Shyamli Panda VCD402
I. THE DESIGN BRIEF
Design an interactive and versatile Organics 101 book – keeping it centric to clientele belonging to urban
For this project I intend to research the vast field of organic farming, its necessity in todays world and gather information that anyone living in an urban city such as
- The existing organic farms one can visit i.e. where one can experience successfully created/ adapted sustainable systems.
- Grow your own garden tips, community gardening, composting, plant care etc.
- How to source seeds and saplings and reliable products in and around
- Which organic products to buy and how to treat industry produced food.
It is becoming more and more obvious that some serious changes need to be made in present lifestyles being led by the modernized societies in the world. My aim is to appeal to the need of the urban masses to keep up with trends and all things new and chic.
Switching to the organic ways of eating or clothing or growing organic plants and foods automatically asks for certain lifestyle changes which are easy to incorporate into our current lifestyles. It asks of people to be more empathetic towards ones environment. Owning even the smallest of potted organic gardens in your apartment makes one aware towards the importance of bio diversity and composting. It makes one aware towards how things really work in nature and compare this with the way they function everyday, even if it is only food related. I think its a great way to slow down once in a while.
The book will include travel destinations, maps, quizzes, facts and introspective activities and though not too text heavy will be reproduced in English and Kanadda. [S1]
The resources needed to bring about the needed changes lie with the people living within the cities of
Being aware and empathetic towards these issues, knowing that making changes to their lifestyles could be both pleasant and beneficial to them and of course, how to go about making these changes – These are the few impacts my book hopes to have on its audience.
I’ve always believed that art and design in collaboration with people with a sound knowledge base set in sectors of teachings, activism, culture, science, economics and the prevalent industry can bring about some amazing changes. I think it is important to keep one self grounded and not get carried away with idealistic notions and make things practical and aim them at the right people and this book seems to be a good place to start.
II. RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Product related
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- What is the most sustainable and yet practical way to produce a book about organic products and gardening where the medium matches the message?
- Best and the most practical recycled and organic paper/ cloths that one can screen print on.
- Organic dyes available in the market
- Explore ways of binding and packaging a book.
Subject related
- How can I create a book that bridges theory, practice and resources in an aesthetically dynamic/ engaging way that motivates the reader to take action?
- Grow your own garden tips, community gardening and composting.
o The restrictions posed to city dwellers. (environment related, lifestyle related)
o How to source seeds and saplings in and around
o Stories and personal experiences of change.
o Why go organic – how much of an impact it can really have.
o How it is currently being marketed
- In formation about different organic farms in and around
o Why the specific locations were chosen.
o How the topography affects their techniques and product.
o The reason why the intiative was taken.
o What are the varied techniques used in each?
o Different philosophies and views of the organic lifestyle.
III. APPROACH/PROCESS
I am going for a very hands-on approach for the research and even the development of this book. I intend on gather reading material, information and experience the organic approach of living by visiting and working at a few organic farms.
I will then consolidate the database of information (text and illustrations) that I gather and then edit it such that it doesn’t ramble or repeat. This information will then be stitched into a narrative or sorts and then translated to Kanadda.
As for designing the book itself, I plan on exploring and collecting samples of cloth, papers, dyes and even seed samples. Before this I intend on designing a questionnaire aimed at people living within the city and finding out exactly what notions they have about organic products and what stops them and motivates them to pick up such these product or otherwise.
Finally, I will add my touch of visual communication design and integrate all this into one tactile product.
IV. MATERIALS/RESOURCES
Books –
n The Natural way of Farming – Masanobu Fukuoka
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n Take it Personally – Anita Roddick
n Comfort in any climate – Michael Reynolds.[S2]
n Whole earth catalog.
Vedios –
- Will Smits – restoring a rain forest and importance of bio diversity.
- Bill Mollison – Global Gardener – In the tropics, Dry lands, Cool climate and Urban settings.
- HOME – a film by Yann - Arthus Bertrand
- Michael Pollan – Deep Agriculture
- The Corporation
- Fast food nation
- Vandana Shiva – The future of food and seed.
People and organizations –
Mojo Plantations, Navadarshanam, Karuna Farms,
I intend on staying at these farms and volunteer to work there, to pay for my stay.
I will also be sourcing seeds and saplings from them.
Online sources –
www.indiaevnironmentalportal.org.in
Materials –
Recycled/ handcrafted/ Organic paper/ cloth.
Organic dyes.
V. LEARNING OUTCOMES
- I think this project is going to be a great insight into subject of sustainability and help me get well networked with people and organizations holding huge databases of knowledge.
- Research and content generation
- Applications of information in an easy to approach and yet interesting manner.
2 comments:
kannada - how can you do that? that would make it a project where you'd not be working on your own, right? brings in a translator and checking on the quality of translation - is that possible in three month's time? why not just english for now? on the other hand that would make it very local as opposed to very global which is book in english.
and it would be good to have both ends covered
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