March 2010
1 post
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field of dreams: what can it be?
Two stopped construction sites face one another at 22 and 23 Caton Place, Kensington, Brooklyn. One is a “spaceframe” - a nearly complete concrete structural frame - full of architectural possibilities. The other is a “field of dreams” - a grassy field where neighborhood kids sneak into and play - a blank slate for the imagination.
Wondering what could be dreamed up...
February 2009
1 post
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the good, the bad
the good: a super simple, lo-tech example of how to insert spatial information effectively. three signs in a very small space, all placed carefully to be repeatedly noticed as you go about your business.
the bad: a bewildering graphic on the t. although i can understand the desire to simplify this map of the t, perhaps this goes too far and eliminates important information. especially paired...
November 2008
4 posts
1 tag
collective memory
Inspirations from Halbwachs “On Collective Memory”:
If we examine a little more closely how we recollect things, we will surely realize that the greatest number of memories come back to us when our parents, our friends, or other persons recall them to us. One is rather astonished when reading psychological treatises that deal with memory to find that people are considered there as...
1 tag
human s(c)en(t)ses
“Nothing is more memorable than a smell.” - Ackerman
Smell is one of our basic senses that we are not always conscious of (unlike, say, vision). It’s one of the more subtle factors in our daily environments, but has a huge impact on our overall perception, as well as our interactions with each other. Scents that we cannot readily describe or detect can strongly influence who...
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recycling a building
Over the weekend, I visited ERRCO (Environmental Resource Return Corp) in Epping, New Hampshire with the Design for Sustainability class. ERRCO essentially takes on construction demolition waste, and attempts to recycle different material streams to divert from landfill. In Massachusetts, regulations now prohibit landfill dumping of construction waste, so many contractors now have no choice but...
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sourcemap for hi-tech and no-tech noise-cancelling...
I attempted to enter both the original Victor Noise-Cancelling Headphones and my new “No-Tech” Noise-Cancelling Headphones into sourcemap.org to assess the environmental impact of both of these products.
I first encountered some problems trying to figure out what the original Victor headphones were really made of, and where these parts may have come from. It would be helpful to have...
October 2008
2 posts
1 tag
no-tech noise-cancelling headphones
The Project: Noise-cancelling headphones work by generating an equal but opposite sound wave which “cancels” out the incoming ambient noise. This is called “active noise control” or ANC. Unfortunately, to turn on the ANC, you have to use battery power. Also, the white noise that is generated by the ANC gives me a headache, so I end up just relying on the padding of my...
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de-technologizing the iphone
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how to make puff balls →
just in case you ever wanted to…
September 2008
2 posts
1 tag
Autopsy: Disposable Flash Camera
I chose to dissect a disposable camera, as I was interested in seeing what was inside this rather mysterious object. Almost everyone has used a disposable camera at some point in his/her life, but probably not too many people have looked inside. The directions on the camera specifically warn you from opening it up yourself, and advise you sternly to return it to your closest CVS for...