Week 2: Cooking With Gas

In the second week of this class we had to move on with more making! We had to select two terms out of a list which strongly reflected our design methods/process which was evident through our creative practice. To generate more creative artefacts we had to investigate the potential of these new terms. Rationing constraints of time and scale were used for this making process. The artefacts had to be displayed on a flat surface measuring 30 cm X 36 cm (standard placemat size). Total no of 16 artefacts had to be made – 4@15mins, 4@30mins, 4@1hour an 4@2hours.

My Over-arching Research Question (Version-9)

How can we create an experiential, dynamic, biophilic free play space for children in order to nurture holistic development and provide a prototype for developing a child-friendly community space?

Methods & Process:

The 2 descriptive terms which described my creative practice best –1)Amalgamate 2)Dissolve

1)Amalgamate – meaning – to combine or unite to form one organization or structure. In my practice too I have been constantly trying to bring together different elements together to form a good spatial narrative.

2)Dissolve – meaning – to disperse or disappear. After amalgamating design elements I would be interested in exploring how I can dissolve my 3 ingredients into each other. I would like to dissolve the boundaries of the outdoor and indoor spaces and enhance its seamless quality.

The Making:

The Placemat
The Placemat – opened up showing various elements of space
Various types of floor elements explored
Soft Textile, sponge like surface on floor at varying levels will be an exciting free play surface for children.
Interactive patterns on the floor will be an interesting free play surface.
Wooden boards with spring below will be an exciting free play surface.
Recessed floor surfaces like inverted mounds form seamless free play surfaces
Random wooden partitions at varying angles form cozy spaces around them as free play areas
Random steps along wall as free play
Wooden Partitions with human cutouts can be used as role play by children
Bio-mimetic forms like leave patterns as wall art within the interiors can make the space feel dramatic
Interesting Bio-mimetic cutouts on walls can form part of role play or free play
Interesting Bio-mimetic forms as wall arts can be used as role play or free play

Strips of plastic or paper hanging from the ceiling till floor can form interesting transitory spaces and free play spaces for children

Foam cylinders hanging from ceiling to floor of varying heights, mimicking tree branches can be a fun free play element for children

Light boxes on ceiling with Plant prints can form interesting patterns on floor for free play
Mirror on on abstract ceiling can form interesting reflective patterns to generate curiosity in children
A tree sculpture in wood and mirror finish will get the outdoors inside and create interesting dialogues.
Multi-level structure like this can be an interesting element for free play

The Narrative (200 words):

During ‘Raiding the pantry’ the 3 ingredients I selected were Raw, Porous and Sticky. These three ingredients initiated my creative artefacts and established concepts for my research project. Amalgamation and Dissolve are the two methods I would like to apply to them. Most of the artefacts I made last week with the 3 ingredients seem to relate and have close connections to each other. Therefore they are ideal ingredients for cooking good spatial narratives which when amalgamated together could be garnished well with colorful children using these spaces. The three ingredients together would be used to dissolve boundaries between the inside and outside in order to create seamless free play spaces for children. These spaces will reflect qualities of being raw (infused with nature), porous (absorb children and alter movements through spaces to make them interesting) and sticky (so they engage children and keep them hooked on). This week’s 16 artefacts are created by blending and dissolving the 3 ingredients together and creating seamless indoor and outdoor free play spaces. I have continued using drawing and model making as tools to prepare these creative artefacts. I am enjoying exploring various natural and man-made textures and surfaces along with ideas which can enhance free play spaces. With Amalgamation and Dissolve as methods, I intend to create a perfect recipe using Raw, Porous and Sticky spaces for children.