Arc 211 american diversity and design jared himes

American Diversity and Design Discussion Questions
University at Buffalo – State University of New York
ARC 211 - American Diversity and Design – Spring 2017
Online Discussion Questions
Jared Himes

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Welcome!
Throughout my time learning about Diversity and Design,
I’ve come to realize that while my thought process has not
changed, the ways in which I analyze my thoughts has. I’ve always
considered myself to have a relatively clear train of thought
however it has never crossed my mind to think about how my
thoughts can define me as a person. More specifically, I’ve never
thought about how my ideas and designs, like the ones conceived
in the discussion questions of this course, can define me as a
creator and designer. Because I was able to get a grasp on why I
think the way that I do, I am now better able to explain my thoughts
thematically in alignment with my ideas and designs.
My favorite concept that I came across in ARC 211 is the amount of detail that “good” products have and the lack
of detail that “bad” products have. It has motivated me to think about my ideas and designs more in depth rather than just
the basics. While the discussion questions have not changed my viewpoints on the many subjects they bring up, they
have changed my attention to detail on the world of design.
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.
Photographer: Erin Atwood

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 outdated information,
which put them at a disadvantage.
I think the atomic bomb has had the most consistently large impact on the U.S. society since the day it was invented. Its impact has
remained so high because as technology advances, so do our nuclear weapons. Some would say that it is necessary to have nukes
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as a method of security. Some would say that they're too powerful to be considered humane. No matter what opinion you have,
there's no denying that they have had a huge impact on society and the race for power. No one country wants to look inferior which is
why we keep producing more every time someone else does. This concept has sprung much debate with the people of America and
around the world. Although there were only two real instances of these super-weapons negatively affecting people, they were
extremely devastating and most fear, in today’s world, that it could easily happen again

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.)
It's a very broad subject but I think that food has come a long way in the last century for the less fortunate in society. And when I say
less fortunate, I don't just mean the poor. Once mass production and industrialization started in the mid 19th century, food started to
be sold and consumed differently. For a while, it was just cheaper and easier to buy in bulk and this was good but as many know,
food companies, with very few regulations, got too large and too greedy. Come the start of the 20th century, rules and regulations
were put into place by law and things got cleaner. But this didn't mean companies couldn't get bigger and wealthier. In the 1910's,
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grocery stores were invented and the production and consumption of food continued to grow. And since then, food has gotten more
advanced, more easily available and cheaper (if you consider the amount of someone's income that is spent on food). This has
benefited many diversity groups through the years. The poor are able to buy food relatively cheap, sometimes even for free with the
creation of food stamps and soup kitchens. Those with lactose intolerance are able to experience the taste of dairy without actually
consuming it. Those with Celiac's are able to eat things that are gluten free. Vegetarians are able to get necessary protein while still
committing to their cause. People can get supplements, they can eat healthier and body-build, they can eat organic. There is
basically a sub-culture for every kind of food out there. Food, not surprisingly, has been affected by many diversity groups in the last
century and in return, has affected society as a whole.
1
"A Quick History of the Supermarket." Groceteria.com | Supermarket History. September 23, 2016. Accessed May 03, 2017.
http://www.groceteria.com/about/a-quick-history-of-the-supermarket/.

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Response to Media/Society Chapter and TED Talk on
Photographs
FROM: Chapter in Media/Society and TED Talk Photos that
Changed the World
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 believe the photos from the TED Talk fit best in the readers
or audiences box in Croteau and Hoynes' diagram. The pictures were
taken and mediated by industry and technology but the real purpose of
them is to get a message out to an audience.
The representative mass media photograph that I have chosen is not
surprisingly about war. After doing a bit of research, I found out that the
boy (accepting an American flag at his father’s memorial) was only 8
years old when his father died during battle in Afghanistan. The 2007
photo really hits home because it shows the gritty details about what
war brings. We all know that war happens, we all know that people die, we all know that someone wins and the war ends but
sometimes it takes a photo like this to show how truly devastating war can really be on all ends. The system of war is truly
incomprehensible too. It is a completely ridiculous concept and yet almost completely inevitable. As pessimistic as it sounds, I
believe there will always be war in the world as long as there are people drunk with greed (also inevitable). The photo, in my eyes,
really just tells a story about the perversity of human nature. And although I believe war is inevitable, I believe that photos like this
can help to inform people and maybe inspire them to help military families or anything of that nature.
http://themetapi
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2
Woo, Wonbo, and Tracy Connor. "Boy from iconic wartime photo pays it forward at Christmas." NBCNews.com. December 20,
2013. Accessed May 03, 2017. http://www.nbcnews.com/news/other/boy-iconic-wartime-photo-pays-it-forward-christmas-
f2D11785489.

Response to Articles on Hats as Communication Design
FROM: “Fashioning Protest for the Women’s March on Washington” and “The
Worst Design of 2016 Was Also the Most Effective”
NOTE: Use the first three part of the SEE-IT method of critical thinking (State,
Elaborate, Exemplify) to address the following questions:
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?
The hats that were talked about in these articles are actually a fundamental example
of communication design. People buying these hats are not necessarily buying them
because they want a new hat or because they like the color or design. They are
buying them solely to communicate a point to an audience. The hats are both
extremely representative of an opinion, a cause, or a belief and the fact that they are
pieces of clothing is almost irrelevant.
The red "MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN" hat is representative of someone who
either supports Trump, believes there are major problems with the U.S. or both. It is
bold, simple and appeals to Middle America and the "common man", which is
exactly what Trump wanted out of them. The cap was hugely effective and is a
genius and peaceful way to spread a belief. The hat is a true figure-head (no pun
intended) for the premise of Trump's campaign.
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The pink hat is just as symbolic and carries the same power of communication to the people. It resonates to people in two different
ways. On the surface, it stands for equality and the beliefs that the protesters rightfully hold and additionally communicates it in a
very simple and effective way (seeing 1.1 million bright pink knitted caps will surely raise questions). On a deeper level, the questions
raised about the hats will lead the other point about Trump's comments in his past. This kind of "double-meaning hat" has surely
been effective in its success to spread concern for women's rights.
The hats are extremely similar in that they are both very simple yet very effective. They both stand for a cause or belief and do so
effectively solely because they are not too specific. People see them and there is fairly common initial interpretation but the second
thought that the viewer has isn't forced by a lengthy speech or specific phrase. It is instead formed by whatever the viewer most
powerfully believes in after seeing the initial image. In doing this, the viewer becomes enthralled in the hat because it represents their
own opinion.
Aside from the cause that each cap represents, there are not too many differences between the caps. One is essentially a mascot for
a political belief and the other is a powerful method of communicating a complaint. You can interchange both of those phrases and it
works for both caps. Other than the obvious (the message, color, material, how warm your ears stay), there are no huge differences
with how each cap communicates its point.
3
Budds, Diana. "The Worst Design Of 2016 Was Also The Most Effective." Co.Design. January 03, 2017. Accessed May 03, 2017.
4
Rogers, Katie. "Fashioning Protest for the Women's March on Washington." The New York Times. January 18, 2017. Accessed
May 03, 2017.

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 it is very clear what Henry Ford's production methods did for
U.S. society. In the simplest terms possible, it sparked the U.S. into a
new age of advancement. By standardizing his product and
introducing the production line, he made the cost of buying his product
much lower for the average American. His product, the car, being
available at an affordable cost to Americans because of his innovation,
opened up endless opportunities and allowed U.S. society to grow and
begin designing new, better, more impressive things. To elaborate on that, it wasn't just the fact that his production methods changed
the way we make and sell things, it was also what his product could do that changed the United States. With more and more people
being able to own cars, they could travel longer distances to their jobs meaning there were more opportunities for jobs. People could
go out to dinner with their families which meant restaurants had to be redesigned to feed more people and make it a more enjoyable
experience. It’s not that restaurants were invented during this period. They were simply popularized and redesigned for the
experience rather than just the food. People could travel farther to buy groceries and everyday necessities which meant that stores
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had to be redesigned and refined to meet the needs of everyone coming in. There is an endless list of ways in which the car
recreated society and all of them remain with us today, just in redesigned and innovative ways. For example, people redesigned
restaurants after the car but today, they are even more advanced. We have things like Hibachi, fast-food, culturally themed
restaurants, etc.
On the note of Maurice Conti's TED Talk, I think, and hope, that our manufacturing process is going to be much more computerized
and automated within the next twenty years. Eventually, I think that computers and robots are going to complete ALL of the hands-on
labor that humans now do. Some believe that this will destroy the economy by taking away millions of jobs but I think it will do just the
opposite. By eventually allowing robots and computers to do all of the "assembly" work, we will take another leap in the advancement
of our technology. We will simply tell the computers what to do and the product will be the most perfect version of the product that is
physically possible of creating. In the beginning, it may harm the economy but in the bigger picture of things, it will create the jobs
that are required to program the computers, build the robots, create new designs, new products and new ideas. This means that our
humans will advance, our products will advance and our society will advance.
5
"Assembly line." Wikipedia. April 30, 2017. Accessed May 03, 2017. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assembly_line.

Response IDEA Awards and Cradle-to-Cradle Video
NOTE: Use the first three part of the SEE-IT method of critical
thinking (State, Elaborate, Exemplify) to address the following
questions:
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? Provide an example any
products that embraces Cradle-to-Cradle design? Please describe
and cite your source.
HUBB Lifetime Oil Filter- While this product does reduce the amount
of emissions produced through the oil filter on cars, it completely defies
the "cradle-2-cradle" concept. As stated in the video, it just makes
things "less bad". The filter explicitly states that it should still be used for
a lifetime meaning that there is never even a possibility for the complete
elimination of using non-renewable resources. The use of crude oil is
one of the world's biggest concerns and this product, although helping
the cause, does the opposite of solve it.
VARD Offshore Subsea Construction Vessel (OSCV) Concept- This product is much like the oil filter. It helps the problem
of emissions by creating a more efficient ship but in the end is just a step in the wrong direction. The efforts that go towards making a
product like this should be put towards making a "cradle-2-cradle" product no matter how difficult.
Hammerhead One- I think this product heavily embraces the c2c concept in a subtle way. It allows for easy navigation by bike with a
sleek and attractive design but in this case, it’s not the actual product that saves the environment, it's the way that it's used that does
the saving. By creating a product like this, we encourage more people to bike instead of using vehicles which give off harmful
emissions. Even if the product isn't made from recyclable resources, it's still a huge step in the right direction in that it encourages a
green lifestyle.
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Suncubator Concept- This product not only embraces the c2c concept but also helps a diversity group. The product runs on solar
power which is completely renewable and actually one of the smartest ways to produce renewable energy according to the video.
Furthermore, the product helps regulate the temperature of infants which not only appeals to the infants themselves but also to
parents in underdeveloped nations where the fluctuation of infant body temperature is an uncontrollable problem.
Solar Panels- this may seem like a cliché but I believe solar panels are truly underestimated and underdeveloped. They follow the
"cradle-2-cradle" model by creating completely renewable energy in place of something that usually uses a lot of a non-renewable
resource (coal). They hold a lot of power and could hold more if more research were put into them. After doing my EAS 199 report
last semester, I found out that an average house hold anywhere in the country with the exception of Alaska, could easily run on solar
power for around $7000-$8000 as a one-time charge. This seems like a lot of money but when considering the average electricity
bill, it would pay off in just under 10 years. It amazes me that more people don't take advantage of solar panels when their house
hold could have completely renewable electricity and save about $55,000 over their lifetime.
6
"IDEA Gallery." Industrial Designers Society of America - IDSA. Accessed May 03, 2017.
http://www.idsa.org/awards/idea/gallery?combine=&field_idea_category_tid=All&field_year_value=2016&field_idea_award_level_val
ue=40.

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 first piece of architecture I chose was the Trinity Church, designed
by H.H. Richardson. I really liked this building because it's a
beautiful, almost gothic looking church with a very interesting story
behind it. The church has many historical characteristics and was
designed with the past in mind, but still has a uniqueness about it that
Richardson developed himself. In the initial design of the building,
Richardson literally flipped the drawing on its side to develop his own
interpretation of how it should look. If that alone wasn't a challenge to
typical architecture, then I don't know what is. More importantly though,
Richardson designed his building to have very Romanesque, very
Medieval European style with the massive arches, chiseled masonry and center tower. He then added his own tastes by
increasing the girth of the arches and masonry and adding a new, more adapted feeling to the sanctuary. It is a building with a very
old sense of design but challenged the way people saw churches in exactly that way.
The second piece of architecture I chose was the Aqua building in Chicago. It is a residential skyscraper with a very futuristic design.
The building itself just looks extremely unique and futuristic with its swirling balconies streaming all the way up but it also has a very
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elaborate design that incorporates things that most architects have not even considered before. It's balconies are designed the way
they are so that people can meet their neighbors both to the sides and above them. I find this all to be a very smart way of designing
a residential building. The balconies probably don't cost that much more to build in this fashion (cost effective), they actually help to
cool the building down with the way it affects the wind (eco-friendly) and they incorporate a social factor between neighbors (social
enhancement). I think the way in which these balconies function truly reflects a huge part of what many people want society to
become. Meeting their neighbors more easily, as stated in the video, has allowed them to start friendships, relationships and even
groups that get together to work on a variety of things. Socialization, although its not a new thing, has changed in many ways over
the past 2-3 decades and I think its great that this design encourages socialization in a new, futuristic way while still forcing it to be
face-to-face.
7
"10 Buildings that Changed America." PBS. Accessed May 03, 2017. http://www.pbs.org/program/ten-that-changed-america/10-
buildings-changed-america/.

Response to Ballantyne and Zumthor Articles
Andrew Ballantyne and Peter Zumthor present ideas about
architecture that seem to value the sensorial and material
elements of life. How are Ballantyne’s and Zumthor’s viewpoints
on architecture alike? More importantly, how do they
differ? (Use the SEE-IT method to respond to this question.)
Ballantyne and Zumthor both have a very artistic way of looking at
architecture. They both perceive architecture not just as buildings but
as buildings with many purposes. They look at architecture not exactly
what I would call "poetically" but more "critically". They believe that
buildings and structures are meant for more than just living in, they
instead omit feelings and are a very powerful reflector of how we wish
to live. The ways in which their opinions differ are very subtle.
Ballantyne focuses on architecture as a natural way of life. He
believes that buildings are something that are formed out of habit and
are not just created by humans. The details that go into architecture
are very beautiful and articulated but in the same sense, are part of
the functionality that we wish to gain from it. Ballantyne seems to view
architecture as a reflection of human attitude and scientific pattern.
Zumthor, on the other hand, takes a less omniscient and more
personal stance on architecture. He thinks of architecture as a way in
which people express themselves without realizing they are expressing themselves. The comparison I would make is this: if
someone creates a painting or writes a piece of music, they are creating something themselves and reflecting on artistic thoughts in
their head for others to hear. Zumthor finds beauty in architecture in that people are creating something themselves but in this case,
its something that they themselves would live in and inhabit or see others doing so. In this way, architects express themselves in a
completely different form. He believes architecture is an art form growing out of the purest form of expression.
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8
Ballantyne, Andrew. "Architecture, Life, and Habit." The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism
9
Zumthor, Peter. Thinking architecture. Basel: Birkhäuser, 2010.

Response to Levy Article
Here is your discussion question on the Levy article. Please post your own
response, and respond to at least two other students' responses.
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?
I really enjoyed this week's module because it made me realize how much character
my town actually has. Living there my whole life, I've been somewhat oblivious to the
details behind it's structure. I live in a small town called Angola which is about a 45 minute
drive south of UB. The town is right on the edge of Lake Erie and extends in about 7 miles
inland (east). Angola is only about 5 miles north to south but is very different depending on
the area in which one finds themselves. There are a few main sections in which I feel give
off a specific vibe that contributes to the town's character overall. These sections are the
park areas, the residential areas, the beach-front and the village. While the park areas and
residential areas are very important to the town, I don't think they required as much
planning as the beach-front and the village.
Angola has two major parks: the Evangola State Park which is on the southernmost
border of Angola, and the Evans Town Park which could really be considered part of the
beach-front. The Evangola State Park is very large but does not get used very much.
There is a residential area about 1.5 miles away from it but due to the fact that it is near a
major roadway, it's at the very edge of town, and it’s really just a massive open field, very
few people use it. The parks lack of popularity could also be due to the huge popularity of the beach front. The beach front is very
popular, especially during the summer. The entire border of Angola is on beach front but the most popular portion is where Mickey
Rats and the Town Park hit the beach. Mickey Rats is one of the most popular bars in Western New York because it was placed right
on the lake and has a beautiful, interactive park connected right to it. I live a couple roads down from Mickey Rats and the Town Park
and during the nicer days of the summer, hundreds sometimes thousands of people flock to the park and the bar to enjoy a day at
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the beach. Because of the beach, the town has always given me a relaxing, vacation vibe during the summer. By putting a beach
front bar, a popular restaurant, a park and a residential area all within a few square miles, this portion of town keeps its businesses
prosperous and its residents happy.
My residential area is right on the lake also. With the exception of the village, all of the residential areas in Angola are within half a
mile of the lake. It may be possible that it was planned this way because the closer a house is to the lake, typically, the more desired
it is. My specific neighborhood is shaped to match the curl of the land next to the lake which kind of proves that beach front property
is a highly desired thing in Angola. Because most of the residential areas are made to match the outline of the lake, the roads are
rarely straight but still have a certain kind of grid system to them so that transportation may be easier. It reminds me a lot of
Riverside, IL from the "10 Towns that Changed America" in that the roads and neighborhoods are made to fit the shape of the
geography.
The last part of Angola that I'll babble on about is the village. The village of Angola is much different from any other part. It is very old
and historical and gives off that exact vibe. The roads are somewhat narrow, the buildings are made of brick, and it is a very friendly
neighborhood. Within this 1 square mile of a village, one can find the movie theater, the post office, the mechanic, multiple
restaurants, other small businesses and even a few residential blocks. At the center of the village there is a big park in which many
people utilize with their kids. There are no chain restaurants on Main Street of the village, there are no highways that connect to it,
there aren't any tall buildings or speed limit signs over 30 mph. It is a very small village with very traditional values. I think the village
developed this kind of character because it is so small. Its residential area has expanded in the past decade or so but it remains so
traditional because Main Street has always stayed the same and brought in local businesses only.

Response to Pruitt Igoe Project, Talen, and Larson
Here is your discussion question on the Pruitt Igoe project, the Talen article,
and the Larson lecture. article. Please post your own response, and respond
to at least two other students' responses.
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?
When I watched the video on Pruitt-Igoe, I noticed a few major problems. One, the
buildings weren't maintained and this led to the buildings beginning to look un-kept
and dirty. It also led to the increase of crime because people didn't like the
conditions and began retaliating, so much that the cops didn't even bother coming
anymore. Two, the complexes were constricting and allowed too easily for people to
come in and not easily enough for people to go out. By this I mean that non-
residents were coming into Pruitt-Igoe who weren't supposed to be there and
residents who were there didn't have proper transportation to go to their jobs.
Finally, there was a huge problem with rental fees and who the government
extended the housing to; they generally only allowed families in that didn't have a
supporting male/father figure.
If I were given another chance to build Pruitt-Igoe with Emily Talen and Kent
Larson, I would focus on these three problems. I think Emily Talen would be best
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mmons/thumb/9/98/Pruitt-igoe_collapse-
series.jpg/275px-Pruitt-igoe_collapse-
series.jpg

suited to be in charge of accommodating the people (problem 3). In her article, she goes into detail about diversity and how it's not
just about mixing different races and ethnicities; it is instead about a diverse cultural formation. The original Pruitt-Igoe was very
specifically for families of low income without a supporting male. I think this was a big part of the reason it failed. For one, it became
an incentive for people to split up their families so that they could get cheap housing and aside from that, it brought in a very specific
group of people who were clearly on the lower end of poverty. I'm not really sure where I would even begin when selecting the
demographic of the residents (part of the reason Emily Talen would be in charge of that) but I think Pruitt-Igoe would have done
much better had they considered ALL forms of poverty. I suppose my initial thought would be to have a lottery for all those that fall
below the poverty line and disperse them throughout the complex. This would create a diverse environment in which people could
get to know each other and hear the stories of those around them. So one disadvantage of a lottery would be that we're not helping
those who are in the lower end of poverty first, which should really be a high priority. But I believe there are two ways this could be
combated. One, those in the higher end of poverty would most likely start making more money; enough money in fact to be able to
move out and get more middle class housing. And two, we could set a limit on salaries as far as the lottery goes. Maybe the upper
poverty level gets 20% of the lottery, the middle gets 35% of the lottery and the lower poverty class gets 45% of the lottery. It would
make for an uneven split of income but even enough to not produce any problems. All this being said, these are just some ideas. I
believe Talen would set standards that allow for low income families that are diverse in their culture, their tradition and their financial
problems. Aside from this, Talen is very good at recognizing that people need accommodations. I would also place her in charge of
designing facilities for the people to use. These facilities would be found in a circular plaza found in the middle of the complex and
would include things like a grocery store, a laundromat, a restaurant, a pharmacy, etc. If people have these amenities, they not only
don't need to leave the complex to do simple errands but will also have more jobs available to them at a closer location.
I would place Kent Larson in charge of designing the apartments themselves and a transportation system. Larson has some
incredible ideas on maximizing apartment space and efficiency. His ideas make it easier to live but they also give the apartments a
more modern feel for a cheap price which is possibly the most desirable things for people when it comes to buying houses. He
believes in allowing people to customize their own space which will also contribute that the diversity factor that Talen puts into place.
One of the other big problems with Pruitt-Igoe was transportation. People couldn't get in and out of the complex easily to go to their
jobs, families, etc. If Larson could set up a bus system in and out of the complex that travels to common places in the city, people
could stay social within the complex while also being able to get away when their needs require them to. Aside from a bus system, I
also think Larson should set up a system of bike paths, sidewalks and parks. If you have a good enough infrastructure, like Larson
mentioned about Copenhagen, bike paths and sidewalks can contribute to easy transportation while also combating obesity.
I think I would do best in socially connecting the people within the complex and creating jobs in order to control maintenance. By

encouraging people to interact with things like athletic facilities, music groups, social media, parks, etc. people will get along and
there won’t be as much violence within the complex. I would also set up a system of janitorial jobs for residents to take. This will allow
people to clean their own complex while getting paid for it and supporting their families.
Our methods of rebuilding would be far more successful than the original creators because the effort put into it will equate to
the results gotten out of it. The original creators basically just put up some buildings and rented them out to people without any kind
of sense for their needs and desires. Really by putting any amount of effort at all into designing the complex would be better than its
original design.
10
Talen, Emily. "Design that enables diversity: The complications of a planning ideal." Journal of Planning Literature. June 19, 2015.
Accessed May 03, 2017. https://asu.pure.elsevier.com/en/publications/design-that-enables-diversity-the-complications-of-a-planning-
ide.
11
Larson, Kent. "Brilliant designs to fit more people in every city." Lecture, Ted Talk.

Response to F.L. Olmsted
Displaying his plan at the 1876 Centennial Exposition in
Philadelphia, Frederick Law Olmsted stated that "Buffalo is the
best planned city, as to its streets, public places, and grounds,
in the United States, if not in the world." What was the basis for
this claim? Would Olmsted still make that claim today? Why or
why not?
Olmsted made this claim on the basis that everything in Buffalo
was considered. In a lot of cities, planners either don't have the
space, the money or a creative enough mind to consider every detail
necessary in that city. Buffalo, in its prime, was lucky enough to have
the space and money along with Olmsted himself to help with design.
Its streets, especially because of transportation needs to the steel
plant, were designed for the blue collared, middle class workers. The
roads within the city are in a "radial" format that all lead to Niagara
Square in the heart of Buffalo. The roads outside of the immediate
city are designed for a suburban setting with bigger blocks and
broken grid format.
One positive about Buffalo that still remains is its public places.
Buffalo as a community, is very social. Buffalo prides itself on its
food, its waterfront, its music and the thousands of other places in
which people gather to socialize. While the waterfront in Buffalo has
been taken up much by highways, there are still several, efficiently
designed places for people to utilize the waterfront like Canalside.
Olmsted's ingenious plan to build three parks and have them connect by parkways
allowed for it to become a "city built within a park". By creating a city within a park, Buffalo became a prosperous city with as much
success as other industrial cities around the world but it didn't quite look or feel the same. Instead, Buffalo was a natural place of the
future with a brand new, modern feel to it. If Olmsted were alive today I think he would be disappointed by what he sees but not
retract his claim that Buffalo is the best planned city. The planning of a city is difficult to change. While many of these parks have
shrunken and the parkways don’t exist as they did before, the planning of the city still allows for this to change. If it were a bigger
https://www.wnyheritagepress.org/conte
nt/olmsted_and_vauxs_parkways/parkwa
ys_1-9371-full.jpg

concern to Buffalonian’s these parks could be revitalized and the parkways rebuilt in different locations.
As far as Niagara Falls goes, things have been modernized and expanded but his ideals still hold up. There are still several parks
around Niagara Falls; it is the small details that ruin Olmsted’s vision. The parking lot that is right next to the falls specifically allows
for people to get out, look at the falls, grab a souvenir, and leave. If we took little things like this out and forced people to submerge
themselves in nature, they would at least have the chance to experience what Olmsted once wanted them to. The Falls wouldn’t lose
tourists; people who come to visit don’t cancel their plans just because they can’t park right next to the views. This being said,
Olmsted would still agree that the planning of the area around the Falls could still hold up to his earlier claims.
12
"Frederick Law Olmsted: Designing Western New York." PBS. May 04, 2015. Accessed May 03, 2017.
http://www.pbs.org/video/2365468061/.

Response to Walter Hood's Work
Identify something that should be memorialized either on
UB's campus or in your hometown. Imagine that you are the person
who will oversee this project, and that you are using Walter Hood's
'triad of investigations' as your approach to the project. What
would your landscape intervention commemorate/memorialize?
How will you use Hood's 'triad of investigations' to design a new
landscape intervention? What do you imagine that the design will
be? (Either written or visual descriptions are acceptable).
This is a bit of a stretch but I think UB's solar array , down near
the north campus apartments, should be memorialized. This solar array,
thanks to UB Engineers and President Tripathi, is one of the only
extensive solar arrays in the country that is open to the public. There are
in fact, pathways and I believe park benches that people can utilize
when visiting the array. I think it would be great to make the solar array
even more comfortable and actually memorialize it as one of many
places in the country that act as a "starting line to the future".
Touching on Walter Hood's first of three "triads of investigation', I
think it would be smart to make the surroundings to the solar array as mundane as possible. It should be almost like a park: lots of
landscaping, plant life and a place where people could go to study, to socialize or just to relax. The park would act as if the solar
panels aren't even there which in turn, also commemorates them. Part of the reason solar panels and renewable energy in general
aren't used as much as they should be is attributed to the fact that people don't know much about them and don't see them very
much. By making a place where they are incorporated into our everyday lives, much like a park, people may begin doing the same
thing in other places of the country and eventually spark an increase in solar panel usage. There is not much to be said about "life
ways" in terms of this idea as solar panels are a relatively modern thing but it can still be carefully included in a way that appeals to
people but not just one specific culture of people. If we want people to use the newly instituted solar panel park, we would have to
make it appeal mainly to college kids. This might mean including things like shaded areas (oh the irony) to study in, water fountains,
or even a section of land for the gardening club to use.
http://newyorkstatesofmind.com/content/up
loads/2014/03/Strand-2-e1396211955253.jpg

There would first have to be limits on what kind of landscaping we do, as the solar panels need to remain unobstructed to the light.
Secondly, we would need to restrict any kind of "playing catch" as an object hitting the solar panels could cost thousands of dollars in
damage but this is easy. By simply making it a unique park with more of a garden vibe and less of an open space sports vibe (which
there are plenty of around), restricting "playing catch" would not be an issue. Although I keep calling it a park, it is, in an underlying
sense, a memorial of the normalization of renewable resources.
13
Tauke, Beth, Korydon H. Smith, and Charles L. Davis. Diversity and design: understanding hidden consequences. New York:
Routledge, 2016.

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 is an image of the famous Olympian Jesse Owens winning a gold medal at the 1936 Olympics. Standing to his side is a
competitor from Germany. What's so iconic about this picture is that the U.S. beat out what was supposed to be the superior race-
the Aryans. The photo says a lot about race and equity and how what determines our success is simply how hard we want to work
for it; not the color of our skin. While this picture seems to radiate equity and peace, there is a sad side to its story. Jesse Owens was
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/08/11/article-1205901-
06080B2D000005DC-976_468x450.jpg

discriminated against for many years and was barely able to make it to college to train for the Olympics but once he won, he was
regarded as a hero. It was a time in America when racism was the norm and for Owens, that meant that he would soon go back to
the discrimination he faced before winning. I found it interesting how this simple photo can give off these kind of bitter-sweet vibes. If,
for example, an African American were to see this photo, I think their opinion would be similar to mine but on a deeper level. They
would most likely feel the pride for Owens that I felt but might focus more on the "bitter" component that I later felt from this picture. It
is sad to know that even after an event like this, racism still exists, just on a more implicit scale.
14
"Jesse Owens." Biography.com. April 28, 2017. Accessed May 03, 2017. http://www.biography.com/people/jesse-owens-9431142.

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.) (NOTE: Limit your
response to less than 250 words.)
I think that the MLK Memorial, although ingeniously designed, has some
features that contrast with the equityXdesign principles. The monument
show MLK carved into a stone which is cut out of a "mountain of despair".
This not only puts MLK in a position of outstanding power but it also touches
more on the past than it does the future. I honestly don't think MLK would be
excessively fond of being memorialized into a huge statue with his arms
crossed seeing that the whole thing was on the topic of racial inequality. It
makes him seem like more of a dictating figure rather than just the voice of a
revolution. MLK didn't want to be seen as the overarching leader/hero of the
civil rights movement, he just wanted to see the civil rights movement
happen. Additionally, by only touching on the past, there is little insight for
the future. When people see the memorial, they simply remember who MLK
was and the civil rights movement that he was involved in but it may be
difficult for them to relate it to the present and future. Racism and
discrimination is still an issue and if we create memorials that reflect on the
past of racism and discrimination, then no progress is made on fixing it for
the future. The monument is beautifully designed and is very moving but if
I had to critique it, then these are the principles I would choose to apply to it.
15
Tauke, Beth, Korydon H. Smith, and Charles L. Davis. Diversity and
design: understanding hidden consequences. New York: Routledge, 2016.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c2
/MLK_Memorial_NPS_photo.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? (Limit your response to 250 words.)
I think the place in my house that most heavily reflects my ethnic background is the music
room. My family name is German but I can't say that we've ever really "lived by our ethnicity". It was
surely a complete coincidence but my sister and I have been heavily committed to music our whole lives
and many of the world's greatest composers in history have come from Germany. Although it may have
just been a coincidence, I think it's something cool that I can connect to my ethnic background. It is a
room that I will definitely have in my future house because I hope to keep music in my life forever.
http://wac.450f.edgecastcdn.net/80450F/wyrk.com/files/2011/04/
Dyngus-Day-Celebration.jpg?w=630&h=420&zc=1&s=0&a=t&q=89
https://upload.wikime
dia.org/wikipedia/com
mons/thumb/6/6f/Be
ethoven.jpg/1200px-
Beethoven.jpg

Within my community, I think Dyngus Day is an obvious result of cultural influences. Dyngus Day is a Polish holiday celebrated at the
end of Lent for the baptism of Prince Miesko I. It is hugely celebrated in Buffalo as a result of our Polish population which can be
attested to a large amount of immigrants who came here in the times of Ellis Island. It doesn't necessarily represent an
underrepresented group of people but it does allow for ethnic inclusion and diversity. I think it will be preserved in Buffalo as a result
of simple tradition and the fact that Buffalo has some very long, very wide streets and a lot of places for people to celebrate and stay.
16
Dyngusday. Accessed May 03, 2017. https://www.dyngusday.com/our-story.

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?
(Limit your response to 150 words.)
I think it's almost unfair to tell people what they're allowed to name their
company or in this case, sports team. To elaborate, I think one should be
"allowed" to name their sports team whatever they want because there’s no
law that says they can’t. However, whether or not its ethical is a completely
different story. When trying to be respectful and ethical, I think one should
at least do professional research on the name to find out if it was ever used
in a derogative manner. The reason for this being logical: naming your
company something ethnically derogatory is extremely rude and
unprofessional. The complexity with this is that the people who have the
power to change the name don't want to because they know they will lose
money. Sports fans don't really like change (unless it’s about winning) and if the
name of someone’s favorite team changes, they may get upset and that’s a lost
fan/viewer. The unfortunate part is that these people with the power to change
the name are so ridiculously rich that a little bit of sales loss because people
are upset by their name isn't really going to affect them. If someone is offended
by the name of a sports team, I believe the best thing to do is completely
boycott the team and maybe start a petition to request it to be changed or start
up some legislation.
http://media.philly.com/images/Cooper-N-
Word600.jpg

Response to "Visualizing Gender" Chapter
In their chapter “Communicating Gender,” Maya Ganesh
and Gabi Sobliye discuss two primary visual advocacy
approaches: 1) get the idea, and 2) stories in data. Find a
new example of either of the two visual advocacy
approaches to gender issues, and post it in this thread. Cite
the source.
First, identify the approach. Then explain how the designer
uses the approach to communicate a gender issue. Is the
approach effective in this example? Why or why not? How
could this graphic be improved? (Limit your response to 200
words.)
I chose this picture as a part of a bigger campaign by the company Always. I thought it was a very clever way of conveying
their message and I would have to place it under the Stories in Data category in the "Communicating Gender". It was difficult to
decide which category it fits best in because it does suit both but I think it relates more to this one. For those that haven't seen the
commercial, several people around the ages of 15-25 were asked to do things (run, throw, fight) "like a girl" and the proceed to do it
as stereotypes would assume; frail, wimpy, weak. Then, younger girls, who don't yet know about these stereotypes were asked to do
the same and did them as any other human being would do; with energy, effort and confidence. The videos themselves of each
person are the data which is used to shock the audience. After watching the commercial, the audience is swept away by the data and
how powerful the message is. The poster by itself isn't very effective but for those that have seen the commercial, it becomes a
significant reminder of the campaign as a whole.
17
"OUR EPIC BATTLE #LIKEAGIRL." Our Epic Battle #LikeAGirl | Always. Accessed May 03, 2017. http://always.com/en-us/about-
us/our-epic-battle-like-a-girl.
http://dayofthegirlsummit.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/image.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. (Limit your response to less than 250 words.)
(Other students in your group can comment on which of your two
arguments is the most convincing and why.)
WHY
I think people should have to use the bathroom that corresponds with their
gender given at birth mainly because of privacy. Bathroom's have gender signs
because most people aren't comfortable using bathrooms with the opposite
gender and for good reason. People have different rituals in the bathroom that
correspond with their specific gender and what makes them less awkward is that
other people in the bathroom of the same gender have to do the same thing. Additionally, it would be extremely unwise to let just
anyone roam into whatever gender labeled bathroom that they please.
WHY NOT
https://www.naagtag.com/media/catalog/product/cac
he/1/image/800x800/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d271
36e95/r/e/restroom-signs-unisex.jpg

People should be allowed to use whatever bathroom they want because it is their own life choices that have led them to identify as
either a male or female. If someone decides to change their gender and truly feels that it is what they are meant to be, then being
forced to go into their gender assigned bathroom would feel extremely demoralizing and frustrating. Not being able to use the
bathroom in which they please would feel like the world is working against them and their freedom to make decisions in life.
SOLUTION
I think this issue is so complex, that there really isn't one clear answer...which is why this discussion question so cleverly asked us to
answer both sides. I think one viable solution would be to just create all unisex bathrooms and basically tell people to "deal with it".
However, every solution to the problem, other than creating all individual bathrooms which isn't financially feasible, will upset
someone. I think people have every right to change their gender and while I will never understand it, I support those who genuinely
want to however this doesn't actually have anything to do with the bathroom issue. The bathroom issue simply asks "how can we
make everyone happy?" regardless of what gender they are or whether or not they want transgendered people in their bathroom. So
I guess my answer to the question is that there is no one answer that will fully satisfy everyone unless we wish to invest sizable
amounts of money and space to individual bathrooms.

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.
Both of the photos that I took were at Delaware Park in Buffalo. The photo that I am in would be
considered prickly space. The park bench is designed in a way in which keeps people from sleeping
on it. The back of it, below the back support, is gone and the sitting portion itself is slanted backwards
which forces anyone who tries to lay on it to fall out the back. In my opinion, I don't think this is the
first thing the designers had in mind when they created it, however, it definitely prevents those who
are homeless from creating a temporary bed out of the bench. Additionally, the bench is just long
enough to fit 3-4 people but short enough to restrict people from laying down and stretching out.
Finally, the bench has very awkward arm rests which prevent people from putting their legs on them.
The second photo took was of a peace garden in the park. The garden looks incredibly inviting and
relaxing however it is completely surrounded by water which is why it would be considered crusty
space. In this case, I don't think the garden is really discriminating against any one population but it is
simply keeping people from overusing and destroying it. I do however find it ironic that it's called a
peace garden but restricts anyone from ever feeling peaceful within it. I thought it was an interesting
piece of landscape in this sense. It stands in the middle of a small lake, appeals to peoples senses,
has obviously man-made objects on it, but can never be used as a piece of public property.
Photographers
Photo 1: Jared Himes (me)
Photo 2: Brad Mentecki

18
Jaffe, Eric. "The Hidden Ways Urban Design Segregates The Poor." Co.Design. April 28, 2017. Accessed May 03, 2017.
https://www.fastcodesign.com/3034206/slicker-city/the-hidden-ways-urban-design-segregates-the-poor.

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?
What I find interesting about Tammy Crabtree is that she seems to
have very powerful motives and is truly a hard worker. She states
specifically that she walks 10 miles to work instead of sitting at home
taking welfare checks because thats just the kind of person she is.
She wants to work hard for her living because it gives her a sense of
gratification. This being said, I think the only way Tammy can get out
of her current situation is to take some assistance. It's extremely difficult for someone as poor as Tammy to make a better life for
themselves because everything in the world requires money and resources. Tammy doesn't have the money to pay for a car to get
her places, a college education to get a good job, a house to develop a comfortable standard of living. Furthermore, although
respectable, Tammy doesn't want to take blatant help as a result of pity.
http://rachalekelley.com/wp-
content/uploads/2012/06/StairToSuccess.jpg

If I were on a team whose job it was to make Tammy's life easier, I would start with some simple things to develop her trust. Giving a
car to Tammy would be great but then we would have to give a car to every poor person in the country. We could start with giving her
a bike which would cut her 3.5 hour walk into a 1 hour bike ride. Secondly we could help tidy up her home by donating
a Bagster (thebagster.com), if there exists a place for the trash to go away, then her sons may be more willing to help with it. Thirdly,
and arguably most importantly, we could provide a life coach who could help Tammy utilize her resources while still allowing her to
feel the gratification of making a wholesome living. Lastly, just to fill in the spaces of the first three, we could provide things like free
or reduced cleaning appliances, new clothing, hygiene products, bus passes, taxi services, etc. As an example, Tammy would start
with bettering her living style by reducing her travel time to and from work. She could spend more time with her kids and working on
other things necessary for her to get out of poverty. She would feel the effects of positive change with her house being cleaner, her
clothes feeling newer and her appearance feeling fresher. This will motivate her to actually listen to her life coach, apply for some
colleges and eventually find a job that pays more; maybe even her dream job of teaching. She could use her bike/buss pass/taxi
service to find her way to the college and in the future, job interviews. Additionally, since her clothes will be more professional and
appearance more clean, she will have a better chance at landing a job. All of this would cost anywhere from $1000 to $2000 for a
years time of services and coaching. However, making big changes and actually getting someone to make sure shes staying on the
right track would be far more effective than the traditional method of sending checks every month and having someone like Tammy
be unsure of exactly what to do with them.
19
"BE READY FOR THE CLEANUP." Bagster®. Accessed May 03, 2017. http://bagster.com/h
20
"Fare options." Valley Metro Phoenix Public Transportation. Accessed May 03, 2017.
http://www.valleymetro.org/paying_your_fare/fare_options.
21
"Life Coaching FAQ's." LifeCoach.com. Accessed May 03, 2017. http://www.lifecoach.com/coaching-faqs.

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?
In order to provide social integration for older people living in the 'new and
improved' Regent Park, we need to get to know them and their
needs. Separating the housing units by age is a mistake because while
older people generally like to associate with one another, the few that don't
can change a community. However, completely spreading people out
without regard to who they are/what background they come from is also a
mistake. I think the people, older people especially, would enjoy the
privilege of choosing where they wish to live. This would allow for those
older people to be around those they care about, maybe even family,
maybe even someone who can provide medical attention if
needed. Additionally, we should provide housing options that make it easier
for someone who is elderly to live comfortably. This is not to say we should
build "old people houses" but if we have a general index of options, the
older people are going to pick the options that they feel would make them most comfortable. Some of these options include one story
houses, handicap accessible bathrooms, traditional over modern housing styles, etc. If we can make options like these available at a
low cost, we can make the older people in the complex happier without making them feel incapable. Finally, we can include methods
of assistance and transportation to the elderly so that they may feel safe and mobile. Including something like a community doctor in
a housing complex would be a great idea because all of the residents can be monitored and taken care of without ever having to
leave the complex. This is also great for older people because part of the reason, other than feeling incapable, that older people don't
like to visit the doctor is due to the fact that they are usually too far from one. If we included one right in the complex, it would be easy
to get regular check ups and medications. Providing a bus route shuttle service within the complex could help even further with
allowing older people to feel more socially integrated as they can now get to places and other people much quicker.
http://www.safewise.com/blog/wp-
content/uploads/Elderly-at-Retirement-Community.jpg

Response to Enriquez TED Talk: “What Will Humans Look Like in 100
Years?”
For this question, we will focus on Juan Enriquez’ Life Two civilization,
which alters fundamental aspects of the body. We are living longer than
ever before in human history. Enriquez argues that, because of advances
in bio-medical technology, the possibility of living to 120 years of age and
beyond is quite possible for many of us in this D+D class. Assuming that
his assertion is accurate, how do you think extended life spans will
change our societies and built environments? What new issues might
designers face because of extended life spans?
I think that just as our bio-medical technology will be advancing, so will our
designs. Assuming that Enriquez is correct, we will have an obvious demand for
things that accommodate, support and attract older people. Some of the
designs that will change include the types of food we eat, the types of clothing
we wear, the vehicles we drive, and quite importantly, the type of medical
attention we receive. A lot of industries would improve from this; the medical
field especially would profit even more money and research would advance far
faster than we can already predict.
I think designers will have a much tougher job but in the end, will be
extremely crucial to improving the environment that we live in. In addition to
that, the age dependency ratio will sky rocket, forcing young people to find new
ways to take care of their elders without giving up their own lives. This will a
difficult hurdle to jump but can be solved with things like advanced stay-at-
home medical care, advances in the food and vitamin industry, advances in
medicine and helpful new forms of communication.
http://m.eet.com/media/1156220/294658-
medical_sensors_in_biomedical_electronics_
part_1_the_eye_and_ear_image.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.
For the Module 12 Thread 1, please select one of the seven universal design
principles, and post photographs that show both a positive and a negative
example of the principle. Then address the following question: How do your
examples empower or disempower various people? Describe the specific
features of the positive example and the specific features of the negative
example. Discuss ways that the positive example could be even further
improved.
http://www.theofficed
ealer.com/resources/i
mages/1445981875/Ori
ginal_55811.jpg
http://www.staples-
3p.com/s7/is/image/Staples/s
0533724_sc7?$splssku$

Out of the seven, I chose the "tolerance for error" design principle. I chose it because it is unique and seems to only be followed by
some very specific products.
Positive: The positive example of a tolerance for error product is an erasable pen. In the professional world, pens have to be used for
a lot of things. They are used for casual things like writing, taking notes, drawing, and professional things like signing documents,
writing reports, etc. Some people just like the way pens write over pencils. All of this being said, normal pens do not allow for error. If
someone messes up while writing with a pen, they have to either cross it out or keep writing. This has a negative impact on children
who are just learning to write, people with bad hand writing, and high energy people or people with diseases like ADHD or
Parkinson’s. The erasable pen allows people to still write in pen and have the opportunity to fix their mistakes if they make any.
Furthermore, the eraser is specially designed to only erase that type of pen so they can still be used in the professional world.
Negative: One negative example of a tolerance for error product is the sharpie marker or pen. Writing is something that people have
to do almost every day of their lives in order to do things like pay bills, do paperwork, do homework, etc. When one uses a marker or
pen for important documents, there is the possibility of messing up. And when one messes up with one of these products, there is no
going back and fixing it. There is whiteout and some products but for the most part, mistakes are very noticeable. This
disempowers many people including children who are learning to write, adults who may have ADHD, or Parkinsons, and the elderly
who may have lost some of their motor skills. Pencils are a great example of a product that combats this. This being said, pencils
can't be used for everything because they can be erased.

Response to Survey, FIXED, and Stelarc
Our 2017 Design-A-Baby survey yielded the following characteristics as
indicated by a majority of you:
• Sex: Male (47%)
• Hair Color: Dark Brown (22%)
• Hair Texture: Wavy (33%)
• Eye Color: Blue (26%)
• Race: Caucasian (36%)
• Height: 5’-10” to 6’-1” (45%)
• IQ: 131-140 (20%)
• Memory: Excellent (43%)
• Athletic Ability: Excellent (43%)
• Weight: Average (79%)
• Disease Carrier: None (85%)
• Beauty: Somewhat attractive (46%)
• Empathy: Very empathetic (38%)
• Creativity: Very creative (37%)
Sounds like an all-around lovely person!
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.
http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/555df7e0ecad
040b77460cea/the-sci-fi-idea-that-well-soon-be-
growing-babies-in-artificial-wombs-has-3-major-
problems.jpg

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 think the glaringly obvious lesson that we should learn from the past when it comes to the selective breeding of the human race it
the reign of Adolf Hitler. I do realize that this is an extreme case, but it is a relevant one. Hitler wasn't online choosing the
characteristics of his baby, but he was propagating the Aryan race and trying to eliminate everyone but them. Now I say this is
extreme because we as a class are not talking about killing off a specific race, or a specific set of people, but we are talking about
getting rid of imperfections in the human race. This, although nowhere near the level of the Holocaust, strikes a sour note. Species
should do things naturally and when they try to disturb this natural order, even if it seems to be for the better, it can have very bad
consequences. On the other hand, enhancing the human race and our bodies does seem like something that we owe to ourselves as
humans. While it seems awful to say "we want to do away with disabilities", we're not saying that we should ostracize and ignore
those that already have or will have disabilities, were just trying to make it so more children aren't born with disabilities down the
road. The website we visited doesn't give much intuition to this process as it's just a matter of choosing the characteristics of a child
you'd like to raise. However, there are other technologies that can aid and assist a child in the womb to completely stop or hinder the
effects of a disability that they may be born with. These technologies are sure to advance in the near future which makes this a real-
time ethical dilemma. The entire thing reminds me a bit of nuclear power. People are afraid of nuclear power mostly because of the
name "nuclear". They associate it with weapons of mass destruction and fallouts and in the simplest terms, death. When people hear
about being able to design our bodies and our children's bodies, they assume that it will, in the long run, cause some sort of disaster.
I think enhancement technologies and reproductive technologies need to grow a bit older and become a little bit more accepted
before they can really advance and become widely used.

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 Wiseman should have been allowed to film the residents of
Bridgewater Massachusetts Correctional Facility. The film is a
documentary, meaning that it's meant to bring attention to and inform
people using factual depictions of the subject. Wiseman was doing just
that. Obviously the conditions inside the facility were terrible for the patients and by exposing this, he was actually doing them a great
justice. I am typically one to follow the laws of society which is why I stated a few modules back that sports teams, by law, cannot be
told what they can and can't name their teams. While it is entirely unethical to name your team or keep it named something very
offensive, it is wrong and unlawful to tell them what they can and can't name their team. In this case, even though Wiseman was not
http://static.rogerebert.com/uploads/movie/
movie_poster/titicut-follies-
1968/large_v9alKxaEGOYVtlVo0H6Z5cLxJh8.jp

within his rights to film the patients, I believe he was doing them a great service which, if they were in their right minds, they would
appreciate. Aside from improving the conditions, the documentary also has the possibility to inform people about the issues that the
patients have. Most people don't realize how badly people with mental conditions truly have it. They just assume that correctional
facilities will fix them or at least keep them contained, however, mental conditions are extremely hard to understand and many
patients just get worse and worse, driving themselves to complete insanity.
This film, and films like it, could help designers in mainly two ways. The first goes to those who design the correctional facilities. By
watching the film, designers could see how patients react to certain environments, colors, materials, etc. To elaborate, by keeping
track of these reactions and incorporating it into the design of a correctional facility, they could expedite the healing process and
make the facilities more livable to those with mental conditions. This can include communication designers who facilitate the means
in which patients talk and interact with each other and their caregivers, architects who design the buildings structure and layout and
interior designers who monitor how patients react to the insides of the facility. The second benefit that would arise from designers
watching this film lies within every single one of our household products. If designers were able to get a better grasp on how people
with mental conditions act and go about their day, they could incorporate this knowledge into everyday products that these people
might use. Let's say, for example, someone with a mild case of Schizophrenia was healthy enough to live at home with a relative or
friend. People with Schizophrenia are often affected by their surroundings and what they see, feel and hear and the stress that these
things can produce. If designers better understood people with a condition on this scale, they could market products that allow them
to feel more comfortable and safe in their home environment. This could include things like specially designed beds to allow for a
more relaxing sleep, calm colored paints and wall designs, interactive systems that encourage proper nutrition and de-
stressing products that encourage cognitive interaction.
22
"Schizophrenia." Mayo Clinic. October 11, 2016. Accessed May 10, 2017. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-
conditions/schizophrenia/home/ovc-20253194.

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.
https://cammy-marketing.s3.amazonaws.com/2015/02/1424795755/cul-de-sac.jpg

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”?
This is a very complex scenario but my honest answer would be no I would not support it entirely. Even not having known of the
residents actions, it would still be to my understanding that intellectually challenged people are prone to do things of that nature. It is
completely out of their control and while I understand that it is not their fault, I just don't think I would want my kids exposed to the
possibility of seeing things like that. Just to solidify a point, the sole reason I wouldn't support it is due to my children. Children are
extremely curious about the world and while I wouldn't have a problem explaining things like screaming and repetitive rocking, I don't
think a simple explanation would suffice for a young child seeing something like public masturbation or echolalia. These things would
leave unanswerable questions in the minds of my children which could result in them growing up with some traumatic memories and
false impressions. If my children were old enough to at least understand what these things were and maybe why people with that
condition might do them, then I would most likely support it. However, if they were under, say 13-14 years old, I would most likely
vote to reject it. If I had then heard about the actions of the three residents, it would simply make my decision easier.
If I could be a part of designing a solution that would allow the residents to be provided with "the same basic human rights as the rest
of the population", I would most likely go along the path of assimilating these people into society with an indefinite caregiver.
However, I think putting them in group homes is actually a step backwards in affording them all basic human rights. People who are
intellectually challenged do often need to be monitored and it would be much easier to just group them together to take care of them
all at once but this isn't what most would be considered a basic human right. If we allowed them to live individually, work in jobs that
are parallel to their skill level, and lead their own lives through making their own decisions, they could feel an uninterrupted sense of
assimilation into society. The only remaining problem is who will look over them when they need assistance or for those who are
more intellectually challenged than others and may be prone to inappropriate actions? The answer to this may lie within something
called home-based healthcare. This home-based healthcare is a set of plans and technologies that allow us to track and monitor the
actions and behaviors of individuals using computers over human caregivers. As some EAS students learned recently, home-based
healthcare is an idea that is usually meant for elderly people who want to remain healthy and safe but don't want to work hard or
leave the house to visit the doctor or a hospital. It's technologies include everything from motion tracking within a household to smart
fridges that track nutrition, to robots that communicate and assist with programmable situations. I think these technologies could be
very useful for intellectually challenged people. While we couldn't use it to monitor their entire lives, we could use it to lessen the
amount of hours that a human caregiver would have to be personally watching over their patient. The data collection and activity
assistance that comes with these technologies, for the intellectually challenged, could provide that previously mentioned sense of
assimilation into society.

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?
The place that I chose is a seemingly average church and reception building in my town which
has served a greater purpose to the community for many years. For me, it has served as a
meeting place for the Boy Scout troop that I was a part of. I joined in elementary school and
eventually went on the achieve Eagle Scout at the age of 17. As a kid in the program, I got to
experience a lot of great things like Pinewood Derby's, BB gun shooting, model rocket building,
etc. As I grew older, the program taught me things like communication skills, organization skills,
how to be a leader and how to be mature and respectful in society. What was so influential
about Boy Scouts being held at this church is that many other boys in the area were also able
to do so. As a troop, we did community service almost every month and helped rising Life
Scouts with their Eagle projects. This means that the community sees improvements year
round. Some of the more common projects that we did included handicap ramp building,
beach/trail cleanups, park revitalization. Without the permission from the pastor to use the
church, the troop would not exist and the improvements would not be made. In the future, the
https://upload.wikimedi
a.org/wikipedia/commo
ns/f/f8/First_Church_of_
Evans_Complex_-
_Church_Nov_10.JPG
https://upload.wikimed
ia.org/wikipedia/comm
ons/d/d8/First_Church
_of_Evans_Complex-
Clubhouse_Nov_10.JPG

church and reception building could be used for many other similar things. The reception building is actually a lot bigger than it looks
in this picture and unfortunately most of it is not used at all. Many of these spaces could be used to hold meetings for other volunteer
based organizations. Eventually these organizations could provide a lot of service to the community much like the Boy Scout troop
does.

Response to Prospects for the Future of Diversity
and Design
Consider the quote in your syllabus from educator
Michael J. Shannon: “Design, as vision in action--the
intersection of understanding and creation--is a
universal human capability that can play a
fundamental role in social evolution, in the process
that transforms resources, energy, and information to
make our world.”
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?
I am majoring in Mechanical Engineering. As of right now, I would like to get into space exploration and spacecraft design. I think the
biggest challenge that that this field wants to address right now is "How can we get a man on Mars within the next 20-30 years".
While 90% of the design process for making parts to go on a spacecraft that can make it to Mars and back will involve knowledge on
physics, electronics, stress testing, and modeling, I can still use my knowledge on design to make a more efficient part. When
designing parts for say, a NASA spacecraft, no detail whatsoever can go unnoticed. Everything from the cockpit structure to the
screw that goes in the floor panels of the bathroom must be greatly researched, tested and modeled before it can even get near the
http://mediachannel.nationalgeographic.com/media/uploads/photos/con
tent/photo/2016/08/29/MARS_Helmets_DL.jpg

final design. A class like ARC 211 can help me consider these details by thinking about the ways in which my design will affect future
results.

Arc 211 american diversity and design jared himes

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