Tuesday, November 18, 2008

How Genders are Influenced to Design a Space

The terms I will be focusing on are: clean and minimal-decorative, open-spacious, high design-practical, warm color-cool color, textiles, surfaces (rough-polished), furniture (hard-softer), lighting (colorful-dull). I also wanted to speak about the recognizable designs each gender has: Male- open riser staircase, hard edged, commercial design. Females usually show more expression in residential design. To finalize the paper I would like to speak about how each gender displays their work (presentation and details). The research tool I am going to approach is observing and questionnaires.
These are questions that appeared to me right from the beginning:

-Do you think there are differences in the ways women and men design?
-What are these differences?
-Are women or men more interested in sustainable design?
-Are you likely to see consistent differences in the way men and women use materials?
-Are men or women more likely to design spaces that support social interaction?
-Are there ways in which women are more successful in meeting the functional needs of the spaces they design than men?
-Are there consistent differences in the kinds of projects women work on as compared with the projects men work on? What are these differences?
-Do women design restroom areas more creative than men?
- Do women show spaces that seem more comfortable than men?


Any of my classmates that could respond to these questions in their opinions would be appreciated. Thank you

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

A Film that Helped Me Better Understand Environmental Behavior

The readings this semester stroke me as appealing, but after watching Whytes film I looked at space differently. The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces created you to see the design principles and methodological strategies among the streets in the cities. This film developed me to observe the social interaction, audience, cars and people on Newbury Street.
Seating was important; it needed to be in your sight, comfortable and access to street views. Corners were the area you would find the most interaction. This also could be considered the audience. Although people had different opinions on there seating arrangement, majority chose to be near sunlight, water and street access.
This film described different methodological strategies. Observing, photography, record taking and diagramming were all mentioned. The most common one that everyone can relate to is observing. Being in a public area and seeing the diversity between activity, sociability and individuals brings a common reaction of staring. This strategy helped me when I had to observe my place of interest. After viewing this film it made me look at people different in space. The train ride for me is now a different journey. Before I use to travel on the train and focus on myself and schoolwork. As I approach it now I cant help but listen to my Ipod and observe others surrounding me

Research Methods

Research Statement:
How Genders are influenced to Design Space
Hypothesis:
Observing two distinct spaces to understand the different characteristics genders have.
Question:
Do females choose to express more design in there space?

Sample Information:
-Colors and materials
-Restrooms
-Social interaction
-Freedom

Research Tool:
Interview Questions
-Who made the choices of this building?
-What influenced you to design this space?
-What happens most of the time?
- Do you prefer sustainable objects?
-What inspired you to use these colors in your space?
-What inspired you to use these materials in your space?
-Where is most of the social interaction going on?
Observing
-Colors and materials
-How meeting rooms are designed
-Objects in the space
-Objects of desk
-Restrooms
-Layout of space
-Scale and proportions
-Diverse cultures

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Combined Cultures

Every week I get eager to go to Blue Hills Reservation. It’s important for me to understand that every trip I make there I will feel secure and content. The people surrounding me usually make my experience comfortable or uncomfortable. The importance about Blue Hills is it is enclosed with different cultures but everyone seems to respect each other. Everyone is there for the same reason therefore people are focused on themselves and not anyone else. I have always felt that nature comforts me and maybe others agree.
The landscape is important towards these people because it is a major factor of there self perception. The interesting idea about this place is it will never stop creating more trails in the nature. Everyday people choose different routes and can eventually form new trails. The tower at the top is the focal point in this area. People like to come to this park just for that structure. Reading the article for this week it made me think about this tower being destroyed. The majority of people you will approach are situated at the tower. There is a variety of fixed seating that develops you to interact with others. People eventually create all different aspects at this location. This tower is important to the population because it develops the primary concepts of their environmental behavior.
The topic for this week was more difficult than the others. Although this area consists of different subcultures no one is judgmental. People do not look at anyone different, majority of guest are there to take pleasure in a relaxed, peaceful walk. This area lets you choose to interact or not therefore controversy does not occur. No one feels they have more power than others.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

The Social Aspects of Places

This week arriving to Blue Hills Reservation I was aware of the fact to focus on the social aspect of the area. The great point about Blue Hills is it is an area where all different people visit. The way this green oasis is set up is an individual can choose to go up the mountain in a public way or private way. Even though this mountain has a variety of trails, people choose to take the private route and develop there own paths.
Socialization occurs at this observatory on a daily basis. There are three main trails that the majority of guest travel on. Depending on the season and weather some of these paths can become crowded at times. If the trail is over packed with others the sociability level is high. Most of the paths will intersect with each other at a point where socialization will occur even more. As I spoke about it in my past blogs the tower at the top of this mountain is the main place people interact. Surrounding this structure is picnic tables where families and friends can have a conversation. Sometimes when I reach the top I don’t like to situate myself because it can become very noisy at times.
Some people travel to this mountain to get away from situations that are bothering them. This has happened to me one time where it made me not want to interact with others so I made up my own route. I tended to stay off the paths so I could focus on myself and not others surrounding me. The direction this led me in was a place where no other person was to be found and the sound was complete silent. Privacy at times can be so important to a person, if you are constantly around groups of people you will not be able to focus on yourself and get over certain situations.
The topic for this week’s assignment is the reason I chose this observatory area. It means so much to me when a place has a private setting and a public setting. Majority of the time I come to this mountain to have a work out and observe the surroundings. The social interaction between people at this place is remarkable because the people are so friendly. But there are those days and going to be more of the days I just want to be alone.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Memories

Lindsay Busa 10/12/08

The Heart in Place


Arriving at Blue Hill Reservation this week I was aware enough to understand the heart in place. Visiting this area for so many years my body has developed affect, engagement, place identity and psychic homelands. Blue Hills is an area not only for its trails but also for an individual to understand their body in another space. This week I only focused only on the emotional aspect of the place.
On every occasion I go to this green oasis it leads me to reflect on the past. The reason why I am familiar with Blue Hills is my father used to bring my two older siblings and me there when we were younger. We would travel there every Sunday to hike the trails and have a picnic. This was a great time for the family to bond as one and to do an amusing outdoor activity. The most exciting moment during these engagements was when we would reach the top of the mountain. The tower is the object that has changed the most from the past. This tower I would describe as an ancient building with concrete stairs, rusted metal rails and graffiti coverage that leads you to see the stunning view. I was always scared to climb the stair because I felt they weren’t safe and I felt a bad vibe. As I go up them now there is no anxiety and I can ascend up them with a fast pace. Another condition that differs now is to see how the trails fit my body size. Being younger I would get nervous to go up or come down some of these paths and now the hardest one doesn’t even phase me.
It interests me to understand how different places can affect your body as you get older. This place feels like a second home to me now because I have been going there for over fifteen years. Growing up having my father there with me I always felt safe and now being an adult I feel very comfortable to the environment. So the space and experiences really gave me a good feeling then and so I naturally feel that way now.
Different types of places give off different types of feelings and memories assist with that too. There is no telling what different ways spaces are going to seem like. But with the green oasis at Blue Hills, you’re really put into a good mood once in a space so open and freeing.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

How individuals make choices

This weeks observing session was relaxing and tended to get me excited for the fall season. The woods were very quiet probably because of the cold temperature outside. The trees are finally starting to change color patterns for the season. Although there weren’t many people to observe this week it brought me to thinking more about the open space without so much scattered movement
This week’s assignment was to focus on the mind in place, the perception changed quite a bit. The way I approached this was looking at the choice and control I have while I am at Blue Hills Reservation. Blue Hills is divided into three different trails; the red trail which is the easiest, the green which is moderate and the blue trail which is difficult.
Every week I like to come here for a good work out so I am usually in a state of mind to go hiking. My attitude was different this week and I was in the frame of mind to take a peaceful walk on the red trail. Walking through the woods I mainly paid attention to the choices nature makes by itself. I started to think how paths were created and how they are affected by people and how the land transforms from them. In my opinion I feel that paths are developed by people walking on them more and more every day. If you go over something everyday for so many years it eventually disappears.
The reason why I enjoy Blue Hills Reservation is because it is an area made of choices. You can choose to interact with other individuals or choose to be in your own mind frame. In this area it is easy to socialize with others because they all seem to have pleasant personalities. There are the trails with the level of difficulty you can choose that best fits your body type. In my case this all depends on how I am feeling that day. Every time I enter this green oasis I know it will be a different journey. I never know what to expect out of these visits and that is what I admire.
Another thing I think of is my perception and memory seems to have a different feeling each time. I always end up parking in the same lot once I get to Blue Hills and start in the same general area. But what I end up finding is that some of the same spots are still very comfortable but different feelings. Of course the changing seasons, i.e. leaves changing as well as snowfall and even temperature affect that as well.