Urban Sustainable Design Studio 2009

Hello gentle readers.  I’m Ashley Wendela.. architect, design nerd, Chicago-summer-enthusiast.  I have a Masters of Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania and a BArch from the University of Michigan.  I love cities and design, and I’m interested in understanding these things in the context of sustainability, specifically environmentally and socially-conscious design strategies.  This summer I hope to make meaningful connections that will help me pursue this realm professionally.

You can view my LinkedIn profile here

Great week so far. We have been working on our first projects, which has been quite a bit of work. My group’s project is to come up with some possible ways to develop a vacant lot.  We met with out client for the first time today and it was very encouraging. Yesterday we went to the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) to see an incredible exhibit on Buckminster Fuller. He had some fascinating ideas and was really ahead of his time with his sustainability-minded and systems-oriented thinking. http://www.mcachicago.org/exhibitions/exh_detail.php?id=202

Earlier tonight I went to the Art Institute’s new Modern Wing, which is absolutely stunning. The design of the building itself is a sight, not to mention the views it offers of the city, or the incredible works of art inside. There was a special exhibit of the works of Cy Twombly and I was able to attend a lecture with the curator who put together the exhibit – he gave a really insightful talk which made my second viewing of the exhibit that much more meaningful.

That is all for now – I better hit the hay so I have some energy for tomorrow.

Hey Hey! My name is Sarina. I live on the North Shore but I go to school out in Massachusetts.  We just finished are first 3.5 days of USDS to a chorus of intense  rain showers, lightning and thunder. Although the weather has been terrible we have remained uplifted and excited for what is to come.

By the end of the second week, the USDS crew were all ready for the weekend.  The days were packed with activity and information, so much so that it couldn’t all soak into my mind (maybe others have a higher mental saturation point?).  The discussions, activities, and field trips of the week functioned to teach us about the process of using design to solve complex problems.  The second week started with Andrew giving us a presentation of his USDS project from 2007, which was about urban food systems and local food access issues.  The lecture functioned both to inform us about the complex issue of local food as well to give us a model for how to approach our own projects.

On Monday we also learned the design process methodology that Peter has developed to address complex problems.  For example, issues of sustainability have social, ecological, and economic ramifications that all must be considered.  Peter’s process involves thinking in systems, and stresses the importance of stepping back to truly understand the problem being addressed before moving forward to solving it.  There are clearly delineated steps to move towards an outcome that will help us to approach our project assignments.

Throughout the week the USDS members learned about other people’s processes of dealing with sustainability throughout various field trips.  We met with Ken Dunn of the Resource Center, Sadhu Johnston the Chief Environmental Officer of the City of Chicago, Kevin Pierce, an architect and sustainable planner of Shaw, and Sarah Elizabeth Ippel from The Academy of Global Citizenship.  Each professional gave us his or her own view on sustainability ranging from Ken’s experience in creating a local urban food system within Chicago to Sarah Elizabeth’s process of starting a public school dedicated to social, economic, and environmental change.  Sadhu gave his perspective of working towards sustainability through the government, while Kevin pierce gave the group a glimpse into the sustainable architecture world as well as life advice for gaining experience and getting into the sustainability field.

As well as hearing about professional people’s design processes, we started to learn first-hand how to approach complex problems in our “Hot House” short-term projects.  One group is working to create three possible uses for a vacant lot near East Garfield Park that would generate revenue but also benefit the human and environmental health of the community.  The other group is trying to address food access issues in the 47th Ward and is considering the option of creating a Green Market.  Both groups have found it challenging to identify the problems involved in our assignments and to reconcile our client’s needs and desires with the social and environmental benefits we hope to create.

For next week we will be delving further into this process and will present our Hot-House projects as well as books we have read dealing with different aspects of sustainability.  Thankfully the heat broke this weekend and gave us a chance to recuperate for another intense and rewarding week.

The USDS program began this week on Tuesday with a flurry of activity.  While shaking hands and making introductions, we were given an introductory project to photograph sustainable and unsustainable aspects of our surroundings in three groups, and then prepare a 5-7 minute presentation to share our findings.

There were images of everything from tree-lined streets and community markets to over-filled garbage cans and local workers on the job.  It was discussed that even the seemingly “sustainable” recycling bins were often forgotten when the trash can was more accessible, and the gasoline-powered public transportation bus also works to keep many from having to drive individual cars.  Through our discussion, we found that many of the things that seemed to have sustainable qualities were actually much more ambiguous and multi-layered.

This lesson was reinforced by our afternoon visit to Neocon, where we found several businesses in the interior design field that are in stiff competition for the most sustainably-oriented products, as well as a host of other businesses using “green” as a product feature.  Often these displays included little actual relevant information and a lot of language indicative of sustainable values without the substance in the actual product.

Wednesday we focused on introductions to one another and had a discussion about the qualities of good group work.  We attended our first “Green Drinks” in the evening and had a chance to participate in power networking, which was a bit like baptism by fire for some of us.  There was a panel discussion about weatherization in the city of Chicago.

By the third day, we were becoming much more well acquainted as we were instructed to work on our “Dollar Store Project”.  In three groups, we found a cheap, disposable good that we then collaborated on recreating as a sustainable product.  We reinvented a plastic placemat, silly string, and plastic funny teeth.  It was a creative and fun exploration of product development that helped to increase our awareness of the many facets (and difficulties) of sustainable design.  We followed up with a discussion of the successes and problems in each group’s approach to both problem solving as well as presentation itself.

The week finished up with a discussion of design and sustainability, as well as the discussion of two articles, including a Business Week article entitled “The Power of Design” that highlighted the company IDEO and their unique approach to business problem-solving.  An article from SEED magazine, “Is There a Better Word for Doom,”  gave a summary of several different approaches to language used to convey the message of sustainability.  Our group discussed the motivating factors behind change both in design as well as business, and the use of language and context to convey ideas.

My name is Jessa Dickinson.  I recently graduated from Oberlin College with a major in Studio Art and a minor in Environmental Studies.  I especially enjoyed my courses in environmental art, environmental history, and ecological design (do you sense a pattern?).  My post-college plans extend as far as the summer, for now I am living in Chicago and doing USDS.  I am rapidly becoming enamored with Chicago, which I find beautiful, friendly, and welcoming.  Although I miss my two feline buddies, I am having a grand old time learning about sustainability and meeting creative and intelligent people.

Why Hello Everyone! I am Sonja Millermaier and a soon to be super senior at the University of Michigan’s Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning studying Architecture and French & Francophone studies. Most recently, I completed an internship at archi T E X T, an architecture think tank, and Innovator in Residence at the Design Exchange of Toronto, Ontario, where I worked on the very exciting Young Architects Program [to be launched in 2010!]. Here at USDS I am amped to continue collaborating with young and engaging people, while broadening my understanding and knowledge about both sustainability and the greater Chicago area. I also hope to nurture my penchant for dance, theater, the arts, and culture, and get involved with the ever-growing Chicago summer music scene– and free events! Looking forward to sharing my USDS experience with you all, and giving blogging my first crack!

Want to know more about the University of Michigan, TCAUP, archi T E X T or the Design Exchange? Check them out !

You can also find me on LinkedIn .

Hello!  I’m Amanda Foran, the resident southerner at the studio.  Prior to moving to Chicago for the program, I completed an internship at a non-profit contemporary art center in York, AL.  My background also includes a BFA in Studio Art from Auburn University in 2008, as well as community collaborations and education in the art field.  I hope to bring these passions and experiences together with my interest in sustainability through participating in USDS.  I have two beloved cats, an interest in vintage or generally old stuff, and an insatiable appetite for good discussion.

My LinkedIn profile can be found here, and my website will be up soon as well.

My name is Andrea Hume. I’m Canadian, it’s no big deal really.  I have a B.A. in Sociology and Psychology from the University of Victoria.  I am currently studying Interior Design in Montreal.  Favorite activities include cooking and eating delicious vegan food, listening and playing music and doing Muay Thai kickboxing.  I have 2 cats and a fantastic husband.  I am really really excited about being here in Chicago and working with some fantastic people this summer!