Time for Yourself: Addressing Anxiety

My studio project for semester 2 2013 was “Time For Yourself”. The direction I chose in this was to look at how to bring people who put so much weight in the future or what might happen that they lose track of the day-to-day. The project ended up being much more conceptual than intended, though personally I am quite pleased with the poetic and subtle aspects of the final that I presented (although my blind assessor, an architect, did not ‘get it’!)
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Bothered By Discomfort: Punk & Riot Grrrl

Bothered by Discomfort is a theory elective unlike any other. The whole point it to reach into your inner pet peeves and voice them, using design as a platform for critique and rebellion.

My focus for the class was the implications and causation of the movements “Punk” and “Riot Grrrl” in the context of modern society.
My final outcomes (a scrapbook journal, a poster set, a publication) I feel all reflected these themes and understanding of them to the best of my abilities.

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Timor Leste: Origin Energy Solar Proposal

As an assignment for my ‘The Other 90%” class, in groups we had to work out a possible strategy to implement a product in East Timor to create economic benefit for all parties involved.

Given the scenario of Alternative Energy, my group chose an Australian ‘Best Practice’ energy provider and set about writing a report/presentation to justify and plan the hypothetical scenario out, using the tools of the Industrial Design and Marketing trades.

I will attach a copy of the report when I figure out the most efficient way of hosting the (rather large) pdf.

Origin logo and branding is in copyright respective to them, we are not representing the company or claiming to speak on their behalf, as this strategy themed assignment is entirely hypothetical and in no relation to Origin as a company.

I’d like to thank my colleagues Mark and Audrey on their research and input. All of the graphics that aren’t specified copyright are created and therefore copyright under myself of my colleagues.

TIMOR PART 2: Systems, Training, Tech and Sustainability

This is the second half of my interview with the bottomless pit of information: Michael O’Connell.
In this final (yet still, very long) section, we talk about the more practical aspects of working in East Timor.
We talk about alternative energy systems, how to run a successful aid program, the best way to train people, newly implemented technology developments, other major problems in Timor, advice for design students, and advice on sustainability philosophy.

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TIMOR PART 1: Culture, Observations and Opinions

As part of my research on Timor-Leste, its needs and current aid programs, I interviewed the ever-insightful Michael O’Connell. His work in East Timor has been done through the Australian Alternative Energy Association. As an engineer, he’s been working on alternative energy solutions for developing nations (professionally and as a volunteer) and also now works in education and training, both locally, and in Timor.

This is the first half of the interview that I have transcribed from a recording. It covers what it’s like to live and work in Timor, observations of culture, and opinions on the way things are going. There is also commentary on why aid projects have either failed or succeeded. Part two to come shortly.

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Design Studies – Rube Goldberg: Semester 2, 2012

Rube Goldberg was an author, engineer and cartoonist from San Francisco. He began drawing as a child and was enthralled simply by the scent of ink.

He was, however, discouraged from illustration by his father, and so studied an engineering degree. Soon after quitting his first job as an engineer, he started an internship at a newsroom, and eventually found himself illustrating the sports section of the paper. As his popularity grew, he started his own column of illustrations (Mousetrap Contraptions, History of Rube Goldberg, paragraphs 1-2).

1: Rube Goldberg Portrait, 1928, New York Evening Journal, Public Domain

These illustrations depicted his most famous work – his inventions – now known as Rube Goldberg Machines. According to his official website (Rube Goldberg, Biography, paragraph 6), Rube never made these machines, however, it is commonly known that his work has and continues to inspire many inside and outside of the inventing world, locally and globally, today.

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Design Studies: Semester 1, 2012

This unit was called “Science fiction / KPI”.
We focused on the actor networks of science fiction films, so we were able to design our own products for those universes.
This is the actor network map for my product “BentoShefu” a portable lunch-cooker for the world of Ridley Scott’s ‘