LUKE DAVIS
DIGITAL PORTFOLIO
Sustainable Design Project
PROJECT NARRATIVE
In this project, We went from field trips about sustainable design, some went to greenhouses, some went to twin buttes to learn about building houses that can last hundreds of years, while using earth's natural resources with Todd Swanson. Then we began a prototyping/ Empathy interviews. First we interviewed peers from our class, and were given a format which required us to ask our interviewee about a time that they felt (Blank). Happy, sad, excited, and off of that we based what their values could be based on the setting they were in, how they reacted to the situation, and what they took away from it. Then we made prototypes for that person, things that could make their learning experience better.
Then, this led us into the meat of the project, we were let free into the school, to talk to fellow staff members, students, using the same format used for the peer prototyping. Then we analyzed this data. From here we had the skills that we needed to start our project. We were put or chose groups and what we wanted to do, there were groups that were planning to do a geodesic dome, my group which did the outdoor anxiety free spot, an art stage group, over river gazebo, and many more.
Leading Up to exhibition, we worked on refining ideas, and setup systems for the community attending to leave feedback to make our ideas the best they can be. And after this exhibition we used this feedback and incorporated it into our design. Then after exhibition, it was project work time. It was our time to gather materials, and break ground. We were given roughly 2 weeks to get this done. Sustainable design is design that is meant to last,with having the smallest impact on our environment as possible. Sustainability is knowing that what you are making is not temporary.
Final Prototype
When I got in my group, pretty much the biggest thing that almost everyone agreed on, was comfortable. And In our group we decided to make a place that could be an environment where someone could go to relax in a hammock by the river. So first we had to decide on an idea and an Area. And with that we wanted to have a hammock, and completely clear out an area that looked unusable, and wanted to make it beautiful with a flower bed.
So the first thing that we did was clear it out, there were dead trees and branches, leaves, rocks, dead vines. So for 3 days we made it so you could just walk there, and then for a whole day we focused on taking all of the debris to the garbage, to make the area look even better. And it was really amazing cause before we cleared it our we never knew how beautiful the area was. So the next step for me and another group member was making the stairs. Because the hill that you had to go down was so steep, it was hard to get down to our area, so for about a full week I focused on making two sets of stairs. This was a big challenge for me because i had to think of sustainability, what is something that can last years with no intense maintenance. So in the end my plan that i ended up with was to use wood, and metal bars to keep the metal in the ground to keep the stairs from being completely washed away with one rainfall. And then we completed both stairs with gravel.
I think the biggest success was clearing out the area because that was going to take the longest, and it was a lot of work, it was 3 continuous hours of work everyday. So even if we didn't have a hammock, it still would have been a beautiful area, but adding the hammock was a good decision, I am proud of the work that we did regardless. I think that the empathy interviews helped us because we realize at animas the amount of stress the both the student body and the teachers here, so it is a nice place where you can get work done, or just take a second on the hammock by the river to check in with yourself. So I think that if we accomplished anything, I hope that people are relaxed in the spot, because my group put in so much work to make this space beautiful.
The Reflection Questions
1.I choose initiative as an area of growth through this project because there were rarely ever moments where I wasnt working, or taking a break, or just sitting around doing nothing. So I am very proud of myself because that was my weakness for the beginning of the year. So I feel that this area made me grow in that aspect because there was so much to do, and we were a smaller group, we were all doing something always. We were always communicating and looking for ways to make the area its best, so there wasn't room for slacking.
2. I think that refinement is something that I can strive towards because don't quite understand its point always because I feel that I am trying to put forward my best self, and when that work is judged I can sometimes go into a defensive place, and not want to change my work, and I found that coming out when we were told to change something that I had spent so much time on,it just rubbed me the wrong way, and even though I didn't want to do it at first I did which I glad I took the advice.
3. I think that the hardest problem that we faced was clearing out our area, mostly because you genuinely could not walk there. There was branches everywhere, and leaves, debris. So much that you could not walk whatsoever, and the fact that we cleared it completely out in 4 days is amazing to me. It was very labor intensive but I believe that it payed off because of how proud of it we are, and how well we worked together and on the task.
4. I don’t think that my group had any major struggles, but I think that something that was frustrating was compromising some of our plans to fit the timeline that was changed to fit everyone's needs better. I don’t think that it was anyone's fault, it was just a judgment call that had to happen. But my group to be honest was full of perfectionists, and so we were always striving to make everything that we did the best that it could be, so it was hard for us that we had to take so of our ideas/ needs out to fit the timeline. For example perfecting the second set of stairs to help with erosion, we didn't get to put wood pieces in because the first set took so long, that we had to think of other things that we could have added, luckily we had help with that so it wasn't a bigger deal than it was.
5. I think for us success was creating a beautiful space, that before we worked on it nobody would have bothered to clear out. Now looking back on the process and how the area is right now I think that we accomplished that. It is now a space where someone can go just to relax, or get work done. And that was our HOW MIGHT WE, was how do we create an area that promotes an anxiety free mood for students and staff. So I think success now for the projects is people using it and enjoying it!
6. I would say for anyone starting this project to understand that you should never not have something to do. And don't be afraid to take a lot onto your plate cause all of the hard work is worth is caused knowing that you and a group created beautiful work and everyone can enjoy it really is something to take pride in. Also making our school beautiful, always strive for progress not perfection. And this project really helped me realize that because the work that I did was good enough for me, therefore it is good enough for someone else.