Concept Stage

Looking at the Locomotion side of this, I realised that projectors could be mounted on to walls of buildings that surround the Millennium Square and will move around the floor and/or walls and project images and animations promoting the awareness of the environment.  Since they will be moving across, it should help to catch peoples attention and it could possibly help them take notice and hopefully change their attitude to being more environmentally aware.  


UPDATE: Due to personal problems at home in the past couple of weeks, I am to upload the associated pictures corresponding to the project and any forms of evidence of a similar idea used in other places

Where the projectors would go and lighting

Looking at the idea of projected images at the Millennium Square in Leeds, there is a lot of space and - as I mentioned earlier - a lot of people gather here, it means there is a lot of potential to project images to promote the Awareness of the Environment.  However, whilst that may be the biggest advantage, there are two drawbacks.  One is, the visibility during daylight hours, especially when the weather is sunny, the other is where the projectors would go.  Whilst it is partially surrounded by buildings (including the Civic Hall), it is seeking approval to put any projectors on them that would be a problem.  The photograph below shows the layout of the Millennium Square:

One thing I would need to do, is look at where projectors could be positioned if the projected images/text etc. would work effectively during the day or night time.  Whilst going on the Millennium Square, I found that there are a number of lamp posts in which projectors could be fixed into which covers a lot of the area:

Developing my ideas

Looking at my mind map as a group, further ideas were pitched across to see what I could develop.  As I mentioned earlier, I am taking it down the route of digital design and have looked at Sustainable Graphic Design.  I have also thought about looking at promoting the awareness of the environment to change peoples lives.  With this, we looked at some of the following ideas and inspirations such as:
·      A projected image
¨     Possibly a mirage; i.e. happy bunnies become “scary toads” as you approach it
·      The use of shock value
·      Positive promotion – doing something”
·      Promoting through acting
·      The use of webcams

Another thing to look at is, where would any of these promotions/awareness’s   be best suited.  A good example could be using the Millennium Square in Leeds as there high volumes of people congregate there and especially during the summer months.  With this in mind, litter would seem to be a problem. One thing that had been thought about in public places like this was the use of CCTV and a speaker, to possibly deter people from littering, almost as though Big Brother is watching you.  However, whilst the idea may work, it could also be controversial.  It also came to my attention that this concept has already been used – particular in streets that have CCTV cameras – but it does raise the question of whether it does actually work and does it actually stop offenders from re-offending.  Back to the ideal location, I would imagine that projected images may have the potential to work.  It would also be something different in the use of promoting the “awareness of the environment” as it could even be interactive.  It would be an interesting concept and one wonders if it would help change the attitude of the general public. 

Planning the personal brief and mind map of issues/contexts and ideas

Today we looked at producing a personal brief, this was because not all of us have managed to produce one and so we looked at what should be put into making one.  One does not need to be too stringent on the pathways, or areas which need to be looked at, so it can be loose and relaxed and may be changed at a later date if something more suitable is found.  We have to consider looking at any issues/problems and think of ways to solve them.  The best way is to look at a broad general area applying to my issue/project and open it into sub-sets to what interests me and find more specific problems and ideas, for example:

·      Community

¨     People

¨     Education

¨     Religion

¨     Work

If I picked people, for example, I would break this down even further by looking into age groups such as Parents/Children then look at the problems within that area such as Anti Social Behavior etc.  From there I would find a specific aim.

We then looked at the overview of our projects.  Here is my overview:

Pathway – Design Digital

Context – Not necessarily physical, could be metaphorical – ‘virtual’, animation etc.  Possibly reminding people how beautiful ‘home’ can be through graphics

Issue – Awareness of the environment

Aim – To improve peoples way of life, to encourage them to cut down on wastefulness, be more eco-friendly.  To get these kinds of messages more visible, to get people to see more – see what they are using and doing, see the impact on where they live and see how they can make their lives better.

We then produced our own mind maps to see what can be incorporated into our projects.  We did this by looking at each individual aspect and then looked at what could be associated with that aspect.  For example ‘Dematerialisation’, it can be incorporated into my brief by having it ‘Digitally produced’, ‘Image projected onto screen’ or ‘Graphics on walls and signs’.

During the afternoon, we had our mind maps looked at in groups of four to see how we have progressed and what we have looked at.  As each one of us showed our mind maps, another mind map was produced and see what further points could be pitched across.  From there, we could then work on our personal briefs with these points and suggestions made.

     

Looking at sustainable digital design

Since my decision of going down the pathway of Digital Design, I looked at the types of sustainable Digital Design.  I came across ‘sustainable graphic design’ and as a former Graphic Design student,  it took my interest as it is something I have not come across before and has interested me.  For this, there is a lot to consider on how sustainability can be applied in this aspect of design.  I would have to consider looking at:

·      Reducing the amount of material used for production

·      Using paper and other materials made with recycled, post-consumer waste

·      Printing with low-VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) inks

·      Production methods that require the least amount of transport

·      Using renewable energy

·      If the product or packaging can fulfill more than one purpose

·      If the end product is biodegradable or recyclable

·      If the end product is digital rather than in printed format

·      The use of “just-in-time” production to reduce the amount of units produced and warehoused

·      Which products sell products certified by third party NGOs – Non-Government Organisation

This means that I would have to think of how I could produce a graphical outcome by either using environmentally friendly materials, reducing any transport to produce the product, ensure that the product can have multiple uses - which can save it from being thrown away, it could even have some form of emotional attachment to it - or producing something that is entirely digital.

Introduction to D1.4 Principles of Design

We have started our final studio project for the year and it is a personal project on the sustainability of design and must also revolve around the concept of Locomotion.  Locomotion means ‘to move’ and ‘place’, such as moving an object or information from place to place, this does not however, mean that it always has be in the physical context.  It could even be in, say for example, featured in a digital outcome such as moving information from place to place.

I have already chosen my pathway for this project to be within Design Digital and will be exploring on I could involve sustainability in digital design