Postcard#3

SHELTERIBUS+precedence

For th precedence study for the Shelter/Bus charette our Yoda group (which consist of Hanna , Mira, and Myself) looked outside of the United States to Mauritania a city near the Sahara in Africa. Mauritania (Arabic: موريتانيا‎ Mūrītāniyā), officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, is a country in northwest Africa. The country is generally flat, forming vast, arid plains broken by occasional ridges and cliff like outcroppings. Approximately three quarters of Mauritania is desert or semi desert. As a result of extended, severe drought, the desert has been expanding since the mid-1960s. To the west, between the ocean and the plateaus, are alternating areas of clayey plains (regs) and sand dunes (ergs), some of which shift from place to place, gradually moved by high wind. The dunes generally increase in size and mobility toward the north. The nation's coastal waters are among the richest fishing areas in the world, but overexploitation by foreigners threatens this key source of revenue. The country's first deepwater port opened near Nouakchott in 1986. In recent years, drought and economic mismanagement have resulted in a buildup of foreign debt. As a member of the Peace Corp. Mira Eng-Goetz lived and worked with the people of the village of Kenobi in Mauritania. Experiencing there day to day celebrations and Struggles as they live out there lives in the Desert like conditions which turn into mosquito infested Waste lands during torrential rainy season. In our sketch models below we chose to develop interventions that would help the village on kenobi through both there rainy and dry seasons.


This a a water reservoir that would be linked via piping to the well that supplies the village with water. This is a form of water harvesting that is much needed during Mauritania's dry arid season.
This is a grainery and it is place upon a platform to prevent water damage to the store grain which is essential to the Kenobi yearly food supply. It also would be lined with a tarp.
This well was inspired by a common need throughout the under developed world, where water sanitation in uncovered wells is often an issue. This design proposes that the user simply lower and raise the the well cover with a pulley system.

These two photos are for a proposed waiting area for the local hospital in Mauritania. Currently there is no area for waiting and patients when the hospital is full line the hall ways. This would allow for a more comfortable enviroment for both patient and physicain.

This last model is a mock market that would be on elevated land that curved so that during the rainy season the market would not flood. Lining the market would also be rock pits at could support human weight and would drain water to the water table faster.

I really appreciate the structural elements of all of the sketch models.

communicate +charette

6 ideas to communicate to the community what were doing and how they can get involved:


#1 Shop Dropping

During this charette we focused on how to get the word out to the community at UNCG and also within the community of Greensboro. On of the ideas we came up with is called Shop Drop. Basically it consists of the oppisite of shop lifting. We would buy goods and replace the labels with our own as a way of spreading the word. The labels could be of our different bus shelter ideas to our buses to our studio mission statement. This is just a way of putting our idea out there in places that every one goes. Once we replaced the labels we would place the goods back in the store where customers are free to take the free of charge.

#2 Digital Display

Imagine as your walking or driving through campus and you look upon the Jackson Library and you see an image you have never seen before upon that building. The next day as you are passing through you notice another image and maybe this time you actually known the person in the image. Each day after that a new image appears upon the building. Maybe eventually your picture shows up on the building. Each day people would continue to pass through campus and see what has changed on the building or if their picture is up. The last day writing appears promoting our second year studio. Through this idea the community sees that the IARC second year studio is designing the better the community.

#3 Facebook: [unity] group

Comm[unity] by Desgin : The second year Interior Architecture Students of UNCG would like to invite members of the community to partake in the shaping of Greensboro's future. Together we can make connections through ideas, and common causes.

#4 Magazine cover
An idea for a way to get our work for the year would be to install this framing in at the south centered entrance to the center city park. Its a central location that people form all over the city come to relax and enjoy time alone, or with friends and family. This is a place in the park where pictures can be taken that give the back drop of the beautiful scenery and available here will be information about what were doing as a studio and contact information, which will be located on the back side of the structure.

#5 Coupon Book



#6 [unity] t-shirt

Codes+Charette

Our experience with the various requirements to support human activities and needs concerning our shelter:bus was challenging. Although we, as a group, thought that we had designed our buses thoughtfully, the "codes +" charrette on proved differently.

What we would recommend to other designers when creating a space in which humans will interact with, is to pay close attention to every detail, large and small, to ensure that the experience one will have with the space will not only be enjoyable, but equally accessible for all. For example, when considering a space for an individual who may be in a wheelchair, you need not only think about the space it will take to enter the room, but also the dimensions for turning around, turning around an object, backing up, and approaching the space horizontally and vertically. These considerations, unfortunately, were not thought of when designing our prototype shelter:bus. The codes that need be applied to most every space are very helpful in further considering your design and its impact on those we will interact with it. For example, when sitting at a desk you must think of how much clearance an average person would need and also how much someone who is not average would need and combine the two. The codes really helped us, as a group, to look at every inch of our space differently.

The overall experience with the "codes +" charrette was difficult at first but was very helpful in the end. The regulations and requirements to support human activities is something that will enhance our designing capabilities because they really taught us to not only look at our space in our shelter:bus completely different, but also that we must always consider who we are designing for in order to have a successful and welcoming design.

GTA THE EXPERIENCE

The video above is a collection of information we hope can help us make informed decisions in our future endeavors as designers with our Bus Shelter/ Shelter Bus Studio Projects.
We'd Like to thank everyone for your time and cooperation with our assignment.

Post Card#2

(W)Righting

Obviously I took my trip before I read so when riding I didn't think about the bus ride in reflection of the historical movement that the 60's brought about, but on my bus ride there was a sign in honor of Ms. Rosa Parks and Her Sitting. The sit in movement brought about great change in the Greensboro area, as well as many other cities in the south. I still am proud of the fact that these were people who were very proud, and some of the best of their race, because they're aren't many who could do what they did without fear, discouragement, and the ability to carry on with "passive insistence" as was Quoted in the Civil and Civil Rights Reading. Its a true sign of strength and how one person can inspire many, and as a human race together through uplifting one another can true cause revolution.

Reading + Riding + Recording

My bus ride on the GTA was definitely an experience.


Throughout the bus are signs, very minimal advertisements, like you would have in New York or other major cities, just rules and regulations, and ways to contact GTA's customer service.

The first thing I noticed as a Bus rider on my route was the tremendous amount of car lots. now as a normal car driver, I normally ignored all the car lots down wendover and may glance and think, Trade In! But as a bus rider I felt as though they were cramming cars down my throat, by one! Only 500 down! etc... I also thought about the individuals who choose to ride the bus. Because it is a choice, and a very smart choice. The cost is minimal when comparing to a taxi, and you have the option to read or concentrate on other things instead of driving.
In the front of the bus the seats are reserved for seniors and people with disabilites, which is great, its kinda like a parking lot they usually get all the good seats but its for a very good, reason, and I'm sure there are state and federal regulations that put those rules in place.



As i was riding i began to notice the different ways in which we travel , cars, trucks, mopeds, bikes, we all have our own preferred methods of getting around and they're all at our disposal for a small/large expenditure.
Greensboro as a city is consistently building, and hope that as Stewards in our world they are looking for "greener" ways, so that in the cities future we can conserve our resources.
So as a second time bus rider, I was a little hesitant about this cord above my head, I was about a half a mile form my stop and and really didn't know when to pull it, so my ride ended up being a little longer than expected. I also noticed all of the safety signs, since buses are very much a public institution in themselves, it would only make sense that emergency exits are clearly marked, and i was very glad to see them in place.

The Uncg water tower is a great landmark, it lets me know that i'm on my way home! the bus ride was nice, people were looking at me kinda weird because of all the pictures i was taking.
I didn't feel comfortable just snapping pictures of people while they were on the bus, the idea seemed very judgmental and wrong, so I got a picture of this nice lady on her way on the bus.

Goodbye RT.1 GTA, You maybe seeing me soon.

Over all my ride went well, I plan on using our cities public transit system again.

POST CARD #1

Written : Hello Tommy, I would love to help in the planning of the upcoming alumna reunion event. It would be a thrill not only to help plan, but to meet many of our alumni, to get to know the people who do what I can only dream of doing. To help on any level would be my pleasure!

~Nacarra Lessane


photography by:Bill Bensley

Reflection: First Week of Classes

I was so excited to get back to school to get back to work. But on the eve of this event i got on blackboard and saw where my classes had posted their syllabi. Lets just say my printer ran out of ink ( lol it was low anyway)! I realized at that moment I had a very busy semester of me, and its best to stay ahead of the game. Begin on Monday we were all given our assignments for the week which turned to chaos on Wednesday is deciding what we were going to do for our presentations as a group. By Friday the tension had mounted as the entire class had to devise a way to make out individual elements cohesively exist in one installation , my blood pressure was up!!! But by the end of the day everything was done and everyone was happy! For the weekend I went with some friends to emerald point and almost drown to start off the second week of classes!!