My Dezeen e-mail newsletter has served me well in the past few weeks as I’ve spotted story after story about various projects with urban biodiversity at the forefront. It feels a bit like the first time I discovered the font Helvetica, only to find I’m already drowning in it. Maybe I’m not the first one to think that cities are depressingly grey?
Author Archives: Max Campbell
The General Practitioner
The General Practitioner – A type of design company that “feel comfortable being challenged by all scale of projects… and collaborate with engineers, technicians, fabricators, manufacturers and builders to follow ideas through to production.”
Designing Relationships
My last post looking into the world of ‘great design’ left me questioning more than ever what I believe to be worthy of such a title. After discovering the unfortunate impact that New York’s High Line park had on the surrounding community, I was keen to find some more successful examples of social design.
Peter McCaughey: The Art of Play
When a class begins with your visitor for the day circling the class, delivering a running high-five to each student, you know that the next hour and a half is going to be interesting.
Fail Better: Matt Marais
“Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” – The words of playwright, novelist and poet Samuel Beckett formed the basis of this weeks Design & Technology talk, delivered by our own GSA tutor Matt Marais.
Indian Design: A Transformation Activity
Over the past couple of months, I’ve heard talks from two Indian designers: Suchitra Balasubrahmanyan (professor at Ambedkar University Delhi) and Mohammed Naim Shaikh (tutor at the Indian National Institute of Design).
Freight Trains to Flowers
Stretching for 1.5 miles, from 14th to 34th Street, New York’s ‘High Line Park’ is the cities most visited attraction – luring nearly 8 million visitors last year.
The Biophilic Capital
Singapore – a small but densely populated sovereign city-state located at the tip of Malaysia in Southeast Asia. Known as one of the most affluent and technologically advanced cities on earth, Singapore’s “Green Policy” is infusing this futuristic urban environment with tropical parks, gardens and green spaces. All in an effort to re-establish the connection between people and nature.
Biophilia – “The urge to affiliate with other forms of life.”
Edward O. Wilson
Urban Biodiversity – An Introduction
“Identify and area or issue with a cultural; social or environmental impact where you believe creative thinking and design could make a difference.”
Plastic Moldings Ltd. Irvine
Last week PDE 4 took a trip down to Plastic Moldings in Irvine, I thought I’d upload a few pictures from the trip.
Marc Newson
The topic of this weeks Design and Technology class – Marc Newson, an undoubtedly seminal figure who divides opinion within the world of design.
Leather and Luxury
This week, Product Design Engineering year 4 began the Design and Technology Studies course – a weekly class aimed at expanding our thinking beyond that which is usually required for project work. Our first class consisted of a film and talk from head of department, Craig Whittet.
Max Campbell 