Our final vocabulary word for this semester is urban resiliency. How would you define this term for a friend? What is an example they would understand? How important is the concept of resiliency to you as an artist/designer? How might it help you creatively live and work in relation to the realities of climate change? Do you have any questions about our semester vocabulary?
it is the ability to adapt to sudden or more gradual changing circumstances structurally, systemically and culturally. We must promote urban resiliency as designers because beyond urban, we are required to build transition spaces for visceral experience, and begins resilience, we should redesign for a thriving world. We as designers should imagine desirable futures and find ways to forge them. It’s believed that the individuals that will survive the realities of climate change are the ones that are most adaptive to change. However I believe that there is nothing that a great design can’t solve.
Visit and explore New York City’s Hurricane Preparation website and answer the following: http://www1.nyc.gov/assets/em/html/know-your-zone/knowyourzone.html
• -Which hurricane evacuation zone do you live within? http://maps.nyc.gov/hurricane/
I’m located in zone 5.
• What does feels like to learn what zone you inhabit?
I feel prepared for the possibility of a hurricane evacuation. Learning my evacuation zone, is beneficial in terms of planing my destination and travel routes ahead of time.
• How close is the next, nearest zone to your home?
zone 6 is one block away.
• Which zone is Parsons located within?
Parsons is located in zone 6.
• Do you feel prepared for a hurricane in NYC?
To be honest no, in fact I wasn’t aware of the risk of hurricane in NYC.
• What are your thoughts on this website’s design (is it functional, aesthetic, easy to use etc.)?
It is easy to understand, the use of visuals make it fun to explore the tabs.
zone map
Observe and “read” the areas where you walk. What kinds of materials are present? What kinds of buildings? What would be vulnerable to water? Wind? What would be difficult to see in low-light or driving rain?
Zone 1: There are so many green areas, the buildings are not quite tall. The zone is more windy compare to the inner zones. If a hurricane occurs, water may be absorbed by the trees. Also I realized that the color of the concrete at the coastline has faded. But that may happened according to other causes as well.
Zone 3: There is more urbanization compare to the zone 1.
zone 5: I come across to several emergency shelters. There are so many cafes/ restaurants that have outdoor seating to I think the seatings would be vulnerable to water. Also, there are many playgrounds so they may be damaged by water as well.
- Does an awareness of evacuation zones change the way you experience the city? – What areas appear to be vulnerable to storm surge, if any?
Definitely yes, the way I look at the city map has completely changed. Zone 1 is more likely to be damaged by a possible hurricane since it is located at the coastline.
- Which zone do you live in? Do you feel prepared for a hurricane in NYC? What would make you feel more prepared?
I live in zone 5. I don’t feel like I’m prepared but I need get prepared by developing a plan of action to keep from panicking during an emergency and I can have a evacuation route and alternatives planned in the event that I’m asked to evacuate.
5) Choose one zone (1-6) as your focus. What is a design idea you have that could communicate to the public what zone they inhabit? What kind of tool, device or signage would you make? Include a list of 3-5 challenges you would face in implementing this project in NYC (think about resiliency of materials, language issues, access to information, visibility during different times of day/during storms, diversity of publics etc.).
My zone of focus is zone 5 since it is a risky area and catastrophic damage can be occur after a possible hurricane threat. A high percentage of buildings can be be destroyed, with total roof failure and wall collapse. residential areas might be isolated by the fallen trees and power poles. Power outages can last for weeks to possibly months. Most of the area can become uninhabitable for weeks or months.
In order to raise awareness on zone category and inform inhabitants about which zone they inhabit I would color the trash bins with a color that represents the zone category. For example, I would color the trash bins which are in the coastal areas red. Since red is a stimulating color, it would attract people’s attention and would raise their awareness on the zone they inhabit. However, It would be challenging because there are so many recycle bins at the area as well, so coloring all of them in red could cause confusion and misuse of recycle bins. Also there are people who are color-blind and they may see the red bins as green so the purpose may not be accomplished.
3. Develop three final project ideas. What might you make and why? (an object, clothing, set of tools, skill manual, a design for connecting you to other people, animals or the earth, creates meaningful social connections with others etc.) Post your three ideas and include sketches for each idea (and bring these sketches to class next week). For each idea, answer the following:
- What is your idea and in what ways will this object/design be useful to you over 50 years of change? Think about how each design could have meaning and be useful in your daily life for several decades.
CURTAIN : I can make a curtain by bringing together abandoned fabrics that would otherwise be thrown away. It will be useful to me over 50 years because my design can be easily be repaired by restitching. It would be meaningful to bring out this design because It would be impressive to own a piece that is created by recycled pieces.
PAPER BAG:I want to create a beautiful but still sustainable reusable bag.I wanted the bag to be versatile enough that it could be used as a handbag, shopping bag, or tote one 50 years in order to maximize its impact and increase its durability.
SALAD CONTAINER: I want to create an impactful salad container out of recycled paper. It won’t be useful to use the exact same container over 50 years however using containers that will be designed using the same methodology will save the environment over the 50 years period for sure.
2) How will this design be resilient (used in more than one way, transform into something else over time, and/or encourage social resiliency through its usage)?
CURTAIN: since it is going to be a piece of fabric, it can also be used as a tablecloth, decorative pillowcase, or it can also be used on a wearable piece.
BAG: It could be used as a handbag, shopping bag, or tote.
CONTAINER: It could be used as a container for another type of food. or can be used as a multi purpose box.
S3) What specific event(s) of environmental change will it help YOU adapt to or address?
CURTAIN: It will be prevented to produce more fabric from cotton farms, and protection of the environment and expansion of the natural resources supply will be maintained.
BAG: many shortcuts are made in order to produce quick and cheap garments by large industries. Not a single textile, fabric or piece of clothing is completely sustainable or ethical. For instance, many of the agricultural products are grown with the use of harsh pesticides. These pesticides negatively impact the soil and the health of the farmers. In many cases, genetically modified cotton has lead to many deaths. My sustainable bag will present those serious outcomes.
CONTAINER : Deforestation due to paper production..
C4) How will this design be repaired?
CURTAIN: by restitching the damaged fabrics.Also it can be expanded by adding new abandoned pieces of fabric.
BAG: By adding new papers
CONTAINER: By producing a new out of recycled paper.
5) What materials will you use for this design given what you have learned this semester about natural/biological/recycled materials?
Consider how climate change might affect the availability of some materials in the long-term.
CURTAIN: recycled fabrics
BAG: recycled papers
CONTAINER: recycled papers
6) Which of the Long Life Design criteria does this design fulfill?
repair + function+ environment+ design+
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