As a whole, the project went great! I felt like our presentation fulfilled all the requirements and wasn't too long. I would say if i had to go back, there wouldn't be much that I would change. My team was great and our ideas were interesting, I also feel that all our responsibilities were fulfilled.

For myself, I didn't have any finite roles until it was time for the presentation. Still, I gave every opinion I had and didn't feel self-conscious about it. I like group projects, especially when the group you work with is great. I hope in the future to do more things like this with no complications.

Journal 09 A05 progress

Team Jack!
Julia
Cindy
Rachel
Ben
Be
Chris
And me

Overview
We've made excellent progress and have isolated areas of the house we have worked on. Currently we are using the connecting pots and pans idea for the suburban working-class family. As a group, it has been excellent. We have had no problems whatsoever. Even with conflicting ideas! It's still going smoothly and i hope that the presentation goes well.

What I have been doing
So far I've been working on the user demographic and working on what that part of the presentation would be like.

Journal 08 Assignment 5 progress

Team Jack!
Julia
Cindy
Rachel
Ben
Be
Chris
And ME!

So far our project has come along to a certain degree. I'll say that working with 6 other people is a little complicated but on the plus side there is a definite flow of great ideas. We've started brainstorming and have come up with a range of places we could focus on but i think everyone is leaning toward a suburban household

What I've done with the project is what i do best: Observe and Comment. I would listen to others ideas as well as speak my mind whenever i felt necessary. Doing so would help others expand on their ideas and hopefully my own.

Here is our work so far

Reading Reflection 8 Heskett 9-10

The last two chapters focused on the context and future of design. These two chapters moved me to think about how design has evolved and what the future entails. I then related it to the current technology output, which when I last checked it was predicting a new model or updated physical version is produced every 4-5 months. Meaning televisions, cellphones, computers, etc... are only top of the line for not even a half year. Again, makes me sad that older obsolete tech will most likely be discarded in a landfill for the time being, but the future of design hopefully entails products that can be re used or broken down to create newer models. Another plus is the possibility of a system where the government will employ a program to effectively handle the decomposition of old technology as well as garbage, furniture, cars, etc....

Reading Reflection 7 Cradle to Cradle 4-6

A lot of information was covered in chapters 4-6 and from what I gathered, that in order to actually turn this planet around we need to respect the basic essences of nature. To explain, our waste needs management. Poor disposal techniques are what is poisoning the environment today and what chapter 4 says is that instead of planning a cradle-to-grave scenario, we should design a "cradle-to-cradle" model,(There's the title!). I further believe that if it effectively managed, and forced, so to say, on the people, we will see that the effects of our past disposal of things in general would have ended up killing us. Personally, I think about how much pollution is released every day. I shouldn't be sad though, I just have to stay motivated and do my part to save the planet. Like we all should.

Journal 07 Scavenger Hunt

First 5 that specialize in outdoor camping/rec products
Gander Mt.
Coleman
Cabelas
Hudson Trail
Outdoor Outlet


Here's 3 exhibitions from trade shows

courtesy of Canoekayak

The Outdoor Retailer Winter Market Tradeshow
courtesy of Deseret news

SHOT Show
courtesy of Star Tribune













5 links to home good specialists

Home Goods
La-z-boy
hhgregg
Home Decor
Macys Furniture

I believe the definition of an indoor home good is something that can be bought or made that enhances ones feel of a home. To elaborate, what one feels as a level of "homeness" can be increased by home goods.

These are a few images of what I think to be a home good.
(Kind of a Darth Vader theme)

Course Review 07

This week what was most memorable for me was the presentation given to us by graduates of the design program also known as the firm cobego. It was not only informative, but it interested me more in pursuing the field of design. Having already been on the engineering track, it was cool knowing that there are others who were just as confused as I am when trying to select a major. I got to ask them questions like "what are the differences between engineering and design?" And "what is most appealing to you about design?" This was a great presentation and as of now I have already scheduled for more design courses.

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Cradle to Cradle: Chapters 1-3

After reading through the first three chapters I identified how concerned the author was for the environment and future of human kind. I identified with him and agree to some ammount and in particular a few sections stood out to me. In no particular order, sections "Efficient-at what?", "From Cradle to Grave", and "Once upon a Roof"

Efficient-at what? Opened me up to how efficiency or optimization of a home could also mean a buildup of hazardous materials. So even if you save energy, you're still destroying yourself in the process. The last paragraph says the goal is zero: emissions, waste, and ecological footprint. If designs are more like this then I believe our world will thrive again.

"From Cradle to Grave" informed me of how products are designed and within that process, the end result of the product is planned as well. It disgusted me that the reality of landfills is planned, but I had some hope that things could be designed with a disposal plan that is most efficient in using recycled materials and can be safe for.the environment.

"Once upon a roof" is something I've agreed with since I watch a TED video about having terrain on a roof. I really don't have much to say other than I love this idea.

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Course Review: Rip! A remix manifesto

After watching this movie I can say that I have learned a lot about what the copyright world is all about. Though informative, I felt that the film took a biased stance on the rights that people had to copy things. I do agree with the author of the video that artist "Girl Talk" is making new and enjoyable music and that some punishments for using copyrighted material is harsh. However, it is another persons work and it should be respected, referenced, and compensated for. Again, jumping back on the other side the cost of using such material is downright insane. Though, Gabe did show us the Creative Commons page and it gave me some assurance that a step in the right direction to achieve balance between artists and copyright laws is in progress.

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Journal 06: Media Reviews

Selected topic: Design and the Environment
(For some reason the link tool will not work for the url's I provide. I will just post plain text instead.
Summary

Over the course of my time spent in college, I have felt like I understand a little more about how the real world functions. In turn I have created, for myself, a loving and caring feeling for nature and especially the Earth. The bottom line: This is the only planet we have and in order to maintain our ecosystem and assured way of life, attention must be paid to the creation and management of current designs. Design is the core element of everything human made. Some idea was constructed, either a problem presented itself in life or through modification, a new invention was created. What I have begun to notice is that our world is slowly dying. It doesn't matter if speculations on global warming are true or false, the point is that something is changing. Weather is harsher, natural disasters are more catastrophic, and species are dying out. This is due to us, humans, and the fact that we are now an active force in nature. Based on what we do in the future, will set the stage for the entire planet. This is why it is crucial to design with the environment in mind and learn to co exist just like the rest of nature does so that our planet can support vast amounts of life for a long time. What really got me passionate about choosing this topic was that presentation in design class about the environment. I came to the conclusion that along with chemicals, Carbon Dioxide emissions are the most important issues to address. Some ideas for a solution or control can be seen in plant life or the management of harmful substances.

External Sources

1. Autodesk and their innovative programing.

Cost Effective Ecological Design

This video is about a program company called Autodesk that produces and designs many people use to virtually design a draft of 3d objects. I personally have used a program made by Autodesk and I have to say that this new program that helps incorporate environmental additions is an excellent feature. The video explains that designing with the environment is more cost effective rather than adding features to an existing project.

2. Simply searched "Designing for the Environment" on google and came up with the wiki page for a group called DfE or "Designing for the Environment". It was an interesting website that explained what the group stands for and some of the changes it's trying to make. Along with that page, I found a .gov video that mentions what the DfE is all about.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Design_to_the_Environment
http://www.epa.gov/dfe/multimedia/recognizedforsaferchemistry/dfe_video_popup.html

3. This page is a description on HP's take on the policies that the DfE has. It is good to know that along with new innovative design, a large company is trying to do its part to make safe products for the environment as well as humans

4. My favorite so far, a TED talk about how mushrooms can be the new Styrofoam. Since Styrofoam is so harmful to the environment, production and the fact that it takes so long to break down, there has been a new breakthrough material called Mycelium. Not only can you grow it into any mold you wish, but it decomposes perfectly within nature. To top it off, the Mycelium functions the same as styrofoam and can be insulating as well as heat resistant.


5. The book: Design + Environment By Helen Lewis & John Gertsakis
This book, defines my topic. Since I do not own this book i looked at a preview on google. So far the outlining on the contents is straightforward but has interesting chapters like: Assessing environmental impacts, Why focus on design?, and Avoiding hazardous materials. I'm actually considering buying this. But since i'm poor...yeah...

(Cover)





























http://books.google.com/books?id=3tQyPkMAkIkC&printsec=frontcover&dq=design+%2B+environment+helen+lewis&source=bl&ots=XT7Z5mbLtR&sig=z-8CHJm06EnxQNTNf3SjxFy20F0&hl=en&ei=swhiTezVOon4gAfZ3ISxAg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBcQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false

(Link to google page)

Journal 5: 50 things

A ordinary trip to my local Giant Eagle.

1. I work here as well as shop.
2. The signs are red and yellow. (Indication of colors to make you hungry?)
3. The floor managers are all having dinner together in the cafe.
4. the simpsons are on the television.
5. there are two microwaves one is turned facing the wall.
6. a woman at the hot foods bar is, in my opinion, buying a LOT of chicken
7. the bakery is just pulling fresh brownies out of the oven.
8. there is a section near the bakery dedicated to cake and cake-like pastries
9. the cheese shop woman said hello to me because she knows me.
10. A full wheel of cheese can cost up to $200
11. there is a hole in the floor near the meat dept. it is sealed with a metal plate.
12. my co workers ask what I'm doing in the store with a note pad.
13. My name is in the word "giant"
14. There is a recycling center for plastic bags near the entrance.
15. There is a small Clothing section for OSU near the restrooms
16. I shouldn't write and walk because of a potential collision.
17. There are two cameras in every aisle
18. A large sign hung from the ceiling is swaying from the air conditioning fan.
19. Pop and chips are in the same dedicated aisle
20. The sample woman is handing out cooked chicken with Chinese hot sauce. mmm
21. People still shop in their full winter clothing.
22. There are two kinds of saws in the meat dept.
23. one is for effectively cutting through bones.
24. the other is for anything without bones but is limited to beef specifically.
25. the number of knives we have to keep in the dept. is 18
26. all knives have to be regularly sharpened prior to use.
27. there are so many lobsters in the tank, it is practically impossible to count all of them.
28. Since I've been in the store two people have come up to the meat dept. counter and asked for deli meat.
29. There is a specific section for organic or naturally raised meat.
30. The fillet is on sale for $14.99 per pound.
31. there is a special aisle dedicated to foreign foods.
32. Candy and alcohol are in the same section....
33. Snacks have two aisles
34. The first is bakery items like cookies and bread.
35. the second is fruit snacks or healthy choice snacks
36. the fruit and healthy snacks aisle is creatively placed in the same aisle as baby and or toddler supplies/food.
37. Soda is super expensive. usually 4.99 for a 12 pack
38. the yogurt section in the dairy is about 12ft long
39. I just saw a mom with two children and a cart full of 2 gallon milk jugs
40. there are some homeless people sitting in the cafe.
41. At the customer service desk there is also a dry cleaning service
42. the mega millions jackpot is 33 million dollars.
43. my friend brian is sitting on the electric shopping cart
44. the pharmacy has aisles that are designated by numbers
45. currently in my cart is just easy mac, milk, bread, peanut butter, and ground beef.
46. The gift card section at giant eagle is beyond vast.
47. the normal gas price is $3.14 per gallon. (I thought of pi)
48. the self checkout is pretty cool with it's own conveyor belt.
49. I have $1.20 off in fuel perks
50. I have .9 % in food perks

Letterform Seek n' Find

Just for clarification, which I shouldn't need but just in case, I will type the corresponding letter next to its photo form.

Here I go!

"P"

"C"

"L"

"J"

"Y"

"S"

"B"

"X"

"O"

"U"

"A"

"D"

McDonough Introduction: This Book is Not a Tree

It's true. This book that I'm reading isn't actually a tree. It's composed of an infinitely recyclable material which is a combination of resins and plastic material. I'm impressed that this book actually looks and feels like a high quality print and I was even more impressed to learn that there are materials that can be infinitely recycled. Regardless, this book serves as a physical symbol of what the actual book stands for. In the introduction McDonough talks about how humanity is slowly causing harm to the earth and all its ecosystems. His solution, in short, is to transform industry so that every design is created with an ecological standpoint. So far I look forward to reading more.

Course Reflection 5

The past week in class has been very informative. We covered two main topics: Color & Designing for the Environment. On monday I learned techniques that I could use if I was limited on color choice such as the Bezold effect. This used lines with color between the spaces to give colors either a darker or lighter appearance. I also learned that tint, which I originally thought was to darken something like windows, was actually the addition of white while shading is the addition of black.

Designing for the environment gave me an insight of how wasteful some companies can be. I've realized that the more I grow up, the more I know about the world and how we as a human race are slowly leading to its destrustion. Frankly, it angers the he'll out of me that we are such a wasteful, careless race. Don't get me wrong I am wasteful too but there's not much I can do besides go to school and learn how to fix or help prevent environmental destruction. Still, this lecture gave me hope. Since design is practically in everything we do, if we design while taking the environment into account, then we might be able to make a large enough impact that we can coexist with nature and flourish. The lecture gave me insight on the 6 stages of design and how designers spend large ammounts of time making sure that their design does what is expected and what consequences it will have. It is essential to map these aspects of design and in turn the world should be a better place to live for everyone.

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Reading Response, Heskett 7-8

The two chapters 7 & 8 named Identities and Systems respectively, didn't enthrall me much. Identities was about how companies, businesses, corporations etc. Can change their entire image and most often with that change comes new business motives as well. Still, I felt that all the content was fairly common knowledge which made the read a little hard to trudge through but none the less Heskett still manages to keep me interested in design. Chapter 8, titled: Systems, in short was about how the design of a process is created, used, and how effective it is. A common system referenced in the book was signage, most importantly roadway signs and bilingual signs. What I found most interesting, because I have even used it myself, is Dell and their use of the internet or telephone to let consumers "build" their own computer to desired specifications. Reading that chapter made me ponder what systems are designed that I encounter most in my life. If I understand it correctly, things like bus routes or even math formulas were concieved by someone.

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Found Faces J04

Alas, I only found 3....

Hunting Down Design: Assignment 3

Team members:Ben

Process
With the aid of my trusty android phone the scavenger hunt became very short but still informative. I already knew where the first one was, but Ben had 1, 2, and 4 figured out. Still, for the other two I just used my phone to search google and the answers became clear. As for the picture taking, it was done on my camera as well (thanks 8 mega pixels). As for the hunt itself we decided not to go in particular order, rather which clues were in proximity to each other we planned our route on the fly. First it was clue #4 (Math Tower) then it was to Knowlton for clues #1 and #2. finally we tackled clue #5 (Thompson) then finally clue #3 (Wexner center).

Here I go!

#1. First up is The Barcelona Chair, designed by Mies Van der Rohe in 1929. The chair's original design consisted of the metal being bolted together and the leather was from pig skin. Though the new design has steel connected by one piece for a seamless finish and modern black leather. The Primary owner of the design and rights is Knoll and has been making these chairs since 1953.

#2. The second clue and the chair I am sitting in is called the Wassily Chair which was designed by Marcel Breuer in 1925-6. An interesting fact about the designer is that he studied and taught in the Bauhaus. What made the chair a symbol of modernism was the bent steel tubes used to construct its frame. The magazine I'm reading is called Sex+Design. A rather odd magazine showing that relations of the adult world and design. It is also mentionable to say that I visited their website and they are very liberal with their language, pictures, and design.

#3. The third clue led us to a design by Peter Eisenman, The Wexner Center. This building not only looks complex but it sort of plays mind games with you as you walk through it. An interesting fact is that the old armory was there before but because Eisenman wanted to keep some characteristics of it he included several structures that resembled a castle.

#4. Next up was a design of Philip Johnson. Ben and I picked the Math Tower. We both took our pictures under the archway entrance because if one were to take a
longer look at the building they would notice that the arch is a re-occurring feature. Also a notable feature of the building is that there was so much brick used that it gives the building a strong character.

#5. Finally, last on the list was the building designed by Acock & Associates. Drumroll......Thompson Library! Though what is the most interesting about this building is that it was built in three phases but eventually was renovated to compliment the time by Acock & Associates. Their mission was to make the library more of a hub for the university than ever before. Quoted from their website before the renovation "the physical environment falls short of its expectations." I do say so myself that seeing this library is a truly beautiful project and it will serve the university for many years.

Course reflection 4

This past week we talked about designing for accessibility. What I found the most interesting was that not long ago there were designs that did not incorporate everyone who would use it. An example of this would be cooking utensils or tools. Something as simple as making something exclusively right handed can impact multiple groups of people. This is where the concept of universal design takes place. Gabe explained to us, and I agree, that in order to design for the future we would need to design for everyone. After the lecture we watched a video about a new kind of wheelchair, designed by Dean Kamen (I believe). Personally, I think it's a great idea but it would cost a lot of money that I am almost positive most people do not have

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Assignment 02 Main Article

3. Eric Owen Moss
Sources: The Uncertainty of Doing by Paola Giacona
Eric Owen Moss Projects and Designs #2 by Brad Collins

My more in depth research is dedicated to Eric Owen Moss. As I was looking for my first two subjects in the Architecture Library I came upon several books that held his name. I first looked at his Projects and Designs book and from seeing those designs; I decided to dive further into the life of the man. He was born and raised in Los Angeles, California which is where he also started his career attending the University of California in 1965. From there he went on to the Barkley College of Environmental design to earn his Masters of Architecture in 1968. He then went to the Harvard School of Design and earned his second Masters of Architecture in 1972. He spent the years revitalizing a once defunct industrial tract in Culiver City, California. His work there showed his innovation in building techniques and his passion for constructing a community and promoting job creation. In The Uncertainty of Doing he was described by the author in this statement: “It is impossible, by examining his work chronologically, to find an evolutionary logic to it.” With that statement I give you works of his that I found the most unique.

All of the following pictures were referenced in the book Projects and Designs #2 but the pictures were found on the internet.

The picture above is called The Box

Beehive

Samitaur or Hayden Tower

Glass Tower

Stealth. From the triangle view.

Assignment 02 b

2.Frank Lloyd Wright. Sources: An Interpretive Biography by: Robert C. Twombly, Frank Lloyd Wright His life, His work, His words by: Oligivanna Lloyd Wright.

An American designer, architect, writer, and teacher, Frank Lloyd Wright was one of the most well renowned designers in the world. He has written over 20 books and has designed over 500 completed projects. What I found most interesting that because of the time there was no evidence he graduated from high school and when he left the University of Wisconsin-Madison he didn’t take a degree. He then spent most of his time in Chicago working to repair the damage caused by the Great Chicago Fire and eventually established his own practice in 1893. What interested me the most about this man was the fact that going through such turmoil through his life, such as, abandonment of his family, his relations with Mamah Cheney, her death, fires that destroyed his home, custody battles, his third wife Miriam Noel and that relationship falling through he still kept it for the most part together. Some of his most significant works occurred in his later years included the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and the Price Tower.

Assignment 02

1. I.M. Pei. Sources: Profile in American Architecture by: Carter Wiseman, I.M. PEI. Mandarin of Modernism


I.M. Pei is a Chinese-American Architect who is well renowned the modernism he uses in his work. He was originally born in Canton China and was raised in Hong Kong and Shanghai. His family is also well renowned in China because his ancestry in Suzhou dates back around 600 years. When he first moved to the United States his original intentions as a career were becoming an architect, but he switched to engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Though he wasn’t too keen on the arithmetic but more of the aesthetic aspect of design he switched back to Architecture. After his academic achievements at MIT he joined the Harvard Graduate School of Design where he expanded his knowledge further. Some of his most notable works are the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum, The renovation of the Louvre, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Journal 3: Survey and Results

Here is my survey I administered

Survey: Environmental Concerns and You
1. Paper or Plastic?

2. Do you recycle? Y/N
3. Off the top of your head, what is the best source of energy besides fossil fuel?


4. Do you think we, as a human race, will remain dependent on fossil fuel for years to come?




5. Do you have an idea to “save the planet”? If so share:


The survey that I gave consisted of five questions. Since the questions were somewhat specific I figured that only a small number of people (5) would be sufficient enough in order to get a unique trend. The results are as follows

1. Everyone I surveyed used or preferred using plastic bags than paper
2. Out of the 5 people I surveyed. Only one actually recycled on a weekly basis.
3. The answers were: 2 for Electricity, Bio Fuels, Wind, and Hydrogen Fuel Cells.
4. Sadly only one person said that we as a human race would eventually stop using fossil fuel in the future.
5. All of these were different. The first to last: Water turbines, Conservation, Hybridization of fossil fuels and alternative energy, Construction of wind and solar mills used to help power large cities or towns, and finally the last was nothing. The final survey subject said that oil would be in such high demand that there would be no point in having a “save the world plan” because we were doomed.

Course Reflection 3

This week in Design 200 we focused on the steps in the design process. What was the most interesting was watching a design team, namely Ideo, come up with a new design for a shopping cart within 5 days. At first I was a little worried because if I was faced with that task I wouldn’t be so sure if 5 days would be enough. However, for Ideo this is what they do daily and to make something new in 5 days is truly testing their skill. In my opinion, the end product of the teams work was amazing. What interested me the most was that Ideo had their own version of a design process, which was letting people vent their creativity so that even abstract ideas were taken into consideration. I also found that when the team came together, all of the best ideas were put into the shopping cart. As for Design 200, I am still very interested in learning more.

Reading Reflection 3

This week’s reading introduced me to three more concepts of design: Objects, Communication, and Environments. After reading the 3 chapters I had more of an insight about the history of design and the processes some designs go through. The chapter Objects stood out the most to me because it explained that while things are designed for uses, they are heavily based on appearances as well. I also found it annoying that some designs are primarily based on looks and as a result the efficiency can be severely impacted as well as the cost extremely high. Still, what pleased me is that some designs took in both efficiency and appearances so make one beautiful looking functional thing. For example the first iMac used see-through colored plastics to give an identity as well as a modern look. Innovations like those are what I would feel proud of if I were a designer.
From the communications section most of what I gathered was that using symbols or pictures can have a universal meaning. Seeing examples in the book reminded me and also made me more aware of the symbols I see every day while at school, or riding the bus, etc. For the environments section I realized that design, mostly interior, was heavily based off of the “feel” of the place. In lecture we talked about the environment that designers create to make a person feel immersed in where they are or what they are doing. For example Gabe talked about how he would design a bank so that customers would feel a sense of innovation as well as a comfort while inside. Knowing this helps me understand some of the big ideas behind design and I am intrigued to learn more.

Found Patterns

For this project I decided to take an entire day and find things around campus that had a pattern. The one day shot didn't work, but I've assembled a majority of things around campus that stood out to me, plus I had a few that were in my house as well. So, here I go! Top Ten. Boom!


The first picture is snapped from the architecture building a.k.a. Knowlton hall. This...support beam, I guess you could call it was massive. The fact that it was multiple blocks was intriguing enough to snap a pic. 


 This second one is from Hayes Hall. I noticed that this building is just all kinds of interesting but I liked the archways the most especially since they had beams throughout.













 I can't say for sure which building this is, but I took this picture after a late night in the architecture studio. the building is on Woodruff near High St. I believe.

 This Picture is from my house. I found it interesting because if you look closely you can see the lines making somewhat of a zigzag. I found out that since my house is so old the plaster can sometimes move with the wood of the house, thus creating thin, but harmless cracks in the ceiling.

 This Picture is also from my house. What I found interesting was not only did this mirror have etchings on it but it is composed of different squares that can be re arranged(I think) to form a new combination. I have no idea how old this is but when i cleaned my grandmothers house I found it still attached to a wall behind a large dresser. I'm guessing it's from the 70's, just saying haha.

 This picture was snapped just outside of the Wexner Center. I found it interesting because I was going for a pillar theme at the time and the marble looks very nice.

I decided to put this in because while being such a basic pattern, it has another special quality. These are all down high street so in other words, it is the longest pattern I have on this top ten.

 Another sort of pillar theme. This photo was taken in my math lecture hall. It is a combination of two patterns, not to mention that it is on both sides of the room.

 This was taken around the oval. The Northern part i think. I chose it because it went with the pillar theme and i felt that because of it's huge size it seemed appropriate to include it. 

The last one in my countdown was taken at my friend's house above their fireplace. This is interesting because when I asked about it, origins and such, they just told me that it was a fake fireplace and I shouldn't worry about it. I asked again later but to no avail. Haha I love my friends.

Reading Response 2

For Reading Response 2, the assigned reading was Haskett Chapters 1-3. The First chapter opened up with the broad question: What is design? The chapter explained that the origins of design date all the way back to sentient life. What I found most interesting is that it is natural human nature to augment and make things better, thus the origins of design and the continuation of design are laid on the table. Fortunately, the second chapter rolls right into it stating the historical evolution of design. It first starts off with tools, then cars, and moves on to tell the reader how art was incorporated in design. The chapter also talked about the start of the first businesses and how they came to be today. The final chapter talked about the significance in design i.e. the influences certain designs could carry. The book gave an example how an art style was used in propaganda and how Adolf Hitler himself called for the design of the first VW Beetle because it emphasized the phrase "Strength through Joy".

Class Reflection 2

This week in class I was introduced to the different kinds of fields specific to the design major. What I've found the most interesting is learning what Industrial and Interior design. Now that I am familiar with what those specific fields consist of I can explain why they interest me. First, the thought of designing different transportation methods like cars, trains, bicycles, etc. has always been an interest of mine and I have noticed that I enjoy looking at the outer appearances of said transportation methods. Interior design has interested me for a while because in this day and age first impressions are everything. I've always thought it interesting to see what a designer does to make impressions on the people who see it. Class is going well for me and learning this information piques my curiosity to learn what else the field of design constitutes. 

Design Crave.

Having selected this website as my article base I stumbled upon a video. What intrigued me first about this video is that it had the word "Lego" in the title and I knew I was going to like it because I've been all about building with legos since I was a young child. The video was about a weird looking guy building whatever he wants but after he runs out of his own legos, he proceeds to take them from other people by means of reaching through a magical "cabinet" and popping out somewhere completely different. The people he steals from are most notably children which is comical because legos are popularly categorized as a child's toy. The thief's stolen bricks soon become live stop motion beings and play music. By the end of the film he has a whole band and he ends up dancing to the music himself. He is then seen as legos himself but a child is playing with him and a setting resembling most of the movie.

What kept me interested was the fact that stop motion was used in the making of this video and no matter how many bricks the thief picked up, he always created what he wanted. The ending remark that it only takes a few bricks to create something is important to me because it shows that something simple can still be a design. I feel like this video sends a message to anyone that we can be creative with the little things given to us. Other people should take note and watch this video, because sometimes it only takes a little bit to be inspired in the right way.


Lego Video

About me and Design 200

Hello, my name is Ian and i have two last names, hence the G.w. I am currently a student at The Ohio State University and my current major is exploring. I've lived in Ohio my whole life but I am well traveled, primarily on the east coast of America. Some of my primary interests include listing to music, video games, snowboarding, drawing, and cooking. I've also participated in multiple sports, among my favorites are Rugby, basketball, badminton, and racquetball. I also take interest in martial arts and am fond of exercise. In school I am currently listed as an exploration major but I originally was a pre-engineering major. Over time Ive become interested in other sort of similar majors to engineering like Architecture and Design majors. Having said such, the creation of this blog is due to my intro to design class, Design 200 to be specific. What I hope to get out of Design 200 is a basic understanding what individuals do in the field of design. I also hope that this class will help me decide what I want to ultimately major in.  Design is going well so far and I'm Intrigued to find out more.

I have created my Blog!

Yes, it's true. Ian has created a blog and he wants the world to know. So, Hello World, more info to follow.