On Wednesday morning at our first lecture of 3rd year we received, amongst other information on Design Consumerism, a description of our first assignment. The first task to get us on our way to completing the assignment was to find our study groups for the year. Unlike last year where we were in same discipline study groups and had supervision, we are now mixed with people from all disciplines and have to meet up on our on accord. I'm really looking forward to having contact with individuals from other design disciplines as it will bring fresh ideas and insights.
In true makeshift style we found each other by means of one of our members holding up a scribbled down sign reading "Group 7." We decided that for our Thursday afternoon meeting the next day we would head to Braes Bar/Restaurant to meet each other and chat in a relaxed atmosphere.
In preparation for the meeting I looked over the list of topics that we could choose from for our first assignment. There were a number of terms that I had not came across before such as embodied energy, perma-culture and green wash. So I learnt a lot just from the decision process. A lot of the topics were in some way or another linked to issues surrounding sustainability. I find this subject extremely interesting but although I am eager to continue learning more about sustainability I decided that I would take a different route as I have done quite a lot of sustainability projects in the past. Our class project at the moment is focused on branding, a subject that I have never had the chance to look in to in much detail. For this reason I felt the topic Branding and Design would be perfect as I would be able to transfer any new knowledge in to my studio work as well.
The Meeting After everyone turning up at the right place and the right time we got down to the business of choosing which topic each of us would like to do. Luckily we had all chosen different ones so it was easy from the beginning.
Our teams choice of topic:
Abbie Graham- Green wash
Gary Gourlay- Up-cycling/ Down-cycling/ Re-cycling
Leanne Evans- Ethnography
Victoria Guy- Crime
Lynsey Hutchison- Fairtrade
Fiona Harper- Co-Design
Kirsty Turpie- Branding
Tobie Verleye- Art or Gender?
I feel that the topics are group have chosen are all quite different which will provide a lot of interesting discussions. We had a small chat about each persons choice of topic, giving ideas and inspiration on the different terms. Gary gave me a good issue to think about concerning branding, which was to think about how brands have influenced other brands and how they have done this.
Fiona made us aware of a website called TeamBox, a website where you can create an interactive message board for projects. We decided it would be a brilliant idea for us to sign up so that we could keep in touch with each other, quickly and easily and post ideas and links relating to each others topics.
We rounded up the meeting with plans for next week and the decision of joining TeamBox. All in all a good start to Assignments.
Now....to mind map!
