A multi-disciplinary course at Shenkar college with Emma Margarita Ernest
"One could describe design as a plan for arranging elements to accomplish a particular purpose” Charles Eames.
With an increase in urban population, new challenges are presented and raise fundamental questions regarding the city's users and their needs for a functional urban eco system. City services including transportation, pollution, employment, etc., provide technical information for these systems and lack reference between how the user interacts with the physical urban space.
The studio is offered for third year students and teaches them to formulate a concept and access information through visual tools and analytical aspects of a small urban environment. Students work on field research using various software and digital equipment.
Information is then obtained using mapping methods and parametric design. This combined with architectural methods, human design, and multidisciplinary departments allows the students to find a way to reduce the gap between the physical design and the ideal design use. The purpose of the course is to develop and design an additional layer on the physical space that addresses the needs and uses of the city as well as the user which will enhance the overall design.
Work Process: 1. The student experiments in field research through mapping and documentation. 2. The student experiments with processing information and formulating a position. 3. The student develops an outline for research in design and engineering based on analytical inquiry.
The course is divided into two parts: lectures and discussions and then work group activities.
The content of the course teaches the student to develop a concept and use information as a design tool. The first part includes methods for mapping information, including a series of individual and group exercises where students produce field information through recording, photography, interviews, etc.
The second part includes analyzing the information gathered and drawing conclusions, which then the students can begin working on the group activities. The third part includes a series of short classroom exercises that focus on designing an experience and interaction in the chosen urban space through visualization tools.
These three parts provide various types of design tools for the accessibility of space and the way in which each process creates a position on space and assesses the variety of its uses. The tasks include the development of 2D/3D visualization. Through these exercises the students use their own experiences as well as the methods learned to formulate a final design strategy.
The chosen site Jabotinsky street where the students intervene in a section between HaMedina square to the sea.
Sarah Zalta, Tanya Shcherbkov, Victor Heyman:
This group dealt with the clutter and visual disorder of traffic signs and other signs by coming up with different solutions that appeal to different users.
Oxana Keren Endorsement, Rinat Cohen:
This group worked with the areas building’s by recording documentation, styles and alterations throughout the years.
Lidor Afflelo, Yael Barak:
This group worked on finding a solution to the parking problem in Tel Aviv, by mapping out the types of vehicles and the users within the selected areas, and created a digital solution that is more convenient and efficient to the user.
Katia Stein, Niv Sagi:
This group focused on the variety and location of graffiti in the region and created an app that provides background information of the work and its artist.
Gilad Izrael, Noy Davidson:
This group worked on a way to navigate the city through digital apps with minimal screen time and still maintain the quality of the user experience in the urban space.
Daniel Sheila, Motti Shemesh:
This group dealt with a pre-selected garden space and analyzed its hours of operations and its users, with the intention of offering other planning solutions.
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