ARC 211: American Diversity and Design: Jordan Gaiser

University at Buffalo - State University of New York
ARC 211 - American Diversity and Design - Spring 2017
Online Discussion Questions
Jordan Gaiser
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1
Facebook.com/mattatunder30ceo. "An Entrepreneurship Tour Around The World To Inspire." Under30CEO. November 13, 2013. Accessed May
11, 2017. http://under30ceo.com/entrepreneurship-tour-around-world-inspire/.

1. Introduction
Welcome,
My name is Jordan Gaiser and I am a mechanical
engineering student at the University at Buffalo. I have
grown up and still currently live in Buffalo, New York. At
my university, I decided to take this class as my diversity
credit, as well as to gain more insight on the rest of the
world, as I have mainly been in the same area for most of
my life to this point. This class has shown me and opened
me up to much more and in depth thinking about how
culture and diversity greatly impacts the structure and
design around us. I have learned vast amounts of
information on different aspects of diversity and how they
all play roles in society throughout the world. The
influences from these diverse groups are seen everywhere,
in every society, as each group changes the area
surrounding them. What greatly surprised me throughout
this course was learning about all of the social integration
plans and techniques used by designers to try and bring the
community in the premises closer to one another and
whether or not these plans and techniques succeeded and
why. I feel that throughout this course, due to what was
learned, and the peer discussions and sharing, that I have
more of an open mind and have learned a lot about myself
and how others think by asking questions that wouldn’t
normally be brought about and that make you really think
and analyse them.
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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.
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-Jordan Gaiser

2. Response to "What is design?" from Hello World
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 in 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 personally would have to say that the car is on of the largest
innovations that helped the entire population. It is a
controversial topic due to the fact that they cause a lot of
pollution, but that is helped by the regulations set forth and
new cars such as electric and hydrogen being released. Cars
have made a huge impact on the entire world allowing the
average person to go far beyond the distances previously able
to be traveled and have allowed cultural mixing to occur by
making it possible for many people to travel much easier. It has
also been made into a passion for many people and has a
enormous market of options tailored for almost every person so
that they can find and choose what appeals to them and drive it.
Cars are a status symbol, a sense of pride, an ability to create
jobs for their upgrades, maintenance, and sale, as well as a
competitive market where companies strive to beat each other

and put out new and revolutionary products. It allows for a
hobby that people can truly become invested and immersed in
and gives people a sense of being such as nascar racers and
fans, as well as drag racers and their speedway friends and
competition, or even car clubs and meets. They have allowed
for society to mingle in different ways and have allowed people
to see new parts of the world, and to branch out from their
homes and where they were born. Faster and more efficient
travel and distribution such as mail is possible by this invention
as well. Cars have been an amazing invention that has
completely changed the world's population.
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Grabianowski , Ed. "10 Inventions That Changed the World." Stuff
of Genius. June 24, 2013. Accessed May 02, 2017.
http://www.geniusstuff.com/blogs/10-inventions-changed-world.htm.

3. Response to "Introduction" from Diversity and Design
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.)
This may be a touchy subject with some still, but one thing this
makes me think about is the wall President Trump wants to
build. He feels the minority group of Mexicans are bad people
and do not contribute enough to our society to be incorporated
in. For this reason, he wants to build a wall to keep them out
and to try to keep the American society and money to itself,
reinvesting on money that will stay in the country. The wall
was a plan to originally protect the borders of the country far
more than they are now, and has come to be an actual design
that is being promoted to attempt to help the American citizens
that are living here. It has greatly changed the circumstances of
that group as they come here to try lead new and better lives

and are now being denied, and the American population is
divided on whether it should go up or not and both sides have a
lot of support. Some feel it is right to build to help grow the
economy here and focus on our own problems before we take
on others, whereas other people feel it is wrong and that we
shouldn't deny people as they are looking for better lives and
that we shouldn't stop them from doing so. This is a battle
happening today that is being fought over, and it isn't just the
diverse minority group fighting over it, it's the United States
population as well.
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"Icon For Access." 99% Invisible. Accessed May 02, 2017.
http://99percentinvisible.org/episode/icon-for-access/.

4. Response to 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 would place those photos under media message or product as
they are the medium to transfer the message to the people. It
allows people to truly see the effects of certain situations and
not let them hide from it. One photo taken in my lifetime that
was actually more recent of an event was the photos of the
graphic scene after the Boston Bombing at the Boston
Marathon. You truly saw the horror of this incident and the
pain and suffering it cost many. With these photos, a sense of
community and need to help came along to bring the city of
Boston together and spark a sense of pride for your community
and to show everyone that you could get through these awful
times. The photos really showed the harsh reality that people
had to face, a glimpse into what the people that were there had
to witness for themselves.
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Hansen, Matthew. "Who's Really In That Iconic Photo of Iwo
Jima?" Popular Mechanics. October 14, 2016. Accessed May 02,
2017.
http://www.popularmechanics.com/military/a20738/whos-really-in-t
hat-iconic-photo-of-iwo-jima/.

5. Response to “Fashioning Protest for the Women’s March
on Washington” and “The Worst Design of 2016 Was Also
the Most Effective”
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 two hats are of communication design as they both make a
statement without you having to say anything. They have their
own meanings that are shown simply by their appearance.
Trump's hat was very powerful as by wearing that truckers hat,
he gave himself the appearance of a more common person. A
normal person would wear that hat and by himself, being in
such high power and wealth, wearing that hat, he symbolized
himself as more of a common person that a lot of people could
more so relate to. The pink hat conveyed the meaning of being
against Trump as it stood for the degrading message he said
about grabbing women by their private parts. Women wore this
to show they despised him and were against his as his views on
women were seen as disrespectful. They are similar in the fact
that they both make a statement that is easy to understand and
that bring people together as a larger group. They convey a
point that each party was trying to state and convey that
meaning by their appearance, not by vocal words. They are
different as Trump's hat was seen as a way to bring him
together with the commoner and show him as an average
person, whereas the pink hat was seen as a silent protest, in the
way that nothing had to be said to convey its meaning and
show the distaste/disgust for Trump.

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Pierce, Charles P. "Spending $208,000 on Hats Is Really Funny,
Until It Isn't." Esquire. October 13, 2016. Accessed May 02, 2017.
http://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/news/a46039/trump-s
pending-on-hats/.

6. 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?
Henry Ford was an incredible man who came up with the
production line. This was an amazing system as it completely
changes the way everything in the country was made and the
consistency at which it was made, as consistency is key in
almost everything. This development made mass production
possible and greatly changed the way the workforce was laid
out. It made many people into blue collar workers and factories
and plants became a large labor source for people, which was
even seen in Buffalo when it was a highly industrial city. It is
actually a bit sad to see how it declined, as seen by the empty
and abandoned buildings. These changes still remain especially
in the car industry and such, but the only problem is a lot of
robotic work has taken over and replaced people, essentially
stealing their jobs out from under them. It is almost ironic in a
way that the robots some people make are the same ones that
replace them once finished. This transitions into how
manufacturing processes will change as I believe robots will be
the main labor force which is sad as this technology we create
takes us away from the world we used to live in. It may sound
silly, but I am not looking forward to those days, as all these
robots also remove social interaction. Sure there is a lot of

efficiency, but we are essentially ruining the jobs market for all
of the people that do manual labor. It is sad to see our industrial
city just denigrate from disuse. All the effort of previous
generations go to waste now. These new manufacturing
process changes will harm the job industry that already has
problems. Though the future may be "cool", I think it will
make people forget the work effort and the mentality of old
days, as kids these days already lack effort and motivation. It is
just sad. And on top of it, as in the ted talk where it talked
about embracing autonomy of cars, nothing will beat the
feeling and enjoyment of driving a fast and powerful car. It's
hard not to smile while doing it.
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"Ford Motor Company Timeline." Ford Corporate. Accessed May
02, 2017. https://corporate.ford.com/history.html.

7. Thread 2: Response IDEA Awards and Cradle-to-Cradle
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?
Please provide your own example of a product that uses
Cradle-to-Cradle design. Describe and cite sources.
I hate to reuse the idea that Benny used, but the Rolls Royce
Dawn is definitely defying the cradle to cradle method. This
are beautifully crafted and designed cars I must say, due to the
fact that I'm a car guy, but they definitely aren't focused on
being environmentally friendly. These works of art take
months to build and use exuberant and obsessive materials, but
you do get what you pay for as they are all meticulously
crafted. This car is loaded and is based on user experience, not
being environmentally smart. It is supposed to be an expensive,
elegant car which costs hundreds of thousands of dollars. On
top of that, this car gets 12 mpg city and a combined 15. The
quality of everything about this car is superb, but they are not
looking at the environmental impact that these cars have, nor
do the owners of them I’m sure. After this car is eventually
used to the owners delight, I'm sure it'll be traded in to be sold
to someone else at a lower price, or crushed.
A product that does in fact use the cradle to cradle
design are reusable shopping bags. You can get them at a
grocery store. They are generally made of recycled material
and can be used many times, stopping the constant waste of
paper or plastic bags that are generally thrown out after you get
home. If the eventually break, they can be reused to make new
bags or other products that use recyclable materials.
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"Combat Earth Day greenwashing & commercialism: 6 products
that will really reduce your carbon footprint." Inhabitots. Accessed
May 02, 2017.
http://www.inhabitots.com/combat-earth-day-greenwashing-commer
cialism-6-products-that-will-really-reduce-your-carbon-footprint/best
-earth-day-products-reusable-grocery-bags/.

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"Cradle to Cradle: Hype or hope?" BlueHair: Interaction & Product
Design. April 20, 2016. Accessed May 02, 2017.
http://www.bluehair.co/2009/12/cradle-to-cradle-hype-or-hope/.

8. 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.)
I am also going to take two examples from the 10 Buildings
that Changed America. The first will be Henry Ford's plant and
the second will be the Frank Lloyd Wright Robie House. Henry
Ford's Highland Park Factory greatly changed the way that
many thought about work. Work was originally something that
was dreary and locked you in, almost like a prison, as it was
secluded from the outside and small. Henry Ford changed this
by using a designer named Albert Kahn. These buildings were
designed very wide open and filled with natural light. Natural
light is a great mood enhancer and this aspect was brought into
the workplace, and it sure worked. This allowed people to get a
new link to the outdoors to allow work to seem open and more
free, not enclosed and locked away. This was a complete
change from the times and increased mood and productivity.
The initial planning of designs was a feat in itself as Ford
disliked Jews and Kahn himself was one. It all came together
and they made many factories each with different updates
desired by Ford to increase the workplace. This building
changed the way factories would be laid out in the twentieth
century. The next destination is Frank Lloyd Wrights Robie
House. This was a large open interior house with great natural
light and many windows that allowed seeing out but hid the
inside. This became known as and brought about prairie
houses. This hose included a 3 car garage which was unheard
of at the time due to horse and carriage still being prevalent,
but this change has stuck out through time. This house also
changed the look of modern houses as a lot of them had
Victorian, steep roofs and these prairie house roofs were flatter

and more laid out. Its internal layout of great open space and
many windows was insane at the time but is now greatly
sought after and desired by today's age. The protruding balcony
is also a desired trait today in the form of a front patio. This
house went against the grain of the norm of that time period,
but greatly influenced the architecture of today and aspects of it
are seen today.
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"Her Yol Buraya Çıkıyor: Roma." Geziyorsan. July 30, 2015.
Accessed May 02, 2017.
https://www.geziyorsan.com/her-yol-buraya-cikiyor-roma.html.

9. 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.)
Both Ballantyne and Zumthor are very intricate architects that
put a great focus and emphasis on their work. They both feel
that the building really shows an expression of emotion, mood,
and of the inhabitants. They both believe that the viewer should
get an emotion towards the building and that it should have
meaning. They differ as Zumthor really focuses on more
modern design and how good materials incorporate themselves
into the building like notes into music, as in it flows. He also
believes in the emphasis of usability, not just looks, as it is
supposed to support people efficiently. Ballantyne focuses on
older design and also making design so the inhabitant feels
comfortable and in how buildings all over like hotels are
similar as to allow the person to feel a sort of comfort and
allow them to work normally. He focuses on living in habitual
places to not distract people from their lives and to keep them
comfortable.
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Kucuk, Muammer. "3d_buildings_and_floor_plans_9_165341."
3d-tr.com/. Accessed May 02, 2017.
http://www.3d-tr.com/3d_buildings_and_floor_plans_9_165341/.

10. Response to Levy Article
John Levy’s article, “An Overview: The Need for
Planning,” discussed ways in which planning can determine
the characteristics of a place. For example, some smaller
towns restrict the heights of buildings to maintain a certain
scale. How did planning define the character of the place in
which you grew up?
I grew up and currently live in a town called Clarence which is
only about 15 to 20 minutes away from campus. Technically it
is the Clarence/Williamsville border, but since I went to
Clarence, I associate more with that. A lot of planning went
into my town, as it used to be primarily a farming town, so you
can go out and find a lot of open fields or bigger events such as
the Pumpkin Farm or day in the park in our town park and
larger farm area. There is also an event called rock the barn
which is a large concert. These are all placed in certain
locations that have interconnected my town. There is a lot of
farmland in the outskirts, but also a central location called the
four corners which is like a central location for the town and
has little shops and a nice coffee shop that has a small business
feel and features local musicians. It is a cool thing that brings
are spread out area together. There is also a big neighborhood
near the center that has very expensive million dollar homes.
You can tell that areas like where I live were planned in after
as more of a filler to fit more people as I live in a nice little
neighborhood and about a mile down the road there is a big,
network like grouping of houses to fit a lot of people. This is
farther from the town and like me, more towards Transit and all
the hustle and shops, which I primarily grew up around, but I
did do a lot of biking all over my town and went to the town
park for trails. There are also a few nature preserves to try
preserve the wide open area we have in parts. Transit is also a
big meeting place as it has all of the stores and is complex in
the way it is laid out as a lot of planning had to go into traffic
direction and ability to turn for many other smaller businesses.
The two areas are very different in a way, as the town of
Clarence keeps to itself and has more of a connected to the land
feel as the stores are still close, but you don't see many of them
until you go to transit so you can feel almost removed which is
nice. On the other hand, Williamsville is pretty much where
they wanted to put all of the stores that they didn't want to

crowd Clarence with so the hustle of shopping and traffic is
around there. Since I am on the border, you get an interesting
look into both ways of life, and it is interesting to step back and
examine their differences.
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"City of Gloversville » Building Inspector." City of Gloversville.
http://www.cityofgloversville.com/public-safety/fire-department/buil
ding-inspector/.

11. Response to Pruitt Igoe Project, Talen, and Larson
Imagine that you are part of a urban planning and design
firm working with Emily Talen (author of “Design That
Enables Diversity”) and Kent Larson (who gave the TED
Talk "Brilliant Designs to Fit More People In Every City"
The three of you have been tasked with developing a plan
to rebuild Pruitt Igoe in St. Louis. City officials told the
three of you that that they want to do it right this time.
Identify three strategies for rebuilding Pruitt Igoe in ways
that promise to be more successful. What would Talen do?
What would Larson do? What would you do? How would
your strategies differ from those of the original urban
planners/designers of the project? Why would your
strategies be more effective?
The Pruitt Igoe was a large scale housing project designed to
meet the need of housing space for all of the new residents
flooding into the city for new opportunity. It seemed like a
great plan at first but overtime it foiled itself, becoming full of
danger and problems. Rebuilding Pruitt Igoe could be done, but
many things would need to be modified, not just due to the
type of people, but also due to the time period. This would
need to be rebuilt with larger housing areas to give everyone a
little more safe to avoid people and have solo time. It would
also spread them out as to not be on top of their neighbors.
Another thing that should be done is social spaces on site such
as a playground for kids or a small library or even some sort of
garden or pool; somewhere where there can be neighborly
social interaction on a positive scale would be a positive as it
brings people together toward a common goal. Another way to
make it so it isn't segregated is to add shops or restaurants and
such which brings others in and makes it more of a social area
and positive, not seclusive and problematic. I feel as though
Larson would stress the need for individuality in such a cookie
cutter scene by using such ideas as the robotic walls and
customizability of your apartment as seen in the ted talk so you
could make an area your own and set it up how you would like.
He would also set it up as a more abled area such as the small
cars to make room and make less stressful environments. Talen
would probably design something like a variable building
where there are economical apartments lower in the building
and then larger ones above as to have mixed income housing

that is distributed for each type of person. I personally would
build it using said techniques above as well as make it a more
aesthetic based area as emphasized in last weeks module, as
this can make it feel more inviting and can invite people to be
social. I would also allow pets and put in a dog park or so as
animals generally are stress relievers. My strategies would
differ as i wouldn't just focus on housing based planning, but
more of a social aspect of living with/ around others in a sort of
small community. You need to make it more inviting for the
people and give them something to be proud of so they take
care of it. My strategies would work better as people work best
in a group when there is a common goal. If you make
everyone's goal positivity and inclusiveness, the result will be
as such.
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Volner, Ian. "New documentary 'The Pruitt-Igoe Myth' tells of the
rise and fall of America's most infamous housing project." Politico
PRO. February 04, 2012. Accessed May 02, 2017.
http://www.politico.com/states/new-york/city-hall/story/2012/02/new
-documentary-the-pruitt-igoe-myth-tells-of-the-rise-and-fall-of-ameri
cas-most-infamous-housing-project-067223.

12. 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?
Buffalo was claimed the best planned city in the world. This
was due to the fact that the city itself was to be build in the
future around the park that was put into place. It relied on the
city thriving in the future to keep building it as the park design
was a skeleton structure to base the rest of the city off of.The
parks were connected and offered a sense of unity and
interconnectedness in the city. It also keeps a park within
walking distance of all homes in the city which keeps a sense
of escaping through a park atmosphere and all the parks are
very similar as to feel the same. The city was made to be built
around the park and built into the park. It made the city
interesting and made it something to be proud of. Niagara falls
was also changed from originally beginning to be industrial to
preserving its natural beauty and emphasizing that nature
aspect over a industrial scene. This kept the area's beauty and
preserved its natural beauty. Olmstead probably would mostly
still agree with the city being greatly planned, but he intended
the city to thrive and recently it hasn't been holding up to its
intended standards. It is starting to come back but needs more
time. Overall, the city has grown more around the park and the
park throughout the city gives it a more comfortable and
friendly feel. It is an escape from the brick and industrial feel
of a city. I believe Olmstead would be proud as the park really
shaped the city and has made it a great place to live.
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14
Ness, MLS Cynthia Van. "Historic Buffalo Maps."
BuffaloResearch.com--Historic Maps of Buffalo, Erie. Accessed
May 02, 2017. http://www.buffaloresearch.com/maps.html.

13. 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).
The bull that is UB's mascot should be memorialized. This is as
it really represents the school. It first is a simple animal and
does basic tasks of everyday life like all of the students. It eats
and sleeps and moves around to find food and shelter. It
expends most of its daily energy doing its daily tasks to survive
similarly to students here. Secondly, it should be
commemorated on its strength and perseverance and
willingness to fight for what it wants and needs. This
exemplifies the academics of UB, their power and strength and
really showcases what it and this school stand for. They both
never give up and show great strength. In life ways, it is at the
top of its chain. It rules over its land and is strong and ready to
put up a fight, just like the school. They are very similar in
theory and the bull really shows the attributes of the school.
The triad of investigations would be a bull at its prime, in all its
strength and glory, to show how strong and powerful it is. It
shows what it stands for and and shows that it is just like
everyone else around it, but it has its own unique strengths. I
believe the design would really show off the majestic and
strong characteristics it has.
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15
Erin. "Cure for the Common Mom." Victor, the Not-So-Friendly
Bull. November 15, 2011. Accessed May 02, 2017.
http://cureforthecommonmom.blogspot.com/2011/11/victor-not-so-fr
iendly-bull.html.

14. 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?
The image I selected was one of the racial segregation during
the Jim Crow times.This image really shows the problems of
the time regarding race and how they did not work together, as
shown by the different water fountains depending on race. The
one for whites was also much nicer and this shows the
unfairness and inequality of the time. It is a strong photo as it
shows the sadness of how the country used to be and how
unaccepting it was. It was showing that whites had exclusivity
and better amenities than other races, especially African
Americans. An African American from a different background
especially if put into perspective of the time would see this
similarly but also a bit differently. I believe that that person
would see this as white people trying to bring everyone else
down and put themselves above the rest as being better than
everyone. I believe that they would also believe that due to this
photograph, they would be confused as our Constitution deems
everyone equal and we ourselves disregard that and do not

follow our own beliefs. This would differ as it's more of a we
don't do what we say mentality versus a privileged sense.
These differences could be due to each others backgrounds and
how they were raised. Different settings and experiences.
16
16
"Photographs that tell a story- Elliot Erwitt’s ‘Segregated Water
Fountains’." Sophie Davey Photographic Journalism (Level 4).
November 06, 2012. Accessed May 02, 2017.
https://sophiedaveyphoto.wordpress.com/2012/11/06/photographs-th
at-tell-a-story-elliot-erwitts-segregated-water-fountains/.

15. Response to Charles Davis and EquityXdesign's Work
Critique either the MLK Memorial or the National
Museum of African American History and Culture using
equityXdesign’s core beliefs and/or design principles. (Use
the beliefs or principles that are most relevant to your
critique rather than all of them.)
The MLK Memorial is a area set aside to commemorate the
King for his actions and his great perseverance during the civil
rights movement. I believe that when being designed, it was
done to stay in the middle and keep his appearance that oh
calmness and to not give anyone unease about such things as
his facial expression. He was singled out as a strong powerful
man. This is great and all as he was, but it doesn't really show
his true self. He was not happy with what was going on at the
time and wanted change to come, so he stood up for it, but with
the help of others. If using EquityXdesign's beliefs and designs,
he should've been depicted as his strong self, showing the
emotion on his face as it was still peaceful, but it describes how
he really felt and allowed you t see who he was and how he
felt. It should've also shown all the people who helped and
supported him to show the masses actually make a difference
and people can help to make something better.This would
allow the marginal people to feel included and show a
relationship between them. These changes would've made a
large impact and are important and good factors to consider
with these type of great depictions. EquityXdesigns has some
good ideas to consider.
17
17
Wallenfeldt, Jeff. "Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial."
Encyclopædia Britannica. August 01, 2014. Accessed May 02, 2017.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Martin-Luther-King-Jr-National-M
emorial.

16. 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
interprets 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?
In my house, we don't really have many places nor objects
whatsoever where you would be able to see what my ethnic
background is. We keep more of a mutual sense of design in
my house as it makes it seem more modern and collective. If I
had to think of an object in general in my house that would
either be a decoration for Christmas, being a pickle ornament
on the tree, or a type of food called pierogies. I apologize as I
understand this isn't exactly what the question was looking for
but we don't have much that expresses background. The pickle
on the Christmas tree, though still theoretical in origin,
symbolizes our German heritage from my dad's side and this
was a tradition through the years. My parents would hide it and
the first person to find it would have the opportunity or open
the first present. It is our own interpretation of the ethnic
tradition and I will carry it out in my own home as it was
always fun for me to do as a kid and was a fun little reminder
of your ethnicity. The pierogies are also an awesome tradition
that we always make from hand. They are super good and I
will make those too as it's part of my mom's Polish side and
they are something I always look forward to eating. In my

town, there are mainly just a lot of Catholic churches that seem
to be all over. That is the main influence as that seems to be
incorporated in the schooling such as songs from elementary
school and just from surrounding areas. That is pretty much the
main influence that I can see. I feel as though in my town, there
weren't vary underrepresented groups as my town wasn't very
diverse at all. I feel as though the religion sense will continue
on though due to how much of a role it plays in the community.
18
18
Imdad. "Ethnic Indian Décor Tips | Ethnic Indian Decorating
Ideas." ZingyHomes. Accessed May 02, 2017.
http://www.zingyhomes.com/latest-trends/ethnic-indian-home-decor-
rekindling-history/.

17. Response to Article on Sports Branding
Recent controversies about sports branding focus on
ethnicity. The Washington Redskins team is just one
example of the larger controversy, but it receives the most
public attention due to the name itself being defined as
derogatory or insulting in modern dictionaries, and the
prominence of the team representing the nation’s capital.
Should sports team branding designers use ethnic
references (Fighting Irish, Boston Celtics, Atlanta Braves,
etc.)? Why? Why not? What are some of the complexities
of this issue?
I believe that though the ethnic branding names may ruffle
some feathers or may not be the best names to use, they are in
place now and shouldn't be changed. Sad to say, but even
though the names may not be the best way to represent
themselves, they do at least bring attention to the subject and
give people something to be excited about and to allow
themselves to dress up and associate with that group. Its for
fun. Some people may not like it, and this may sound close
minded, but people will always have a problem with
something. People are offended by so many things these days,
as this thing may disrespect a group or that thing may hurt
whoever's feelings. These days, everyone is coddled and
everyone has a problem with one thing or another but we can't
go around and change society to make everyone happy. Too
many people are too sensitive these days. The other thing is
that leagues like that project their branding to the majority of
people, and as the article said, the Indian population for
example has diminished extensively. Due to this, it was seen as
a good name to use teams like the Indians as it is a name that
carries meaning in and associates them to the area, and allows
the fans to have fun with it to represent that team. You can't
make everyone happy, sorry to say. Another saying that has
been shown to be true is that bad publicity is still good
publicity, meaning that attention is still drawn to the cause, in
this case being the team. First, it represents the group in history
still which is good, and secondly, while everyone complains
about these problems that they see, more and more revenue is
acquired by the franchise, just making them stronger as the
publicity drawn more viewers in.

19
19
Article by Rob Stefanski. "Racism in branding." AIGA | the
professional association for design. Accessed May 02, 2017.
http://www.aiga.org/racism-in-sports-branding-redesign.

18. 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?
This design seems to have taken the stories in data approach.
This designer used this to display data clearly and effectively.
They first use a positive remark about women, but then show
another stat about how it's a good step, but not good enough. It
is a great way to see that progress is being made, but not huge
progress. It almost would give a person a bit of motivation to
get going as they can see the changes that are starting to occur,
but at the same time, realize that those changes aren't good
enough and would inspire them to go get involved and get an
opinion on the data themself. It used strong and simple
wording along with a graphic as the graphic shows a visual
representation and the written data aids in showing true
numbers, to get an accurate view on the subject. I definitely
think that this graphic evokes a good amount of emotion and
gets the reader involved, but one problem is that there is simply
too much information for one graphic. It is great, but too much,
as to where the reader would get bored and move on due to our
short attention spans on media these days. You need to make
your points quick and concise and this makes good, valid
points quickly of each, but too many points to keep the viewers
attention. Other than the length, it shows true problems and
true stats for many parts of life in order to at least get one piece
of information from this graphic to relate to everyone, or at
least attempt to. This gets the viewer involved mentally and
emotionally.

20
20
"Infographic: Gender equality – Where are we today?" UN
Women. September 25, 2015. Accessed May 02, 2017.
http://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/multimedia/2015/9/infog
raphic-gender-equality-where-are-we-today.

19. 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?
Personally, I agree with Cameron about the gender equal
bathrooms. I was recently walking through Capen and saw one
of these bathrooms on the third floor and thought to myself that
that was a great compromise. I personally am someone who
doesn't particularly desire bathrooms where anyone who
desires to use that can. I understand the reasoning behind the
desire to use the bathroom you feel comfortable in. Everyone
wants to be comfortable in their environment and allowed to
express themselves. At the same time, there has to be the
understanding that this would make others uncomfortable. I
also feel that it could be a invite for perversion and someone
would just say, "I feel like a woman and wanted to use this
bathroom" to avoid receiving punishment for behavior that is
really dirty and uninvited. In today's day, it seems as though we
are trying to make everyone happy and comfortable, but you
can't just disrupt everything around you because you feel like
it's owed to you. People will disagree with this, but I read a
great line from a book a bit ago that said, "Sometimes life
sucks, but that's ok, you'll get through it". You can't be happy
all the time, because if you were, you wouldn't value true good
times. To overcome problems, make solutions, and I feel like a

great solution is having a separate bathroom for all genders as
people that want to go into the other bathroom can use this one.
People will say that this isn't the point or doesn't solve the
problem, but it's a decent solution that won't bother those that
are already comfortable.
21
21
McCarthy, Abby. "Opinion: Students deserve access to all-gender
bathrooms." Wayland Student Press. April 07, 2016. Accessed May
02, 2017.
http://waylandstudentpress.com/50146/articles/opinion-students-dese
rve-access-to-all-gender-bathrooms/.

20. 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 photographs, and make certain
you are in at least one of the two photographs.
In my first photo shown, there is a prickly public park bench
made out of metal and especially when the photo was taken, it
was very cold, making use user not desire to use it for lengthy
periods of time and are very susceptible to weather conditions.
It is a dark surface made of metal which would make it very
hot in the summer and could burn you, and very cold in the
winter making it uncomfortable to sit or sleep on as it wouldn't
warm up. This is in the city of Buffalo by the zoo. This is
prickly as it is uncomfortable for long stretche

This next image is showing a public zoo in the city of Buffalo,
but it has fences around it to not allow the public in unless
accessing from a gate. This is crusty as some of the area could
be used for just picnics and fun activities, as well as seeing
inside of the zoo, but you can't access it from all over as it has
fences surrounding it to keep people out. The gates have both
chain locks and hydraulic gates to stop the public from getting
in.
22
22
-Jordan Gaiser

21. 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?
If I were an iPD designer, I would first either try better their
conditions at home by cleaning it up and teaching them to take
pride in their home, or move the family to an income based
living facility where the would have better conditions and be
closer to more of a community. I would then begin to teach the
kids of personal presentation for jobs and the importance of
education to better their life. On top of that, I would have them
explore different job fields and start planning for their futures
when they have to move out and be independent. The kids also
don't seem to value or respect their mother, so I would make
them get jobs, at least the ones that can work, to show them
true work, and have them pitch in and pay rest to help provide
for the family. It would also be beneficial to show them that
actual hard work can get you places and change your situation,
and that you aren't stuck, you can always better yourself and
how you live. A main goal would be to change the family's
mindset as they all seem to feel stuck and lazy, besides
Tammy, as this change of mind could cause a change of action
and really help everyone in the situation better themselves.

23
23
Tinkersalot. "Moving the Trailer House." YouTube. September 08,
2012. Accessed May 02, 2017.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTYmVW79hsk.

22. 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?
The problem with this new park is that they took away many of
the original aspects that were supposed to bring all of these
people together to promote a sense of community. Now
adaptions will have to be made to incorporate these people into
the new setup. To help out the elderly people, services that
come to you to help you with everything such as laundry
service and such could be instated to help them enjoy it more,
but this may just promote more isolation. If it would and the
person still would want to do things themselves without
services such as that, shuttles to take everyone around the area
could be instated. This would help mix everyone up and put
them using the same services, and get the elders out and able to
get around and able to enjoy more of the place they live in.
closer businesses could also be brought in to make it less of a
walk for them. Finally if able, bikes or such things could be
used socially to allow transportation to those that can use them,
and this would get them to go around their area and get a sense
of community.
24
24
"Homepage." Diversity Living Services. Accessed May 02, 2017.
http://www.diversityliving.org.uk/.

23. 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?
This was a very interesting video. Honestly it is worrisome to
have extended lifespans like that as we already have more life
being created then destroyed, and we are pushing the limits of
the environment with our current rates. People will either have
to leave as mentioned in the video with gene tampering, or
think of new ways to house everyone and give the needed
resources. This is very hard to do and not favorable for
taxpayers nor our system as someone has to pay for these
changes and it is occurring rapidly. We would need to think of
new ways for food production to produce more, and new
housing as well as larger elderly housing to support them all
and needed help.
25
25
"Bumpers College School of Human Environmental Sciences."
Lifespan and Family Sciences | Human Environmental Sciences |
University of Arkansas. Accessed May 02, 2017.
https://human-environmental-sciences.uark.edu/academics/undergrad
uate-studies/human-development-family-sciences/lifespan-family-sci
ences.php.

24. 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.
I chose low physical effort for the design principle to use. It
can accommodate some but not allow others to use. This useful
design for many people can use this to get to a higher level like
airport or subway with minimal effort and it works well. This is
a very positive example for most people, but also a negative
example for those that are mobily disabled and need a
wheelchair scooter.This design empowers those that can walk
but may have difficulty going distances or those that just don't
want to go up stairs. This negative example does not allow

certain people to use it and makes them feel bad due to not
being able to feel normal and having to succumb to other
people's designs put out there to fix it.
26
This next design empowers all that don't want to walk and is
positive towards any that don't want to walk. It allows people
with a lot of things to also not have to carry all of their
26
"Escalator." Wikipedia. April 25, 2017. Accessed May 02, 2017.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escalator.
luggage. It empowers people to have the gratification of not
walking. Also, pretty much any group of person can use this
and not be held back at all. it is a long belt that helps people get
around fast.
27
27
"Pet Please #85: Moving Walkways at Airports."
Jameystegmaier.com. May 30, 2013. Accessed May 02, 2017.
http://jameystegmaier.com/2013/05/pet-please-85-moving-walkways
-at-airports/.

25. 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.
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?
The ability to decide on how people are developed can be very
user enjoyed, but from history, we see with selective breeding
and many people with little diversity, one small problem or
disease can ruin/wipe out an entire civilization. This would be
a problem with many people as most likely, people would
decide to have certain characteristics for their youth and mass
destruction occurs rapidly with little diversity. If we could
design our bodies how we wished, first we would have a world
filled with pretty people, and we would most likely have a
world with similar features, making certain traits that are
desirable, more common and less desired. At the same time, we
would have a more user friendly environment. This poses
problems with religions as you are generally made in God's
image or based on your good karma. The negative effects are
that there would be little diversity and that is important in
society.
28
28
Hain, Patricia , and Don Lee. "DNA and DNA Extraction." Plant
and Soil Sciences eLibrary:: Print Lesson. Accessed May 02, 2017.
https://passel.unl.edu/pages/printinformationmodule.php?idinformati
onmodule=957882007.

26. 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?
Legally, these people in the institution are mentally insane and
can't make their own decisions, so they can't make their own
decisions anyway and the institution is their caretaker. If
Wiseman had received permissions from the institution to film,
as he did, then he should be allowed to film them. This film
really shows the true conditions that these people live in. They
are treated like animals, not people, with experiments
performed on them and them being forced to do things. They
were also stripped down and cages, like animals. This film is of
great value as it shows the true ways that these places operate,
vs stories or pictures. You can't hide the truth with this film.
Designers can obtain a lot from the film being different design
specs to accommodate people more comfortably and treat them
like real humans, not animals. They could also just make it
nicer and less of an institution to make everyone less confined
and locked up. Appearance can greatly dictate the feeling and
aura of these places.

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29
"Similar Bridgewater Hospital Keywords." View Suggest.
http://www.keywordsuggests.com/yyHAdYF6m7QKku44YEOyAb0
sSYfN6AL85%7COkbwALllc/.

27. Response to PPT, The Architecture of Autism, Public
Space
Prelude: Wolf Wolfensberger's seminal work "The Origin
and Nature of Our Institutional Models" posited that
society characterizes people with intellectual disabilities as
sub-human and burdens of charity, He argued that this
dehumanization, and the segregated institutions that result
from it, ignored the potential productive contributions that
all people can make to society. He pushed for a shift in
policy and practice that recognized the human needs of
those with intellectual challenges and provided the same
basic human rights as for the rest of the population.
The Scenario: Imagine that you and your four children live
in Amherst, New York in a $650,000 home at the end of a
cul-de-sac on the edge of a ten acre woods. The town has
purchased a one acre lot three houses away from yours,
and plans to build a group home for ten intellectually
challenged adults.
As a resident of the neighborhood, would you support or
oppose this proposal and why?
You've learned additional information about the residents
of the proposed group home in your neighborhood. In 2013,
three of the ten intended residents exhibited challenging
behaviors including screaming, public masturbation,
repetitive rocking, and echolalia (elective incontinence).
However, these behaviors have not occurred since then.
How would this change your opinion about the
construction of the group home in your neighborhood?
The residents in your neighborhood voted (14-3) to reject
the town of Amherst’s proposal to build a group home in
the neighborhood. Town officials agreed that the home
would not be built in your neighborhood if you and your
neighbors could develop a workable alternative.
What are some possible solutions that would allow the
residents of the home to be provided with “the same basic
human rights as the rest of the population”?
Personally, I would oppose this proposal as it is just extra
chaos in the neighborhood that would sadly bother and disrupt
my daily life. I just would like to keep my neighborhood more
of a family place with single family homes more so than

apartments or group homes. It would detract from the value of
my house and most likely cause upset in my neighborhood.
This would make me even more against this group home
proposal due to the fact that if my kids saw this, they could be
traumatized or it could ruin their lives. I strongly believe that it
would greatly lower the property value and cause excess traffic
in the area that is unnecessary and would hurt the
neighborhoods image. Even though these behaviors haven't
occurred in a while, they still may happen again and cause
problems that I do not need in my life.
Another alternative would be to build it elsewhere. By putting
this in a different area, such as near other apartment buildings,
it won't hurt the value of those places. It will also be a more
accepting area of that place as it will be less of an eyesore.
Another thing that could be done is build a large housing
complex to house many of the challenged people in a different
area to be able to take care of more of them. Honestly by
building this house in my development, it hurts the economy as
my house and the other houses would be worth less and this
would cause economic problems for me. My kids also should
grow up without negative obstructions like that in their life.
30
30
"Mental Health Stock Photos and Images." 123RF Stock Photos.
https://www.123rf.com/stock-photo/mental_health.html.

28. 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?
31
This is St. Luke's Mission. It is a city mission that provides
mass and provides those in need with clothing, bedding, and
meals. This is a very important place downtown as it helps
many people and really makes a difference to those that take
advantage of it. I personally did community service there and it
31
"St Luke's Mission of Mercy." St. Luke's Mission Of Mercy Home
Page. Accessed May 11, 2017.
http://www.stlukesmissionofmercy.org

is very nice and makes it more enjoyable that everyone there
appreciates your volunteer work. It makes it worth it and gives
you a sense of accomplishment. You see many homeless and in
need come through and thank you for your time and you really
get to see how well you have it compared to many others. It has
drawn together a sense of community in that area for those that
use it and makes it a nicer area. It hasn't really affected the area
around it as the rest is mostly housing and business, but it has
made it a nicer and friendlier place. Its role has always been the
same and it strives to provide for those in need. It could further
make everything around it more religious and even more
friendly of an area.

29. 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?
For engineering, a large problem of today is getting designers
from around the world to be able to collaborate on designs and
work with each other as well as converse to make the best
design. This is a large problem as to achieve the best design,
you need critique and collaboration. You are also limited by
your computer screen and can't fully see what your design will
be like in person. A way that is being thought of and looked
into is VR designing. Here you can control everything about
your design and make changes right in front of you, as well as
create with your mind and or hands as tools, unless other are
desired which can be done as well. Another thing being looked
into is mentally being able to create your designs, just by
thinking about them, and them being made into the program. I
want to be a part of this as this would allow others to see your
designs potential or problems, allow greater creativity, and not
limit you by your computer, but only limit you to your
thoughts. It would truly be amazing to what could be created. I
will attempt to work on its design and testing, as well as
troubleshooting to bring about a large product that works
wonders.

32
32
Welcome | Mechanical Engineering | Rochester Institute of
Technology (RIT). Accessed May 11, 2017.
https://www.rit.edu/kgcoe/mechanical/.

ARC 211: American Diversity and Design: Jordan Gaiser

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