Week 2 Journey
- Sophia Chan
- Jul 19, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 10, 2024
Current Status of Project:
This week, the sustainability stream went on a field trip with Alex Bonham, an external partner from the Waitematā Local Board. Together, the entire stream walked from Karangahape Road towards downtown. During this journey, I took pictures and notes of the current urban layout of plants, their positioning, aesthetic contexts, and interactions with people for reference for my green roof project. I am currently refining 300 reports and starting to conduct more in-depth research on plant selection and precedents.
[Figure 1: Research Process, My Miro ]
Alex Bonham greatly inspired me to explore more local projects, such as the living roofs on top of the Auckland Library. She also mentioned looking beyond just roofs to include balconies, given that the Auckland CBD is filled with apartments, and encouraged greater community involvement. Additionally, she suggested exploring the creation of beehives for bees
[Figure 2&3: Pictures of the Auckland CBD taken by Sophia]
Tools/Technologies Considered and Their Strengths and Weaknesses：
I am using the double diamond methodology. The advantage of this approach is its straightforward nature, splitting the process into two phases: divergent and convergent thinking. Divergent thinking helps explore ideas from multiple perspectives and angles, though it can sometimes lead to feeling lost in details. Convergent thinking helps narrow down ideas to more deliverable solutions, but balancing the two phases can be challenging for me as I tend to focus too much on convergence which can stifle creativity.
[Figure 4: Double Diamond Methodology from The Fountain Institute]
Current Challenges
The main challenge is balancing the divergent and convergent phases of the design process. Additionally, I need to decide whether to incorporate Alex Bonham's advice on considering balcony greenery while focusing primarily on roof projects. My limited knowledge of plants suitable for green roofs in urban settings and those that are bee-friendly necessitates further research.
Resolution Plan
To resolve these challenges, I will:
Look into precedents and conduct more in-depth research on suitable plants.
Seek advice from more people, as Xin suggested, to gather diverse perspectives on my project.
Write down specific steps and methods of my project using the double diamond method.
Strengths and weaknesses of the design process
This design process offers a lot of freedom and flexibility, allowing me to explore different opportunities and approaches. However, this lack of structure can also be a weakness, making it easy to lose direction. As Diana suggested in my report, I need to "be more specific in methods" to maintain focus and clarity.
Emotional Response to the Project
Working on this project, the happiest aspect has been the freedom to create something based on my passions, particularly in the sustainability stream, where designing for the environment aligns with my true interests. The saddest aspect is the potential difficulty in executing the project in reality for experiments and reaching a broader audience.
Personal and Professional Growth
In this project of designing a green roof for the Auckland CBD Queen Street, I still require discipline to maintain attention while I function best in creatively free environments. In the future, I want to ensure that my design process better balances specificity with exploration. To improve my projects and make sure they are both creative and helpful, I will also look for additional input and teamwork.
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