Category: Integrative Studio 2

Bridge 4: Intervention | Integrative Studio 2

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Summary

Taking inspiration from CJ Hendry’s recent exhibit: Monochrome, in which she built seven rooms of a house and dedicated each one to a specific color, I designed a color-based intervention in my dorm hallway. My zine’s topic is “Color Psychology” and keeping that in mind, I thought of doing this intervention. I chose my hallway as the location because of the blank space available and the fact that it is frequented throughout the day by the people who live on this floor. I covered two walls on either side with colored paper and used reusable streamers of the same color to partition the colored area from the rest of the hallway. This created a colored room-like section that people would have to pass through in order to exit the floor. To make it even more effective, I covered the lamps with colored translucent paper. This way the hallway was bathed in the color. Also, to ensure sustainability I made sure to recycle the paper and even used reusable colored table cloth instead of paper in some areas. The colors I chose are the three primary colors: yellow, blue and red.

This intervention was held over the course of three days, with one day for each color. With a section of the hallway completely decorated in one particular color, it is bound to have psychological effects on the people passing through it. My intention is to understand what people feel towards colors and how they react because of them. I came up with a list of questions to ask my fellow students who passed through the hallway every day.

 

My List of Questions

  1. Did the colors have any effect(s) on you?
  2. Which color made you feel most energetic?
  3. Which color ruined your mood?
  4. Which color did you feel most connected to?
  5. Would you like the concept of colored walls in our hallways/classrooms over plain white walls?
  6. What do you usually associate the three colors with?
    • Yellow –
    • Blue –
    • Red –
  7. Describe how you felt in the colored hallways in one word for each –
    • Yellow –
    • Blue –
    • Red –

 

Some Responses

Prerna Sharma

  1. Did the colors have any effect(s) on you? – Yes
  2. Which color made you feel most energetic? – Yellow
  3. Which color ruined your mood? – Red
  4. Which color did you feel most connected to? – Yellow
  5. Would you like the concept of colored walls in our hallways/classrooms over plain white walls? – No
  6. What do you usually associate the three colors with?
    • Yellow – sunshine
    • Blue – water
    • Red – anger
  7. Describe how you felt in the colored hallways in one word for each –
    • Yellow – happy
    • Blue – calm
    • Red – suffocated

Shivani Aggarwal

  1. Did the colors have any effect(s) on you? – Yes
  2. Which color made you feel most energetic? – Yellow
  3. Which color ruined your mood? – Blue
  4. Which color did you feel most connected to? – Red
  5. Would you like the concept of colored walls in our hallways/classrooms over plain white walls? – Yes please
  6. What do you usually associate the three colors with?
    • Yellow – happiness and joy
    • Blue – heavy
    • Red – lively but harmful
  7. Describe how you felt in the colored hallways in one word for each –
    • Yellow – motivated
    • Blue – running away
    • Red – dramatic

Anvita Shah

  1. Did the colors have any effect(s) on you? – Yes
  2. Which color made you feel most energetic? – Yellow
  3. Which color ruined your mood? – Red
  4. Which color did you feel most connected to? – Yellow/Blue
  5. Would you like the concept of colored walls in our hallways/classrooms over plain white walls? – Yes
  6. What do you usually associate the three colors with?
    • Yellow – sunshine
    • Blue – water
    • Red – anger
  7. Describe how you felt in the colored hallways in one word for each –
    • Yellow – cheerful
    • Blue – calm
    • Red – frustrated

Amaya Avila

  1. Did the colors have any effect(s) on you? – Maybe
  2. Which color made you feel most energetic? – Yellow
  3. Which color ruined your mood? – Red
  4. Which color did you feel most connected to? – Blue
  5. Would you like the concept of colored walls in our hallways/classrooms over plain white walls? – Yes
  6. What do you usually associate the three colors with?
    • Yellow – happy, excited
    • Blue – calm
    • Red – angry
  7. Describe how you felt in the colored hallways in one word for each –
    • Yellow – energetic
    • Blue – peaceful
    • Red – stressed

 

Reflection

Executing this intervention was a demanding task because of the labor it required. Luckily, I’m blessed with wonderful roommates and neighbors who were of great help throughout the setting-up process. When I started the process, I didn’t expect it to take as long as it did. I also had to make sure not to come in anyone’s way, which was quite difficult because of the scale of my intervention. However, as I was putting up my craft, most of the students passing by asked me questions and had positive responses. That motivated me and reassured my nerves about doing something this large. The answers I got to my list of questions were very close to the ones I expected. Yellow made everyone feel happy and warm, blue was calming while red really aggravated their frustration. The reactions I got toward red were quite extreme as I came home one day to find the paper and streamers completely torn and left on the floor. At first, I was deeply upset, but later it hit me that this is exactly what red makes one do. It angers people. I was extremely glad to see how the colors affected people and how their responses were in accordance with my research.

If I had to do anything differently, I would try using different objects of the same color and organize them in a similar way as mentioned above. I would want to eliminate the use of paper completely. Something reusable is a much better option. Also, since I noticed quite a few students using my sectionalized area as backdrops for photoshoots, I would want to set it up in a more organized and clean manner and maybe design it in a way that can be used as a photo booth or “Instagram spot” in the future.

I have always been intrigued by colors and their effects on people. Color psychology has been of interest to me for a very long time. I love attending exhibits related to this topic. I aspire to create a large-scale public installation on the theme of colors someday. This small intervention taught me a lot and I believe it is a great first step to my journey in this field.

 

Documentation of Intervention – https://drive.google.com/open?id=1iwzjLlY7yKtUj6ljZGBFfh9JPIydUCkX

 

Zine Documentation

 

Zine –


 

Intervention Ideas

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Stuyvesant Residence Hall, 3rd floor hallway

Taking inspiration from CJ Hendry’s recent exhibit: Monochrome, in which she built seven rooms of a house and dedicated each to one specific color, I want to design a color-based intervention in my dorm hallway. My zine’s topic is “Color Psychology” and keeping that in mind, I thought of doing this intervention. I chose my hallway as the location because of the blank space available and the fact that it is frequented by the people who live on this floor throughout the day. I will be covering the two extended walls on either side, with colored paper. The colors I have chosen are the three primary colors: yellow, blue and red. This intervention will be held over the course of three days, with one day for each color. With the hallway completely decorated in one particular color, it is bound to have psychological effects on the people passing through it. Along with covering the walls, I will also be using streamers of the same color to beautify the doors and covering the lights with yellow translucent paper. This way, the hallway will be bathed in the color. After the intervention has taken place, I will be going to each dorm room and asking its residents the following questions:

 

  1. Did the colors have any effect(s) on you?
  2. Which color made you feel most energetic?
  3. Which color ruined your mood?
  4. Which color did you feel most connected to?
  5. Would you like the concept of colored walls in our hallways/classrooms over plain white walls?
  6. What do you usually associate the three colors with?
    • Yellow –
    • Blue –
    • Red –
  7. Describe how you felt in the colored hallways in one word for each –
    • Yellow –
    • Blue –
    • Red –

 

My intention is to understand what people feel towards colors and how they react because of them. I want my list of questions to seem less like a questionnaire and more like an engaging conversation between me and each dorm member. I will be recording videos of these conversations for documenting purposes.

 

 

Bridge 3 | Integrative Studio 2

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Analysis of Parsons’ Alignment with My Values

 

  • Physical Spaces/Architecture
    • I feel that there isn’t enough gratitude of what we have available to us. The beautiful physical spaces in our school aren’t appreciated as much.
    • There is a lot of freedom in the spaces available to us.
    • Also, presence of trust – an important aspect of my value “honesty”, can be seen in various spaces such as the cafeteria and library. The institution expresses trust in the students through these areas by allowing them to be so open.

 

  • Location
    • Under my value of ambition, I didn’t check “fearless” because I believe that most students are overwhelmed by the city. At least speaking for myself, I can say that I haven’t overcome all my fears here. Even the one’s associated with our institution. I’m afraid to let myself go and overlook my inabilities. Therefore, I can see the restrictedness in my work.
    • My value “growth” strongly aligns with the location. There’s no better place than New York City to learn the importance of not giving up and growing incessantly.
    • There is an explicit lack of generosity in this city.

 

  • Curriculum
    • Most of my values align with the curriculum I have experienced till now.
    • There is quite a lot of flexibility in our classwork. Coming from India, where I lacked freedom in my educational world, Parsons makes me feel grateful for the flexibility it provides.
    • I can see the inclusion of one of my values “sustainability” in most parts of the curriculum.

 

  • Extracurricular Activities
    • According to me, there is a lack of cohesion in the student community and therefore the extracurricular activities don’t seem as hyped as they do at other universities.
    • Since I haven’t had too much experience in this component of Parsons yet, I don’t think I can clearly state its alignment with my values.

 

 

  • Faculty
    • Again, I have witnessed most of my values in the faculty up till now. However, I have a had a few bitter experiences and encountered the absence of kindness.
    • I have immense respect for the faculty and I admire them greatly.

 

  • Staff
    • My experience with the staff has always been impeccable.
    • They align with my value “generosity” and I try and portray my respect for them every time I have an encounter with any of them.

 

  • Students
    • Lack of strong community, cohesion and trust. There isn’t much unity.
    • I have witnessed generosity amongst most of my peers.

 

  • Services
    • I haven’t gotten around to exploring all the services available at our school. I have only been in contact with the IT Central and the Student Advising Services. I would say that both have all the values important to me.
    • They exhibit helpfulness and show concern.

 

  • Facilities
    • I can’t stress on how much I value all the facilities available to us. I am so very grateful for them. There is nothing about them I have witnessed that doesn’t align with my values.
    • I feel that there isn’t much cohesive understanding about the facilities available here. It seems very secretive and not openly advertised as much as other events or services. For example: I had no idea that Parsons has an X-Reality Center until my professor took our class there. After exploring the amazing Center, it got me wondering about how very few students are actually aware of the existence of this extraordinary facility.

 

  • Resources
    • Similarly, I am not as aware about the resources as I would like to be.
    • There is gratitude and growth for sure, however not a lot of cohesion regarding its understanding.

 

 

Parsons Analysis-27j4j78

In this analysis, I highlighted values that are working in green and the ones that aren’t, in red. This helps me visually understand what is working and what is not, better.

 

 

Parsons Rubric (Final)-z8o8ua

Taking feedback from my classmates, I edited my rubric to make it interactive. It can now literally be used as a checklist. The boxes can be checked or unchecked by just clicking on them. Using this interactive checklist, I am able to use my analysis of Parsons’ alignment with my values to check/leave blank each component of the values listed in my rubric checklist.

 

Infographic

 

Bridge 2: Universityopia

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https://issuu.com/sanak720/docs/my_book_of_values

 

If I had to change something about my source list, I would change the way I cited the sources. I placed the citations right beside each source, because I personally feel that it becomes more convenient for the reader to see its original source right next to the main source instead of having to turn back to a bibliography at the end. However, it looks kind of untidy and overwhelming now. I would incorporate a bibliography look on the same page by citing each source on that page in a clear and concise layout.

I would probably use this book in the future as a reminder to myself of what my values were a few years ago and to test if they are still intact. The one thing that might prevent me from using it is the ack of personal relation in this source list. I wish I could’ve included more personal stories and experiences rather than sources attributed to other people.

Taking from above, I would like to update my source list regularly with my actual experiences. I know that jotting down my real life stories would make the book much more enticing for me in the future.

Rubric (Final)-19spvij

Taking feedback from my classmates, I edited my rubric to make it interactive. It can now literally be used as a checklist. The boxes can be checked or unchecked by just clicking on them.

 

Parsons

Overall assessment of my values aligning with Parsons or not –

Parsons Rubric-xaxg5u

    • Physical spaces/ architecture
      • I feel that there isn’t enough gratitude of what we have available to us. The beautiful physical spaces in our school aren’t appreciated as much.
    • Location
      • Under my value of ambition, I didn’t check “fearless” because I believe that most students are overwhelmed by the city. At least speaking for myself, I can say that I haven’t overcome all my fears here. Even the one’s associated with our institution.
    • Curriculum
      • Most of my values align with the curriculum I have experienced till now. 
    • Extracurricular activities
      • According to me, there is a lack of cohesion in the student community and therefore the extracurricular activities don’t seem as hyped as they do at other universities.
    • Faculty
      • Again, I have witnessed most of my values in the faculty up till now. However, I have a had a few bitter experiences and witnessed the absence of kindness.
    • Staff
      • My experience with the staff has always been impeccable.
    • Students
      • Lack of strong community, cohesion and trust. There isn’t much unity.
    • Services
      • I haven’t gotten around to exploring all the services available at our school. I have only been in contact with the IT Central and the Student Advising Services. I would say that both have all the values important to me.
    • Facilities
      • I can’t stress on how much I value all the facilities available to us. I am so very grateful for them. There is nothing about them I have witnessed that doesn’t align with my values.
    • Resources
      • I feel that there isn’t much cohesive understnading about the resources available here. It seems very secretive and not openly advertised as much as other events or services.

Values #3

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The following points of the design justice principles apply to the article, “An Artists’ Guide to Not Being Complicit with Gentrification:”

 

  1. We use design to sustain, heal, and empower our communities, as well as to seek liberation from exploitative and oppressive systems.
  2. We center the voices of those who are directly impacted by the outcomes of the design process.
  3. We prioritize design’s impact on the community over the intentions of the designer.
  4. We see the role of the designer as a facilitator rather than an expert.
  5. We believe that everyone is an expert based on their own lived experience, and that we all have unique and brilliant contributions to bring to a design process.
  6. We work towards sustainable, community-led and -controlled outcomes.
  7. We work towards non-exploitative solutions that reconnect us to the earth and to each other.
  8. Before seeking new design solutions, we look for what is already working at the community level. We honor and uplift traditional, indigenous, and local knowledge and practices.

 

Some new design justice principles that can be seen and created from this article are:

 

  1. We involve ourselves in the community’s causes and put both of us on equal levels.

 

  1. We value solutions that are not immediate and oppressing but safe and empowering to the community.

 

  1. We understand the sentiments of a community and try and reach out to other artists/designers by setting an example.

 

 

Since I have never had the experience of working with a particular community, I cannot relate to this article on a personal level. However, everything mentioned in the article is understandable to anyone who upholds and believes in principles like the design justice principles. I think that the suggestions mentioned in the article are extremely helpful to any aspiring artist or designer. As a whole, it sheds light on the importance of valuing the community where the design is being conducted and the impact it can cause.

 

 

 

 

Parsons Values

 

Sustainability –https://www.newschool.edu/parsons/student-work/?id=17179872346

 

Edible Ethics, an interactive guide created by Communication Design major Nakiska Shaikh sheds light on the shift towards unsustainable agricultural practices in the United States. It stresses on the growing industrialized food system. By providing a deconstruction of the complex processes involved, she brings awareness of the harmful effects of this current system. This project is in accordance with the value of sustainability because it involves showing concern for the environment. It even explains the necessity to do so by giving valid explanations against the existing systems. The interactive guide encourages viewers to take efforts towards a greener and more sustainable agricultural system.

 

“Edible Ethics.” The New School Parsons Student Work. Accessed February 26, 2018. https://www.newschool.edu/parsons/student-work/?id=17179872346

 

 

 

Collaboration – https://www.newschool.edu/parsons/student-work/?id=17179872652

This design model and process was created by Jacob Hernandez, a Communication Design major at Parsons.  We All Matter develops and tests new designed responses that communicate directly with community groups. It serves to help the LGBTQ group particularly through empathetic techniques. This project assesses responses and develops better solutions that provide more opportunity for the LGBT youth. Collaboration plays an important role in this design because it is wholly based on the collaboration between the designer and the community. Since it involves empathy, understanding and acceptance, the project is a great example of collaboration at Parsons.

 

“We All Matter.” Jacob P. Hernandez. Accessed February 26, 2018. http://www.jacobphernandez.com/we-all-matter

 

 

Unity – https://www.newschool.edu/parsons/research-projects/?id=17179874101

 

One of Parsons’ projects is the end-of-year celebration during the Parsons Festival every spring when it opens its doors to New York City. It is a way to unite artists among the city. Students from school meet various people all over the city and receive feedback from different perspectives. It doesn’t just bring together creative disciplines, it brings together entire communities through art and design. This initiative creates a bond in the city and aims to develop a more beautiful world.

 

“Spark a Conversation With the City.” The New School Parsons Research and Projects. Accessed February 26, 2018. https://www.newschool.edu/parsons/research-projects/?id=17179874101

 

 

Freedom – https://twitter.com/TheNewSchool/status/967557260418473989

 

The New School tweeted in support of the #ParklandStudentsSpeak Movement assuring students that their involvement in standing up against gun violence will not affect their application to the New School. The tweet also mentions that the New School itself was founded in 1919 by an act of resistance against censorship. This university upholds the value of freedom by allowing its students and even prospective students to exercise their individual rights without fear of consequences. Comments below show that students are inspired by this support and are grateful for the school’s flexibility and understanding.

 

@TheNewSchool. The New School. February 24, 2018, 4:30 pm. https://twitter.com/TheNewSchool/status/967557260418473989

 

 

Growth – https://www.newschool.edu/parsons/career-services/

 

This video describes the efforts taken by the Centre for Student Success – Careers at the New School. Counsellors and advisors help students by guiding them towards several opportunities. They conduct various events where students have the privilege to meet successful designers and alumni. They support students and help them engage with different people. Growth is a very important value that every institution must believe in. Here at the New School, growth is greatly valued and is shown in the uplifting attitudes of the students, mentors, faculty and staff. No student at the New School is treated differently and each one is encouraged to not give up on his or her dreams.

 

“Career Services – Students and Alumni.” The New School Parsons Career Services. Accessed February 26, 2018. https://www.newschool.edu/parsons/career-services/

 

Since this is just my first year at Parsons, I haven’t been able to witness each of these values so I don’t seem to have any biases towards them other than the fact that I totally admire this school. My analysis doesn’t include any examples of the absence of values maybe because the sources I found were successful or work-in-progress projects and theses from the New School.

Values Index & Summary | #2 & #3

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Generosity

 

 

http://abetterworld.com

 

 

http://www.oprah.com/spirit/modern-kindness-stories-of-generosity/all#ixzz57gRTQdKX

Paying it Forward in a Post-Parking-Meter World

Recently I was running a particularly soul-sucking round of errands and parked my car in a metered spot. I paid for the meter’s maximum amount of two hours, but my errand only took half an hour. Now, usually I would have been happy to leave a meter with time left in it and, particularly on a bothersome day, would even add quarters for the next person. It’s largely selfish, really, because then the rest of my soul-sucking errands are cheered a bit by the thought that maybe I made someone else’s soul-sucking errands a tiny bit less soul-sucking. But guess what?

My city has made the switch to muni-meters—those robotic-looking machines where you pay on a credit card and receive a receipt that you then place on your dashboard. Good news if you’ve run out of quarters, but terrible news for the parking meter pay-it-forward phenomenon. I actually hung around for a minute to see if someone else would park there so I could hand them my time-stamped receipt. Alas, no one did, and my extra $1.50 slipped right past would-be parkers and into the pocket of the city council—or whoever it is. This does nothing for my soul-sucking errands. Next stop, drug store. Sigh.

And you know what? It’s the same on the freeway: I have a friend who used to always pay for the toll of the car behind her but admits that since she’s switched to the automated E-ZPass, she’s abandoned the practice, whizzing through as a laser anonymously zeeps her toll-paying pass. Not to get too Andy Rooney here, but these days, even doors open themselves! How’s a person supposed to perform a daily act of paying it forward if the world’s going to be so darn automated?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gratefulness

 

“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” —William Arthur Ward

 

“The way to develop the best that is in a person is by appreciation and encouragement.” —Charles Schwab

 

Everything Mom

How did you find the energy, Mom
To do all the things you did,
To be teacher, nurse and counselor
To me, when I was a kid.

How did you do it all, Mom,
Be a chauffeur, cook and friend,
Yet find time to be a playmate,
I just can’t comprehend.

I see now it was love, Mom
That made you come whenever I’d call,
Your inexhaustible love, Mom
And I thank you for it all.

By Joanna Fuchs

 

 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/omaidhomayun/2015/09/13/how-this-simple-act-of-gratitude-can-impact-your-life/#223416bb5c3e

 

 

http://happierhuman.com/gratitude/

 

 

Dreams/Ambition

 

 

 

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/254798

 

 

 

 

 

Steadfast Heart

I’ve dreamed many dreams that never came true
I’ve seen them vanish at dawn, 
But I have realized enough of my dreams, thank God,
To make me want to dream on.

I’ve prayed many prayers when no answer came,
Though I waited patient and long;
But answers have come to enough of my prayers
To make me keep praying on.

I’ve trusted many a friend who failed,
And left me to weep alone;
But I’ve found enough of my friends true blue,
To make me keep trusting on.

I’ve sown many seeds that fell by the way
For the birds to feed upon,
But I’ve held enough golden sheaves in my hands
To make me keep sowing on.

I’ve drained the cup of disappointment and pain
And gone many days without song;
But I’ve sipped enough nectar from the roses of life
To make me want to live on.

Unknown

 

 

 

 

 

Love

 

 

 

http://time.com/4225777/meaning-of-love/

 

 

https://themindsjournal.com

 

 

https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/syntax-0

Syntax

and if

I were to say

 

I love you and

I do love you

 

and I say it

now and again

 

and again

would you say

 

parataxis

would you see

 

the world revolves

anew

 

its axis

you

Maureen N. McLane

 

 

 

Sustainability

http://www.greenimpact.group.shef.ac.uk/wordpress/about/sussed/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://wwd.com/fashion-news/fashion-scoops/buckingham-palace-opens-doors-sustainable-fashion-1202574916/

 

 

http://www.greenstrategy.se/sustainable-fashion/seven-forms-of-sustainable-fashion/

 

 

 

 

 

Bibliography

 

Bierbaum, Tim. Keenly, Billy. Milhiser, John. Miale, Anthony. Officer, Robert. The Importance of Kindness. Video. 00:02:12. April 24, 2014. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1KCzrTg9ic.

This video on YouTube shows a beautifully illustrated true story about the importance and necessity of giving and receiving kindness.

 

“NBC 10 Interview.” ABetterWorld. Accessed February 20, 2018. http://abetterworld.com.

The interview on NBC is of a budding company named “A Better World” that has a wonderful cause. The interviewees talk about the game they have created to spread generosity and positivity in the world.

 

Shear, Amy. “Paying it Forward in a Post-Parking-Meter World.” Modern Kindness: 9 Day-Brightening Stories of Generosity. Oprah.com, March 27, 2012. http://www.oprah.com/spirit/modern-kindness-stories-of-generosity/all#ixzz57gRTQdKX.

In this article, Shear talks about the lost generous practice of “paying it forward.”

 

Winter, Kevin. Ellen DeGeneres. January 7, 2016. Getty Images, Upworthy, Los Angeles.

This photograph shows Ellen Degeneres at the People’s Choice Awards, proving the beauty and power of kindness. 

 

Ludwig, Trudy. The Invisible Boy. Alfred A. Knopf, 2013. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okAJ62ia63Q.

This is a video of the book, The Invisble Boy being read out. Ludwig has written a heartwarming children’s book on the importance of kindness. Being a big fan of children’s books, this particular source struck out to me. 

 

Fuchs, Joanna. “Everything Mom.” Poemsource.com. Accessed on February 20, 2018. http://www.poemsource.com/mother-poems.html.

Fuchs has written a touching poem expressing gratitude towards her mother.

 

Homayun, Omaid. “How a Simple Act of Gratitude Changed One Man’s Life – And Can Transform Yours Too.” Forbes, September 13, 2015. https://www.forbes.com/sites/omaidhomayun/2015/09/13/how-this-simple-act-of-gratitude-can-impact-your-life/#43e5a4315c3e.

Omaid praises the book A Simple Act of Gratitude by John Kralik in this article and describes how it altered his life. 

 

“Three Good Things, A Small Gratitude Exercise for a Large Boost of Happiness.” Happier Human. Accessed February 20, 2018. http://happierhuman.com/gratitude/.

This webpage gives the reader tips on exploring happiness by following a few exercises on gratefulness. 

 

Alicia Keys and JayZ. Empire State of Mind. Released October 20, 2009. Young Guru, Oven Studios and Ann Mincieli, Long Island. MP3.

This charismatic song is the true description of New York City and its endless possibilities. 

 

Fukuda, Marty. “5 Reasons to Dream Big, Even When You Think You Have No Business Doing So.” Entrepreneur, January 11, 2016. https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/254798.

Marty gives us reasons to keep on dreaming, in this well-written article. 

 

Bridges, Jeff. Dream Big: Engineering Our World – Official IMAX Trailer – Narrated by Jeff Bridges. Video. 00:01:59. February 6, 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huVNsT8BIM8.

This is the trailer of the movie Dream Big: Engineering Our World, which was made to create awareness in the world about the exciting and mind-blowing work of engineers. It inspires viewers to dream bigger and bigger. There is no limit to our dreams. 

 

Unknown. “Steadfast Heart.” Happy Publishing. Accessed on February 20, 2018. https://www.happypublishing.com/blog/3-inspirational-poems-on-courage/.

An anonymously written poem describing the importance of dreaming courageously and icessantly. 

 

Motivation Blog. Accessed February 20, 2018. http://www.motivationblog.org/if-your-dreams-dont-scare-you-2/#.UPiEROhrRD1.

This image is self-explanatory. It is rightly created by coming a quote on dreaming big, with a picture of New York City in the background. 

 

Black Eyed Peas. Where is the Love?. Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group, TUONO MUSIC % SOUTH HUDSON MUSIC, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC. MP3.

This beautiful song was written in a collaboration of amaizng artists. It explains the lack of love in our world, with terrorism and conflict everywhere. It is a wonderful song for creating awareness and realization. 

 

Jessie J. Price Tag. 2010. Dr. Luke. MP3.

Similarly, Price Tag is a song about spreadig positivity and love in the world. It emphasizes on the importance of being happy over materialistic values. 

 

Wolpe, Rabbi David. “We Are Defining Love the Wrong Way.” Time, February 16, 2016. http://time.com/4225777/meaning-of-love/.

In this article, Rabbi David explains how we have been perceiving love wrongly. He writes that love is actually an action and not just a feeling. 

 

McLane, Maureen. “Syntax” Poets.org. Accessed on February 20, 2018. https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/syntax-0.

A poem on love, in which one person is equivalent to the other person’s world. 

 

“Sustainability Skills and Education, SusSEd.” Green Impact Sheffield. Accessed February 20, 2018. http://www.greenimpact.group.shef.ac.uk/wordpress/about/sussed/.

An initiative taken by the University of Sheffield to educate staff and students on the topics of environmental, economic and social sustainability. 

 

Coy, Allice. “Buckingham Palace Open Its Doors to Sustainable Fashion.” Women’s Wear Daily (WWD), February 19, 2018. http://wwd.com/fashion-news/fashion-scoops/buckingham-palace-opens-doors-sustainable-fashion-1202574916/.

An article on the celebration of the Commonwealth Fashion Exchange at the Buckingham Palace hosted by the Dutchess of Cambridge. Each look at the show was made on the basis of sustainability. 

 

“Seven Forms of Sustainable Fashion.” Green Strategy. Accessed February 20, 2018. http://www.greenstrategy.se/sustainable-fashion/seven-forms-of-sustainable-fashion/.

A webpage identifying seven forms of sustainable fashion like secondhand & vintage, on demand & custom made and green & clean. 

 

 

Summary

My five selected values are generosity, gratefulness, dreams & ambition, love and sustainability. I feel very strongly about these particular values. Generosity is the goodness and kindness around you. Gratitude, in connection to generosity, is about being thankful for all the good things. Dreams and ambition are two powerful values possessed by a person. They define your goals and dedication. Love is what life is all about. Without love for yourself, or for others, there is no meaning to anything. Lastly, sustainability is a rising value of concern. It is out of love for our Mother Earth. These values are interconnected in several ways. That is one of the reasons I chose these specific ones.

From the research I conducted over the past week, I learnt so much more about myself and how I perceive these values. The diversity of the world has produced many perspectives on different values. My understanding of certain values like love and generosity has been altered after reading and viewing the various informational sources. I never thought about the emphasis on monetary connection with the word “generous” until this week. Everywhere I saw posts and images regarding generous donations or generous payments for others. It’s become all about the money, and that is disheartening.

These values are very close to my heart because they are what I live by. My upbringing taught me the importance of being kind to myself and to others, showing gratitude and appreciation, dreaming fearlessly and with tons of courage, loving whole-heartedly and living green. Sustainability however, is not just about the environment. We need sustainability in our social, economic and moral lives as well.

Access + Ability Exhibit

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Prime TC Transport Wheelchair

The Prime TC Transport Wheelchair is a complete remodel of the hospital transport wheelchair. In its redesign approach, actual users of the chair were considered and involved like the patient, transporter, and hospital staff. Designed by Michael Graves Design Group, the new design of the wheelchair is in accordance with quite a few design justice principles. It has been designed to sustain, heal and empower the hospital community. It makes it easier on the transporter and more comfortable for the patient. By including the ones concerned, they centered the voices of the people being directly affected. Also, the Group didn’t change the design of the chair drastically. They uplifted traditional knwoledge and practices and only upgraded and modified the existing wheelchair. The use of these design justice principles enhances the importance and usefulness of this improved wheelchair.

 

 

Canes

Chatfield Walking Cane, IQ Stick, Walking Stick System, OMHU Cane, LED Walking Stick Torch Light

Canes are essential hepling tools for senior citizens and/or people with certain mobility disabilities. By redesigning the old, boring walking stick and making it more fashionable, customizable and even more functional, designers have provided a new perspective towards these aids. Some canes have colorful mix-and-match handles, which makes them more attractive to and enjoyable for users. This makes the designers facilitators. The IQ Stick has a pendulum effect according to which it swings while walking and comes back to the original position. This enables greater range of movement. These innovations are ways by which the organizations are sharing their design tools and knwoledge with the concerned party. People who need mobility aids feel more involved when their personal tastes are considered. They are also exposed to a new variety of possibilities. A few more exapmples include the silicone handles on canes which allow the user to prop them up against any surface without them slipping or falling, and self-righting sticks that come back into position by just a toe tap on their wide bases. Again, this is all just an amelioration of the original walking cane. The original concept has been working for decades for the people who need it, so the designers have clearly added to what was already working.

 

 

Blindways

Blindways is an app that was created by Perkins School for the Blind to assist people with sight deficits in finding a bus stop. It basically guides blind pedestrians through 30 feet of obstacles, towards the nearest bus stop using crowdsourced clues. The app allows the user to select a bus stop, read or listen to existing clues, and edit or submit a clue. In the way of facilitating the blind community, the design works. However, the app seems risky. What guarantee do they have that the clues being submitted are honest? Since anyone can edit or add clues, the design is not community-led or community-controlled.

           

 

 

 

 

Documentation of Values | Integrative Studio

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Unity

The lack of unity in our world frustrates me. It angers me and saddens me. Why is it so difficult to understand that “united we stand, divided we fall”? There is so much of treachery, betrayal, theft, crime and terrorism in our society. If we were to unite our billions of brilliant human minds and come together to create a better world for ourselves, how different would everything be? There wouldn’t be as much fear, as much sorrow and as much conflict. Yes, nothing is perfect and an ideal society should be imperfect too. However, one of the crucial steps to a more livable and thriving society is unity. Hearing stories of terror attacks across the world gets me thinking about the origin of all this. Why did it even begin? Now that it has, how do we end it? I want to see more understanding souls in this world. Only they can help bring about a change in our lack of togetherness.

On smaller levels, such as within our University “The New School”, I see an unspoken unity amongst the students, faculty and staff. We are all bound together by our school. It is a part of our identities. There are clashes within this community as well, but not to the extent where we forget our permanent and sacred relationship. I yearn for the unity that exists in small communities to spread to the larger ones. It should spread like wildfire and engulf the entire world.

Collaboration

For any community to thrive, there has to be effective communication and collaboration among its members. Collaboration is the action of working with someone to create or produce something. From personal experience, I can say that collaborating with people who don’t have similar tastes or backgrounds is definitely a task. However, one should take it up as a challenge. I know we have each come into this world alone and will leave the same way. But if we weren’t meant to connect with each other, we wouldn’t be crowding the same planet.

Group projects require proper collaboration among the group members for the group’s successful outcome. Last semester, I was a part of three group projects. Each time I had a different experience. The first time, my partner and I got along really well and managed to maintain great communication throughout. However, in my third group we didn’t hit it off as well. That had an impact on our working process and it could be seen in our final project as well. It made me realize the importance of collaborating with others patiently and understandingly.Without the input of each person, the result cannot be wholesome. Collaboration teaches us to listen actively and speak clearly. It is through collaboration that we can communicate our ideas and thoughts to each other.

 

Generosity

I wish our society had more generosity. more kindness and more helpful hands. I understand the need to be selfish to get ahead in this crazy world but there have been times when I’ve witnessed absolute ignorance in times of need. I am a firm believer in karma. I believe that good deeds lead to positive results and bad deeds cause punishment. I know that it isn’t possible to be perfectly good all the time. That doesn’t mean we can’t exchange smiles with strangers, help someone in simple tasks, say a few grateful words or compliment someone. Generosity and goodness goes a long way. I want our society to be remembered for its sincerity.

At Parsons, I have noticed that how sweet everyone was when I first came here during fall last year has slowly changed to indifference now. Living in New York City, where every citizen is running around with his or her own problems, I have felt the indifference to an even greater extent. I crave smiling faces and happiness around me. I wish for this world to grow sweeter.

 

Sustainability

Our world has grown tremendously in the technology sector over the past decades. Although we now have fabulous machinery and inventions, we have been paying a really heavy price for all of it. Our natural resources are continually being depleted to create all these extraordinary machines and products. I want our society to focus on sustaining these resources. I know that several efforts are being made all over the world to preserve our environment, but these efforts have to increase. The cause and aim need to spread further to each and every human being on this planet. With the many changes in our environment due to human interference, we are experiencing a higher number of natural catastrophes.

At Parsons, sustainability is one of the major focuses. This is one of the reasons why I love going to this school. We are encouraged to use scrap materials and recycled products. I want this sustainable attitude to reach out to other schools, groups, businesses, etc. Without our natural resources, the world will just become an artificial man-made machine.

 

 

Growth

I’m eager to see growth in all the positive fields. I want growth in the elimination of poverty and hunger, growth in sustainability, growth in the goodness of people and growth in our cultures. I don’t like standstill events in life. I believe that it is very crucial to keep growing. We are here for a purpose. That purpose can only be fulfilled if we keep going. It is essential to have changes in one’s life. They can be empowering or deterring, but they are all lessons that take us forward. Growing by yourself, with someone, and with your family is very important. Support goes hand in hand with growth.

At the university level, growth is all that matters. Students try new things to test their skills and whether they fail or succeed, it all contributes to their individual growth. Most students aim for something big at the beginning of freshman year itself. They know that to get there by the end of their college years, they must grow. It is the enhancement of every one of us.

 

Assignment 1 | Integrative Studio 2 #2

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What are the patterns, trends and commonalities evolving from your observations?

The most common brand seen is the name of our university “The New School”. With its eye-catching font and color, the name seems to have become a brand that is stamped on every item being sold even if it is not school merchandise. Most of the trends encountered are in regards to student fashion, lifestyle and events. Every flyer, poster, food package, etc is designed in a youthful way to attract students. On reading the text, it can be seen that they are made to meet students’ needs either by providing services, job opportunities, food or other such necessities. Another common trend that has evolved from my observations is the concept of sustainability. With the intstitution’s encouragement and support of environment-friendly attitudes, students are trying to incorporate this trend into their work.

What kinds of structures/realities allow for these patterns and trends? In other words, what causes and allows these patterns and trends to exist?

Students especially, purchase school merchandise to blend in with the school, buy cafeteria food, use brands typically advertised by the school like “Apple” to stay with the trends, and respond to the various informative brochures and flyers. With the constant provision of infromation to them, students are bound to be affected by the on-going trends. Advertisements are everywhere and people can’t miss them even if they want to.   

What is the impact of these patterns?  (Which are intended and which are unintentional?)                 

Some of these patterns lead to the formation of communities within the student population, which may be intentional. However, this can also unintentionally cause classism. For example, the school advertises trips being conducted for students that cost exorbitant amounts. Students unable to afford such trips may feel neglected, especially if their counterparts on the other hand are able to attend them. Similarly, certain higher priced brands may not be owned by every student. All of us come from different socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. Everyone cannot have the same lifestyle or similar taste. Another significant and puproseful impact of these patterns is the promotion of resources or brands provided by the university.

The strongest or most vulnerable part of this system of fashion sustainability is the responsibility of the consumer to recycle the garment. The wearer of the particular garment must be aware of the enormous waste created by fashion and how important it is to reuse and rewear fabrics. There are several fashion recycling organizations in the nation, but they highly depend on the contribution of customers by handing in old and worn-out clothes. With the absence of this node, the system of fashion sustainability is interrupted.

Another crucial node of this system is the starting point which involves farmers growing the necessary crops. Without the crops, there would be no fibres, no fabrics and thus no garments. The knowledge of the entire process is also an ecouragement for students to recycle clothes.