Walking through the gates of Inscape, one is met with the air that is filled with excitement as bright-eyed individuals all look forward to what the next 3 years will be like. A new environment with endless possibilities.
So, what does it take to be a Tribester?
1. You must know that Inscape isn’t just your average college. Inscape strives to make you the best you, and help you become the creator of your own success. To be a Tribester you must know your own individuality, and even if one still has no idea (because let’s face it, we don’t really have a clue at age 18/19), Inscape is there to guide and push you towards that. This is a journey filled with sleepless nights, mini-breakdowns and the struggles of waking up for those early lectures. It is an obstacle course where one learns to overcome their weaknesses, jump over the hurdles of the ego and fight through mental blocks to complete projects and assignment. That is when you will know that being a Tribester is being more than a student, you are now a warrior set on a journey to become a designer.
2. When the 2nd year comes around you realize it does not become any easier. Your social life becomes less important as you dive deeper into your chosen field of study. You learn new skills specific to your industry and suddenly the picture begins to form, and the excitement grows. You can see yourself becoming. Of course, being a member of the tribe means you are a part of something bigger than yourself. You will feel the need to help those 1st years through their mini struggles and mental blocks that you are so familiar with.
3. Going into the 3rd year, you are now part of the Tribe leaders and setting the standards for the newcomers. It is the final hurdle, an exciting time even though faced with the daunting task of putting together your final project for the year. The lecturers are tougher on you and you realise that you are even tougher on yourself, pushing to produce your best work yet. At this point, sleep is a myth but you soldier on because Tribesters never give up! Visions of yourself in that cap and gown keep you going and at the end, it is all worth it.
The whole team at Inscape would like to take this opportunity to wish all of our lecturers, support staff and students a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
We live in a world where technology is constantly changing and evolving. If we think back a few years, the world was a lot different until the first launch of the cell phone. Today technology has evolved so much and is such a big part of our lives, but what does it mean for us as designers?
Thanks to the ever-changing world of technology, designers are now able to design amazing products and invent products that have never been seen before. 3D printing and new sustainable materials make it possible to do the impossible. We are no longer stuck with old production methods and have the freedom to design truly bespoke products that caters to an individual’s needs, for example spoons that can stabilize and bend for people with disabilities like the Liftware spoon. Another example is the Adidas Futurecraft 4D shoe that is 3D printed for mass production. Thanks to the technology used the shoe can now be shaped according to your feet.
We also get products that push design and production capabilities like the first ever completely 3D printed motorbike. Even though this bike is not for mass production it shows us what is possible for the future of production, design and invention. And the future is defiantly looking good with its truly unique and different design possibilities.
Since the conclusion of World War II, the effort to preserve important sites of national and cultural heritage has been a priority for hundreds of nations around the world. According to UNESCO, “Cultural heritage refers to monuments, groups of buildings and sites with historical, aesthetic, archaeological, scientific, ethnological or anthropological value. Natural heritage refers to outstanding physical, biological and geological formations, habitats of threatened species of animals and plants and areas with scientific, conservation or aesthetic value” (2014).
Preserving historic buildings is fundamental to understanding a nation’s heritage. In addition, it is an environmentally responsible practice. By reusing existing buildings historic preservation is essentially a recycling program of ‘historic’ magnitude. Systems can be upgraded to meet modern building needs and regulations. This not only makes good economic sense, but preserves our inheritance and is an intrinsically sustainable custom and an inherent component of whole building design. Some practical and/or indefinable benefits of historic preservation include preservation of history and authenticity; increased commercial value; retention of building materials; existing usable space; rehabilitation often costs less than new construction; reuse of infrastructure and energy savings.
The preservation of cultural and national heritage becomes exceptionally important during times of turmoil or war, when many times important sites and objects are lost. Protecting the built heritage and conserving the local traditional and cultural values of communities for future generations present a real challenge for developers, architects, and professional education programs which are responsible for preparing the courses focused on heritage conservation aspects, learning respectful aware design with cultural context, and qualified graduates in planning, design, and implementation of conservation projects.
According to DiMatteo there are 5 reasons why we should care about heritage preservation: – Architectural beauty is good for your brain. – Historic buildings are physical links to our past. – Historically significant buildings contribute to our cultural and economic well-being – Heritage designations boost property values. – Heritage preservation is more labour-intensive, which means more jobs.
There are principles for four distinct approaches to the management of historic properties namely preservation, rehabilitation, restoration, and reconstruction. Of concern to preservation and design professionals is the cumulative effect of seemingly inconsequential changes over time, which can greatly reduce the integrity of a historic building. Major preservation design goals include update building systems appropriately, accommodate life safety and security needs as well as provide accessibility for historic buildings.
On 1 April 2000, the National Heritage Resources Act (no 25 of 1999) came into effect. In the second chapter of this act the different categories of heritage resources are listed. Emphasis is placed on the cultural significance of heritage resources and it is stated that this significance should be established as it determines the means of conservation and preservation of such a site (2018).
Written by
Chris Meyer
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References:
DiMatteo, E. (2018). 5 reasons we should care about heritage preservation. [online] NOW Magazine. Available at: https://nowtoronto.com/news/5-reasons-we-should-care-about-heritage-preservation/ [Accessed 24 Nov. 2018].
Embaby EM. (2014). Heritage conservation and architectural education: “An educational methodology for design studios”. HBRC Journal. Volume 10, Issue 3, Pages 339-350
Jenkins, Christine; Wayward, W Boyd. (2007). Introduction: Libraries in Times of War, Revolution and Social Change. Library Trends 55 (3).
UNESCO. (2018). Preserving Cultural Heritage: A Worldwide Cooperative Effort | Global Currents. [online] Available at: http://publish.illinois.edu/globalcurrents/2014/04/04/preserving-cultural-heritage a-worldwide-cooperative-effort/ [Accessed 27 Nov. 2018].
Van Vollenhoven AC (2018). [online] Available at: https://www.sahra.org.za/sahris/sites/default/files/heritagereports/Report%2001365V%20Managemen t%20plan%20Overlooked.pdf [Accessed 27 Nov. 2018].
Wbdg.org. (2018). Historic Preservation | WBDG Whole Building Design Guide. [online] Available at: https://www.wbdg.org/design-objectives/historic-preservation [Accessed 25 Nov. 2018].
At the beginning of every project designers are faced with the challenge of the starting point, and as many designers do, rely on the tried and trusted principles of design. Each designer approaches design from a different angle, and has their own style and principles influencing what they do. Yet sometimes you find a group of designers who see things not as they are, but rather as they ought to be. In a fast growing and changing world this is encouraging to hear, see, and engage with.
Speaking to a group of Architects in the Dubai Design District, Design International, and the Kettle Collective, to get their perspective on the top five design principles they take from architecture.
1. Solution Based Design
The impact a building, or design work, makes is fundamental to its success. To be successful, architecture needs to answer a brief, satisfy a need, provide a solution and remain functional at the same time. The ‘why’ of any creative process is important when considering the end user. Especially when a space is being transformed.
The Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa, in Cape Town, South Africa, is an example of just such a work of grace. The Grain Silo Complex at the V&A Waterfront with its own unique historic character has been transformed by architect Thomas Heatherwick, into a master acoustic, and exhibition space. Once a disused piece of South African history, this structure has been transformed into a functional, inspirational work or art in its own right. Expanding the space not only beyond it’s original intended use, but also giving it a new inspired life.
https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/thomas-heatherwick-cape-town-zeitz-mocaa-south-africa
2. Respect: Environment, Community and Sustainability
Fundamental to respecting our environment, we need to be creating spaces for people, considering the setting in which the building sits, and the longevity of the space built within its location. These are key areas to take into considering when designing structures that will be around for many years. As an architect you are not only thinking of visual aesthetic, character, and social community centred spaces, you also want the passion and emotion associated with the design to be ‘seen’ and ‘felt’ by all who engage with the space.
Just such a space is Moyo Waterfront Restaurant And Urban Farm, in Cape Town, South Africa. Urban farm, market, and restaurant, telling the story of food, was developed by Tsai Design Studio. From gemination to processing and production, into end user experience of organic gastronomy. Although around for some time, this concept is a fine example of design paying respect to the environment, community, and to ensuring success in sustainability.
http://www.tsaidesignstudio.com/architecture/moyo-urban-farm/
3. Remaining Open-Minded
Keeping an open-mind is a little like looking through a glass ball and hoping you see where the future leads. Of course, we can see where current trends and technologies are taking us, but these move faster and with more ease then any building or structure ever could. Knowing how to keep ahead of the ‘here and now’ takes an open-mind and courage, a boldness that few possess. “To boldly go where no architect has gone before!”
One such endeavour is the Museum of the Future, in Dubai, UAE, by architect Shaun Killa. Currently under construction, this space is set to be a unique incubator for futuristic innovation and design. Having this as a tag line is a rather daunting challenge, and Killa has done just that, been bold, futuristic, and remained open-minded. A museum created for a future not yet imagined.
http://www.museumofthefuture.ae/
4. Authenticity
Once you commit to a design of a building, know that it is going to be around for a long time. So being an authentic architect is vital, as you are depositing visual and functional structure for possibly millennia. Know that you have been bestowed with a great gift and use it wisely. Create change, be part of the difference in the world. Above all, don’t just talk, listen!
Don’t copy or imitate/replicate, be respectful to the original, there is no need to redesign something that already exists. Whether it’s a piece of furniture, new building, or to a historic building, be authentic.
Keeping it fantastically authentic is the Louvre Abu Dhabi, in UAE, by architect Jean Nouvel. Drawing inspiration form the Arabic cupola, the huge dome appears weightless, and allows the sun to pass though it and deposit rays of light within the museum, know as the ‘rain of light’. Nouvel says it best. “It wishes to belong to a country, to its history, to its geography without becoming a flat translation, the pleonasm that results in boredom and convention. It also aims at emphasizing the fascination generated by rare encounters.”
https://www.louvreabudhabi.ae/en/about-us/architecture
https://www.archdaily.com/793182/in-progress-louvre-abu-dhabi-jean-nouvel
5. Intangibility
Buildings speak to us, and we respond to them, a silent dialogue; and we develop a bond over time. “When the elements or the character of a space arouse an emotional response in us that is meaningful, significant, and enduring, we call this elusive experience Emotional Meaning”. Through design the intangible and the invisible can be felt. Architectural success lies in that place where without your explanation the space and the user are moved, understood, and experienced. When this happens fluidly, you know you have done a job well. This is wholly dependent on the designer’s mindset and willingness to bridge the gap between the user and the space.
As the intangible is such a personal experience, a building that springs to mind is the Hagia Sophia, in Istanbul, Turkey. Moved to beyond the tangible is an adequate description of this building. When you step inside you can ‘feel’ the history. The stories of every person throughout history who has crossed that doorstep flood your soul. The current structure was constructed by Isidoros (Milet) and Anthemios (Tralles), who were renowned architects of their time, by Emperor Justinianos’s (527-565) orders. Still today, centuries later, their endeavour to create connection with the space and user can be felt and experienced, once entering this majestic structure.
http://ayasofyamuzesi.gov.tr/en/history
There’s no doubt that robots have changed the face of employment over the last 100 years.
From the factories of the Industrial Revolution to the Crypto Currencies currently overturning banking institutions, the idea of being replaced by machines has always seemed particularly terrifying.
– until it actually happens and we all move on.
And that’s just it. Since the invention of the first tool, we’ve been driven to create an even better one to replace it, each time leaving us with a little less work to do.
According to a study by Oxford University academics called The Future of Employment, around 50% of today’s jobs are at risk of becoming automated – but how is that surprising when any job that leaves no room for error is one that has always be better suited to a robot?
So where in this modern mechanised mecca, do you, the humble designer fit in?
The answer: the same place you always will.
The goal of technology was to give us more time to live out our passions, and because of it we are fast approaching an age of ultimate human endeavour – a world where we will freer then ever to leave behind humdrum jobs and pursue higher career callings.
The business of emotion is one that needs a beating heart at the helm, and as long as there humans to feel it, there will be demand for things that make us feel.
To designers, A.I. isn’t the job-killer, it’s just another medium for us to make our mark with.
Gregory Walker
When I get asked to define good design I usually give the short and sweet answer: “When an object is designed well, it usually functions and/or looks good.” Now truth is that good design can’t be summed up in a simple sentence as I just did. Good design is specific to the user. When designers design, they apply their knowledge and skills to a specific scenario, a specific end-user. For each scenario you as a designer need to possess or learn a certain set of skills and as the title suggests these skills aren’t limited to drawing, painting or the arts.
The skills I am about to talk about are skills that I have found useful in my career as a designer.
As a designer, you will be working with other people. Whether it’s the client, the architect of a building, other designers or sub-contractors, there will always be somebody you need to deal with. Each design you work on will be customized to a certain extent, which means you will be making something new. You are introducing these people to the great and terrifying new method/product. Things will go wrong somewhere, but that’s you when the designer, who keeps his cool, saves the day.
A designer needs to keep a cool head and focus on the bigger picture. Not all designs work the very first time, and despite the fact that you poured your heart and soul into the product, the end user might just hate the initial idea, the product might be installed wrong, or better yet the original structure might break. It happens, but when it happens the best solution is not to break down and cry and give up, rather to go back to the drawing board and draw up a plan to make whatever is broken work.
I find this skill extremely important, if not the most important skill on this list. Time and task management is crucial to get projects finished at the right time, and for a project to be successful, it needs to end on schedule.
I have found that things go much smoother on jobs when there is some form of a project plan in place. Mainly because you have the ability to plan in advance. Project plans or schedules make it much easier to avoid double bookings with conflicting traits, like installing curtains and varnishing wooden floors on the same time for example, because the logic is done while you plan the project.
But double bookings aren’t the only hassle project plans solve. As we sometimes rely on other people to complete things that we can’t, like manufacturing as an example, our suppliers might not be done on time and delay the project to be finished. Project plans are often a great tool to manage these delays making rescheduling easier.
Bare in mind that you will need a good understanding of the scope of the project that you are planning. Making unrealistic plans are a waste of time.
Finally, project plans, when graphed out properly can show a client where you are in the project and can give the client a realistic idea of when they can expect the project to be done.
You will need to communicate with the client. You will need to communicate with the manufacturer. You will need to communicate as part of the research. So it definitely helps if you are good at it.
People will often come to you seeking a solution to their problem. It is your job as the designer to take the time to make sure you understand what the problem is that needs to be solved. This sounds much easier than it actually is.
This last point is definitely a skill. As a designer, you need to learn, do research, observe-, collect- and compile data. This means you will gain knowledge. Successful designers learned to love knowledge. Success can only be achieved when you do what you love.
Studies in Graphics and Art Influences are the springboard to the creatively inspired student to a number of different career options. All of them require imagination, passion and dedication; the ability to research, be disciplined in visual, verbal and written communication and to collaborate with clients. Social and cultural awareness is a prerequisite. Analytical and problem-solving skills are important and being able to work from concept to completion. The professional should be proficient in sound business practice, marketing, project planning, team and time management. The field is challenging and competitive, the designer needs to be conversant with the current cutting-edge trends and rapidly changing practices and, better still, be ahead of them. You will work in many mediums using a variety of techniques and material, and should be able to take risks and bend the rules when called for.
Fashion. The industry is dynamic and exciting, fiercely competitive and stressful. This is a high powered, high profile profession, constantly creating new styles from season to season, two years ahead of the actual runway showing. A sound knowledge of the production process from patternmaking to final fitting is required.
Publishing. Advertisements, posters and books and magazines. Illustrators and Layout specialists need to engage readers. Newspapers, information technology, technical diagrams, medical illustration, drawings of architects and engineers in CAD or by hand, brochures and directories all require expertise in graphics.
Brand design is always in competition with so many products. Packaging and Corporate Identity are aspects of branding.
Webmaster and Software development, Game generation – creating challenging puzzles, word and educational games are further fields. Animation combines art and digital technology. Film, Television and Theatre are other avenues which require imaginative and narrative skills, particularly in costume and scene design.
Industrial Designers create new products from home appliances to toys and cars – anything that can be manufactured. The function, the aesthetics and the use of the item are important.
Interior Design. Innovative designs allow people to live and work comfortably, efficiently and securely. Need architectural draughting skills, knowledge of building technology and services as they plan space allocation, traffic flow as well as furniture, fittings and artwork. Work with architects/engineers to modify a building. Interior Decorators furnish existing spaces. Architects focus on the design of a building, a demanding and complex endeavour concerned with functionality, structure, health, welfare and safety as well as legal compliance. An Architectural Draughtsman put the architects’ ideas into drawings.
Street Art and Murals transform the ambience of an area in a town or city.
An internship is invaluable to build experience and to create opportunities for the future. A portfolio of excellent work is vital for the initial interview.
Creativity is both a gift and a burden. The spark of genius that attaches itself to the creative mind also burdens it with knowledge that to be creative is to be different. As such, mental illness and creativity can be seen to be located on the same spectrum – where thinking that deviates from the norm is simultaneously a blessing and a curse. As a design student learning to navigate this challenging terrain, the journey is often frustrating. However, mental illness and creativity are not synonymous, and they should not be treated as such. Creativity, and creative thinking, is, in fact, a powerful tool against mental illness. Yes, to own your creativity means that you are better able to find the darkness of depression, but it also enables you to imagine and find inspiration.
You are not alone in this journey.
Creativity draws towards it an eclectic mix of extraordinary people who will travel with you. Lean on them, ask for help, and find encouragement in this group. Stay proactive and persevere when those thoughts of giving up start to filter in. Seek help. Don’t regard it as a weakness to do so. It is an act of courage. Above all, remember this:
“You are Braver than you believe,
Stronger than you seem,
And Smarter than you think.” – A.A. Milne
Written by Mary-Anne Potter
Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, has often been credited with the famous quote, “the best way to predict the future is to create it.” Let’s unpack this for a second. What does it mean to create something? To create something is to make something new, or invent something imaginative. Perhaps a better definition would be to bring into existence something that was not there before. Am I maybe trying to say the same thing in three different ways? Probably, but I’m making sure you understand what I’m saying. There is incredible power in the ability to create something. Whether that be a finger painting your little brother made for the fridge or a building that can sustainably house the next generation of leaders. The idea is the same. To create something. Some might say it’s a far reach from a fridge painting to a building, but I disagree. There is now something that wasn’t there before. It doesn’t matter, whether what you create is brand new or revolutionary, but rather that you created it. Everything meaningful started from somewhere, however small.
This is what designers do. This is what designers are. They are creators. They are inspired, and they are inspiring. They use what is around them to create something that wasn’t there before. Something that, given the chance, could change the world. Wait, change the world? Isn’t that a bit exaggerated? Believe it or not, changing the world isn’t as difficult as it may seem.
Let’s look at information awareness and environmental responsibility, for example. Rachel Martin, a designer with a passion for environmental impact and what she calls “sustainable and socially responsible design,” has worked for over a decade with the focus of designing for good. As one of many, she worked with a client called Old North Shrub, a small line of artisanal and seasonal botanical drinking vinegars farmed in North Carolina. All the ingredients are locally farmed, and the recycled packaging uses hand-drawn illustrations to tell a story. Side note: never underestimate the power of storytelling. I mean, who doesn’t like a good story? The brand highlights local seasonal flavors and preserves the traditions that they come with, rooted in Appalachian culture. They connect people to the land and to a local experience. They bring awareness to and educate consumers about the heritage, rich soil and farm-fresh ingredients of North Carolina. All this for what? That’s right, the farmer who creates for a living.
Design has been used countless times to make you, the consumer (yes, you are a consumer, everyone is) buy things. From shoes you don’t need to the car you could probably have spent less on. We spend money on things we want and don’t need. But we also spend money on things we need and don’t want. It’s a vicious cycle, and can you really tell what the difference is these days? This is why design is so important. It has immense power, more than we probably give it credit for.
So why can’t we use it for something like Rachel? That’s the funny part. We can. Nothing is stopping us. Nothing is stopping us from using the same power we have to make people buy outrageous things, to make these same people change their habits and empower them to support change (or even make it themselves). Nothing is stopping us from using design to make someone stop in the middle of the street — although I would highly suggest you don’t do that — and take a quick look at their life and say to themselves, “wait, I can do that, I can make a difference.” All it takes is the right message being said in the right way.
This is what a designer can do. This is the power a designer has. Even if you can make one person do this, that is enough. Because they usually turn around and do the same thing but in their own way. Boom. Chain reaction time. We’ve all experienced one of these at some point in our lives (if you think you haven’t then you’ve probably forgotten about it) and how impactful they’ve been. It doesn’t even matter how you do this; whether it be a physical space, a dress, a song, an app, a poster, a necklace, a window, a chair, or even a plant, it makes little difference. You created something that wasn’t there before. You made a difference. You inspired someone.
Henry Ford once said, “if I asked the people what they wanted, they would have asked for faster horses.” I know this is usually equated to a new product, but I think the same can be said for ‘designers for change.’ Most people don’t necessarily know what they want until it’s shown to them, in the same way they don’t really know how much they can make a difference until they are told as such. The designer can do this. The designer should do this. If the power to create and inform is (at the risk of redundancy) so powerful, then should that not be the duty of the designer? So if I may paraphrase Mr Lincoln, if the best way to predict the future is to create it, then perhaps the best way to create a ‘better’ future, is to design it.
Written By
Durban Campus Lecturer