An overview of the insight received in the ARC211 class through in class discussion topics.

1. ARC 211 - American Diversity and
Design - Spring 2017
Online Discussion Questions
By: Alexander Poulin
University at Buffalo -
State University of New York
http://sites.psu.edu/taliatyndall/tag/diversity

2. Introduction
ARC 211 Diversity and Design has really opened my eyes to how design
can affect and be affected by the diversity of the human race. There
are so many different kinds of people in this world so there is no way
we could all live the same way in the same environment. I have learned
how people interact with the world around them and how their
culture, experience and ability change the way they live their lives and
changes how the world around them is designed. This course has not
changed any of my viewpoints but it has made me believe what I do
with a lot more resolve and information to back that up. The following
pages document my responses to the online discussion questions in
the Spring 2017 version of ARC 211 American Diversity and Design at
the University at Buffalo – State University of New York.
Alexander Poulin

3. Response to "What is design?" from Hello World
In 1944, the United States Congress passed the Federal-
Aid Highway Act which established the construction of a
40,000 mile interstate highway system. This highway
system made travel and trade throughout the states far
more streamlined and effective. People and goods were
able to travel from place to place in much less time than
before. Not only this but the inclusion of toll roads
allowed for the highways to pay for themselves. One
problem was that these roads could only be used by
people who owned cars. Another problem was that these
roads took up a lot of land, some of which had to be
bought from citizens, and altered the landscape around
the roads a lot.
https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/06mar/07.
cfm

4. Response to "Introduction" from Diversity and
Design
Back when they were thinking about building a new
bridge to replace the Tappan Zee Bridge, which was falling
apart and supporting way more weight then it was
planned to support, New York State officials decided to
create a competition to create the best design for the new
bridge. This competition was instituted to get people from
all walks of life to pitch in their ideas for the new bridge.
This enabled the officials to see which aspects of the
bridge they should incorporate, such as a railroad system,
based off of how many people put that in their design. It
was also meant to encourage teenagers to become
architects by giving them a chance to try out the field for
themselves.
https://blogs.wsj.com/metropolis/2012/02/10/f
our-groups-will-compete-to-build-new-
tappen-zee-bridge/

5. Response to Media/Society Chapter and TED Talk
on Photographs
The images shown in Photos That Changed the
World fit into the media message or product
section of the diagram from "Model of media and
the Social World" because they were used by the
media to portray a certain message to the general
public. The mass media photograph I decided to
use is that of Donald Trump holding up the middle
finger. This photo was used very frequently by the
liberal media to portray Donald Trump as the
horrible, racist bigot that he is, during the election
campaign process in 2016. http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2015/09/03/
donald_trump_s_wealth_he_isn_t_only_rich_beca
use_of_his_dad.html

6. Response to Articles on Hats as Communication
Design
The two hats, both the pink "pussy" hat and the red "make America
great again hat" used by Donald Trump, were vehicles of
communication design because they were made to be very noticeable
and cause an immediate reaction in the viewer. For Donald Trump's
red hat, that message was originally just to portray his campaign
slogan but as the campaign progressed the message behind the hat
became more of the hate that came out of Trump's bigoted policies.
The pink "pussy" hat symbolized the unification of all those who
believed that everyone deserved basic human rights no matter their
race, sexuality or gender. They are very similar because they were
bright, flashy and meant to draw the eye so that all those who see it
understand what the hat means as well as the beliefs of the people
who wear them. They are different in that they inspire different
feelings in the people that see them. For Donald Trump's hat, that
message was hatred and for the "pussy" hat, that message was love
for all, no matter what.
http://www.businessinsider.com/pu
ssy-hats-womens-march-
washington-trump-inauguration-
2017-1

7. Response to “Industrial Design”
by John Heskett and "The
Incredible Inventions of Intuitive
AI" by Maurice Conti
Some of the many social consequences of Ford's production line include an increased importance on the design of the car, the mass
production of many new products that changed people's lives, and the adoption of mass production methods all across the world. As the
mass production of motor vehicles increased, many companies began to focus on the design of their cars to get the upper hand over their
competitors. They would work to make their cars more sleek and efficient in order to get people to pick them over anybody else. The designs
used to be done by the architects and engineers but in the 1920s, a group of specialists created the profession of design all because of the
increased value of the design of a car. The mass production of the car also led to the mass production of things used in cars that changed the
way people lived their lives. For instance, the radio was incorporated into the design of the car and was then mass produced along with the
car. People were then able to listen to the radio wherever they went and could keep up to date on news at any time in any place. And finally,
Ford's method of mass production was not only used in the USA but was incorporated in countries all across the globe . One example of this
was the use of the assembly line in Nazi Germany to create the Volkswagen bug. The assembly line method enabled the Germans to create
thousands of cars that were used both for the war and as a recreational vehicle. All of these consequences still exist today with car designs
remaining a big part of how cars sell, products are still being developed for use in cars, and the assembly line method is still used all over the
world.
Manufacturing processes will change in the next twenty years with robots becoming more and more important as the years go by. They will
become more autonomous and will be able to do more difficult and increasingly more precise tasks. This may lead to human workers no
longer being necessary in certain factories but most likely not in the next twenty years. Certain people may lose their jobs but the increased
need for technicians to work on and ensure that the robots are working properly will increase and hopefully get some of those people back to
http://co
rporate.
ford.co
m/innov
ation/10
0-
years-
moving-
assemb
ly-
line.htm
l

8. Response IDEA Awards and Cradle-to-Cradle Video
The Ninebot A1-Upgradable is a brand new personal transportation device that
goes against a lot of the Cradle to Cradle ideals. It works off of electrical power
which, for most people, still comes from the burning of fossil fuels which goes
against cradle to cradle's law of renewable energy. It is also composed of a lot of
metals, chemicals and materials that can be damaging to the environment and
difficult to recycle. The device will also most likely be thrown out after it starts to
fall apart and break down like all modern day technology does. The Ninebot
disregards the concepts in cradle to cradle because the creators made no effort to
make the product easily recyclable and made it so you most likely had to rely on
fossil fuel based electricity.1 The Patagonia Baselayer Packaging is a product that
fits the ideals of cradle to cradle much better. The design was made to be
recyclable and not rely on any sort of pollution. Not only this but the design also
became sleeker and increased sales making an innovation that bettered the
company while bettering the environment.2
1"Ninebot A1-Upgradable Smart Single Wheel Self-Balancing Vehicle." Industrial Designers
Society of America - IDSA. N.p., 13 July 2016. Web. 17 Feb. 2017.
<http://www.idsa.org/awards/idea/automotive-transportation/ninebot-a1-upgradable-
smart-single-wheel-self-balancing>
2"Patagonia Baselayer Packaging." Industrial Designers Society of America - IDSA. N.p., 01
Sept. 2015. Web. 17 Feb. 2017. <http://www.idsa.org/awards/idea/patagonia-baselayer-
packaging>
http://www.segway.com/products/co
nsumer-lifestyle/ninebot-one-s1

9. Response to All Module 4 Materials
Monticello is good example of a work of architecture with sensibilities about the
past. It was originally designed and built in the late 1700s by Thomas Jefferson.
Thomas Jefferson combined both a colonial style and a traditional European style
when he was designing his house. The colonial style was based off of that most
commonly used by the other inhabitants of the colonies and was made to fit its
environmental limitations. The European aspect that he included was itself drawn
from the Greeks and the romans making Jefferson's home a lot more grand and
artistic.
A good example of a work of architecture with sensibilities about the present and/or
future is Aqua. Aqua is an apartment building that enforces social experience as well
as dampening harsh wind conditions. The balconies of the building are staggered
not only allowing but enforcing an increased social connection between the various
residents. In this modern age of technology, a lot of people lack the social
experiences they need to survive and this helps to fix that problem. In some cases,
romantic relationships even developed out the close social connections. The building
is also specifically designed to dampen the harsh Chicago winds making the lives of
the residents a lot more comfortable.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
File:Thomas_Jefferson%27s
_Monticello.JPG

10. Response to Ballantyne and Zumthor Articles
Ballantyne's and Zumthor's viewpoints on architecture are alike in that that they both
agree that the original purpose of of a design is to be beautiful and intriguing as well as
that both of them believed that, although important, the artistic aspect of architecture
can cause unbalance in the design if overused. As Ballantyne said, the point of buildings
at first is to draw the eye and encourage people to take pictures and look into the design
very closely and Zumthor agrees with this idea. One example would be when tourists
visit a historic home for the first time. They take pictures and look around the building in
wonder, questioning the point of every little detail. Ballantyne also believe that adding
art to a building can ruin the design and Zumthor thinks that architecture should be
complex and interesting, but that this has a limit and too much can distract from the
wonder of the design as a whole.
Ballantyne and Zumthor also had their differences. Ballantyne saw architecture as being
very plain and simple whereas Zumthor thought of it more deeply, even comparing it to
contemporary music. Ballantyne's view on architecture is very blatant in that it is
originally meant to be a spectacle and over time the building becomes a tool. No matter
what, every building goes through this process as people grow used to working within
them. Zumthor however sees architectural design a little differently. He compares
design to contemporary music, saying that a design should have "disharmony and
fragmentation" giving the design its own unique feel and presence.
http://www.slq.qld.gov.au/whats-
on/calevents/general/talks/apdl/apdl
-side-project/apdl-series-side-
project-with-andrew-ballantyne

11. Response to Levy Article
I grew up in a small town just outside of New York City called New City, NY. It's not
quite small but I thought it was because of how close it was to New York City. The
design of my town is heavily based around its close vicinity to New York City and
the building of the Tappan Zee bridge. When the bridge was first built, it opened
up the city to western New York and that meant my town. People started flowing
through New City in order to get father west and that meant that brand new
highways had to be built to ease the travel for the hundreds of people that made
the drive every day. That is why there are several major highways that pass
through and around my town making travel easier.
My town is also the county seat for Rockland County meaning the design of it had
to be based around the various office buildings that would have to be built in the
town. And right in the center of my town is the County Court building with its big
lawns, statues and grand architecture which stands as a beautiful centerpiece
which makes the town more beautiful and gives us a feeling of connection to our
government while always given a reminder of its power. My town also has the
Clarkstown Police Department which is a constant presence both because of the
large police building and the constant police cars all over the place.
http://town.clarkstown.ny.us/html/
police.asp

12. Response to Pruitt
Igoe Project, Talen,
and Larson
One strategy for rebuilding Pruitt Igoe would be to use Talen's theories of diversity as a huge part of design. Talen believed that diversity
played a large role in the function of a design as well as that design meant a lot more than just racial integration. He believed that varying
incomes, races, genders, ethnicities, household sizes, lifestyles, and nonresidential activities are all the objectives of place diversity. This is
one of the big problems that arose with the Pruitt Igoe complex. There was not enough diversity so the complex was immediately seen as a
place for the poor to live therefore making it so no one but poor people would move there. After a while, people in the complex stopped
being able to keep it afloat and it deteriorated into the slum it was created not to be. This problem could've been solved if after the complex
was finished there was more of an emphasis on increasing the diversity of people that moved into the building which would've helped
improve the comlpex's image and kept it a nice place to live.
Another strategy for rebuilding Pruitt Igoe would've been to incorporate a Larson style architecture into the construction of the complex.
Larson believed in keeping things tight and orderly. One of his ideas involved the use of movable walls which would allow for home
customization which would've increased the appeal of the homes by allowing people to live the way they wanted to. Another of his ideas that
could've been used in the complex would've been to make the individual residences smaller so that more could fit within the complex area
and there would be more homes to sell which would hopefully help to increase diversity.
Personally, I would've included Larson's idea of the movable wall because of the added customization but I wouldn't have added the extra
homes and made the rest smaller because I believe everyone deserves a decent amount of living space to live their lives. I also appreciate
Talen's ideas on design and would've incorporated them as well. As a personal touch I would've added some minor extra amenities like a bus
stop, a gym, or a pool. My idea is to make the complex more interesting and seem better than your average home. Plus by adding a public
area to the mix it gives the people living there more of a reason to reach out and get to know each other.
https://en.wikipedia.o
rg/wiki/Pruitt–Igoe

13. Response to F.L. Olmsted
Frederick Law Olmsted believed Buffalo to be the best planned city in
the United States because of the beautiful way in which he combined
multiple parks and parkways to create park systems that spanned for
miles. This fantastic combination of nature and man-made made
nature common and easily accessible so everyday people could easily
find themselves within nature and have that experience everyday. This
was a completely new system that had never been tried before but
after it was complete, one could go for miles without ever feeling like
they stepped outside of nature for a second. I don't think that
Olmsted would make the same claim today but I do believe he would
say that he would say Buffalo is on its way back to the top. Many of his
parks were lost or decreased with the increasing size of the city so
Olmsted's ideal Buffalo city is gone. But, with the work being done by
the University Heights Tool Library and other organizations, parks like
Linear park are being revamped and expanded allowing the citizens of
Buffalo greater access to nature.
https://www.aoc.gov/capitol-
grounds/frederick-law-olmsted

14. Response to Walter Hood's Work
If I were to memorialize one thing in my hometown it would have to be
Rockland Lake park. The park consists of a walking path that goes all the way
around the gorgeous Rockland Lake and includes things such as a community
center, several playgrounds, picnic areas, and more. Over time the park has
fallen into disrepair due to harsh weather conditions and a lack of funding to
do anything about it. It is one of the central hubs of my city and hundreds of
people go there on a daily basis. I would utilize Hood's triad of designs within
my redesign to give the park a feeling of new interest while maintaining its
functionality and commemorating the area's rich history. I would incorporate
modern art throughout the circle to give the walk a feeling of uniqueness and
a modern feel that would give people a more interesting view than the
currently mundane view people see everyday. I would also work to clean up
the path itself to make using the path easier and less dangerous so that
people are more inclined to use it. The cleaner the paths and fields are the
better they will fit into people's everyday lives. And finally I would work to
commemorate the rich history involved with the historic area. Rockland lake
was pivotal to the Knickerbocker ice company and was used for its ice every
single year. I would include signs and postings throughout the park detailing
the work that was done and the purposes that ice played to show people as
they walked around how important the lake actually was to the community.
http://holdthedoor.com/events/5k2016
.php

15. Response to the Brookes
When I see this photo, I see a powerful woman standing up for what she believes
in. She is sitting there with a look of absolute fearlessness on her face. She
knows that she is about to be arrested for breaking a law but she knows that the
law is wrong and is willing to give herself over to the police to get that point
across. The blurry, black and white condition of the photo gives it a deep feeling
of truth and realness. The sureness in her face and her eyes gives me a feeling of
empowerment. The meaning of the photo is that African American people saw
that they were not being treated fairly and were finally willing to devote
themselves to the cause.
If a person who had grown up in a racist family were to see this photo they
would see it a lot different. They would see her as a criminal who was going
against what the law said and what society thought was right. Where I see power
and determination, this person would only see disrespect and ignorance. These
drastic differences arise out of the different ways in which we were raised. I grew
up in a very accepting environment where my parents believed that everybody
can do great things and should be given the same rights as everyone else. The
other person grew up in a hateful environment where they believed they were
better than a certain group of people and that group deserved less.
http://www.biography.com/people/r
osa-parks-9433715

16. Response to Charles Davis and equityXdesign's
WorkThe National Museum of African American History and Culture was created
as a way for people to learn about the history of African Americans in the
United States and show all the troubles and hard times they faced as well as
all the accomplishes they have achieved. However the museum failed to
comply with all the beliefs of EquityXDesign. The three beliefs are historical
context, radical inclusion, and process as product. The museum glazes over
the many struggles that African Americans went through as they worked
towards equal rights so although it does show some of the struggle and
reveals some of the past it doesn't show the whole story so it doesn't fully
reveal the historical context. The museum also doesn't reveal any of the
current barriers and issues in today's society which falls in line with the
second belief. By not showing any current issues faced by Native Americans,
the museum gives visitors the false idea that the problems that were faced
by African Americans are no longer in existence. The one good thing the
museum does is that it really stresses the process as product belief of
EquityXDesign. BY highly stressing the achievements and positives in African
American history, the museum is able to show people all the black people
have been able to do for the world to prove how important they are.
http://inhabitat.com/national-museum-
of-african-american-history-and-
culture-opens-today-in-washington-dc/

17. Response to "Landscape Stories" Chapter
The only ethnic object I have in my home is the cap that my grandfather
wore when he crossed through Ellis Island from Ireland. It is a classic
wool cap that was made in Ireland and is very important to my mother,
especially since my grandfather is no longer with us. My mother
currently uses the hat as a prop for the shows she puts on through her
theater company and probably will until she passes away so I will not
get my hands on the hat until then but I would like to keep the hat
because, as a redhead, I feel a certain connection to my Irish heritage
that I can't deny and having a hat from there would be a really cool
addition to my collection.
One big cultural influence on my home community was the fact that
there was a moderately big Hasidic community nearby. This means that
there are a decent amount of Jewish restaurants and shops in the area
like the Kosher deli and the Challah Fairy. We also see them walking to
temple and the store every Sunday because in their culture they are not
allowed to drive on Sundays. There is no indication of the Hasidics going
anywhere so the culture of their community will probably remain an
important part of the area for years to come.
http://www.berkeleyhat.com/dontweedcap.html

18. Response to Article on Sports Branding
I believe that it is okay for sports branding designers to use
ethnic references. Of course, I believe that the Redskins is an
offensive term and Gover's experiences only highlight that fact
but as far as the other teams go like the Celtics, the Fighting
Irish, and the Braves, most ethnically based sports names are
not offensive. I can see how the Fighting Irish can be taken
offensively but none of these team names are meant to be
offensive. In the end it comes down to reactions from the
people. It is hard to know exactly what is offensive in certain
areas so I believe that the most important part of using
ethnicity when it comes to branding for sports teams is polling.
It is important to check with the general public to see if the
name is offensive or not. As long as there is good
communication between the branders and the people then it is
okay to use ethnic references.
http://www.redskins.com

19. Response to "Visualizing Gender" Chapter
This image is a good example of the "get the idea" visual advocacy
approach. The image is very direct, drawing you instantly to the
expression on the woman's face and the state of her hands. The
woman is depicted with a pained expression and bruises on her
face which are both clear signs of physical abuse but even better is
the fact that the woman appears to be handcuffed by a pair of male
hands. There is also a faint shadow of what appears to be jail bars
over the woman. This is a very effective example in that it both gets
across the fact that domestic violence is a present issue that
deserves attention as well as the idea that the reason that people
don't often hear about domestic violence is because the male
counterparts are keeping the women from speaking up, keeping
them imprisoned with no way of getting the help they need. The
only way that I could see making this image better would be to
slightly brighten the image so that the elements are more visible but
without losing the dark feeling of the image.
http://www.marcomm.news/striking-ads-feature-
battered-women-highlights-issue-of-gender-abuse/

20. Response to Bathroom Bill
With the current state of the gender situation throughout the United States,
gender separate bathrooms are becoming more and more pointless. The
range of genders now includes so many variations on the once black and
white system that specifying bathrooms based off of an old standard is just
wrong. A bathroom is no more than a place to relieve yourself of bodily waste
which happens to be something people of all genders have to do in more or
less a similar way. Therefore, it only makes sense to allow people to use
whatever gender bathroom they choose to associate themselves with until all
bathrooms become gender neutral which will most likely happen in the
future. Of course, there are people who believe that allowing people to use
whatever bathroom they choose opens up the possibility of people taking
advantage of the system, mostly with such fears as men walking into
women's bathrooms and attempting to assault or rape the women in there. I
believe this claim to be invalid because men can just as easily walk into a
women's bathroom now as they could if they were allowed to. I do see a
problem with people not being able to identify whether a man had a cruel
intention which they can now since all men are not allowed in women's
bathrooms. As a designer, I would focus on the function of a bathroom and
only use full toilets and no urinals in my design since toilets can be used by
any person needing to relieve themselves.
https://www.burnhamnationwide.com/final-
review-blog/gender-neutral-bathrooms-code-
conflicts

21. Response to Hidden Ways
The photo to the right is of a sign for a security camera with the
camera barely visible on the street light in the background. I find
this to be a good example of "jittery" space because not only did
they feel the need to put a sign up to make the already very visible
camera very well known but the camera is being used to watch over
a small parking lot. There are plenty of parking spots and lots all
over the city without cameras but this one needed one for some
reason which can definitely be seen as excessive.
This photo was taken at Linear park down on south campus. At first
look this may look as if there were no poor or segregating design
choices made here and that's exactly it. There's not a single bench
on the path for quite a ways. The only form of seating at all are
short spiky rocks littered every couple feet. For a normal person
these rocks might be comfortable to sit on for a second and then
move on but the point is that they aren't comfortable for long,
preventing people from falling asleep on them which makes things
harder for the poor. This design flaw is very well hidden but makes
it difficult for people to find any sort of refuse on the path at all.
Alexander Poulin
Alexander Poulin

22. Response to People Like Us
In order to design a way for Tammy to work her way out of
poverty I would do one of two things. I would either make
the access to public transportation much easier so that she
could get to work faster or I would encourage business
owners to move their businesses farther out into the rural
areas making it easier for Tammy to get to work. Either
option makes her commute much shorter, allowing her to
work more hours and spend more time with her kids. Her
annual income would rise and she'd be able to pay for more
and more for her kids, eventually being able to possible by a
car or change jobs. Slowly but surely the increase in income
would help Tammy and her family work their way out of
poverty and allow them to accomplish their goals of going to
college. My team's approach is simply to give Tammy the
ability to have easier access to the things she already does
on a daily basis so that she can do more to help herself and
her family.
https://www.arkansashighways.com/public_transport
ation/public_transportation.aspx

23. Response to Carroll Article: “(Re)forming Regent
Park: When Policy Does Not Equal Practice”
In the 'new and improved' Regent Park, all the elderly people
were relocated to the tallest building and put on the top floors
which made getting around really inconvenient for them and cut
off the community ties they had with friends and family. In order
to better ensure more social integration for the old people, it
would've been a better idea to give the elderly first selection
over the lower floors of whatever building they wanted. This way
they could be closer to the ground so they would be able to get
around a lot easier and they would be able to keep the
connections and ties they had with friends and family. There
should also be something put in place to promote meeting new
people which would help the old people reach out to people
they never would've and expand their horizons.
http://urbantoronto.ca/news/2013/06/neighbou
rhood-node-new-and-old-regent-park

24. Response to Enriquez TED Talk: “What Will
Humans Look Like in 100 Years?”
As life spans increase, the number of people on this planet will
begin to increase very rapidly. The more people on the planet, the
more space the human race in going to take up and that creates
an issue about where to put everyone. The earth can only hold so
many people before there just isn't any more room left for people
to go. Taller buildings will help fit people in and the possibility of
moving to other planets also is a possibility but anything is
possible. These older people may also develop health conditions
that we can't foresee at the moment and designs for homes and
buildings may be affected by these conditions. But with these
extended life times comes a lot more time for people to learn and
the knowledge growth across the planet will also increase. All this
learning and knowledge will only make it easier for the human
race to progress and develop to reach further levels of civilization.
https://queenbeeedit.com/the-earths-size-will-
not-increase-even-though-our-numbers-are-
doing-so/

25. Response to PPT, Smithsonian, and Roy
I chose equitable use as my universal design principle.
This is a picture of an escalator which is used to make it easier for people to
get to higher places. It makes it a lot easier for people who have difficulty
walking to get up stairs but although it does help many people it still
disempowers everyone who needs to use a wheelchair to get around. The
steps are way too small and can usually only fit one standing person per
step so there is no way a wheelchair can fit. If the steps were made larger
that might make it possible for wheelchairs to go up escalators.
This is a picture of an elevator which is also used to get people to higher
places. The elevator enables anyone to ascend up flights because it has
enough room in it to fit a wheelchair. Elevators make ascension possible for
anyone and everyone. Elevators may disempower certain people who may
have a fear of things moving around them but other than that anyone can
ride an elevator. The one way that I would improve elevators is making
them into more of a constant flow of elevators so that there is a lot less
waiting around for an elevator to come and more getting where you need
to be.
https://crosleylaw.com/blog/escalator-
injuries-deaths-common-think/
http://www.history.com/news/ask-
history/who-invented-the-elevator

26. Response to Survey, FIXED, and Stelarc
The lesson we should learn as far as reproductive tech goes is that the
diversity of the human race is what makes it so amazing. With the
ability to choose what your child will look like and be, it is important to
keep diversity alive and to not ignore or refuse certain characteristics
because the differences and individuality of the human race is one of
its most important features. We should also learn that with body
enhancement tech will come certain people who are stronger, smarter
or more skilled than everyone else and it is important to realize that
they will be more "powerful" than the rest of us and we should be
ready for any uprisings. Some possible consequences of being able to
design our bodies is that the rich will be able to do whatever they want
and the poor will be left behind, certain characteristics that are seen
as undesirable will go extinct, and many people will now have body
enhancements and will become stronger or faster than the rest of the
population.These bring up many ethical quandaries about whether
that goes against the way the human race should be and if being able
to choose characteristics for children goes against a certain race.
http://www.blastr.com/2011/03/a_guy_paints_h
is_real_pro.php

27. Response to Titicut Follies
I believe that Wiseman should not have been allowed to film the
residents of Bridgewater Massachusetts Correctional Facility
because that was a complete breach of their privacy. They were
just going about their daily lives and they don't necessarily want
other people to see them like that. Wiseman should have gotten
the permission from the people he filmed directly or at least from
their family depending on how bad the patient's condition was.
This film can be of use to designers because it gave a deep, inside
look into the way that the patients were treated and the conditions
they lived in. By making these conditions known, designers can
work towards making better facilities where the patients are
treated like the humans they are and not like animals which is what
Bridgewater Massachusetts Correctional Facility did.
http://reversedview.blogspot.com/2011/11/
bridgewater-state-hospital-cemetery-1-
2.html

28. Response to PPT, The Architecture of Autism,
Public Space
Originally I probably would've been okay with the town building a home for the intellectually
challenged adults in my community. I believe everybody deserves to be treated like everybody
else and that the fact that they are mentally challenged doesn't make them any less important
to society. It would also be a great opportunity to introduce my kids to the idea that not
everybody is made the same as they are but that they are still people and deserve to be
treated that way.
After hearing that a few of the possible residents have had some extra challenging incidents
within the last few years makes me a little more hesitant to let them build the home in my
community. I still believe everyone deserves fair treatment but if their actions get disturbing
or start to negatively affect me and my family, that's where I draw the line. I would have to
check with the caregivers for the house to assure that the residents have their issues under
control before I let them live in my community.
One possibility that I can think of would be to create a community specifically for people with
intellectual challenges and let them live their lives among people with similar issues. Although
this may sound like it's separating them from the rest of society, it's more like putting them in
a place where they can feel comfortable with who they are and not feel like an outcast. They
will be with others like them and in a place where they can get the care they need whenever
they need it.
http://www.dempseylanddesign.com/
category/selected-
portfolio/residential-community-
design/

29. Response to The Connection Between Religion and
Urban Planning by David Engwicht
This is the St. Francis of Assisi Church in my hometown of New City, NY. My
hometown had a very large Jewish population and St. Francis acted as a
gathering place for all the catholics in the area and was a place where they
could go and be among people who shared their beliefs and they could be
free to prey as they pleased. The church also gives a lot back to the
community by hosting food drives and participating in community service
projects in the surrounding area. The church has influenced the design of
the town around it very little because of where it is. The church is on the
edge of town surrounded by mostly trees so it's out of the way of most
people and the rest of the community. The only way most people know
about it is through friends. Over time St. Francis has begun to reach out a lot
more. It used to be very central and only helped those who attended mass
but now it reaches out to the surrounding community and helps everyone it
can. In the future, St. Francis may come to be a refuge for people who need
help and may also become a huge community service group that keeps the
town looking its best.
http://www.stfrancis-assisi.org/sfa/

30. Response to Prospects for the Future of Diversity
and Design
In the future I want to go into automotive engineering. As far as I
see it, the biggest problem that the automotive industry faces
right now is trying to decrease greenhouse gas emissions and
make a vehicle that is both good for the environment and still
gets good gas mileage. In my future profession I hope to be
working on this issue and am personally interested on further
developing fuel cell based cars which are vehicles that are
powered by water. So far not much research has been done into
the fuel cell but I believe that with enough research, the fuel cell
will become very efficient. I am also interested in the ethanol
based fuel path because it is also very environmentally friendly
since it uses corn to create fuel for cars. Either way I hope to
develop a car that runs just as smoothly and is just as cheap to
operate as today's cars only they won't emit any greenhouse
gases at all.
http://automotive-engineering-
illustration.com/index.html