Concept Development 2.0

Learning Outcomes

Distill your initial project concepts and select one route to deliver as a final outcome.
Research innovative design thinking, production, media and format relevant to your project brief, to ensure you develop a fresh insight.
Design initial visual routes for your selected concept that utilise your research into innovative design thinking.

Lecture Reflections

The lecture this week focused on developing innovative design ideas, all projects had been developed in unsuspecting ways and utilised research to best inform design development. The use of research in the example of Rapha Cycling was one of my favourite examples. The use of data to generate an image was very apt for the application. The designer understood the inner workings of and the mentality of cycling to generate this concept. I like the idea of adopting something similar, whereby I could use data in busy traffic times and the calmer times during lessons to use light and projections to create a calming environment.

Design Thinking

Design thinking has become a new and innovative concept in recent years, it focuses on an empathetic approach to problem solving. Design thinking should be human centred and utilise collaboration within teams. There is an argument that within education we do not teach or are not empowered to teach using this idea of collaboration or team work outside of sports. Assessment can be difficult and schools are judged on individuals progress, not how well they can work as part of a team. Education therefor can be seen to be failing its learners, as it is not equipping them with the appropriate skills for industry and work. Not all jobs are completed solitary, team work and collaboration is a big part of out economy and business. Design thinking should be implemented into the pedagogical approach to education and schools. Collaboration should not just wait until college or university, education should be more responsive its economic landscape.

There are a principles and approaches to design thinking that focus on asking specific questions about the problem, I wonder though are we at risk of presenting too similar ideas if we stick to these rigid questions and formats. Some of these questions are: What is, What if, What was and What works? The idea of design thinking should be a collaborative approach between people and different perspectives. This week the idea of working or thinking visually has helped me generate ideas and develop my perspective of this project.

Design Development

The spaces between class rooms and the pockets within the corridors could be utilised to create a break out space where students can sit, calm down or talk with a teacher.

Visual thinking & Design Development.

I needed to get out of the screen and start to develop a clear idea about where I would like to take this project. The more I was creating using Sketchup I felt restricted to the space that I work in. I felt that the building itself is not one that encompasses the emotion and support that I wanted to gain through this idea. So I began to develop a whole new building. This first idea was just a process of putting pen to paper and seeing what happened. The ideas below were a further response to this same principle but certainly encompassed my research and ideas. Using class walls and green space to connect the inside to the outside, providing supportive environments of students to engage with. The Glass walls and coloured concrete building would also be cladded in wood to provide a connection with its environment. Planting, decked areas and social spaces outside of the classroom were one of the key ideas that I wanted to bring to this project after feeling confined to the building floor plan of my place of work. It can be difficult at times feeling like you are locked away in your own room, some teachers have kettles and fridges in their cupboards so they very rarely venture out into communal spaces. This comes down to work environments and cultures but I believe that it is something that should change if we wish to make a positive impact on wellbeing within schools.