There, Vol. 3: "Identity+Design" is out

As the world moves into the 21st century, designers are discovering new ways they can impact society, from saving the environment to utilizing the vast information of the Internet. At the same time, the legitimacy of traditional design professions is being called into question by new information management tools and the comodification of design. "Design + Identity," the 2007 volume of There (at right), an annual journal edited and published by the graduate students of the College of Design, explores these varied aspects of the designer's changing role.

There's goal is to provide students, professors, and practitioners with a common platform from which to engage with the issues of design. The journal seeks to explore issues significant to the local community as well as the broader world through the insights of local, national, and international designers.

There is available for purchase ($20) through the University of Minnesota bookstore in Coffman Memorial Union or online.

Submissions now being accepted for the 2008 issue "Freedom and Design"

There is accepting thoughtful and creative article proposals on the intersection of the concepts design and freedom. As designers, how do we impact the freedoms of others through our work? What responsibility do we have in the fight against inequality, prejudice, and injustice? How does the way we design affect how we live as a society?

Proposals for articles should consist of 100 words and one image at minimum; however, creativity is encouraged. Proposals and inquiries can be sent to there@umn.edu and must be received by May 26, 2007, for consideration.

Paper jackets at Rapson

The courtyard of Rapson Hall blossomed with paper jackets in late March. Undergraduate students in architecture professor Leslie Van Duzer's Design Fundamentals I course were required to select a building envelope, abstract the basic principles of the design, and translate the principles to the design of a jacket that did not look like the building. Students were allowed to use one type of paper only and were not allowed to use any adhesives or added mechanical fasteners; all joints were made with the same paper. The project was designed to introduce students to the library, develop research skills, expose them to a wide range of important buildings (many of them contemporary examples), and most importantly, teach students how to use focused case studies productively.

Eleven senior clothing design students showcased their final senior lines in February at the annual senior fashion show at the McNamara Alumni Center. This year¿s show, "Noise!," also featured pieces from the junior and sophomore clothing design students.

Each senior clothing design student develops a focused concept, creates sketches, and constructs the garments to create a clothing line. The class develops, plans, and coordinates the show.

Designers -- Left, Jenny Olson, Center, Wesley Martin, Right, Allison Quinnell.

Waste generated from three days in Rapson Hall was displayed in the Frederick Mann Courtyard for three days in March as part of "Rethinking Waste," an exhibit installed by architecture graduate student Sarah Wolbert (wolbe012@umn.edu), part of her directed study with Dean Fisher. Statistics from waste audits conducted by Julia Lyschik and Virajita Singh (Center for Sustainable Building Research) were displayed as three-dimensional bar graphs (right). As measured, 40 percent of byproducts allocated to the trash bin were recyclable. An additional 15 percent of the waste was potential modeling material. The display¿s purpose was to encourage public comment for how we can rethink, repurpose, or recategorize what we identify as waste. The project will culminate in a proposal for immediate recommendations to make the College of Design more sustainable.

Mapping New Knowledge Ecologies

"Mapping New Knowledge Ecologies," a February 10 Design Institute workshop, brought together experts from the fields of interactive design, statistics, architecture, and locative media to discuss how the College of Design might use new mapping techniques and technologies to reveal knowledge assets and indicate potential new lines of inquiry emanating from the college.

About 50 people attended the event on a chilly Saturday, with the morning given over to a rich series of presentations by the guest panelists: Mark Hansen, UCLA; Laura Kurgan, Columbia University; Josh On, theyrule.net, San Francisco; W. Bradford Paley, Digital Image Design, New York; and Marc Tuters, Annenberg Center for Communications, USC. The afternoon was devoted to breakout groups, each assigned with the task of proposing potential mappings of the intellectual, cultural, and fiscal life of the college. The workshop, which took place at the Design Institute's atelier in Northrop Auditorium, was structured as the opening conversation of a long-term mapping project at the U.

Building connections across disciplines

"Communities of interest" -- one of the ways the College of Design is fostering creative connections across disciplines -- were introduced in the last issue of Emerging (fall 2006, p. 6). Here's a brief update.

Housing issues
Less than 24 hours after a March snowstorm shut down the entire campus, almost two dozen intrepid faculty, staff, and community partners convened the inaugural meeting of the housing community of interest. A presentation on the affordable housing gap and the difference between housing costs and wages in Minnesota sparked an animated discussion that explored impediments to the implementation of new, cost-saving housing designs, as well as the possibility of doing a demonstration project that would develop strategies for cost reduction; increased buying power; and improved design performance, production technology, and land planning.

Participants decided to continue meeting from noon to 1:30 p.m. on the first Friday of each month. Professionals and community partners are welcome to join with students, staff, and faculty and bring interested colleagues. For more information, contact Lyn Bruin, mbruin@umn.edu.

Design and PK-12 education
Design thinking, project-based teaching, and active learning environments are critical to nurturing skills for life-long learning, say the conveners of the prekindergarden through high school education (PK-12) community of interest. This group is dedicated to connecting designers, educators, researchers, and policy makers for the advancement of PK-12 education, and they are exploring the possibility of establishing a dedicated research and outreach center within the College of Design. The center would build from and accelerate existing programs, such as the Design Institute's Design Camp and the Goldstein Museum's outreach programs; and it would also collaborate with other constituents beyond the college, including the College of Education and Human Development. The PK-12 community of interest's work could potentially lead to revised school standards, new curricula and service learning partnerships, and new ways of designing educational spaces. For more information, contact Wendy Friedmeyer, fried053@umn.edu, or John Comazzi, jcomazzi@umn.edu.