Play up Your Design
Seid Burka, Sirenia Kim, Professor Dan Taeyoung, TA Adam Vosburgh
METATOOL Columbia GSAPP Fall 2019
This tool allows the chief designer to receive instant feedback through mass voting with a harmonica and to engage the community in the design process.
Architectural design tools like Rhino are very specifically designed to be used by those who are professionally trained in the field. But what about those who are not trained as architects — shouldn’t they have a voice in the design process as well? People who do not speak the same language as the designer or those who cannot communicate with the master designer in conventional ways offer valuable opinions that could be crucial to the design. We sought to develop a tool that allows a wider range of users to become involved in conception.
In most languages, various pitches of sound carry meanings and emotions beyond the spoken word. Expressing one’s opinions through pitch frees people from the burden of speaking a nonnative language and at the same time, it limits unnecessary or harsh criticisms that can overwhelm the master designer. Harmonica, a simple device for producing various pitch, can facilitate involvement of the community to become more engaged in the design process.
We looked at two specific ways this design tool can be utilized.
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Example 1: Playing the Harmonica to Your Heart’s Content
Example 2: Playing the Harmonica to Your Eye’s Content
Conclusion
Design for all/universal design concept; the human beings are diverse and everyone has different wishes, the need and the right of being involved in the design process and choose their own life style without facing physical and social barriers.
Comprehensibly this tool addresses and engages hearing impaired in the design process of all stages (from preliminary to final design) by avoiding the use of words or languages which may lead to confusion and disorientation, in favor of music as a means of communication. This tool uses simple musical instrument (harmonica) for collective design decision-making process.
