ARC211: American Diversity and Design: Jacob Stryker

Jacob Stryker
State University at Buffalo
ARC 211 American Diversity and Design
Online Discussion Questions
Spring 2017
http://timhykes.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/dd-logo.jpg

Diversity and Design has been a great class to take this semester at UB. Being in a group with people of varying backgrounds and
beliefs has really helped me understand the impact that diversity and design has on the world around us. The most compelling this
that I have learned from this course is how different yet the same people from different cultures are, in my class there were multiple
students from China and their responses to the questions we were asked always intrigued me the most. Mostly because they were
so similar to my beliefs and answers even though we are from opposite sides of the world we can still see things in the same light. I
would not say that my viewpoints have been changed by taking diversity and design but I would say that my viewpoints have been
emboldened by seeing everything that I have always believed about people in action.
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.

Response to "What is design?" from Hello World
On “What is design?” from Hello World: Where Design Meets Life by Alice Rawsthron
The author opened her chapter with the example of Ying Zheng, the ruler of the Qin empire, one of the most powerful and
enduring empires I the history of China. She explained how design innovation contributed to Ying Zheng’s success. For example,
in the development of weaponry, he resolved many problems by standardizing parts, and this single innovation gave his armies
great advantage over other armies.
For this discussion, let’s move away from 246 B.C. China, and into the U.S. Describe an innovation or invention (can be current or
historical) that gave advantage to a group of people in the U.S. or to the population as a whole. What were the social impacts of
this innovation? Were any groups negatively impacted by this innovation? For example, the telegraph, developed and patented in
the United States in 1837 by Samuel Morse, permitted people and commerce to transmit messages across both continents and
oceans almost instantly, with widespread social and economic impacts. This heightened communication speed allowed business
persons to make decisions with up-to-date information, often resulting in big profits. Those without access had to rely on out-
dated information, which put them at a disadvantage.
I believe the elevator is overlooked as an invention that helps society. It not only allows people with physical disabilities to move
from one story of a building to another but without them it would be impractical to have building taller than 10 stories. Since we do
have elevators we can have large building like the empire state building and even large apartment complexes where a large portion
of the urban population lives.
http://www.elevatordesigninfo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Japan-
toilets-in-elevators1.jpg

Response to "Introduction" from Diversity and Design
On “Introduction” from Diversity and Design: Understanding Hidden Consequences
The editors state that “diverse participation in the design process, from both professionals and public citizens alike, yields more
equitable results.” This makes sense, but typically has not been the case. Nonetheless, many marginalized groups have impacted
design in ways that have changed our visual and physical worlds as well as our systems, policies, and institutions. For example, in
the 1960s, disability rights advocates designed media events to raise awareness about barriers in the physical environment. They
persisted with their efforts for decades, and, finally, in 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act became law. It mandated
accessibility in public accommodations such as restaurants and stores, public transportation, communication, and other areas of
public life. This dramatically changed our physical environment (from curb cuts to ramps to automatic doors) and the results
made public life more equitable.
Now it’s your turn. Describe a design that was impacted by a diversity group. How and why did it change form and/or
circumstances? (Note that a design can be anything requiring planning and development prior to the production of an action,
system, visual, material object, or environment. Also, keep in mind that, for our purposes, a diversity group is a group of
individuals who are underrepresented in society in some way—children, older adults, the economically disadvantaged, those with
cognitive disabilities, etc.)
Braille was added to most signs in schools and universities in order to help the blind find where they are going on their
own. This helps people who are blind feel more independent and included in society.

Response to Media/Society Chapter and TED Talk on Photographs
Where would you place the images shown in Photos That Changed the World into Croteau and Hoynes' diagram entitled
“Model of Media and the Social World”? Identify a mass media photograph taken in your own lifetime that has served as an icon
of an event. (Feel free to add an attachment.) What roles does this photo play in the communication of the event?
I would place the images into the media category because they were all fairly well known pictures that were shared through all types
of media and that is why they are so well known. I think that with the recent barring of Syrian refugees from the country the media
has an important roll in showing that the refugees who are fleeing Syria and other places under attack by ISIS are not terrorists and
that they are just normal people trying to escape a terrible situation.
https://www.themonastery.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/refugees1.jpg

Response to Articles on Hats as Communication Design
Typically, we do not think of hats as elements of mass media or social media. However, the two hats (red and pink) discussed in
the articles certainly have taken on that role. Why are the two hats (red and pink) mentioned in the articles vehicles of
communication design? What meanings do each of the two hats carry? In terms of communication design, how are they similar?
And how are they different from one another?
Both hats definitely have a lot of significance for the people who wear them. The fact that most of the pink hats were homemade
also shows a lot more authenticity to their movement.

Response to “Industrial Design” by John Heskett and "The Incredible Inventions of Intuitive AI" by Maurice Conti
In his chapter on industrial design (written in 1987), historian John Heskett claims that the methods of mass production
introduced by Henry Ford in the U.S. involved new concepts of the standardization and integration of the production line that
were adopted across the world. With Ford’s method, work could be completed by relatively unskilled workers; it was more
efficient and with this method, products were made more quickly and cheaply than previously possible. What were some of the
social consequences of Ford’s production line? In other words, how did this system change our U.S. society? Do any of those
changes remain with us today? Now consider Maurice Conti’s TED Talk, and the predictions he makes about production. How do
you think manufacturing processes will change in the next twenty years? How do you think these changes will affect our U.S.
society?
I think that machines being able to replace people in the work force is a pretty scary thing. I agree that if we develop these machines
to think and work for us we will lose a lot more jobs than we already have.

Response IDEA Awards and Cradle-to-Cradle Video
Which of the 2016 IDEA Gold Award products seems to defy the Cradle-to-Cradle concept developed by architect William
McDonough and chemist Dr. Michael Braungart? How does this product resist or disregard the concept? Do you know of any
products that embrace Cradle-to-Cradle
design? If so, please describe.
The idea of mimicking natures cyclical patterns is a fantastic idea in my opinions. Before humans the earth cleaned, filtered and kept
itself running for billions of years. One example of a product that embraces the Cradle-to-Cradle design is an algae lamp currently
being tested in France that uses bioluminescent algae to produce light similar to a lightbulb. The algae uses solar energy from the
sun to power a battery which allows the lamp to run in the night as well as day. One algae lamp also removes CO2 from the air as
efficiently as 150-200 trees.
One product on the IDEA Gold Awards page that goes against the Cradle-to-Cradle concept is the HUBB Lifetime Oil Filter. The oil
filter may be reusable and save people from needing new oil filters every time they change their oil but it is not renewable and it
promotes the use of oil which is a non-renewable resource. It does help with the efficiency of the car in using oil but it does not stop
it all together which goes against the Cradle-to-Cradle concept of using only renewable energy. If it were a filter that somehow
allowed ethanol to replace oil in a car then it would follow the Cradle-to-Cradle concept.

Response to All Module 4 Materials
Your readings and viewings this week present different ways of thinking about architecture. Mies Van der Rohe describes
architecture as “The will of the epoch translated into space.” Andrew Ballantyne describes architecture as the background for life.
Jeanne Gang describes it as the act of building relationships. All agree that architecture can change based on context and
culture. Choose two works of architecture from any of your materials this week—one with sensibilities about the past and one
with sensibilities about the present and/or future. How do each of these buildings either reflect or challenge their cultural
contexts?(Use the SEE-IT method to respond to this question.)
The Virginia State Capitol reflects our past sensibilities in the way it attempts to mimic Greek and Roman architecture. It reflects
Greek and Roman architecture with its white exterior and linear symmetry. Copying the architectural style of the Romans was a
statement that they wanted to show that they still were a western country but that they would be different from the other countries
with kings. Thomas Jefferson wanted to copy Roman architecture because the Romans and the Greeks were the first to really use
democracy on a large scale and they were the model that the founding fathers of the United States wanted to base the US on. In
choosing neither a Georgian style of architecture or a French style Thomas Jefferson challenged the modern style of architecture in
favor of an older one with more meaning for the country.
The Disney concert hall is a great example of modern architecture. It looks like a space age building with its weird curves, lack of
symmetry and silvery/chrome looking exterior. The building was designed to be a concert hall which requires the right acoustics for
the building in order for everyone in the hall to hear the music being played. The architects somehow managed to make the
acoustics work well in this oddly shaped concert hall by making the shape of the inside hall a box. The outside metal curves that go
around the building are actually only there for show and cover up the actual inside of the building which is just a large rectangle. The
Disney concert hall challenges most modern architecture with its weird curves and asymmetry which is very different from the large
symmetrical sky scrapers that are so common today.

Response to Levy Article
John Levy’s article, “An Overview: The Need for Planning,” discussed ways in which planning can determine the characteristics of
a place. For example, some smaller towns restrict the heights of buildings to maintain a certain scale. How did planning define the
character of the place in which you grew up?
In my town there are a few housing developments where all of the houses look almost identical. Where I live in Bethlehem, the town
I'm from, all the houses look much different than the ones around them, they all have their own style and shape. In the housing
developments all of the homes have to be built by the same rules. They all have to be white or some similar shade of off white and
they have to have a 2 car garage attached to their house. Even though my house is in the same town as these housing developments
the rules for how our house had to be built were much different. Our home was built when the town was still very small so there
were very few rules for how they had to build it. The only time we ever had to deal with restrictions to our home was when we
wanted to build a back porch for our house which the town was fine with. We share a driveway with our neighbors though so we
had to build it around their needs also which wasn't much of a problem.
https://qph.ec.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-
b7698a4e194c17a5c9c74858549ce162-c

Response to Pruitt Igoe Project, Talen, and Larson
Imagine that you are part of a urban planning and design firm working with Emily Talen (author of “Design That Enables
Diversity”) and Kent Larson (who gave the TED Talk "Brilliant Designs to Fit More People In Every City" The thee of you have been
tasked with developing a plan to rebuild Pruitt Igoe in St. Louis. City officials told the three of you that that they want to do it
right this time. Identify three strategies for rebuilding Pruitt Igoe in ways that promise to be more successful. What would Talen do?
What would Larson do? What would you do? How would your strategies differ from those of the original urban planners/designers
of the project? Why would your strategies be more effective?
The first thing I believe should be done is that the new Pruitt should be built in a circular shape with some sort of fountain or center
piece for the community to congregate at. With it being built in a circle shape it would emulate a culdesac and suburban life that
promotes being more connected to the people you live near. Painting the buildings a nicer color rather than leaving them as a bland
concrete color would help make it seem nicer than just the normal color of buildings. Another thing that they could try to do to
make it work better is mix people of different backgrounds together. Trying to bring the community together doesn't work if you
have people from different ethnicities put in different parts of your community. The third thing I would change would be to add a
market or small mall to the center of the community to open up job opportunities within the community that will help make people
feel like they are a part of the community.
http://www.pruitt-igoe.com/YAMA/wp-
content/uploads/2010/09/P-I99.jpg

Response to the Brookes
The abolitionist poster, the Brookes, is an iconic image that often is included in exhibits that explore issues of race and power. It
was commissioned by Thomas Clarkson in 1788, and the Committee of the Abolition of Slavery used it to inform and shock the
public. While some consider the poster as an important component of the abolitionist campaign, it recently “has been strongly
criticized by some individuals and groups of African heritage as providing a very limited view of the history of the transatlantic
slave trade, resistance and abolition (Hudson 2007).” The lesson here is that how a viewer sees an image is dependent upon
his/her social, economic, and cultural position. Keeping this in mind, find another iconic graphic that addresses racial issues and
post it for others in your group to view. (Add it to your response by clicking on the picture in the tools section. Do not add it as an
attachment that needs to be opened.) How do you interpret the graphic? What is its meaning? Now imagine that someone from
a racial and cultural background different than your own is looking at the same graphic. Briefly describe this person. How might
s/he interpret its meaning? How might this differ from your interpretation? What are the possible reasons for these
differences? (Consider the three assessment principles mentioned in the article to help you: a technology of vision, an instrument
of empathy, and a symbol of control.) (NOTE: Limit your response to less than 250 words.)
This image shows that the only way we can overcome the tear in our country is by acting together. I interpret this image as saying
that we need to come together as Americans to figure out what is happening and to help bring our country together regardless of
whether we are White, Black, Asian, Hispanic, Jewish, Muslim, or whatever you may be because the only way we can do this is
through communication and understanding. In this image I specifically like that the tear in the flag cannot be mended by just one
hand, it requires the work of both sides so truly fix it, which members from both sides of the racial issues in America still do not
recognize.

Response to Charles Davis and equityXdesign's Work
Critique either the MLK Memorial or the National Museum of African American History and Culture using equityXdesign’s core
beliefs and/or design principles. (Use the beliefs or principles that are most relevant to your critique rather than all of them.)
The National Museum of African American History goes against the equityXdesign core beliefs because it is a museum primarily for
African American people which goes against the belief that the design should include all people not be centered around one group
of people. The reason why I do not believe that the MLK memorial goes against the equityXdesign beliefs is that MLK did not just
advocate for African Americans he advocated and spoke out for many groups of people while the African American History Museum
is exclusive to African American history and does not include other groups of people in it.
http://newsdesk.si.edu/sites/default/files/photos/2015-06434.jpg

Response to "Landscape Stories" Chapter
First, let’s start with your own home. Describe a place in your home (indoors and/or outdoors) that you think of as representative
of your own ethnic background and discuss why you consider this place to be ‘ethnic’. –OR-- Describe an object in your home that
you think of as representative of your ethnic background and discuss why this object is considered to be ‘ethnic’. (If possible, add
photo/s.) Is this object or place something that you will keep or continue when you establish your own home? Why or why not?
Now let’s move into your community. In “Landscape Stories,” the authors show how landscape architects develop a historical
narrative that sifts through and interpets the culture and material of underrepresented groups. Think about the community
where you grew up. Describe and discuss any evidence of cultural influences on the physical environment in your community. If
possible, describe evidence of the cultural influence of an underrepresented group. (If possible, add photo/s.) Is this cultural
influence being acknowledged or preserved from future generations? Why or why not?
My family is Jewish and one thing that reflects our ethnicity in our home is our living room has a lot of stars of David in it. Though we
are not very religious we do celebrate Jewish holidays at home and with family members and members of our community. Other
than in our living and dining rooms we do not have a lot of things that reflect our ethnicity, my parents on my Moms side are from
eastern Europe and my Dads side is from Ireland.
Our community is very open to people of all races
and religions. During the holidays they put up a
Christmas tree and a Menorah in our main square
for people to enjoy. After the recent travel ban
nonsense many people have been putting signs in
front of their homes that say "No matter where
you're from, we're glad you're our neighbor" in
English, Spanish, and Arabic. I think this is a great
thing because the Muslim and Hispanic
communities are very small in our town and I
believe it is good to show support for them even
if they are only a small portion of our community.
http://ih.constantcontact.com/fs100/1101781187436/img/1274.jpg?a=1119456413791

Response to Article on Sports Branding
Recent controversies about sports branding focus on ethnicity. The Washington Redskins team is just one example of the larger
controversy, but it receives the most public attention due to the name itself being defined as derogatory or insulting in modern
dictionaries, and the prominence of the team representing the nation’s capital. Should sports team branding designers use ethnic
references (Fighting Irish, Boston Celtics, Atlanta Braves, etc.)? Why? Why not? What are some of the complexities of this issue?
I believe I heard that the owners of the Washington Redskins actually asked Native American communities if they found the name of
their team to be offensive and they said they did not think it was offensive so I do not believe it is a big problem. As for branding
sports teams based on ethnicity, like the celtics and the braves, I think it is fine as long as it is not in an obviously offensive or
degrading way.
https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/2815110476/033393c13e6dec0fd6cc5006453fbeb5_400x400.png
http://cdn.newsbusters.org/images/redskins-logo_0.jpg

Response to Bathroom Bill
Last year, North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory signed into law a bill that repealed local LGBT anti-discrimination laws, and
required people to use the bathroom that corresponded with the biological gender written on their birth certificates. This
prompted massive backlash. McCrory stated, “You know, we all have to make adjustments in life. And we’ve had the proper
etiquette situation for decades in our country, and all of a sudden through political correctness we’re throwing away basic
etiquette.” Just this past Thursday, the North Carolina General Assembly passed a bill to repeal the law while placing a
moratorium on nondiscrimination measures.
Should people be required to use the bathroom that corresponds with the biological gender written on their birth certificate?
State why AND state why not. In other words, to receive full credit for this question, you need to present an argument for both
sides of the issue. As a designer, how would you solve this gender dilemma? Use the SEE-IT method to respond to this question.
For the argument that people should use the bathroom based on their biological sex I believe that you can not change your
biological sex and I can see why people would want to argue that you should use the bathroom that corresponds to your biological
sex. On the other hand I believe that a persons gender identity is equally as important as a persons biological sex. Telling an entire
group of people that they can not use the bathroom of the gender they identify as can lead to the feeling like they are not welcome
in society. I believe that people should be able to use the bathroom that corresponds to the gender they identify as because they
will likely be using a stall either way so I don't think a whole lot will change anyway. One way that we could solve this dilemma is to
create more gender neutral bathrooms for one individual at a time. Another way is to just use more stalls, if nobody's watching you
do your business does it matter where you're going to the bathroom?

Response to Hidden Ways
Author Steven Flusty categorized five types of disciplinary architecture that perpetuate what he calls urban spatial injustice: 1)
stealthy, 2) slippery, 3) crusty, 4) prickly, and 5) jittery. Go out into the city of Buffalo, and find/photograph two examples from
the list of five. Identify what type of space you’ve photographed and why it might discriminate against a specific
population. Identify the location where you took the photograph, and make certain that you are in at least one of the two
photographs.
Unfortunately I do not have any photos of myself at these places but one off that places that I would describe as prickly is the
Greyhound bus station in the city of Buffalo. There is nothing welcoming or inviting there and it is not in the best of neighborhoods
so the exterior and sidewalks are not very well kept. Another place in Buffalo that I would describe as stealthy would be the subway
on south campus that goes into the city. The subway above ground it just a small glass room with an elevator and stairs going down
into the subway while the entrance from main street is a small traffic circle with doors leading you to the same room.

Response to People Like Us
After almost two decades of public assistance, Tammy Crabtree took herself and her family off the welfare rolls. But her job
cleaning bathrooms at a local Burger King barely paid the bills. Crabtree wanted to do better and hopes to go to college and
become a teacher.
Imagine this scenario. You are a designer who works at the well-known firm, iPD (Integrated Planning and Design). You work on a
team with planners, urban designers, policy designers, architects, and social designers. You have been tasked to develop/design a
way for Tammy Crabtree and her family (and others with situations similar to Tammy’s) to move themselves out of poverty. What
will your team to do to help Tammy and her family achieve their goals? What approach will your team take to address this
difficult problem?
A safe place to live is the first thing that should be established because without a place that you feel safe in it is difficult to do the
other things necessary to get out of poverty. This may be an unpopular opinion but I believe that with how old she is there is almost
no way for her to get out of poverty unless her children bring her out of it. The only way for her to get out of poverty would have
been to start early and taking time away from her family to go and study and get a degree, assuming that her credit would allow her
to take out loans to go to college. Basically once the opportunity has passed it is extremely difficult to get out of poverty and the
best she can do at this point is to try to work hard so that her family will have the opportunity to get out of poverty. Other than
taking government aid to stay at or above the poverty line I think it is too late for her to follow her dreams of going to college and
becoming a teacher realistically.
http://image.pbs.org/video-assets/pbs/people-us/105325/images/Mezzanine_777.jpg

Response to Carroll Article: “(Re)forming Regent Park: When Policy Does Not Equal Practice”
The development of Regent Park is phased, and there are several more phases to the project. What actions could be taken to
ensure more social integration for the older people living in the ‘new and improved’ Regent Park?
I think that making Regent Park more open to the elderly by making the area more easily accessible to the elderly would be the best
way to improve their social integration. By adding wheel chair ramps or elevators to the building it would allow for more elderly
people to get into the building and would make going to those places much easier for the elderly. I think making more social events
that include the elderly or encourage the elderly to be involved would be the best way to promote the elderly to become more
integrated with the community.
http://urbantoronto.ca/sites/default/files/imagecache/display-slideshow/images/articles/2013/05/7608/urbantoronto-7608-
26570.jpg

Response to PPT, Smithsonian, and Roy
The two most frequently mentioned models of disability are the ‘social’ and the ‘medical’ models. The medical model of disability
views disability as a medical ‘problem’ that belongs to the disabled individual. The social model of disability, in contrast, draws on
the idea that it is society that disables people, through designing everything to meet the needs of the majority of people who are
not disabled. There is a recognition within the social model that there is a great deal that society can do to reduce, and ultimately
remove, some of these disabling barriers, and that this task is the responsibility of society, rather than the disabled person.
In the Smithsonian online exhibition, the story about the superhero hand, and Elise Roy’s TED Talk, you saw examples of ways to
engage disability that use the social model rather than the medical model. In the Disability and Design PowerPoint, you
were introduced to the concept of Universal Design (UD) (sometimes called inclusive design, design-for-all, or human-centered
design). Certainly, UD embraces the social model of disability. In this same PowerPoint, you saw positive and negative examples
of each of the seven principles of universal design.
I chose to use the principle of size and space for approach and use. For the positive example I used a stairway that has a wheelchair
ramp built into it that allows for people who are handicapped to use the same stairs as people who are handicapped. I believe that
this is a positive use of the principle of universal design because it uses the space to both empower people with handicaps and uses
the space efficiently for those people. For the negative example I used the same idea of a stairway that is mixed with a ramp for
people who are handicapped to show that size and space can
really determine whether something is empowering to
handicapped people or not. In the negative example the way
that people in wheelchairs would have to turn multiple times
to get up the stairs is getting in the way of them moving up the
stairs. They could have been designed to move straight up but
instead the designers made it more difficult for handicapped
people to move up these stairs by making it so they have to
turn three times just to get up the stairs.
http://selkirkdrafting.weebly.com/uploads/5/9/7/1/59717591/universal-design-principal-
7.png

Response to Survey, FIXED, and Stelarc
Currently, we have the technology for you to choose many of the survey characteristics in your future child, and this ability to
choose poses some ethical questions. Of course, we all want the best for our own child. However, as we move into a more
collective situation, we need to consider how the consequences of majority choices for children might change who we are as a
species.
In the film trailer FIXED, you were introduced to the dilemma of living in a culture in which the “science-fiction of human
enhancement” has become almost a way of life, from prenatal genetic screening to bionic body parts. In the video, “A Man with
Three Ears” you are introduced to an artist who is using current technology to move humans beyond their current abilities. Last
week, Juan Enriquez asked us if it is ethical to evolve the human body. All of these videos suggest that the concept of disability ‘as
we know it’ could cease to exist in the future.
This leads us to this week’s discussion question:
What lessons do you think we should learn from history when thinking about emerging enhancement technologies
and reproductive technologies? What are some of the possible consequences (both positive and negative) of being able to design
our bodies and the bodies of our children? What ethical quandaries do these technologies pose?
I believe that it is unethical to design our children's bodies before they are born because they do not have a say in it. I also think it is
unethical to alter the human body to the point that it isn't even human anymore. If machines do the majority of the work for us
including how we think then I don't believe you're truly human. Part of being human is being flawed and trying to overcome those
flaws is how we progress as a species, we would not have all the great technology we have today if we didn't have problems to
solve. I believe that changing the human body in an unnatural way has no long term positive consequences. The negative
consequences is that eventually there will almost be a cookie cutter human that people decide is the best version of humans and all
humans to come will be exactly the same, and as this course points out so
often, diversity is a great thing that we should embrace, allowing people to pick
and choose their genetics would ruin our natural diversity and make any
diversity that does exist become artificial. I do feel that some artificial
enhancements would be good, if you're born without the ability to walk or
without an arm or a leg I do believe you should have access to technology that
would let you use those basic human functions, I do not believe that a well
abled human being should be artificially enhancing them self for no reason
other than that it’s an enhancement.
http://thebionichuman.weebly.com/uploads/1/8/3/4/18348131/4923335_orig.jpg

Response to Titicut Follies
The state of Massachusetts tried to ban the 1967 documentary Titicut Follies, arguing that director Frederick Wiseman had
violated the patients’ rights by not getting written permission to film them. The case went to court, and Wiseman argued that he
had consent from their legal guardian, the institution. After a judge ruled in favor of the state, the legal appeals carried on for
several years: in 1969, Massachusetts allowed the film to be shown to doctors, lawyers, and health care professionals; in 1991,
a superior court judge ruled it could be released for the “general public,” as privacy concerns were no longer at issue, so many
years later.
Should Wiseman have been allowed to film the residents of Bridgewater Massachusetts Correctional Facility? Why or
why not? How might this film be of value to designers (communication designers, product, designers, architects,
interior designers, planners, landscape designers, systems designers, and/or social designers)? In other words, what
might they gain from this film that they could use in their work?
I think that Wiseman should be allowed to film the correctional facility because if the
correctional facility is a public institution then there should be freedom to film what
goes on there. So long as the film does not single out any particular person and invade
that individual’s privacy then general filming of a place should be allowed. I think that
film like this is useful to designers because it gives people a real view at what conditions
in these correctional facilities are like. I think that it is important that people see this
film so that people can see what happened there so they know not to let it happen again,
people should be treated with basic respect no matter what and the people at the
Bridgewater Massachusetts Correctional Facility were not treated with any respect and
were forced to live in pretty horrible conditions.

Response to PPT, The Architecture of Autism, Public Space
Prelude: Wolf Wolfensberger's seminal work "The Origin and Nature of Our Institutional Models" posited that society characterizes people with
intellectual disabilities as sub-human and burdens of charity, He argued that this dehumanization, and the segregated institutions that result from
it, ignored the potential productive contributions that all people can make to society. He pushed for a shift in policy and practice that recognized the
human needs of those with intellectual challenges and provided the same basic human rights as for the rest of the population.
The Scenario: Imagine that you and your four children live in Amherst, New York in a $650,000 home at the end of a cul-de-sac on the edge of a
ten acre woods. The town has purchased a one acre lot three houses away from yours, and plans to build a group home for ten intellectually
challenged adults.
As a resident of the neighborhood, would you support or oppose this proposal and why?
You've learned additional information about the residents of the proposed group home in your neighborhood. In 2013, three of the ten intended
residents exhibited challenging behaviors including screaming, public masturbation, repetitive rocking, and echolalia (elective incontinence).
However, these behaviors have not occurred since then.
How would this change your opinion about the construction of the group home in your neighborhood?
The residents in your neighborhood voted (14-3) to reject the town of Amherst’s proposal to build a group home in the neighborhood. Town
officials agreed that the home would not be built in your neighborhood if you and your neighbors could develop a workable alternative.
What are some possible solutions that would allow the residents of the home to be provided with “the same basic human rights as the
rest of the population”?
I am not sure if I would support or oppose this proposal. On one hand I encourage group homes for the intellectually challenged
but on the other hand it would directly impact the worth of my home in a negative way. I would need to see how much it would
affect how much my home is worth and see, if it does not affect the value of my home a lot then I would be perfectly fine with
it, if it decreased its value by a lot then I might have some issues. Aside from the value of my home I don't see how it would be a
bad thing. With this new info I would oppose this proposal especially because it states I have 4 children and I would not want
my children to be exposed to public masturbation of any kind. I would have no problem with them living in a group home but I
would be more concerned with my children's wellbeing. Some
possible solutions to allow the residents to be treated with the
same basic human rights is that they can still live in group homes
but the group homes should be put in their own areas similar to
retirement homes where they have their own community that is
surrounded by other communities around it so they do not feel like
they are being excluded from society.
https://www.trustedpropertygroup.com/lib/img/mobileslide.jpg

Response to The Connection Between Religion and Urban Planning by David Engwicht
In his article, David Engwicht discusses the fact that religions (of all types) have played major roles in the development of our
cities. Today, places of worship are primary components of almost all urban centers. Author Lorne Daniel writes “From their
often active role in supporting people who live in city centers to their iconic influence on design and use of space, religious
structures tell us a lot about our history, our current needs, and where we might be headed in the future. This is an aspect of
our urban future that planners and urbanists should attend to.”
Identify a place of worship with which you are somewhat familiar. (If you are not familiar with any places of worship,
do a bit of research on one in your own city or town.) Show a photograph of this religious structure. (You may use
photographs from the web.) What roles has this place served in the development of your city/town? How has it
influenced the design of the area around it? How has its role changed over time? What roles could this place of
worship play in the future development of your city/town?
Temple Israel in Albany is the temple that my family
goes to on the high holidays and the area around it
has been influenced greatly by it being there. Most of
the neighborhoods around the temple are mostly
Jewish and almost all of the restaurants and stores
nearby have kosher food available because of that.
Temple Israel is not the only temple in the area,
Temple Israel is a conservative temple down the
street is a reform temple called B'nai Shalom and next
to that one is another temple named Beth Abraham-
Jacob. The first temple to be put into the western part
of Albany was Temple Israel which allowed a large
Jewish community to congregate around it to the
point that they needed 3 different temples. In the
future it could allow for the community to grow and
become bigger in the future.
http://templeisraelalbany.webs.com/11470652.jpg

Response to Prospects for the Future of Diversity and Design
At the beginning of this course, we discussed the idea that we are all designers regardless of our profession or field of study.
We’ve asked some big questions along the way, and the conclusion section of our textbook raises additional issues that require
input from people who might not consider themselves to be part of the formalized design professions.
Think about your own major and/or future profession. What is the biggest challenge, problem, or question that your
field needs to tackle right now? What do you plan to do to address this challenge, problem, or question either as part
of your studies or professional life?
My major is environmental studies, the biggest challenge that my field needs to tackle is the transition from oil and coal to more
clean energy. Right now coal is the most used source of energy in the united states which is bad because while it is the cheapest
and we have enough coal to power our power plants for over 300 years coal is the dirtiest energy source that we use. I plan to go
into politics to help encourage the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy like solar and wind power. Right now there
are not enough incentives to transition to renewable energy the biggest thing that should be done is encourage people to buy
electric or hybrid cars so we can ease out of our oil needs then we can work on building wind and solar farms around the county
to help replace coal before it is too late.
https://img.clipartfest.com/11ab707bef0927a0f8fca20ac0dd9a2f_environment-
studies-benadir-university-environmental-studies-clipart_589-300.jpeg
https://ffgc.wildapricot.org/Resources/Pictures/env.jpg

Image Sources:
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and-braille-numbers.png&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pharmabraille.com%2Fpharmaceutical-braille%2Fthe-braille-alphabet%2F&docid=pwEFihU7SGD-
0M&tbnid=bqwZ2DvMsS_8lM%3A&vet=10ahUKEwjvm6H-
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mfXTAhUp4IMKHb1MDIcQMwhVKAAwAA&iact=mrc&uact=8
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mfXTAhUp4IMKHb1MDIcQMwhjKA4wDg&iact=mrc&uact=8
MAGA Hat: https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fimages-na.ssl-images-
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Adult%2Fdp%2FB0144454NK&docid=K3LQMMnlN7AEFM&tbnid=PFLwyeaTsrKZuM%3A&vet=10ahUKEwjvvKuimvXTAhUh7oMKHZCHAy0QMwg2KAAwAA..i&w
=500&h=398&safe=off&bih=942&biw=1920&q=maga%20hat&ved=0ahUKEwjvvKuimvXTAhUh7oMKHZCHAy0QMwg2KAAwAA&iact=mrc&uact=8
Pink Hats: https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjf-
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hat%2F19292&psig=AFQjCNGFMpyqfTjpWiI-OyOJQYRcz4i2hg&ust=1495051337708055
Automated Machine:
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Cradle-61.jpg&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcatalystreview.net%2Fcatalyzing-the-conversation-
2%2F&docid=gAdiKVAqiAU7AM&tbnid=jd_FtitBMkZQbM%3A&vet=10ahUKEwjstuSCm_XTAhUkxoMKHSYtBL0QMwhhKBQwFA..i&w=1832&h=1196&safe=off&
bih=942&biw=1920&q=cradle%20to%20cradle&ved=0ahUKEwjstuSCm_XTAhUkxoMKHSYtBL0QMwhhKBQwFA&iact=mrc&uact=8
https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dsm.com%2Fcontent%2Fmarkets%2Ffurniture%2Fen_US%2Ftrends%2Fcradle-to-
cradle%2F_jcr_content%2Fpar%2Fimage.img.jpg%2F1372155669620.jpg&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dsm.com%2Fmarkets%2Ffurniture%2Fen_US%2Ft
rends%2Fcradle-to-cradle.html&docid=_xY2b81zduxz5M&tbnid=Le_hTR-
MYlGwfM%3A&vet=10ahUKEwjstuSCm_XTAhUkxoMKHSYtBL0QMwhpKBwwHA..i&w=440&h=260&safe=off&bih=942&biw=1920&q=cradle%20to%20cradle&v
ed=0ahUKEwjstuSCm_XTAhUkxoMKHSYtBL0QMwhpKBwwHA&iact=mrc&uact=8
Disney Concert Hall:
https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FtesyMHUgWBI%2Fhq720.jpg&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.laphil.com%2

Fphilpedia%2Fabout-walt-disney-concert-
hall&docid=j6tx2Da4FBfd3M&tbnid=wOwbQlPvXBrVWM%3A&vet=10ahUKEwjbyaObm_XTAhXkxYMKHVOOAK0QMwhTKAAwAA..i&w=1280&h=720&safe=off
&bih=942&biw=1920&q=disney%20concert%20hall&ved=0ahUKEwjbyaObm_XTAhXkxYMKHVOOAK0QMwhTKAAwAA&iact=mrc&uact=8
Virginia State Capitol:
https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Finteractive.wttw.com%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Fstyles%2Ftenbuildings_hero%2Fpublic%2Ftenb
uildings%2FTB100ss.jpg&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Finteractive.wttw.com%2Ftenbuildings%2Fvirginia-state-
capitol&docid=mwailYP80NZruM&tbnid=2HbTygGB23bQSM%3A&vet=10ahUKEwjG2_Orm_XTAhVl4oMKHSruDxQQMwg3KAEwAQ..i&w=1600&h=900&safe=of
f&bih=942&biw=1920&q=virginia%20state%20capitol&ved=0ahUKEwjG2_Orm_XTAhVl4oMKHSruDxQQMwg3KAEwAQ&iact=mrc&uact=8
All Gender Restroom: https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mydoorsign.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-
content%2Fuploads%2F2013%2F05%2FAll-Gender-Restroom-Sign.gif&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mydoorsign.com%2Fblog%2Fgender-inclusive-
restroom-signs-for-transgender-
citizens%2F&docid=4zRAV84baY4F9M&tbnid=HQP_xKseTA8E1M%3A&vet=10ahUKEwjcpo_Tm_XTAhVkw4MKHbqYD_sQMwh8KAMwAw..i&w=400&h=400&sa
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Titicut Follies:
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