Project#2 ‘Interlocking body&object’

Phrase one:Research & design concept exploration

The community that I take part of is Shanghai. Growing up in a metropolitan like Shanghai, I have since childhood developed a keen awareness of Shanghai’s HAIPAI culture – the art, fashion, business, and media—it is the most multicultural city of the country. When I was a child, I often admired the skyline of the Central Banking District and feel proud to call such a wonderful community my “home”.

The unique and pluralistic culture of Shanghai is indispensable of its location and the history. In fact, Shanghai was only a small fishing community centuries ago, but the impact of war and globalization opened its door and shaped its culture.

The development of Shanghai begins with the Treaty of Nanjing in 1842 (made Shanghai open to foreign trade). The ensuing Western influence launched the city on its phenomenal growth. The greater part of the city was incorporated into the British concession, and into the U.S. concession of Hongkou. The French also obtained a concession in the late 40s and continued it as a separate entity. The foreign zones, which were under extraterritorial administration, maintained their own courts, police system, and armed forces. (All about Shanghai) The division of Shanghai did not end until WWII, but it was also during these decades that citizens from all over the world came and work. This brings great pressure to the environment. I wanted to make some changes to the awful environment. I made a 3d model of the greenhouse with trees. I want to show wills of create a more environmentally-friendly environment with more green plants.

Mood board:

The mood board shows that people living in the urban areas under the strong pollution. People will be willing to move to a suburban districts in order to feel the fresh air. People are more and more inclined to grow some plants at home. This mood board shows the connection between people, modern life and environment. People are eager to get back to the fresh environment.

Phase Two:

Interlocking by wood.Use material wood it shows sense of natural.

This is the sketch that I drawn to show my design. I used branches and interwoven these branches to create a kind of mask to filter the air that people breathe in.

This is my final sketch of the mask, I render the branches on different spots on the mask, in order to make mask more variable.

Technical drawing:

 

I used bristol paper at first to measure the size of the mask and the size of the branch.

I used the bristol model I made to cut out the actual size of the mask from the fabric.

I applied different ways of sewing to combine the fabrics together to make the mask. I compared the final effect and choose one with the best effect in 3-dimensioned.Then, I searched for the materials for the mask. I choose the haze blue because it shows the dirtiness of the environment and the mask is also dyed into the color of haze.

I also searched for many thin branches to fixed them on the mask. I sewed them with thin threads and in the same color as the mask to make the threads more invisible.

 

This is the finished work after I knitted all the branches on the mask.

I bought a stretchy band and sew them to the ends of the fabric in order to make the mask wearable.

Finally, I bought some artificial flowers and put them onto the branches as a way of decoration. Also, the presence of the flowers represents the symbol of nature.

This is the final outcome of my project. the artificial sunflowers serve as the main visual of the mask, and the branches show the element of interlock.

I made this styling picture black and white but only the mask still retain its colors, this is to show that although the earth is polluted, people are still searching and looking for an environment that filled with fresh air.

 

Reflection:

The target people are those who suffered from the pollution in the air. I lived in Shanghai for several years and the air pollution is very sever. Every year during the winter, the index of PM 2.5 is so high that people can barely see things from a distant. Lots of people get lung diseases because of the bad environment.I wanted to help them improve their lives. Thus, I made the mood board to show my wish to create a better live with more green plants. Trees can help filter away the bad quality in the air and I wish they can make people’s life better off. I researched lots of pictures with natural elements to show that the people who always live in big cities are so looking forward to nature. For me, I always go to picnics and suburban areas to get a closer interaction with the nature. So I want to bring the nature closer and back to metropolitan. I want to let the people who live among the skyscrapers also feel the free air and the green plants. Thus, i made up my mind to make a mask to represent the social phenomenon of environment and want to make the society better off.

The mask gives the people a sense of asphyxia, but the elements of the branches gives the people a sense of nature and life. Leaves and plants absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. Thus, the sharp contrast actually shows people’s hope to get a better understand of the nature and get a more intimate life with the nature. This is kind or ironic, but it shows my strong willing to help people to improve their life. I like the choice of the color very  much because it resonant with the color of haze and I just feel like the mask is full of dust and helps show the dirty environment in the city.

I go to buy the fabric of the haze blue and made a lots of experiment of sewing. I learned a lot in sewing. I choose the one which can create the most effect in 3-dimensioned and multi perspectives. I enjoyed the process very much, because I really learned a lot. I also sewed the branches onto the mask. The process is kind of trivial but I finally connect the branches to the mask is a very invisible way and make my project in a very good quality. However, I still think I have space for me to improve. Maybe I can brainstorm more ways other than sewing to connect the materials together. I want to try more creative ways to connect them. Also, the material can be improved. The branches I choose this time is kind of weak and it always broke during the process when I was making the mask.

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