project 3 for ARC 211 Spring semester 2017

1. UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO – STATE
UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
ARC 211 - American Diversity and Design – Spring 2017
ONLINE DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Douglas McCausland

2. I had already had some understanding about diversity issues and how different
groups of people can be marginalized. This course helped me attain a more
detailed understanding. The main difference between before taking this course
and now is that I have a much better grasp of my critical thinking skills.
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.
Figure 1 photo of me at home at my desk/workspace

3. Figure 2 http://www.deviantart.com/art/Scottish-
Phone-CD-STOCK-673246960
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.
Although traditional telephony has lost some relevance, the legacy and history of the telephone is great. On top of the
original purpose, POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) stays relevant for deploying DSL as Internet access, and still for
dial-up Internet access and basic telephony for people living in rural areas. Even when moving beyond traditional copper
phone lines, the newer VoIP "Internet telephony" still serves the same purpose. Internet access has evolved to where
people can make video calls or write messages easily to each other, but the simplicity of a real-time voice call reaches
back to the original telephone.

4. Figure 3 http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170120125040-inauguration-crowd-2017-trump-super-169.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?
While my first thought would be to simply identify the images as products or media messages, upon further thought, they
might be somewhere between the media message and the media industry. Although the TED Talk was not about journalism
per se, the photos could aptly be presented as examples of photojournalism. On the other hand, discussing the images with
regards to photojournalism puts more focus on the media industry: people are going to places, documenting things that are
happening there, and sharing the story. Following the circular path of the model, audiences may simply interact with the
product that comes from the media industry, but I'm also thinking about the interaction between the audience and technology;
still images may not always be as captivating as moving ones, but when people are impacted by something they see in an
image, they might realize that they can also use that medium to communicate a message of their own.
This proved to be a significant point of contention that fed into Trump's ongoing war against the free press in this country. In
my own social circles, I saw friends entertained by the disparity between the crowds at Trump's and Obama's inaugurations.
In the news coverage, the crowd sizes had been initially mentioned as a passing observation, and they only became a major
point of debate once President Trump felt the need to push back. Not just the photos, but the entire story that played out in
the media will be remembered by a lot of people as an interesting moment in history. Even if not remembered directly
because of the photos, statistics, and figures, one memorable phrase that came from the whole story is "alternative facts".

5. Figure 4 https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/18/fashion/womens-march-
washington-fashion-protest.html?_r=0
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?
For the broadest similarity, the two hats symbolize solidarity. I
would also say they symbolize a political stance, but one of the
ideas of the women's marches seemed to be women standing
together for women's rights, regardless of individuals' politics. The
red MAGA hat is clearly political, as it is a symbol of a political
campaign. In carrying the campaign slogan, it becomes like a
lawn sign, or some other form of mass media that someone
would typically use to promote a political campaign. As described
in the article, "It was this election's Hope poster." And it wasn't
just about the slogan; there was the cultural element of a trucker
cap and middle America; the idea described of the liberal
bubble/elite, disconnected from many other Americans
Moving to the pink "pussyhat", it was an obvious symbol of
solidarity for the women's march. Part of the idea for it was the
online crowdsourcing: people who maybe wouldn't be attending
the march could still knit hats to contribute to the movement.
There was criticism of the choice of pink for sticking to arguably
outdated gender roles, but there's also the case to be made that
practically, it still united people for one cause. The crowdsourced
knitting also contrasts with the red MAGA hat, which is a factory-
made product.

6. Figure 5 http://seriousstartups.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mengniu-
production-line.jpg
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?
After the launch of the Model T and Ford's production line, planned obsolescence became feasible. Instead of making the best model of a
product that you can at a given time, you could also just make a few minor changes to make a "newer" product for the next model year. This
is one aspect of manufacturing that has stuck around, spreading beyond the automobile industry.
A different aspect of industry coming from Ford's production line may not be staying around for long, and that is the human part of the
manufacturing line. With globalization, outsourcing of labor can be used to lower labor costs, but even if those jobs aren't "leaving",
machines will take over things that can be done more efficiently by automation. This will probably happen gradually, and I believe there will
still be an appeal to certain people who appreciate "hand-crafted" products that are "made with care". Going into the near-future, even the
jobs that machines can take over will still need human involvement as a safeguard, at least initially. Even if there will be artificial intelligence
that can perform quality control and stop processes in case of an emergency, humans will be needed for a while as a failsafe, to ensure that
everything is going properly.
As for anybody who loses a job in manufacturing due to automation, this seems to reflect a shift towards jobs that require pursuit of higher
education. As a developed country, there's an expectation for people in the U.S. to pick up the ball on innovation, research, and design.

7. Response 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? Provide an example of
any product that embraces Cradle-to-
Cradle design. Please describe and
site sources.
One product that, while I would have a
personal interest in it, defies the cradle-
to-cradle concept is the Kelvin Coffee
Bean Roaster. In one sense, it could cut down on waste: being able to roast batches of raw beans, someone can find
what works best for them, instead of choosing to either put up with or throw out a certain roast that they can't stand.
People already have to ask themselves whether they're okay with cabinet/cupboard/countertop clutter when deciding if
they really want to buy a given kitchen gadget, but a countertop coffee bean roaster is something that would either be
always used or never used by someone.
On the other hand, the HUBB Lifetime Oil Filter, while maybe still taking the approach of "less bad" described in the
Cradle-to-Cradle video, can be "removed, disassembled, bathed in biodegradable soap and put back in the car." The part
about using biodegradable soap seems to parallel the notion of cradle-to-cradle designs that center around renewable
energy and reusability.
Figure 6 https://impactdesignhub.org/2017/04/21/cradle-cradle-product-design-challenge-v/

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.)
While I have not been inside the houses of my neighbors to compare with the inside of the one where I currently live,
Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie house in Chicago bears resemblance both internally and externally to the Darwin D. Martin
house, which is a few blocks away from me. Even without all of the furnishings that someone would probably have in their
home, there is a sense of completion in seeing these Prairie School-style houses. It's not just the open spaces that flow
together, but also a color theme that manages to be consistent without being boring. In contrast, when I'm likely to move
in a few months, each room of my current home is going to seem empty and out of place: some rooms have different
wallpapers while some are painted a solid color; some rooms are carpeted, the bathrooms are tiled, and the kitchen has
vinyl faux-tiles; each room seemingly has its own type of light fixture. I haven't toured Chicago, so I can't fully assess what
the neighborhood surrounding the Robie house fully looks like, but a consequence of the open design is that the house
seems to take up an entire block. One note about how it challenged the cultural context though, was the three-car garage
being included at a time when cars had still not taken over as a primary mode of transportation.
A second work of architecture that, like the Robie house, also happens to be in Chicago, is the Aqua skyscraper. Just
from an aesthetic point of view, the curved floors/balconies challenge the formulaic, modular appearance of most other
skyscrapers, where most of the floors are practically identical to the other ones. In addition to the elements of
sustainability incorporated into the design, the irregular floor shapes give residents on their balconies to see and engage
with their neighbors, rather than just being stacked on top of each other. Normally, apartment buildings are thought to be
just that: separate dwelling spaces in a larger structure, lacking a sense of community.
Figure 7 (original image cropped)
http://doclibrary.com/MSC146/IMG/ban-home4.jpg

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.)
A noticeable theme from Ballantyne is the way
in which attention is focused on buildings during
design and construction, while not focusing
much on them after: "When we discuss
architecture, we make buildings the focus of our
attention, but that is an unusual condition. The
buildings that are involved with our daily lives are part of our system of habits, and we live our lives with them in the
background...". A further extension is that the people in a building may be more important than the building itself: "If
everything is going well, we do not focus on the building but rather on what we are trying to do in it."; "Without its
inhabitants investing the dwelling with their ethos, the building becomes precisely as lifeless as an empty shell."
In this regard, there is some overlap with Zumthor's ideas about architecture: "To me, the presence of certain buildings
has something secret about it. They seem simply to be there. We do not pay any special attention to them." The sentence
that follows does not necessarily contradict what Ballantyne is saying, but it seems to approach from a different angle:
"And yet, it is virtually impossible to imagine the place where [buildings] stand without them."
So, it seems that both have a point about buildings being important when there are people to inhabit them (or at least
pass through them temporarily), but Ballantyne seems to put people as bestowing the importance to the building while
Zumthor seems to stress the importance of the building itself to the people.
Figure 8
https://pi.tedcdn.com/r/pe.tedcdn.com/images/ted/5df5b0b321852dcb49aa70e30e3c6a8dfb32
0de5_2880x1620.jpg?

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?
Being in the Parkside East Historic District of
Buffalo, aside from Delaware Park and the
Buffalo Zoo, I am almost entirely surrounded by
other houses, and additionally, there is a low-rise
apartment complex in my vicinity. Apart from a
few small shops along the part of Parkside
Avenue that runs beside the zoo, the next closest
commercial areas would be on Hertel Avenue, to
the north, or on Main Street, to the east. There
isn't a clear western boundary further than Parkside Avenue without cutting through the general area of the park, but the
NY-198/Scajacquada Expressway is a southern boundary line. (On a tangential note, I dislike how the development of the
198 and NY-33/Kensington Expressway divided Delaware Park and essentially maimed Humboldt Parkway so that it
cannot practically connect MLK Jr. Park to Delaware Park.) "Zooming out" from my neighborhood, so to speak, most other
districts outside of downtown Buffalo have a similar pattern of being mostly residential aside from the more thoroughly
trafficked streets that run alongside or through them. On the flipside, downtown Buffalo is much more commercial and less
residential.
Figure 9 http://buffalonews.com/2016/02/13/downgrade-for-scajaquada-is-an-upgrade-for-
buffalo/

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 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?
First, although laws have probably changed (e.g., residents of Pruitt Igoe
being able to have a TV after initially not being allowed to), one issue that
struck a chord with me was the ways in which the laws and regulations
were described as punitive, creating a prison-like environment. In terms of
laws and regulations, while the latter are sometimes needed to help things
run smoothly, it is important that legislation, both regarding public housing
as well as in general, does not put a large burden on people.
In Talen's article, I found some ideas running parallel to Larson's ideas. For example, "A commercial street that looks garish is not
diverse but instead homogenous..."; my initial reaction was "Well, what about zoning? What about separating noise and traffic from
residential areas?", but I then recalled how Larson identified in Paris all necessities being within walking distance in Paris. I do think
that high-rise buildings may not be great for public housing with regards to homogeneity and lack of place diversity, but a mitigating
factor would be the proximity to, as Talen describes, "Elements of sustainable city form include containment, public transport, access
to services, housing variety, self-sufficiency, adaptability, local autonomy, and other 'sustainability characteristics...'".
A third strategy that tails off of the above idea of having transportation and public services in proximity to public housing is shifting the
focus away from cars. The growth of suburbs was (and still is) facilitated by the fact that people could drive back and forth. When I've
been to my grandmother's house in Orchard Park, it strikes me that the nearest store is more than a mile away, and unless just
taking a stroll around the neighborhood, walking anywhere is impractical. In the spirit of diversity, it is important to have a hybrid
design that grants accessibility to pedestrians and public transportation as well as allowing those who already have cars to use their
car practically. While I think people should cut down on emissions, the design should encourage alternative, less-polluting modes of
transportation while not separating those who have cars from those who do not.
Figure 10
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Glenny_Drive_Apartments.J
PG

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?
Olmsted's claim was based upon the combination of downtown
Buffalo's radial street pattern and the different, connecting parks
that the streets spread out toward. Due to the way the
expressway cuts through Humboldt Parkway, Olmsted's plan
has been altered. While the parks still exist, the parks system
that had initially connected them is broken, with the parks
practically separate. While there may still be some aspects of
Buffalo's planning that Olmsted would stand by, the disruption of
the Delaware Park–Front Park System is what I would consider
a deal-breaker for Olmsted. The parks were an integral part of
Olmsted's plan; they are part of what makes the plan great.
Without them, or rather with them albeit in a broken up form, part
of the character of the plan is missing. Although said regarding
Central Park and not Buffalo, I think the following quote from the article from The Atlantic also applies to Buffalo: "We
have already become landscape architects but we have not used our powers as artfully as we might. ... But Olmsted, the
master of the form, has left behind a clear instruction manual." While Buffalo's layout may not be as pristine as it had
initially been, there's enough remaining that leaves clues for people like me wonder what could've been. I would try to not
speculate about whether people will ever push for the park system to be restored because there would be so many
obstacles, but I appreciate the thought of having parkways that are not limited to Buffalo's West Side and also connect to
"The Parade" closer to the East Side.
Figure 11 http://library.buffalo.edu/maps/buffalo-
wnymaps/location/olmsted.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).
I would want to memorialize or
improve upon the pedestrian
bridge ("the curly bridge", as I
call it) that crosses the NY-
198/Scajacquada Expressway
and links the halves of
Delaware Park. Of course I
wish the original parks system
was intact (not to sound like a
broken record), so a part of
me feels conflicted with
regards to whether
memorializing the pedestrian
crossing is an endorsement of
the roadway that is being
crossed. Still, when going
through the triad of
investigations, the bridge does seem like something that could be memorialized. Currently it just has a sign that reads
"pedestrian bridge" from the expressway. I think there may also be some signs relating to the park and/or bridge on the
bottom of one side, but overall, the only distinctive thing about the bridge is the spiral paths that lead up to the overhead
crossing.
Figure 12 screenshots from Google Maps

14. While I don't have clear-cut ideas regarding what would make it stand out more, the fact that I had to screenshot Google
Maps street view after unsuccessfully trying to find an image result by Googling "pedestrian bridge Scajaquada 198
Delaware Park" illustrates how non-special this bridge currently seems.
For the first part of the triad of investigations, this speaks to the everyday and mundane in two ways: the drivers and the
pedestrians. Citing from "Diverse Truths: Unveiling the Hidden Layers of the Shadow Catcher Commemoration", "A
cultural practice conscious of the everyday and mundane recognizes these objects and spaces as opportunities, and
transforms them into public sculptures that embrace and validate the everyday patterns and rituals of neighborhoods."
The "spirals" could give a sculpture-like quality to the bridge, but it seems like possibly money, regulations, or a lack of
people caring enough is why I have yet to see someone seizing the opportunity to use the bridge as an art medium. Even
depicting something on the path of the bridge would spice it up from the plain concrete, and it would add to the visual
experience of anyone who goes through the park for a walk or jog. Additionally, there may be an opportunity to do the
same for drivers who go under it on a regular basis, but it would be more constrained vis-à-vis not trying to distract drivers
from the road.
Commemoration, "Defined as 'something that is intended to honor an important event or person from the past,' ... is an
attribute incorporated into many projects designed by those with culturally focused practices." I'm not sure if Buffalo needs
yet another thing named after Olmsted, but I think the bridge could draw attention to how Olmsted had intended to have
the parks connecting, which might not be the first thought on the minds of people who are driving through where that once
happened.
The third part of the triad, life ways, speaks to how the bridge relates to both drivers and pedestrians. "The 'life-ways'
approach begins with the acknowledgment that within communities people live in specific ways that are important. In order
to effectively [do so], designers must first understand where one's power lies. Definitions of power vary... . Power also
comes in various forms... . For designers, power lies in their media." The bridge is only effective it allows drivers and
pedestrians to coexist. Due to the way the expressway has already developed, it would be impractical to try expanding
with another bridge crossing closer to the other end of Hoyt Lake. The bridge seems to be the preferable route between
the sides of the park because although there are signs and a bike lane that make Delaware Avenue's "S-curves" less
automobile-centered, I feel that some drivers treat it like an expressway, especially if/when they're entering and exiting the
actual expressway. The design of these roads influences how people use them.

15. 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.
How do you interpret the graphic? What is its meaning? Now imagine that
someone from a racial and cultural background different than your own is looking
at the same graphic. Briefly describe this person. How might s/he interpret its
meaning? How might this differ from your interpretation? What are the possible
reasons for these differences? (Consider the three assessment principles
mentioned in the article to help you: a technology of vision, an instrument of empathy, and a symbol of control.)
The image I found may not speak directly to racial issues in the ways that some of the other images that I see here do. Still, it's
been on my mind since seeing the prompt for this thread, and it highlights a simple observation of overlapping similarities in
different cases of oppression.
Each of the issues have symbolic meaning, representing the larger issues. And yet while I can't speak for how people were
debating issues before desegregation, I have to wonder if the discourse was similar to contemporary discourse, with people
using a debate about bathroom laws to tiptoe around their antipathy for transgender people. Although not from this week, a
similar idea was described in "The Pruitt-Igoe Myth", where white people may not have had outright contempt for black people,
but structural factors let implicit biases be reinforced via discussing crime and property values without explicitly discussing race.
There are probably worse cases of someone juxtaposing distinct instances of oppression (e.g., "What about the Irish slaves?"
to derail a conversation about the history with slavery in America), but that's the main issue I could see with this. With the
message written on a poster, presumably at a gathering, it could be unifying for people to see these similarities. Still, I could
see a black person perceiving this message as someone using an instance of historical segregation to push a separate
message without necessarily being dedicated to anti-racism.
Figure 13
http://www.scoopnest.com/user/joseiswriting/8
35521470830903296

16. 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.
One issue that resonated with me regarding the
National Museum of African American History and
Culture was on page 30 of the text, referring to the
belief that we are in a post-racial society and that
"...Adjaye's approach potentially exacerbates the
notion that minorities have finally 'made it' and
racism is officially a thing of the past." I find white
fragility to be important in understanding racism. This
links to the abstract and a link to the full PDF of an
article that fleshes out the concept of white fragility.
As an academic journal article, it was one of the
most helpful, eye-opening things for me to read,
comprehensively examining the issue. While I could
not find post-racial in searching the PDF, it does
come into play. The discomfort that white people
experience in discussions involving racism seems to
be predicated upon the notion that we are in a post-
racial society. Some white people will downplay or sanitize the history of slavery in America while simultaneously insisting
that it's a non-issue, being in the past; both are used to imply that we have moved past racism. This calls the core belief
#1 to mind, i.e., historical context and "learning to see". The urge of some to placate white people when it comes to black
history counters the first design principle of paying attention to marginalized voices. I find the following to be a corollary to
such placation: "[Jack Travis] has publicly critiqued the Adjaye team's competition design ... because the façade's
perforated copper corona fails to visualize the racial traumas and struggles minorities have faced in the United States."
Figure 14 http://inhabitat.com/national-museum-of-african-american-history-and-culture-
opens-today-in-washington-dc/

17. 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?
Something that I would connect to my background are the Turkish
"Oriental" carpets in my home, two of which are lying beside each other
in the dining room.
When talking to my mom last night, she said that she got the idea of
laying the two together from such a practice supposedly being done
with carpets in Turkish mosques. Besides being able to trace my
surname to a Scottish background, I only know broadly of having a
mixed European background on my dad's side of the family. While the
case is the same for my maternal grandmother who was born in
Vermont, my mom's dad was from Turkey. He died when I was 6, so I
never got to hear a lot of his experiences from him, but I have heard
accounts from my mom and her family. Still, the quarter of me that is
Turkish is the only part of my background that I can quantify with
confidence. I think I would be able to take at least one carpet with me
when I make my own home, which I would like to do to give the home a
bit of character. Figure 15 a photo I took Figure 16 another photo I took

18. One place I would identify with cultural influence in my community is the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd.
The cultural influence I would associate with this church is not related to religion. (I didn't even attend this church while
growing up, despite the fact that it's closer to my house than the church my parents did bring me to.) I had occasionally
gone to the "Strawberry Festival" hosted here in the summer, which brings together the community. Also, when I took
violin lessons, we had recitals at the church. I would associate those two factors with cultural influence.
Figure 17 https://www.panoramio.com/photo/61087552

19. 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?
Ideally, leaders of groups who have the authority (given to
them by consensus of members of the group) to speak for
their group should be consulted on a proposed ethnic
reference. In this scenario, they could advise on whether a
given mascot proposal would be offensive and disrespectful,
or whether there is a proposal that could seize an opportunity
to honor a culture associated with a sports team's background.
Still, almost no group is monolithic, so even when there is a
majority opinion, there is likely to be another opinion that leans
in another direction to a varying degree (whether slightly
different or a polar opposite). If the decision had to be
categorical, I would lean toward "better safe than sorry" and
avoid any ethnic reference in a design that I wouldn't be able
to speak for unless it were part of my own identity.
Figure 18 http://gawker.com/ignorant-white-people-cant-get-enough-of-
these-caucasi-1614503516

20. 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?
I've seen different variations of this; indeed, different ones with the same point
appear if one does an image search for "causes of rape pie chart". I think this is
the version that I had originally seen in my Facebook feed last year, but now, I
found it from this blog post. (As memes, this and similar ones are shared; I'm
unsure of the original source.)
Superficially, this appears to take the stories in data approach, using a pie chart
that visualizes statistics, but it really seems to use the get the idea approach.
Hearkening to The Blank Noise Project's I Never Ask for It campaign as
described in the D+D text, one of the points of the graphic is that "slutty clothes"
among other things are not a cause of why rape happens, and rather than
blaming the victim, the rapist is responsible for the rape. While I consider it an
effective approach, the blog post linked a screenshot of some people's reactions
to some of the non-causes that are listed but not included as slices of the pie chart. I would say only listing rape would
improve the graphic, but then it might not make sense as a pie chart.
Figure 19
https://davidbruceblog.wordpress.com/2013/12/04/pi
e-chart-causes-of-rape/

21. 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?
The main argument presented for why people should use the bathroom that corresponds to the gender that was assigned
at birth involves fear-mongering regarding sexual assault in bathrooms with men going into women's rooms and women
going into... Rather, the claim seems to be that men take advantage of gender-neutral restrooms or dress in drag and
claim to be transgender for the purpose of entering a women's restroom. Additionally, some articles point to cases
of sexual assault mostly voyeurism or indecent exposure, grouped together all as sexual assault, while any cases of
documented sexual assault are scattered few and far between. I would still consider this to be fear-mongering as
(1) actual transgender individuals are usually victims of sexual assault rather than perpetrators, (2) "protective" measures
(targeting an issue before it's happened without knowing how large of an issue it actually is or isn't) against
bathroom/locker room sexual assault are cited to target proposed nondiscrimination legislation, and (3) some stories of
sexual predation are fabricated. If people want to target sexual assault, do that with laws that target sexual assault, not
with laws that make a "man" who is practically a woman use the men's room (and vice versa).
One solution that seems promising is "family" restrooms, or unisex, single-occupancy facilities that allow whoever is in
(with enough room for an individual or a parent with their child) to lock the door to keep others out. The main drawback
would be the requirement for more space than multiple stalls that would be in a typical public restroom.
Figure 20 http://www.clipartbest.com/unisex-
restroom-signs

22. 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?
Having thought a lot about how Tammy would always make a long trek to work on foot, I would imagine a community
involving housing structures that are located close to public transportation while also having adequate room for parking. I
think detached homes could end up being more expensive, but the important idea would be to provide housing that is
small enough for someone to live within their means while also granting the flexibility to commute via bus or, if someone
has done very well at moving themselves out of poverty, own a car while still saving to attain a better housing situation. It
seems that one of the biggest challenges of escaping poverty is getting an education and skills, which poverty makes
difficult. Besides using urban design, planning, and architecture to connect people to more opportunities, policy design
would be important in avoiding expensive fees as a penalty for late payments or noncompliance with policy (..."in some
ways, it is actually more expensive to be poor than not poor").
Figure 21 http://www.aafp.org/news/health-of-the-public/20151118hudsmoke-free.html

23. Response to Carroll Article: “(Re)forming Regent Park: When Policy Does Not Equal Practice”
The development of Regent Park is phased, and there are several more phases to the project. What actions could
be taken to ensure more social integration for the older people living in the ‘new and improved’ Regent Park?
In addition to the mobility issues created
by the multi-story building for senior
housing (as described in the chapter),
consolidating people into one structure
segregates them from the rest of the
community. Even if there were other
obstacles to full integration, one of the first
steps to be taken would be decreasing the
distance that an older person has to travel
to access public transportation. (This
would be beneficial generally as well:
people won't have a desire to use public
transportation if routes are designed
inefficiently with badly placed stops.) While
social integration could come from the
angle of moving more of the community
towards seniors, it might be better rather to
move the seniors further into the
community (spread out rather than
consolidate).
Figure 22 http://urbantoronto.ca/news/2013/06/neighbourhood-node-new-and-old-regent-park

24. 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?
The first thing I would think of with increasing
lifespans is overpopulation, assuming people
would continue to reproduce at the current rate
or an increasing one. While I've seen people
say that overpopulation is already a
problem, there doesn't seem to be an
easy, clear yes-no answer, as not everyone
produces and consumes the same amount of
resources. Even those who say that
overpopulation is the largest problem also follow
with sustainability issues, which can be
exacerbated by overpopulation: more people
polluting are going to obviously produce more
pollution than if less people were contributing.
("It is how we use the land, not the number of
people on the land, that matters.") Still, unless
the biomedical advances that would extend
lifespans could prevent certain aging-related
issues, even if societies become more
sustainable in the future, such moves would have to out-pace the increase in people that would require more living spaces
and health care.
Figure 23 http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/causes-effects-solutions-of-
overpopulation.php

25. 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.
With regards to "Size and Space for Approach and Use", a positive example
would be a front-loading washing machine.
There are three photos I took of my current laundry pair. The latter two are
important to contrast with the design of a top-loading washer, which would be
a negative example.
Figure 24 photo 1 of 3 that I took

26. The last washing machine I had was a
top-loader. (It looked a lot like the one
in this video, for anybody who is
interested in old appliances, and the
following image [link] is a
YouTube thumbnail that showed up in a
Google Image search).
Although it was even slightly taller than
my current one, the second photo that I
took should illustrate that someone
would need to be standing to access
the top surface, which would make use
of a top-loading washer difficult for
someone who is short or in a
wheelchair. A counter-complaint I've
seen about front-loaders is that the user
has to bend over, which is not
necessarily true. For one,
manufacturers have optional pedestals to raise the height of the washer and dryer.
Additionally, similar to how you would want to squat rather than bend over when lifting a
heavy object to avoid back injury, the problem of bending over to see the inside of a front-
loading washer's drum can be avoided by squatting (or I suppose sitting on a step-stool)
when unloading it. In the third photo that I took, we can see me squatting and extending my
arm into the washer drum. Even when a front-loader is raised on a pedestal, it is still more
accessible than a top-loader for someone who is wheelchair-bound or very short.
Figure 25 photo 2 of 3 that I took
Figure 27 photo 3 of 3 that I took
Figure 26 image that I linked (cropped)

27. 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?
Although eugenics is not completely synonymous with
enhancement of bodies and reproduction, it is useful
here for comparison. Superficially, the idea of
maintaining "good genes" or improving the gene pool
sounds like a good idea.The downside is when this goal
is achieved through genocide. Eugenics can actually be
implemented through positive eugenics to encourage
"good genes" and negative eugenics to discourage "bad
genes" [page 13], the latter of which I was initially
referring to as a downside of eugenics in general. The history of eugenics in Nazi Germany leaves historical baggage
surrounding discussions of eugenics and bodily enhancement: "That is why I find it so puzzling why he and so many other
technocentric writers I respect sometimes seem so curiously keen to rehabilitate the eugenicist term in any sense in the
first place. There remains an overconfident and overgeneral regulatory ideal of optimality at the heart of too many of these
viewpoints.... Likewise there remains in too many expressions of these viewpoints a trivialization of the horrors that took
place in the name of eugenic rationality, despite the quick and inevitable genuflections that tend to frame these
formulations." In addition to setting the standard for an enhancement that someone "should get", enhancement as an
emerging technology might only be feasible for wealthier people who can afford it, putting poorer people at a
disadvantage [page 9-10 with original numbering / 13-14 from the PDF numbering].
Figure 28 http://pages.uoregon.edu/adoption/topics/eugenics.htm

28. 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?
If there had been nothing to see at Bridgewater, filming the patients would be
concerning as an invasion of privacy. While the concern can exist as a matter of
principle, it's troubling when concern about patients' privacy (related to their dignity) trumps exposure of other,
objectionable ways that they are being treated (also related to their dignity). If someone was caught on camera (i.e.,
filmed without their consent) abusing an animal, what would be more concerning: the animal cruelty or the perpetrator's
privacy being violated? To be fair, this is a false equivalence as we're talking about the rights of the patients and not the
rights of the Bridgewater staff/employees when it comes to Titicut Follies. The point is that it is not necessarily what that
determines yes-no or good-bad, but how. There is no reason to film someone without consent when there is no clear point
in doing so, but similar to situations with doctor-patient privilege or attorney-client privilege where confidential information
can be disclosed in general to prevent other "bad" (i.e., "bad" in generic, cross-context terms) things from happening, the
film can illustrate the problems to be addressed in the design of the facility itself, as well as the larger system that puts
people in the facility.
Figure 29
http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/titicut-
follies-1968

29. 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”?
I would lean towards supporting the proposal. If only 3/10 intended residents experienced challenging behaviors, and not
since 2013, it seems unlikely that this would spring up as a critical factor. My priority would be having the ability to keep
my privacy inside my personal space; the larger neighborhood isn't so important as long as there is generally mutual
respect. A certain level of tolerance is required, e.g., letting neighbors play music at a party or get-together, but people
abide by standards set to determine when disruption is not tolerable (like if music were blasting throughout the night).

30. Overall, a neighborhood should support community instead of fostering segregation. People should be able to develop
standards for what they expect in the area where they are living, and help neighbors in upholding those standards without
other-ing them.
Figure 30 https://www.homesteadroad.com/10-tricks-buying-new-home-perfect-neighborhood/

31. 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 Saranac Synagogue, located off Hertel Avenue
in North Buffalo. A few years ago, I had approached
conversion to Judaism here, seeking an Orthodox
conversion, and coincidentally, even including synagogues
belonging to different "denominations", this one was the
closest to me, which would be important for keeping the
Shabbas (Sabbath). I ended up not following through,
partly due to conflicts that had been going on within the
(small) congregation. It was originally built as a church
before changing leadership and functional roles. While the
building is not clearly visible from Hertel Avenue, being on
a side street, as mentioned on the website, it is in a good
location with the revitalization of the Hertel Avenue part of
North Buffalo (e.g., the Lexington co-op expanding to a
second location which is further east on Hertel than the
synagogue; the main co-op location is in the
Elmwood Village part of Buffalo, bordering the West Side).Figure 31 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SaranacSynagogue.JPG

32. 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?
Simply, the constant challenge relying on pharmaceutical sciences is studying drugs to find additional ways that they can
be used to treat certain problems. One area that seems to be growing recently is biopharmaceuticals ("biologics"). Over
the past year or so, I've seen different commercial advertisements on TV for various drugs, some of which I remember as
rheumatoid arthritis treatments. In terms of mental health issues, drugs can be perceived as a "band-aid", with the
effective treatment for some people being the combination of therapy and pharmacological intervention. Still, as "drug"
includes substances put into the body not for nourishment like with food but rather causing a physiological change, many
advances in modern medicine are due to drugs, whether vaccines or over-the-counter drugs that we might think of as
commonplace when there's a headache or cold/flu symptoms. Drug design itself is a design process, related to drug
discovery and drug development. Beyond simply learning about the body in terms of pharmacology, there will be new
ways in which people try to treat various ailments and conditions with drugs.
Figure 32 https://news.pharmacy.umaryland.edu/symposium-showcases-latest-
advances-in-computer-aided-drug-design/