Vessel Project Summary

All in all, this was a very well rounded project. I very much enjoyed the chance to get to work with the new 

materials and machinery. In the beginning I had a 

challenging time understanding the concept. But, as the project went on, the goal became clear, and I found a way to accurately create the final product that I had invisioned.

Nature and Design of Aesthetics Reflection

This article was actually a very interesting one to read. It was very relevant amongst the stage that we are at within the field of design, and touched on some 

intersting points. Perhaps the biggest point that I took from the reading was that you must be able to differenciate real limitations from ones that you create for yourself. This is very good advice to take in as I prepare to embark on a my journey into the feild of design. 

My Vessel Statement

My vessel was designed to 

secretely protect and preserve a

 special letter that I recieved from a girlfriend, and double as a handy place to store anything from a phone and wallet to memorable objects from childhood. To ensure that I 

accomplish both of these goals, I chose a final design that has three different stages of compartments to ensure maximum security.

Vessel Project Description

For this project, we were assigned to choose an object of

 importance/relevance within our lives, and construct a wooden, bandsaw cut vessel around it in a manor that reflects the object that it encases. 

Final Bandsaw Vessel

Wooden Vessel Cardboard Prototype

Bandsaw experimentation

Project #2: "Constructing a Vessel" sketches

Sketching Stage 

Wayfinding Definition

Wayfinding is essentially the process in which a designer creates a path or set of helpful checkpoints in order to assist ones travels from a point A to a point B. The physical aspects of wayfinding can often be overlooked due to their intentionally subtle existence all around us.

Verplank Reflection

This article is full of interesting information regarding new fields of design. It is very interesting how Verplank was able to engage an audience using his impressive techniques combining drawings with words. Throughout the article Verplank provides the reader with several techniques that he has gathered throughout the years. He first mentions the “how do you..?” questions that each interactive designer should be asked: “How do you do?”, “How do you feel?”, “How do you know?”.  Then he moves on to the “Interaction Design Paradigms”: Intelligence, Tool, Media, Life, and Vehicle, Fashion.  Following that Verplank describes his Interaction Design process: Motivation-errors of ideas, Meaning-metaphors and scenarios, Modes-models and tasks, Mapping-displays and controls. In the end of the article Verplank Supplies the reader with the Process Example (“A haptic Pager”)- Error and Idea, Metaphor and Scenario,, Model and Task, Display and Control.  All in all, Verplank is well known for the connections that he has made with various different people of different backgrounds. 

Ted Talk Reflection

Browns talk was very engaging. He begins the talk by briefly reviewing some of his projects that had come and gone with time. He discussed how what passes for design now is often unnecessary or unimportant. He informs us that somewhere along the way, design went from big to small. Design at the time of the industrial revolution was epic, and now we are overly focused on just designing cool looking housewares. His overall point is that we need to start thinking big again. 

Team Summary

Evan Brown

Alex Tatro

Maggie Marrone

Zachary Hill

Beau Weber

Our team had good chemistry. Other than expected minor disagreements, we ran into hardly any problems. We worked efficiently in accomplishing our individual tasks, and worked well together when we collaborated as a group.