Haere Mai!

Woohoo it’s summer!  Welcome to our exciting and groundbreaking summer block course.  Over the next three weeks we will be undertaking a ‘real world’ project for the Sustainability Trust.  By the end of it you will all have contributed to designing and building elements that will be installed for use by the Trust and the Wellington public.  This is not just ‘paper architecture’!  So come prepared to get stuck in and get your hands dirty…

We only have three weeks, so we will be working hard and working fast.  There will be no time for over-thinking things which should provide a refreshing change for some of you!  This project will be a lot of fun and a great introduction to the ins and outs of realising your designs, with all of the inherent issues that arise through taking designs from paper to built form.  There will be no time to mull over designs for weeks and then try to build them in the last couple of days – we will be getting straight into making – thinking through making, designing through making – prototyping, testing, and playing with materials to design inspired functional objects and to elegantly resolve construction details.

Here is some of the info you will need to start out:

Paper Outline: 224.490_2012_Special Topic_Paper Outline

Brief: 224.490_Fabricating the Laneway_BRIEF_2012

Workshop safety & personal safety gear: 3D Workshop Safety Manual 2012

Please can you all read the above Safety Manual- even if you are already familiar with the workshop it is always good to brush up on safety and best practice procedures.  We will be having a workshop induction session with a technician at 2pm Monday 12 Nov.  This is a great chance for any of you that haven’t used the workshop much before to re-familiarise yourself and gain confidence in knowing your way around.  For those of you who are already workshop-savvy, your skills will be of great value to your classmates, and you will have a chance to cement the knowledge you already have through passing it on to others, as well as taking the opportunity to expand your skills/knowledge, perhaps by learning a new technique or working with a new piece of equipment.  If you have not used the workshop at all, you will need to have a proper induction to any new piece of equipment before using it.  We will have technicians available so please don’t hesitate to ask for help.  Textiles students might also wish to utilise the textiles equipment and facilities that you will already be familiar with.

Please take note (in the Safety Manual) of the personal protection gear you are required to have, including:

– safety goggles/glasses, earmuffs, dust mask, gloves (if you are handling particular materials)

Also please ensure you are dressed appropriately (for safety in the workshop or on site – how stylish you choose to be is up to you!): dustcoat, suitable footwear, no dangly jewellery or loose hair that could get caught in machinery

Links:

Sustainability Trust: www.sustaintrust.org.nz

Activating the Laneway student website: www.masseyspatial.wix.com/activatingthelaneway

Stuff article on Sustainability Trust project: www.stuff.co.nz/environment/7843004/Trust-team-transforms-warehouse-into-oasis

Google map of Sustainability Trust, Forresters Lane, Wellington

See you all 10am tomorrow (Monday 12 Nov.) in the Spatial Design Presentation Space 10B12.

Please bring drawing materials and general ‘making’ materials (tape, glue, craft knife, ruler etc).

Object Challenge #1

12 Nov: using waste/scrap/leftover materials from around the studio, create a 3D object of a given dimension (15 series concrete block)

General feedback: many of you found the process difficult to engage with due to the dimensions of the object (not small enough for quick responsive making, not big enough to become a meaningful intervention/installation).  Agreed that we will look at producing a series of smaller (hand-held size) objects, and that the dimensions of the series may change in response to the materials and processes.

Research/Blog #1

Document and analyse the results of your object challenge, record on your blog (blogs to be set up on Wednesday so for now collate all information ready to post).

Research and identify
– waste stream materials from local industries (be as specific as you can)
– one old/traditional and one new sustainable fabrication process or technique

Object Challenge #2

13 Nov:  use an identified local waste stream material and researched process or technique to create a new object

Research/Blog #2

Document and analyse the results of your object challenge, record on your blog (blogs to be set up on Wednesday so for now collate all information ready to post).

Research: select a piece of sustainably fabricated furniture that inspires you and analyse it (material, process, function)

Wednesday 14 Nov: meet at 10am on site at Sustainability Trust, Forresters Lane.  Please don’t be late as it is a client meeting.

Object Challenge #3

14 Nov:  test out concepts (as individuals) for your group design through parti models

Research/Blog #3

Document and analyse the results of your object challenge, record on your blog (ensure you upload your previous days’ blog entries also).  Continue researching and gathering inspiration for your group design.

Object Challenge #4

15 Nov:  using one of the materials you are looking at working with, make a 1:10 scale model that explores the proposed form of your design (as the material will be of a different scale, you may need to work with it in a different way)

Research/Blog #4

Document and analyse the results of your object challenge, record on your blog.  Continue work on your group design in preparation for presenting work in progress on Friday.

Friday 16 Nov: meet at 10am in the Spatial presentation space.  Bring all objects that you have made during the week.