charrette...

One thing that I really like about the Industrial Design department here at SU is that we as students (starting second year when you enter the program after foundation) often have opportunities to take part in projects that have real application. There have been sponsored projects in the past by LG and JP Morgan Chase, sometimes our professors will include us in their own projects which can include installations, and most recently we have been doing a lot of work with the Connective Corridor.

The Connective Corridor is a 1.5 mile stretch that goes from the SU campus to downtown. The project began as a movement to connect the university with the city, as well as encourage economic and cultural growth within the city. The ID department has given us projects that range from making the corridor more accessible to people with disabilities to imagining transportation systems that will encourage travel of the corridor, especially during inclement weather.

This week select members of the 3rd year ID class are working on a charrette to develop design proposals for the corridor. A charrette typically is a short period of time of designing to solve a design problem and to meet a deadline. The ID students will be working in teams with students from other majors including Interior Design, Engineering, Architecture and Landscape Architecture. After the charrette is over the teams will present their design proposals to a committee for possible implementation into the city.

Not actually working on the charrette myself I don't know any more of the details, but if you're interested in the project check out the Connective Corridor website:

http://connectivecorridor.syr.edu/

And two side notes:

1) Bill Nye is giving a presentation at SU tonight! For those of you who ever watched him as a kid, you'll understand how excited the geek in me is.

2) If you are in NYC and have a chance go to MoMA to see their exhibit "Design and the Elastic Mind." It's industrial design meets science at its best - an absolutely fascinating show. It's open until May 12th and if you go you can see three projects done by our designer in residence, Susana Soares.

superheroes...

This semester the ID department has a new designer in residence, Susana Soares (since our former designer in residence is now a professor). Susana lives in London and it's really great to have her here to gain experience with a different professor and hear her perspective on design.

We were given a short project this month that I really enjoyed. We were asked to design a superhero as well as design FOR the superhero. It was left fairly open ended except we were told to keep in mind issues such as genetic modification and new technologies that will be an integral part of our near future. (Think in terms of movies like Gattaca, Minority Report, The Island, etc.)

The back story for my hero is that, over a hundred years from now, after we as humans have tried to resist climate change with man-made technologies, nature rebells against us and natural disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis are regular occurances. My hero, Advecta, uses her powers of kinetic sensitivity, weather manipulation, and photographic reflexes to help try and stop disasters as well as aid in disaster relief.

A friend of mine actually posed for the project and I was able to use the images to depict the type of technology she may need in her mission for disaster relief. Here's one image of a flexible, wearable LCD screen that allows her a constant flow of information in terms of internet and images to assess disaster sites and oncoming disasters.

mid semester time...

This weekend was really different from the other weekends this semester, not only because it was the last before spring break, but it was the first that I didn't have DanceWorks rehearsals this semester. We had our annual show last week and it feels good to have all these hours back to get things done and do some fun things on campus.

Last Thursday we were lucky to have Alvin Ailey II, a modern dance company, perform on campus. They actually did a world premiere work commissioned by SU. It was really nice to be able to see them (and only for $5). In general Syracuse brings a lot of performers to the school throughout the year. That's one thing I love about SU, there's always something going on for students on the weekends.

Saturday two of my roommates and I went to see No Country For Old Men at one of the auditoriums on campus as part of University Union (UU). UU gets copies of recently released films to show on campus almost every weekend that students can go see for free without having to go to the mall - another fun thing to do with friends at SU.

And then Sunday was devoted to work and studying - mid semester week means two project reviews and two exams in two days. I'll be happy when Wednesday rolls around.

Happy March,
Jess