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Chapter 14 Workshop

Consequences of Packaging

Considering what was discussed concerning the chapter, I began to think about everyday objects that I interact with and immediately something came to mind. Tic Tacs. As long as I can remember, I have had Tic Tacs nearby, whether it was my dad or my mom or my cousins, everybody had Tic Tacs. Now I know the chapter discussed packaging and therefore I am going to talk about the Tic Tac packaging before talking about the pros and cons of the actual Tic Tac container. The packaging on the Tic Tac actually is minimal. Quite simply, all that one needs to do is break, either by strength or with a sharp object, the label that holds the top shut. Now thinking about, the label is a great indicator of whether or not the Tic Tacs have been tampered with, all one needs to do is look at the label to see if it has been messed with. Now about the strength that is needed to rip the label off. I am able to do it quite easily and if one were to take their fingernail or a sharp object and slice the label along the edge it would be easy to open the container.

But as for appearance, the Tic Tac is a small oblong shaped piece mint. Easily confused with pills. In fact, in my search for Tic Tacs, I came across of a photo in which someone was storing their pills in the container. Now to an adult it would be quite apparent that those are not Tic Tacs, but to a child, they might think that it was candy and try to open the container.

It should be mentioned that after the label is broken initially, it is quite easy to open and close the Tic Tac container.

Therefore, I think that the Tic Tac is an example of packaging and ultimately marketing that has pros and cons. Pros being easy to open, cons being that the easiness allows for anyone to continue to open and close the container.

Chapter 14 Initial Thoughts

Wow, this chapter had me really thinking about the difficulties of designing a product for everyone. Surely, as was mentioned in the Tylenol case, the manufacturers were not thinking that people would tamper with the product with ill intent. But as we evolve as people, we must be expecting that there are people in the world who will do things like that without even a motive. Beth Tauke lists questions to consider such as:

Is it safe?

Is it easy to see?

Is it sized right?

Of course there are numerous other questions that could be asked but the honest answer is that the product will never be truly safe if there are those who are seeking to take advantage.

Manufacturing in itself is a huge responsibility that I think many of the mass manufacturers do not take into account. Yes, you can print all manner of warnings on the packaging and labels but that is only to save themselves. It makes me wonder, when time and effort is put into a product, does the designer really consider every possible outcome? Does it become a matter of those rings that hold sodas that end up killing marine life?

In my mind yes, there is not action done which does not require thinking and forethought. But I doubt that a lot of companies think about anything other than profit and saving themselves should their product be harmful.

Chapter 12 Workshop

Reimagining The Four Corners

When giving thought to the statues which are at the Four Corners at Charlotte. One must think about what they represent: Transportation, commerce, industry, and future. But how does this all relate to the residents of Charlotte? I can see transportation, there is Charlotte Douglass Airport a few other airports, as well as a transit system which is composed of a light rail as well as numerous buses. That being said, there is also an extensive taxi system within the city of Charlotte. So I can see how transportation would work, but it does not begin to represent the people of charlotte, only the city itself. As well, I can see how commerce is included because Charlotte is a banking hub and there are numerous business that deal in commerce within the city. But how does that represent the every day resident? The individual? Third, there is industry, and yes, Charlotte is an industrial city, it is makes strides to become bigger and better. But the statue does not quite fit the bill. Lastly, future I see a woman holding a baby, yes that is the future, so I would have to agree, out of all four of the statues, the future statue is closer to home.

But now with what to replace the other statues? Whether it is changing the visual aspect of the statue or even changing what the statues itself stands for altogether is the question.

Replace all statues with figures that are not human

That do not represent human in any shape or form

True, being able to relate to an object such as a statue does require some feature with which one can attach to. But I think that in order to fully represent the people of Charlotte, the statues must be able to represent everyone. So, the statues themselves will all incorporate mirrors in some shape or fashion. When the individual or group of individuals looks at the statue, they will see themselves, in turn, they will see what they can become.

Now I know that this could run the risk of placement, of generalizing or isolating. Where the statues themselves represent one thing and so the individual is being placed into that category. But, if the statues themselves change to become a general concept, then everyone will be happy.

No, it can not work like that, the people will see themselves as representing Charlotte, but then the statues themselves could be placed in any city and the same idea can bedone over and over again. What is specific to Charlotte? How can one looking into a mirror see that they represent Charlotte?

The answer is to change the statues themselves.

The Future remains, but changed to a series of figures, male and female adults and children with a mirror in the place of the face.

Then Commerce is changed to Diversity, which would be a group of faceless figures standing together. The mirror once again in the place of the face.

Industry changes to Innovation, which is represented by a blacksmith or some other figure in the process of creating with a mirror for a face.

Finally, Transportation is changed to Charlotte which is imagined as a queen hornet with a mirror as its face. This one is closer to the ground so that even the disabled may see their faces reflected and see themselves as a Queen hornet and essentially what charlotte was named and nicknamed after.

Chapter 12 Initial Thoughts

Chapter 12 began talking about public spaces and how one goes about investigating and interacting with various spaces and artwork. How does one begin to appreciate the true meaning of statues and does one even pay attention to the art of the surrounding buildings? Statues themselves are an indication of society and serve as historical markers and celebratory elements within a public space. They also could serve as a controversial element if they do not portray what is the common feeling behind a certain incident or idea. With statues one can create an object with which one perceives different levels of idealogy. Does one see equality in the statue? Does one feel oppressed by what the statue is representing? This chapter indicates that statues should display an overall feeling of happiness or pride within a civic space, and that people should feel enlightened almost when they begin to investigate and understand the meanings behind the statues.

Chapter 11 Workshop

A new set of categories to define Regent Park residents and then begin to speculate on how these categories might affect how new housing is developed would be:

Age, class, background, education, work, religion

These categories define the residents but then how does one begin to translate these into how new housing is developed?

One could begin to group the residents by family type, single or with children, from there, the area becomes separated by what the families are going to use more. Stores for the necessities and then different things.

Chapter 11 Initial Thoughts

Chapter eleven focused on housing

Specifically, how development came in and promised a group of people a whole bunch of new things but when the project actually started to be built, it was worse than before. Yes, everything was new, but what had been promised was taken away. The residents had been unwary at first and the developers promised them a better community, one that to an outsider might seem better than what they had.

But that was all talk, in the end, the community became segregated and many of the former residents did not come back. But why?

Why would a developer come in and say all of this?

Profit.

What it boils down to in my mind is that the developers were looking to get profit from turning the area around. They coerced the former residents into agreeing to the new facilities but then, I think it was mentioned in the reading, the developers ran out of money or they wanted more money and so they began to, not cut corners but change what they had been saying the residents would acquire.

It was evident in the way that the poor residents had one small park while the upper class residents had a huge beautiful park.

The separation became real, it was only after it was said and done that one could look at everything and realize that the area was now worse off.

Of course, this is from the view of the original residents. New residents might not know the back story and therefore enjoy the community for what it is and not give a second thought. Then the older residents will pass on and the area will be gentrified once more. It becomes a cycle in some cases.

#homosexual #rockhudson #ellen degeneres #timeline

The evolution of the podium. This shows the shift in materiality as well as the incorporation of curves in order to further satisfy female and male physical attributes when using the podium as a powerful projecting tool.

Chapter 9/10 Workshop

Repositioning Power

Chapter 9 and 10 merged together slightly and it was discussed in class that the Chapter 10 Workshop would be done instead of the Chapter 9.

The subject matter of Chapter 10 centered around the podium and how it has, for the longest time, been a somewhat masculine form of power.

The chapter itself appears to use images and podium styles that are somewhat outdated, but I could be wrong. Indeed, looking at the podia in the various photos, the feminine figure is nearly always covered by the massiveness of the podium itself. But that leads me to wonder…why?

Is the chapter focusing on how the podium is a man’s tool and women should not use it?

Or is the chapter focusing on power that comes with being able to use the podium correctly?

Yes, there have been some innovative measures taken to ensure women can use the podium without falling victim to the massiveness, but I ultimately fail to see the argument that is discussed within the chapter. It is too subjective, the photos might only focus on extremely small women, or large men, or large podia in order to cast some sort of contrast between men and women using the physical object.

As far as repositioning power.

To me it is not so much about repositioning power as it is discussing the materiality of the podium itself. If the material of the podium changed, the power of the podium remains but now it is easily used by both males and females. I believe there was some discussion as to using a curvy material, a filmy, or see through material like glass in order to provide transparency, something like that keeps the essence of the podium but now allows men and women to use the podium and be seen as opposed to only showing men and hiding women.

In this instance, I think that the power does not need to be repositioned as much as equally shared. If that makes sense. It is not about the podium itself but how the user is able to control and direct it.

Chapter 9 Initial Thoughts

Chapter 9 delved into the matter of LGBT Senior housing. Specifically, the chapter talked about three different housing plans that were in the process of being created or that had already become implemented and constructed. It was apparent from reading the chapter that there is a common story between the LGBT communities. One of which is the fact that the LGBT community does not feel as though the hetero community will be as open to their lifestyle choices. This uneasiness perhaps is what resulted in one the LGBT Senior housing communities to close off its borders to the outside. There is another community which, due to its proximity to other LGBT services, did did need to close its borders, instead, becoming almost a small self contained community within the larger environment.

To me it is a bit difficult to articulate what the chapter’s true focus was. Yes, it was an LGBT topic concerning seniors, but to me it was once again touching on issues which are somewhat being touched upon by the younger LGBT generation. The reason why the communities have become close knit is due to the fact that as a whole, there is still a general bias against them. I guess the fact that it is a senior housing issue is new, where are the seniors going to live if they do not have anywhere to go. As I write this I suddenly become aware of the issue.

My grandparents stayed with family members up until the time of their passing, they never had to go a community, let alone a senior housing community. But this was due to the fact that they had family, relatives who could look after them.

Ah, here is the underlying problem with the LGBT community, maybe they do not have family members to look after them like my grandparents did, in that case the senior community is the only option. When you cannot afford or are not able to take care of yourself, you must rely on others like you or assisted living in order to maintain your lifestyle.

Here, it begins to make sense, because of their sexual affiliation; hetero communities will most likely be less tolerant which could result in harm coming to the LGBT members. This is why they need their own community. In that case, because three different scenarios were given in the chapter, it is going to be up to the individual LGBT senior to find a community that works in their favor. Maybe they long for the close-knit community with everything within distance, maybe they would like to have walls and barriers between them and the outside world. So it becomes personal satisfaction and personal comfort.

What is the Smiley face going to become?

#smiley #future #internet #smile #hidden agenda

Chapter 8 Initial Thoughts

My initial thoughts on Chapter 8 were centered on the making of a positive language through a negative language.

As I began to read and the author began to describe going into a bathroom stall and seeing the hate language. My first thought was, why? Why would someone even feel the need to write hateful language on a bathroom stall? I can see it being as a very closed space where a man would feel maybe claustrophic but I am not quite sure. Oh…considering that rapes do occur in bathrooms, I have read about incidents where woman are followed into a restroom and then raped, I kind of see why a man would write something homophobic on the wall. Maybe this is a way of asserting a heterosexual mentality while in the bathroom, while exposed. Should another man enter the bathroom and break down the door and commit a violent act of sexual intrusion on the man using the toilet, perhaps this hate message is a way announcing that the writer is strictly not homophobic and that he hates homosexuals. As well, maybe this is an emotional connection or disconnection to homosexuals in itself. Is the writer writing homophobic hate messages on the bathroom stall walls to reassure himself that he is not homosexual nor has he ever considered being homosexual? There is a wide range of topics that could be considered both from the outside looking in and the inside looking out.

Now, to talk about the fact that the chapter itself was about turning the hate language into something beautiful is interesting as well. I can see making a language your own, or even turning it into something else. I see why the author would create a new language and then paste it on top of the original hate language. But it does not stop there, to me, language in itself is meaningless. One speaks the language that one is taught, but the human mind is capable of learning different languages, considering the amount of languages that exist in the world, what is the importance of creating or directing a language? Oh, now it makes sense, the words themselves are meaningless, but the thought, the hate behind the words is why the author chose to take that language and redirect it. Words do not mean anything unless someone gives them power. Unless people give them power. But taking the language changing, and writing on top of the original, the author has turned the actual writer’s word’s against them, suggesting that the power of the words, of the thought process, was weak to begin with, and only by disassembling, creating and pasting on top, has the language’s true potential emerged, as something which the author sees has beautiful even though its origins are ugly.

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