J08/A05

My Team

http://peainmysoup.blogspot.com/
http://macadocious.blogspot.com/
http://dsgnproberg.blogspot.com/
http://lynchdsgn200.blogspot.com/
http://jklinedesign200.blogspot.com/

My team decided to "bring the outdoors indoors" throughout our project.  Our idea is to take the Coleman market of goods and focus it more onto the future generation of children and the betterment of the environment.  Throughout our discussion, my team has been working together seamlessly; everyone has been contributing ideas and conversation, which is making the overall process a simple and enjoyable one.  Along with other things, I have tried to contribute essentially by researching a variety of products and ideas online that relate to the project, drawing and contributing ideas, and participating in group conversation, all of which I believe is helping the group move forward quickly and efficiently.

RR08

In reading the entirity of Heskett's book, I learned a great deal about the past, present and future aspects of design.  There are multitudes of thoughts and actions that go into the design process, many of which I hadn't contemplated before.  In the final chapter, one point that struck me as interesting was the question of whether future designers will be "devoting their skills to the highest commercial bidder without consideration of the ends they serve," or using their skills and taking into consideration a "dimension of social and environmental purpose requiring acknowledgement of their work."  I personally hope for the latter, because I am a firm believer in focusing on the betterment of society, the economy, and the environment.  While the goal of most people in the work force is to make money, I think that there should be something more.  Designers do what they do best for the customer, and I believe that they should continue to keep this in mind in the future.

CR07

Eames description of design not as a form of art, but as a form of purpose is an interesting way of viewing design.  I had always thought of design simply as an artistic method, but I now realize that it really is more of a purpose; design is for the consumer, the customer, not for the pleasure of the designer.  This, as we discussed earlier in the quarter, is one aspect that distinguishes artists from designers.  Art is created for the artist, while design is created for others.

A04

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RR07

Throughout the course of reading this book, I have been repeatedly shocked at the way human beings are treating the earth.  I had known that our world's condition was terrible, but I have been greatly enlightened to the fact that there are things going on that need to be stopped now.  In the final chapter, the Ford Motor Company is showed to have made great efforts to redesign their enterprise in an environmental and employee friendly way.  If a huge well known company like Ford can do this, why can't everyone?  I believe that steps need to be taken now to protect our future, and that everyone needs to realize it before it is too late.

J07

CAMPING

http://www.coleman.com/
http://www.campmor.com/
http://www.rei.com/
http://www.gandermountain.com/
http://www.theoutdoorsource.com/







INDOOR

http://www.ikea.com/
http://www.la-z-boy.com/
http://www.kirklands.com/
http://www.potterybarn.com/
http://www.chiasso.com/







A home good is an item that one buys or creates to serve a purpose inside the home, whether it is purely for decorative reasons, or to act as an appliance or object that assists one in their day to day activities.

CR06

There were several aspects of the movie we viewed in class that interested me.  I never realized how many songs that I love to listen to (for example, Led Zeppelin) are based on songs from the past.  Although this portrays musicians in an unoriginal light, one thing that I observe is that there are only so many notes in music; they haven't explicitly copied the exact song from the past, they only touched on a piece of it to assist their creation.  Another point I found highly interesting was the fact that writers are able to include anything they want in their work, regardless if it is their personal idea or not.  All they have to do if they borrow someone else's idea is simply cite it.  Why is it perfectly legal for writers to engage in this, but illegal for anyone who tries to include movies or music not of their own creation?

J06

Design and the Environment

The environment is something I am passionate about.  If our world continues on the industrial-driven path that it has traveled for the past century, it is almost a guaruntee that our way of life will change drastically, and not in a beneficial way.  While reading Cradle to Cradle, I have become more concerned about the earth's future.  My generation has the power to fix the damage done in the past.  Designers have one of the hardest jobs: coming up with new ideas and products that result in improving our world, not harming it.  I believe that relating design and environment is the most important aspect of the vast world of design.  If the betterment of human life is the essence and goal of production, then creating that which enhances and protects life should be one of the prevelant concerns of everyone, but designers in particular.



This environmental design program was very interesting to me because it stressed that this course is not one based solely on a single discipline.  Many other ideas and activites are involved, such as computer technology, painting, and others.  Environmental design can be used to benefit society and aid in all aspects of design, not just the environment and only the environment.




I love how a goal of this project was to use renewable resources and recycle them back into the environment.  It also shows that the discipline of environmental design is linked to other disciplines, in this case, architecture.  Working together allowed the students to come up with a plan that was functional and beneficial.

http://www.reddawn.com/featart11.html
Texas' Green Building Program is one that I believe should expand throughout the world.  Their focus on the conservation of natural resources, the preservation of the environment, and promotion of the economy and health of citizens is more than admirable.  The article goes deeper into explaining the new ideas planned out for the American home; a smaller, more energy efficient space able to serve a variety of purposes.  In particular, the plans for windows and lighting are extremely interesting, especially that which states that windows will soon become remote controlled to adjust to light and privacy.

http://www.reddawn.com/featart1-98.html
After reading this article, I have one thing to say: bamboo is amazing.  Knowing what we know about its benefits, it is a wonder to me that products made of this incredible plant are not more prevelant in the market.  Almost every aspect of the production and function of bamboo beats other means.  I believe that designers today can use this resource in a wide variety of ways, considering especially its environmental benefits.  Its extreme durability and attractive look can make it a new contender in being one of the most used products designers can apply to a wide variety of items, including the building of houses and furniture.

http://www.reddawn.com/featart4-98.html
The many advantages of synthetic decking heavily outweigh its competitors, in my opinion.  As stated in the article, it is impervious to insects and moisture, and can come in an extensive variety of looks.  The use of recycled materials to produce something like this has also given rise to the ability to manufacture other things just as efficiently.  Besides being a prime contender for home and garden use, other products rendered from recycled materials are taking shape.  Environmental designers, along with any designer, can take into account the many benfits that recycled materials have to offer.  Far from only preserving and benefitting the environment, many of these products are more durable and client friendly than products made from other more detrimental materials.

RR06

I found it quite interesting to learn that detergent is manufactured in the same way for all parts of the world, regardless of the needs of that particular area.  The same amount of harmful chemicals are affecting everyone, putting aside the fact that what might be necessary in one context might be unnecessary or harmful in another.  Another point I think that deserves consideration is in chapter one under the heading of "Crude Products."  The fact that antimony is completely unnecessary for the production of polyester, yet is still used is absolutely baffling to me.  Why would someone include a potentially life-threatening substance in a widely used product if it can be made without it?

J05

For my little adventure, I decided to make an extravagant anniversary dinner for my boyfriend, AKA the pickiest eater I've ever met.

1. Try and locate a meal worthy of Lee's high standards
2. Who doesn't love Italian food?
3. Giada de Laurentiis' food always looks amazing, even if I don't like the ingredients.
4. Choice: chicken and shrimp with a pancetta chimichurri
5. Chimichurri....what?
6. Chimichurri: a variant of green sauce, often used as a marinade
7. That is not enough.  Let's add in some pancetta buttermilk biscuits with a cinnamon sugar butter!
8. Printing off the list, and cutting in half the recipe (is it bad that I need a calculator to cut 1/3 in half?)
9.  Off to the grocery store
10. Number one pet peeve: when you are stopped at a light behind two other cars; the first car behind the light is going to turn left, the car behind that car (and in front of you) is going straight. The light changes to green, and the car in front of you refuses to acknowledge that it is ALLOWED to go around the right side of the person turning left.  Instead, they wait the entire time span alotted for the green light, therefore making zero progress in the trip
11. 5 days later, I arrive at the grocery store
12. Where is the list? Oh right...sitting on the laundry machine at home
13. Drive all the way back to find the list exactly where I knew it was
14. Return to the grocery store, luckily without any moronic drivers in my way
15. Decide against getting a shopping cart, I will only need a small carrying basket
16. Wonder why the carrying baskets are located no where near the shopping carts...
17. Get out my list, I need
           18. Chicken
           19. Pancetta
           20. Shrimp
           21. Garlic
           22. Boxed biscuit mix
           23. Fontina cheese
           24. Buttermilk
           25. A head of lettuce
           26. A red pepper
           27. A vanilla bean (only one!)
28. There is a box of peanuts mixed into the vegetable section of the store...why?
29. I do not think there is one vanilla bean in this place...let alone several
30. Moving on to the cheese section; who decided to put dairy products next to vegetables?
31. No fontina cheese. No international cheese of any kind, for that matter
32. Cheese next to milk. How convenient :)
33. I only need a small amount of buttermilk, but am forced to buy a huge container of it, which I am sure will never be used again
34. Meat products next to milk.  I am inwardly pleased that I am moving in a giant circle around the store and that I don't have to backtrack
35. Amish chicken? Why can't I buy non-Amish chicken?
36. I've always known that shrimp should be de-veined, but I never actually knew what de-veined meant.  I ask Lee, who informs me.  I thank God that I am not a fan of seafood
37. There is a center section in the middle of the aisle that holds international food; my pancetta and fontina has been found!
38. Boxed biscuit mix...does it exist? I can only find pre-made tubed biscuits
39. Spend about 15 minutes walking up and down every single aisle in the store looking for these boxed biscuits
40. Spend 10 more minutes arguing with Lee which one of us will break down and ask an employee for assistance
41. I win. He asks
42. We are directed to the exact place we walked by about 7 times.  There are 3 tiny packages of boxed biscuits amidst a plethora of pancake mix
43. I learn that pancake mix also doubles for biscuit mix; good to know that NOW >:(
44. We add donuts to the list; I am thinking that whoever designed this store knew that an unsuspecting customer (i.e., me) would be walking out of the store and pass by a table of assorted cakes, muffins and donuts, which they would find completely irresistable
45. I find that Lee has been sneaking other items into the basket while I was hunting for things on the list.
46. I find that choosing a basket over a cart was a mistake.
47. Someone should make a carrying conveyance sized somewhere in between a cart and a basket.
48. I see a grown man wheeling around a miniature baby sized shopping cart and almost ambush him for it
49. Since Lee has upgraded our amount of food, we no longer qualify for the "10 items or less" aisle. Do they really count how many items you have anyway? I am almost positive I've gone through that aisle when I've had more than 10 items, which means that that rule is simply bogus and false advertising
50. I realize as we check out how many plastic bags we are being handed and wish I had brought my own bags that won't kill the environment
51. I feel like that trip called for a lot more effort than necessary...
52. Now that I am exhausted I have to cook an elegant dinner
[Now I know this isn't part of the assignment, but I just want to add that it took me literally 3 hours to complete this meal.  Giada included on the recipe that the estimated time would be a half an hour........]