ARC211: American Diversity and Design: Jacob Henry

University at Buffalo – State University of New York
ARC211 – American Diversity and Design – Spring 2017
Online Discussion Questions
Jacob Henry
http://media.cloversites.com/84/84925142-cc45-47b6-a981-
9afd204c09c5/backgrounds/2847d5d9-4f9d-4d32-98e5-ece6acaa0ad0.jpg

Welcome!
This class has had a large impact on my views and the way I see the world. It has
opened my eyes to many things I have never noticed before, many of which limit
other people’s lives within today’s society. It has opened me up to the impact that
design of the built environment can have on a range of diverse people. Before this
class, I never would have considered how ethnicity, gender, class, or cognitive ability
can influence the way a person sees and uses the designed environment.
I learned about the different aspects of design, ranging from communication design to
landscape design. These different types of design effect a wide diversity of people in
ways I never would have considered before. Design can enable people and provide
them with great opportunity within society.
The aspect of the course I found most compelling was considering all the different
fields of design and how these can influence a wide range of diverse people. This
caused me to really consider how powerful design is, and made me appreciate the
small details of all designs much more.
My viewpoints and perspective have definitely been altered from what they were
before taking this course. It opened up my understanding of many more ideas
regarding diversity and the impacts design can have on these people’s lives. This
course strengthened my understanding of these subjects and has left me much more
confident in discussing these ideas in the future.
The following pages document my responses to the online discussion questions in the Spring 2017 version of ARC211 American
Diversity and Design at the University of Buffalo – State University of New York.
Jacob Henry

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Response to Introduction
This thread provides you with an opportunity to "meet" each other and
initiate a connection with participants in your group. In responding to this
discussion thread, please introduce yourself and provide us with one
interesting fact about yourself. After posting your introduction, take a
look through and reply to some of the others. The purpose of this exercise
is to develop a sense of community. You might find that you share similar
experiences and can help each other in many ways throughout the
semester.
Hello everyone. My name is Jacob Henry! I am currently studying Aerospace
Engineering in my freshman year. I am from Hamburg, New York, a town about half
an hour south of UB. I enjoy skiing, mountain biking, and reading about technology.
One interesting fact about me is that I started skiing when I was three years old.
Good luck this semester!
-Jacob
Jacob Henry
(Screenshot of https://snazzymaps.com/style/79/black-and-white)

Response to “What is design?” from Hello World
On “What is design?” from Hello World: Where Design Meets Life by
Alice Rawsthron
The author opened her chapter with the example of Ying Zheng, the ruler
of the Qin empire, one of the most powerful and enduring empires I the
history of China. She explained how design innovation contributed to Ying
Zheng’s success. For example, in the development of weaponry, he
resolved many problems by standardizing parts, and this single innovation
gave his armies great advantage over other armies.
For this discussion, let’s move away from 246 B.C. China, and into the
U.S. Describe an innovation or invention (can be current or historical)
that gave advantage to a group of people in the U.S. or to the population
as a whole. What were the social impacts of this innovation? Were any
groups negatively impacted by this innovation? For example, the
telegraph, developed and patented in the United States in 1837 by Samuel
Morse, permitted people and commerce to transmit messages across
both continents and oceans almost instantly, with widespread social and
economic impacts. This heightened communication speed allowed
business persons to make decisions with up-to-date information, often
resulting in big profits. Those without access had to rely on out-dated
information, which put them at a disadvantage.
The development of the automobile is one invention that gave an advantage to a
group of people. In the early 1900s when Henry Ford made the automobile widely
available, this greatly enhanced the speed and distance at which people could travel
within society. This gave much more opportunities for owners of automobiles at this
time to travel to places that would otherwise have been a tedious trip. This allowed
these people greater opportunities to improve themselves and their lives. On the
contrary, people who could not afford these automobiles when they were first
released were at a disadvantage. Anyone who owned an automobile had a greater
opportunity to travel and improve their lives, while non-owners were still stuck using
slower methods to travel.
https://img.clipartfest.com/7a327246a9cb63d7380fa13
eb4175fd5_car-old-fashioned-vehicle-free-clipart-
black-and-white-old-car_1837-1086.jpeg

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.)
Over time the design of school classes have been altered for those with cognitive
disabilities. When students with these disabilities had participated in classes in the
past, they ended up being removed from the classroom after a short period of time
and were not given the opportunity for a proper education. Within the United
States, in 1975 it became legally mandated for public schools to provide special
services to ensure disabled students were receiving an appropriate education that
they are entitled to. These laws still exist today and ensure that students with
cognitive disabilities receive the education that they are supposed to within the
United States.
http://www.clipartreview.com/_images_300/Black_an
d_white_textbooks_100627-225515-914009.jpg

Response to Media/Society Chapter and Ted Talk on Photographs
Where would you place the images shown in Photos That Changed the
World into Croteau and Hoynes' diagram entitled “Model of Media and
the Social World”? Identify a mass media photograph taken in your own
lifetime that has served as an icon of an event. (Feel free to add an
attachment.) What roles does this photo play in the communication of
the event?
The images displayed in Photos that Changed the World fit into the media message
or product aspect of Croteau and Hoynes diagram. They are images of events that
were distributed to the general public and influenced the public's perception of these
events. The media is able to use the emotion or idea that the image portrays to
influence the people who see it. This attribute that the image can be used to portray
an idea or feeling is what causes it to align with the media message or product
category.
A mass media photograph that has served as an icon of an event in my lifetime is the
photograph of one of the planes impacting the twin towers.This photo portrays many
emotions and the severity of the event. They now remind people that something like
this really occurred and motivate citizens to support continued protection of the
country.
Croteau, David, and William Hoynes. Media/Society: Industries, Images, Audiences.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge, 2002.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5186/5775378296_a1f31b
675f_b.jpg.jpg

Response to Articles on Hats as Communication Design
Typically, we do not think of hats as elements of mass media or social
media. However, the two hats (red and pink) discussed in the articles
certainly have taken on that role. Why are the two hats (red and pink)
mentioned in the articles vehicles of communication design? What
meanings do each of the two hats carry? In terms of communication
design, how are they similar? And how are they different from one
another?
The hats are vehicles of communication design because they are objects that a
person wears in public to express a certain belief about a topic. Each hat allows a
person to show their support for a certain political idea in a simple manner. The red
hat displays a support for Trump and his political ideals, and that the person wearing
that hat believes he would be a good leader of the country. Conversely, the pink hat
represents opposition to Trump and his beliefs. With regards to communication
design, they are both similar as they are intended to portray the wearer's support for
certain political views. Each color is intended to be easily recognizable with the cause
it represents. They differ in that the red hat signifies support of a candidate and his
political ideologies, while the pink hat represents opposition. Both hats are designed
for the same circumstances but portray opposite opinions on the same topic.
Rogers, Katie. "Fashioning Protest for the Women's March on Washington." The
New York Times. January 18, 2017. Accessed May 03, 2017.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/18/fashion/womens-march-washington-fashion-
protest.html?_r=1.
Budds, Diana. "The Worst Design Of 2016 Was Also The Most Effective."
Co.Design. January 03, 2017. Accessed May 03, 2017.
https://www.fastcodesign.com/3066599/the-worst-design-of-2016-was-also-the-most-
effective.
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1427/9954/products/
H4-R_1024x1024.jpg?v=1486064096

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's production line drastically reduced the cost of the automobile and
enabled widespread adoption of the technology. This adoption could not have
occured without the reduction in price the assembly line provided. Furthermore, it
enabled more people to become employed manufacturing vehicles. Since the
assembly line reduced the technical skills required, people who were unskilled were
still able to be employed by the company and greater employment ensued. These
impacts are still relevant today. The assembly line has been adopted into all large
manufacturing operations and has greatly expanded the field of products average
consumers are able to purchase, due to the decreased price that mass production
provides. Over the next 20 years these assembly lines will likely transition from
having humans assemble the products to mainly machines completing the assembly.
This will take away many of these unskilled labor positions and most of the remaining
jobs will only be for design and maintenance of these manufacturing robots.
https://userscontent2.emaze.com/images/dba921e5-2f8a-4a56-
a6d8-91d19ec1aa74/479ad4a72b25f15c1ae48383777981d0.jpeg

Response to IDEA Awards and Cradle-to-Cradle Video
Which of the 2016 IDEA Gold Award products seems to defy the Cradle-
to-Cradle concept developed by architect William McDonough and
chemist Dr. Michael Braungart? How does this product resist or disregard
the concept? Do you know of any products that embrace Cradle-to-Cradle
design? If so, please describe.
The Cradle-to-Cradle concept developed by Michael Braungart and William
McDonough is an approach to design that maximizes sustainability and minimizes
resource usage in product manufacturing. The idea involves the concept of
considering resources to be borrowed and that the materials used in a product will
ultimately be used in another item. Of the 2016 IDEA Gold Award products, the
Rolls-Royce Dawn defies the Cradle-to-Cradle concept. The design of the vehicle
does not consider where the resources for production come from, and furthermore,
does not consider where the materials of the vehicle will go after the vehicle is no
longer used. The design mainly focuses on the aesthetics and function of the vehicle
and does not consider the usage of resources.
In today's society, the vast majority of products are produced without consideration
of how the resources will be utilized after the item is no longer wanted. Due to this,
there are not many items in existence today that fully embrace the Cradle-to-Cradle
design. However, there are some items that consider part of it. Many paper and
plastic items are now produced with recycled materials, and this shows how
designers are now taking into consideration where resources for products are
acquired from.
C2CWorld. YouTube. April 30, 2014. Accessed May 03, 2017.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMsF1P-_vWc.
https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2013-06/recycle3.jpg

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?
There are many different views on architecture that reflect both historic ideologies and design,
as well as modern and future-looking ideas. When designing structures, some architects choose
to use a proven design which has met large amounts of positive response historically, or they
may choose to implement something more bold and new, which has not been publicly
scrutinized. Each of these approaches can often challenge architectural norms within that time
period and can have a lasting influence on the entire field.
The Dulles International Airport is one structure that had sensibilities about the past, but also
considered the future. The Dulles International Airport was the first airport designed
specifically for jet aircraft and featured some interesting design choices. This airport
implemented the large pillars that were used historically in Roman structures. This helped the
airport tie into the US capitol's architecture which had been standing for many years and
showed the building to be designed with the capitol in mind. Furthermore, this building took
this historic architectural design and added new modern twists to it. The roof was made to flow
and had a large arc, which made the roof appear to be light and almost able to float away. This
added a modern touch to a building that used past sensibilities to connect it to DC.
A work of architecture that contains sensibilities about the present and future is the Walt
Disney Concert Hall. This structure takes the traditional concert hall, shaped like a box, and
adds unique architectural designs to both the inside and outside, giving the structure an
appearance of flow and smoothness. While still having the same acoustic functionality as a
traditional concert hall, this structure implemented unique ideas and was based around the idea
of future architectural design. This building did not attempt to mimic past architectural design
implementations and was its own unique idea when originally implemented.
Both the Dulles International Airport and Walt Disney Concert Hall implement interesting
architectural designs, with the Dulles International Airport considering historical designs in
order to tie the building into the architecture in Washington DC, while the Walt Disney
concert hall implements new architectural ideas that are future looking. Both these structures
had significant impacts on structural design, and are monumental architectural implementations.
http://www.fairfaxcountyeda.org/sites/default/files/photos/
dullesAirportAtDusk.jpg

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?
Andrew Ballantyne and Peter Zumthor both display different and similar ideas regarding
architecture and appreciating the material and sensorial elements of life. Both exhibit many
similarities and differences. One similarity they show is that they both correlate architecture
to music. Zumthor discusses how music utilizes a sense of structure and organization, and
architectural designs contain similar traits. Furthermore, they both correlate architecture to
memories within their lives. Ballantyne says that he uses architecture to represent memories
of friends and family, while Zumthor takes many memories from his childhood, and uses these
to inspire his architectural designs. Both use these memories to inspire their architectural
design and attempt to display these memories through their work.
Ballantyne and Zumthor also differ in some of their ideas regarding architecture. Their ideas
for architectures purpose are different. Zumthor shows architecture to be representative of a
certain aesthetic ideal and each design is for a specific purpose. Ballantyne considers
architecture through the perspective that each design is for the every action of life and is
made for each person's daily events.
Zumthor, Peter. Thinking architecture. Basel: Birkhäuser, 2010.
Ballantyne, Andrew. Architecture - A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University
Press, 2002.
https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/t/music-notes-symbol-
stylized-75119014.jpg

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 in the town of Boston, New York. This is a town about thirty minutes from the city
of Buffalo. It is on the border of the area where the towns around the city begin to transition
into more rural areas. Parts of the town consist of more dense houses, while the outskirts of
the town comprise of houses that are more spread out and contain larger plots of land. I am
from a section of the town referred to as North Boston, which is denser and contains many
of the stores. There are a few restaurants, a post office, bank, gas station, grocery store, and
convenience store located in this area. This area was planned to be the center for business
within the town and defined the character of the area. By this area being planned to consist of
many of the places people could go to to live out their daily lives, it made it the center area
for travel within the town. It is on the road that citizens need to travel down to access the
thruway, making the shops easy to access, and the community an efficient and enjoyable place
to live.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/India
na-rural-road.jpg

Response to Pruitt Igoe Project, Talen, and Larson
Imagine that you are part of a urban planning and design firm working with Emily
Talen (author of “Design That Enables Diversity”) and Kent Larson (who gave the
TED Talk "Brilliant Designs to Fit More People In Every City" The thee of you
have been tasked with developing a plan to rebuild Pruitt Igoe in St. Louis. City
officials told the three of you that that they want to do it right this time. Identify
three strategies for rebuilding Pruitt Igoe in ways that promise to be more
successful. What would Talen do? What would Larson do? What would you do?
How would your strategies differ from those of the original urban
planners/designers of the project? Why would your strategies be more effective?
Three different strategies that would be used for rebuilding Pruitt Igoe are attempting to
create a more socially and economically diverse community, incorporating the new Pruitt Igoe
more into the existing city, and improving the general living environment by keeping buildings
well maintained and up to date. I believe that Talen’s main focus would be to increase the
diversity of the community. This would greatly differ from the time when it was originally built
and segregation was widespread. Larson would attempt to optimize each home for the tenant
who lives there and enable the homes to be modified to meet the citizen’s needs.
Furthermore, he would ensure that the citizens of the area are able to access the necessities
for life in close proximity to the new Pruitt Igoe.I would design the new Pruitt Igoe to be a
uniquely appearing design and one that would attract people to live there. The original design
was very bland and did not provide much aesthetic enjoyment for the tenants. Furthermore, I
would ensure the building was kept well maintained and was an area that people would want
to continue living in over time. This maintenance would sustain the appeal of the building an
ensure that people would want continue living there. Additionally, I would want to ensure
that access to necessities for life are easily accessible, either with stores being close by or a
cheap and simple transportation method being implemented. These strategies would make
the new Pruitt Igoe more effective since they would assist in keeping people living there, and
would ensure people had a diverse experience while being better connected to the city.
http://www.pruitt-igoe.com/YAMA/wp-
content/uploads/2010/09/P-I99.jpg

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 the claim that "Buffalo is the best planned city" because the entire city
was designed considering the experience for the citizens. Many cities at that time were
focused on industrialization and were environments with many factories and buildings.
Olmsted took a different approach to this and implemented a park within the city
itself. The roads and homes have large amounts of nature around them and give the
community a different feel than other cities of the time. Furthermore, he used a few
natural areas that were next to one another to create a public space which was on the
scale of New York's Central Park. This gave the citizens of the city a large space
where they could go to experience nature. I believe that Olmsted would still make
this claim today, as many cities now have similar designs to Buffalo. This shows how
Buffalo was well designed and other cities used it as an example. Additionally, many of
the ideas that he implemented are being renovated and restored to be returned to the
condition he originally intended. I think this would show to him that the plan of the
city still works well and was implemented very well at the time.
http://www.olmsted.org/storage/images/slides/cenpark2.png

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).
In my hometown, we have a park that has a creek running through it. Although this
creek goes directly through the park, there are very few places where it is easy to
access the creek. I would like to increase the amount of access to this creek, which
runs through the woods. This could be done by creating more paths throughout the
woods that lead to the water's edge. This would increase the quality of the park in
multiple ways, as it would enable more ways to go through the woods and just enjoy a
walk, and would allow for the creek to be enjoyed by more people. My landscape
intervention would commemorate the creek that runs through the park, as there are
many ways that people can enjoy the access to the water. I will use Hood's 'triad of
investigation' to create an intricate system of paths that all ultimately lead to different
spots on the creek. This would give people a large number of different ways to get
through the woods and would allow for a different experience on every visit.
Additionally, it would provide a transitional experience as they walk from open areas
of the park near all the homes and buildings, through the woods to ultimately end up
at the water.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b0/Shingle_Creek_(B
ritish_Columbia)1.jpg

Response to the Brookes
The abolitionist poster, the Brookes, is an iconic image that often is
included in exhibits that explore issues of race and power. It was
commissioned by Thomas Clarkson in 1788, and the Committee of the
Abolition of Slavery used it to inform and shock the public. While some
consider the poster as an important component of the abolitionist
campaign, it recently “has been strongly criticized by some individuals and
groups of African heritage as providing a very limited view of the history of
the transatlantic slave trade, resistance and abolition (Hudson 2007).” The
lesson here is that how a viewer sees an image is dependent upon his/her
social, economic, and cultural position. Keeping this in mind, find another
iconic graphic that addresses racial issues and post it for others in your
group to view. (Add it to your response by clicking on the picture in the
tools section. Do not add it as an attachment that needs to be opened.)
How do you interpret the graphic? What is its meaning? Now imagine that
someone from a racial and cultural background different than your own is
looking at the same graphic. Briefly describe this person. How might s/he
interpret its meaning? How might this differ from your interpretation?
What are the possible reasons for these differences?
This image of the current United States Congress shows how the US still needs to
work towards racial equality. The people in the photo are the representatives of the
citizens of the country, yet the vast majority of them are white. This displays how
although the United States contains a wide variety of different races of people, the vast
majority of them are represented by someone who is white. I interpret this photo to
display that the candidates that were elected were the most popular in their
respective elections, and the race of the candidate did not have an impact on their
election. A citizen of underrepresented race, such as an African-American citizen,
looking at this photo may feel as though they are underrepresented and unsure of
whether the government is working for them as well. They may feel as though they
are suppressed and do not have equal representation to protect and advocate for
their rights. This differs from my interpretation as this person who is
underrepresented is concerned about their rights and say in the government, while I
am a member of the group that is widely represented. This is a racial issue that is
occurring today in the US and work needs to be done to ensure all citizens feel
equally represented.
http://thediplomat.com/wp-
content/uploads/2015/03/thediplomat_2015-03-06_15-51-34-
386x254.jpg

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.
The MLK Memorial disagrees with multiple of the design principles of equityXdesign.
Many of these result from the impact Congress had on the construction of the
memorial.Many of these contradictions occur with the statue of MLK. The statue gives
the impression that only powerful individuals can affect change. This goes against the
equityXdesign principle that design should be inclusive of all those who are
disadvantaged. The statue makes it appear that only certain people can make a
difference with civil rights, even though a great number of people experienced the
same problems. Additionally, the MLK Memorial also contradicts the equityXdesign
principle of focusing on the future. The congressional influence caused the removal of
the upper aediculae. By eliminating this it suggests that the civil rights movement
ended with King. This shows how the memorial was not focused on the future and
continuing to drive for a more equitable society. These examples show how the MLK
Memorial contradicted the equityXdesign principles in many ways.
EquityXdesign. "Racism and inequity are products of design. They can be redesigned."
Medium. November 15, 2016. Accessed May 03, 2017.
https://medium.com/@multiplyequity/racism-and-inequity-are-products-of-design-they-
can-be-redesigned-12188363cc6a.
http://i.huffpost.com/gadgets/slideshows/204792/slide_204792_61
3345_free.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?
One place in my home that I feel is representative of my ethnic background is the
kitchen. My mother is from a Polish background and does a large amount of the meal
preparation in the household. She often enjoys cooking Polish food dishes, which
causes me to think of my ethnic background while in the kitchen. These Polish foods
are one of the few things that my family does/has to acknowledge our ethnic
background, but it is a perfect place within the household where my ethnic
background is displayed.
Within my community, I do not know of any specific places that represent cultural
influences. The town where I grew up best represents a generic American town, and
within the town there are elements that show its close proximity to Buffalo. The town
has multiple pizza shops in it, which I feel well represent the citizens being from the
Buffalo area, as chicken wings are a staple item of the area. Furthermore, the
community also contains a Dollar General, a gas station, and a convenience store,
which are places seen in many towns all across the United States. Considering these
elements, I believe that my community well represents general American culture, as
well as specifically Buffalo's culture.
https://wilmington.save30.com/images/detailed/1/0-7.jpg

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 feel that sports teams should not use ethnic references. The ethnic references that
are used in the names may be considered insulting to the group in reference. By
sports teams doing this it makes it seem as though the sports team is endorsed by this
group of people, but may actually just be insulting them. Furthermore, by using an
ethnic reference it makes the team seem as though all the players are from this
ethnicity. If a team uses these ethnic references, the people of that group are forced
to be associated with the team regardless of whether they want to be. People may
begin associating the team's performance with this group and could result in that
ethnic group being suppressed. By sports teams using ethnic branding, the ethnic
group may be both insulted by this and associated with an organization they may not
want to be.
I think people dislike the idea of changing team names because they become attached
to it. If the name has been in place for a long period of time it may be something that a
person has been supporting their entire life. For the younger people, I think they may
not want it changed since the previous generations before them had supported the
original team name. When the name is changed, they may feel as though they are
supporting a different team and won't have the same connection to it. People become
used to the idea of supporting the same team as their family before them and if the
team name is changed it feels as though tradition is being broken.
http://prod.static.redskins.clubs.nfl.com/nfl-assets/img/gbl-ico-
team/WAS/logos/home/large.png

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 image represents the stories in data approach discussed by Maya Ganesh and
Gabi Sobliye in their chapter "Communicating Gender." This approach uses some sort
of visual representation of data to attempt to persuade people to believe a certain
idea. This image is displayed on a website discussing the pay gap between women and
men. The image shows a very small amount of data that is clearly displayed and
obvious as to what it represents. It shows only two numbers, one which represents
men making one dollar, and the other in which women only make seventy nine cents.
This is a very effective approach for arguing the point that women make less than men,
as it makes the comparison in wages obvious and clear. The image provides a simple
and clear way for people to see the difference in wages, even if they did not read
anything else. This graphic could be improved by scaling the respective images and
numbers to be relative to their salaries. The man could be scaled larger than the
woman, which would make the effect even more drastic and cause it to further stand
out.
Tauke, Beth, Korydon H. Smith, and Charles L. Davis. Diversity and Design:
Understanding Hidden Consequences. New York: Routledge, 2016.
http://www.crisisbook.org/wp-
content/uploads/2016/09/160411172430-us-gender-pay-gap-
780x439-720x270.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?
There are justifications for both sides of this argument. For arguing for allowing people to
use any bathroom they want, some points that come up are that it shouldn't really have any
negative influence on anyone. People should just be able to use the restroom and leave, as
not much interaction usually occurs in bathrooms. If people accepted the idea that it doesn't
matter which bathroom people use, it is likely that there would be no issues resulting from
it.
Conversely, it is argued that if this were allowed many issues would stem from it. Sexual
predators may use the situation to take advantage of people. People may also abuse the
system. Someone may go into the opposite gender's bathroom and claim that they identify
that way while they really do not. This could result in a large number of issues where it
would be difficult to determine whether someone was lying about the gender they identify
with.
As a designer, I would solve this gender dilemma by creating a separate gender-neutral
bathroom that separates everyone out individually. This would allow for anyone to use this
bathroom regardless of gender identity and the issue of people abusing the system would not
be possible as each person choosing to use that bathroom would have their own area.
http://az616578.vo.msecnd.net/files/2016/04/28/6359747362
28425629-506774514_gender-neutral-sign.jpg

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.
The first picture shows an example of slippery space. This is a picture of Capen Hall
on the north campus of UB, where there is a large staircase. This is a slippery space
because it is easy to see and obvious that there is the upper level with access to
buildings, but it is not clear how to get to that area if a person is unable to use stairs.
This discriminates against disabled people and makes it more difficult for them to
reach the same area.
The second picture displays a bench that is common on the UB north campus, which
is an example of a prickly space. The seat on these benches is curved upward, which
makes it more uncomfortable for people to sleep on. The benches are also not large
enough for people to comfortably lay down on. This discriminates against homeless
people who may not have an alternative option and place to sleep.
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.
Jacob Henry

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 do to help Tammy and her family achieve their goals? What
approach will your team take to address this difficult problem?
If I am a designer who is working with iPD to help Tammy out of poverty, I
would design a low cost housing solution close to nearby colleges. This would
make it much easier for Tammy to attend college, as transportation costs
would not be a large concern. It would probably be best if this was located in
close proximity to both a community college as well as a larger institution. I
would also ensure that the housing is close to many businesses, so that Tammy
would be able to work a part time job while attending college. Tammy could
attend the community college at first while working part time at one of the
local businesses, then transition to the larger college to pursue her full
education degree. Ultimately, the low cost housing would allow Tammy to save
money and enable her to invest it into her education and acquire better
employment.
Cnam2000. YouTube. March 30, 2015. Accessed May 03, 2017.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37ZpauS5Doo.
http://az616578.vo.msecnd.net/files/2017/01/13/636198709676466750-
1083378495_community-college.jpg

Response to Carroll Article: “(Re)forming Regent Park: When Policy
Does Not Equal Practice”
The development of Regent Park is phased, and there are several
more phases to the project. What actions could be taken to ensure
more social integration for the older people living in the ‘new and
improved’ Regent Park?
Multiple actions could be taken to ensure the older people have more social
interactions. At Regent Park, more open public spaces could be created. These
could be portrayed to be similar to parks, and attempt to bring people in to
visit these areas who do not even live in Regent Park. Centers that attract
many people could also be constructed, such as a library or a demanded
business. This would give the older people a place to spend their time in close
proximity to their home and would bring in people from other areas beyond
Regent Park. By implementing these ideas the older citizens would get
interaction with different people on a daily basis and ultimately would be much
more socially integrated with society as a whole. Within these social centers
that will be constructed, certain amounts of the positions could be reserved for
people over a certain age. Many of these positions could be designed to be easy
for older people, but still crucial to the operation of the organization. This
would ensure that the older people would still be able to positively contribute
to society and eliminate the feeling of being obsolete.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2
3/Toward_Regent_Park_from_Merchandise_Roof.jpg/325p
x-Toward_Regent_Park_from_Merchandise_Roof.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?
Extended life spans will have a large impact on our societies and built
environment. This will require more living space than has previously been used,
as the global population will be larger than ever before. It will also require
additional areas within medical care centers, as the people who live to be older
than ever before will likely need treatments and care to ensure their lives are
sustained for that long. Societies will also require more ways to easily access
public spaces. As there are more elderly people within society, the methods
that allow people with limited mobility to access certain areas will become used
with much greater frequency. These spaces may even become so widely used
that they become crowded and inefficient.
Designers will need to overcome all of these issues. They will need to find ways
to use space more efficiently to compensate for the increased population. They
will also need to find effective methods that allow for more mobility limited
people to access high traffic areas. Overall, designers will need to determine
ways to compensate for the increased general population, as well as the
increased visitors to certain public areas, many of who may be mobility limited.
https://s-media-cache-
ak0.pinimg.com/736x/0c/0e/77/0c0e7718ae653d5383d5d86
c9dd76001.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.
Perceptible information is one of the seven universal design principles. It is the idea that design should
incorporate the user's sensory abilities and present the necessary information in multiple manners that
allow for people with different sensory abilities to perceive them.
This image is an example of a positive implementation of this design principle. These signs in public areas, a
waiting room and examination room, are designed to have Braille on them as well as the letters. This
enables blind people to still interpret the sign and assists them in navigating everyday society. These
empower people who are vision impaired and provide them with means to use the signs in a similar manner
to people who have good vision. These signs could be improved even further by implementing some sort of
audio aid. This would help people who have poor vision but don't know how to read Braille. They could go
up to the sign and just hear what it says on it.
This second example is also of a waiting room sign, but does not contain the Braille. This disempowers blind
people, as it makes them disadvantaged compared to people who have good vision, and makes their average
lives in society more difficult. Although the sign appears to be large, which helps people with poor vision,
fully blind people are left without a solution to interpret the sign. This may cause these people to not be
able to come to this area, and disempowers them by limiting the places they are able to go and what they
are able to do with their lives.
http://bizweb.dktcdn.net/thumb/grande/100/14
3/945/articles/20161121479700.jpg?v=147891
5752113
http://fromthepoint.com/wp-
content/uploads/2010/05/waiting-room-
sign.jpg

Response to Survey, FIXED, and Stelarc
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 one lesson that could be learned from history is that diversity helps lead
to a more biologically stable society. One possible negative consequence of being
able to design the bodies of our children is that it might eliminate biological
diversity. This would result in society being much more susceptible to
widespread disease and could ultimately result in a large amount of society having
major health issues due to the same illness. Considering a lack of biological
diversity from a social standpoint, this may result in the majority of people in
society appearing very similar. This could have a major impact on the way people
identify. People who are not designed may be discriminated against because they
appear different, or have different physical abilities. Furthermore, anyone with a
designed enhancement would have an advantage over people who do not. This
may cause wealthy people to have a large advantage in society, as they would be
able to be designed for the ideals of society.
Some positive impacts this might have benefit society as a whole. Most people
within society could be improved in every way, with the average person
ultimately resulting with greater intelligence and physical strength. It would also
work to minimize discrimination if everyone were altered, as everyone would
have many of the same characteristics. The rate of development within society
would change pace even faster than it currently does since there would be less
separation between groups of people, better physical health, and overall higher
intelligence.
http://i3.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article6642416.ece/ALTERNATES/s61
5/Robotic-hand.jpg

Response to The Connection Between Religion and Urban Planning by
David Engwicht
In his article, David Engwicht discusses the fact that religions (of all
types) have played major roles in the development of our cities.
Today, places of worship are primary components of almost all urban
centers. Author Lorne Daniel writes “From their often active role in
supporting people who live in city centers to their iconic influence on
design and use of space, religious structures tell us a lot about our
history, our current needs, and where we might be headed in the
future. This is an aspect of our urban future that planners and
urbanists should attend to.”
Identify a place of worship with which you are somewhat familiar. (If
you are not familiar with any places of worship, do a bit of research on
one in your own city or town.) Show a photograph of this religious
structure. (You may use photographs from the web.) What roles has
this place served in the development of your city/town? How has it
influenced the design of the area around it? How has its role changed
over time? What roles could this place of worship play in the future
development of your city/town?
This is the Saint Peter and Paul Church in Hamburg, New York. It is a place I
have been to many times and have seen how it impacts the society around it. The
church provides people from the town of Hamburg a place where they can
socialize with people who have common beliefs as them, as well as is a main
center of public service events. It provides opportunities that enable many
children to become involved in service opportunities where they can see the
impact of giving back to their communities. This has caused the design in the area
around it to accommodate to the church being there, as it provides many
positive services to the community. Furthermore, many of the structures built
around it have a more classic appearance to them, so that all the buildings blend
together and give the town aesthetic appeal. This church could have large
impacts on the future development of the town. As the church grows, more
people will ultimately become involved in community service, which helps make
the town a better place for all its citizens and future generations.
Engwitch, David. The connection between religion and urban planning. Accessed
May 16, 2017.
https://s-media-cache-
ak0.pinimg.com/736x/60/a8/f6/60a8f6adf906314ee4dba04a389f619d.jpg

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?
Within my field of Aerospace Engineering, one of the biggest challenges that this
field is currently tackling is reducing the cost of access to space. If the cost to
launch something to space is drastically reduced, this will enable many more
people to send missions than previously would have been able to. Giving more
people the opportunity to use space will have a large benefit to society. People
who are interested in creating a system that would have a positive benefit to
society, but require satellites or access to space currently have limited potential
to do this without a large initial investment. Having a lower cost implementation
would allow these people to create these systems and positively benefit society.
Within my professional life, I plan to work at a company where I hope I will be
able to have an impact on working to reduce the cost to access space.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/spacex/34005996220/in/photostream/

ARC211: American Diversity and Design: Jacob Henry

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