P A R T 1
Objectives:
- Watch each of the four TED TALKS
- Write your reflection on each of them (your take on: what did you learn? What was surprising for you?)
- LP Update- Send the URL link to my attention CANVAS
Reflections:
Cradle To Cradle Design – William McDonough
Cradle to Cradle Design is a design philosophy that essentially gives a name to a process that already exists. McDonough elaborates on how our planet’s natural process of growth, death, repeat is a system that is best suited for the overall health of the planet. Humanity’s largest issue in regards to the environment is the production and mismanagement of resources and waste. By utilizing waste as a form of energy we essentially remove half of the issue altogether.
Nature has been doing this since its inception with biodegradation. When a plant begins to wither and eventually dies its body is reabsorbed into the soil where the nutrients that remain are removed and distributed for new growth.
In McDonough’s book, the process is taken a step further by naming similar systems for our own products; technical metabolisms and bio-technical metabolisms. One such example is a carpet that is synthetic in nature. Once the carpet is old, overused, etc. it is sent back to the factory where it is broken down back into thread and respun into another carpet. This cyclical system tackles how industries dealt with waste and how similar undertaking need to occur.
I am familiar with Cradle to Cradle Design due to my Sustainable Systems class, however, I was not aware of the person behind it and the projects that he was completing. Learning more about him and his projects was very interesting.
Grow Your Own Clothes – Suzanne Lee
I was surprised to learn that one could create fabric out of bacteria. The idea that we could take something that is still generally regarded as evil, and turn it into something that not only will benefit us, but the planet as well is great. Suzanne Lee’s invention is versatile and practical with great outcomes. In particular, the idea that it is biodegradable, easily dyed, and easily patterned is exciting. The only issue, however, is the fact that it absorbs water very easily so it would not be good to wear in areas with significant rain. If this is rectified in some way then it would be a viable option for brands and designers to use.
Biomimicry In Action – Janine Benyus
I learned about biomimicry in my middle school and high school and I found it to be very inspiring. It has never really been a feature in my work so it fell out of my memory for the most part. However, after watching Janine Benyus’ talk it reminded me of the wonders of this field of design and how important it is. In particular, one point that was touched on was the mastery of nature and the planet. Global Warming was not an issue before we came along, implying that we are the cause of it. If nature was able to live “gracefully” (as Benyus puts it) without us then we surely take a few lessons from them to better prepare ourselves and our descendants in the future.
Design At The Intersection Of Technology & Biology – Neri Oxman
By far the most enjoyable, Neri Oxman’s talk was exciting and inspiring. I watched this video before on my own and I distinctly remember how amazed I was with the idea that you could engineer nature by using its natural and intrinsic quality of growth for your own needs. By doing so, Oxman used the natural tendencies of silkworms on top of technology to develop a pavilion.
Furthermore, her points about how designers see their designs as parts that need to be assembled. She outlines how nature does not work in this way. Nature developed a system that emphasizes growth and addition of materials rather than the assembly of smaller parts. This point highlights how complex and detailed yet efficient and sustainable nature is. By utilizing this philosophy, Oxman and her team are working towards the development of products and methods that bridge the two together in the hopes of creating newer, more efficient, and original ways of living in todays world.
Citations:
https://awomensthing.org/blog/neri-oxman-organic-design/
P A R T 2
Objectives:
- Based on Video 1– Provide 2- 3 examples from your surrounding that need Cradle to Cradle (complete life cycle) intervention.
- Based on video 3– Provide 2-3 examples(include pictures you took not from the Internet!)from your surrounding of objects that their design reminds you motives/forms/shapes function from nature. Show images of the inspiration and your findings.
- Print the pictures and attached them (glue, tape) into your sketchbook to show in class or your laptop. I will not accept showing the images via cellphone
Images:
Cradle To Cradle Design – William McDonough
Plastic Peanut Butter Jar
Multi-material Headphones
Bandaids
Biomimicry In Action – Janine Benyus
Lounge Chairs on 10th Floor of Parsons Building – Kangaroo Pouch
Jewelry Clasp – Animal Claw
