1 step forward, 2 steps back ?

I spent the past week thinking laterally on how an interactive exhibit would play out - different forms that can exist within the exhibition, various games and interactive methods that would encourage visitors, promote interaction and have some fun. I observed the streets, interacted with toys and researched to find an inspiration for exploration and experimentation.
(doodles & sketches to follow)

Now I am faced with going back to the key questions at the start of the project: "what is the purpose of the exhibition" and "why would the visitors be motivated to visit the exhibition?" Which led to: "Does the design community care? Is it just a dream and assumption that the professionals, students and education want to connect?"

Then I began to wonder why I chose such a such a complex problem to tackle and wondered if it wasn't too late to rewrite my thesis. . .

inspiration & exhibition research

Inspirations
generating creative inspirations from ordinary objects


Exhibition Research
what exhibition design is currently out there?




Interactive design
how do you integrate interactive design into the exhibition?


Experience Design
We look to answer "what is experience design?"
Building fiction: the architecture of experience design
"By infusing architecture with digital media, the discipline of experience design hopes to transform static environments into kinetic, cinematic, informative, and interactive spaces that offer an endless anthology of stories. [...] Experience design is the process of creating such storytelling in space.”
Experience as material: transforming architecture into communications media
Convergence: blending the digital and physical
"Whereas in the past the digital process was merely a means to represent a structure, today’s digital tools now inform the architecture itself, allowing for innovation and experimentation in the built form.”

exhibition design

What is exhibition design?


Definition by Pentagram

exhibition design ideas & samples

project direction...

Design thinking
THE word “design” tends to conjure up images of crisp graphics, nicely arranged interiors or pleasing packaging. But a growing cadre of advocates say the world of design has much more to offer corporate America.
Design thinking usually involves a period of field research — usually close observation of people — to generate inspiration and a better understanding of what is needed, followed by open, nonjudgmental generation of ideas. After a brief analysis, a number of the more promising ideas are combined and expanded to go into “rapid prototyping,” which can vary from a simple drawing or text description to a three-dimensional mock-up. Feedback on the prototypes helps hone the ideas so that a select few can be used.
(direct quote from Design Is More Than Packaging, NY Times article)

Creating a system
Ideally, I would like to create a system for the project. Rather than a form based project, I would like to explore creating a system with methods from design thinking.
1. research Ateliers and how they work in Europe
2. observe behavior - what is behavior telling us that words do not? do the actions differ from words?
3. conduct face-to-face research & generating discussion - although more time-consuming, face-to-face research provide in-depth feedback essential for creating a system
4. prototype the idea & get feedback (from all parties involved)

After some thought, pondering, disappointment, frustration, reassurance and more pondering during the week...
Phase 1: create an identity for the project, create an introduction to the project and promote
Phase 2: more in-depth research in continuation from phase 1, create a system in co-operation with various sources

toys & nostalgia

I went toys browsing today at the vinyl designer toy stores, vintage stores and thrift stores.

Nostalgia Toys/Items




Urban Designer Toys




Nostalgia & History @ the Vancouver Museum




What are Blind Toys?
step 1: Purchase a blind toy. (This particular one is from the Designer Interior Collections -Vol.3) Make sure you give it a good shake to find the best one. All the possible toy from the series should be listed/illustrated on the side panel of the box itself.

Step 2: Open the blind toy in anticipation.

Step 3: Voila. Your new toys. Now find the rest of the toys in the series! (or purchase an already opened toy to complete your collection.)

ideas

concept presentation


1. exhibition customized
- features exhibition of local designer and design firms
- the exhibition is mapped out locally and features various design position within Vancouver
- large scale walk-through exhibition and smaller collectible promo editions avaliable




2. "the gift"

- designers posses a gift, the ability to design and express ourselves by design
- who can we pass this gift onto? and how can we contribute to the community that we live in?
- professional and students work side-by-side on a Vancouver oriented problem

ideas ideas ideas

when one idea is not enough & brainstorming is useful

I find ideas flow naturally on paper more than on the computer...in fact, any paper that I can grab a hold of at the moment works for me.