Designing minds for the future

Queensland high school students have tapped into a new model of design thinking, attending a workshop to help develop real world experiences in the fields of architecture and design, IE Journalist Alex Leggett writes.

Hosted by the State Library of Queensland (SLQ), the workshop focused on experimentation in construction, to enable innovative ideas and creative solutions to manage urban space as cities grow in the future.

Design Minds Design Experiments allows students to design an interactive, experiential structure for the Cultural Precinct, a public space outside the SLQ.

IEUA-QNT member and Marist College Ashgrove teacher Peter Tuckwell, along with a group of art students, joined teams from other schools in Brisbane to take part in the workshop. Students were presented with the concept of pop up pavilions by real architects and designers from the UQ School of Architecture and Design Interaction team.

“The workshop exposed the students to architectural methodology as used by design professionals and this concept was extended with the inclusion of interactive experiences,” Tuckwell said.

The workshop began in the State Library’s Sulcus Loci exhibition room – an interactive installation developed by the University of Queensland (UQ) combining technology, art, architecture and the environment as part of the inaugural Asia Pacific Architecture Forum and World Science Festival.

He said from a teaching perspective, the workshop was a good opportunity to discuss practice and pedagogy with design professionals and compare ideas with teachers from other schools.

The workshop exposed the students to architectural methodology as used by design professionals and this concept was extended with the inclusion of interactive experiences.

The workshops were based on three concepts: Inquire, Ideate and Implement.

For the Inquire stage, students were introduced to materials that could be used and were given time to experiment with construction elements such as lycra, nylon, timber and wire. During this stage, interaction design was also introduced where students played with computer generated sound, light and vibration.

The next stage, Ideate, allowed the student groups to consider how tourists can ‘re-see’ the Cultural Precinct by using an interactive structure. Groups surveyed the Cultural Precinct environment to select a suitable location for their proposal. Students then brainstormed and began forming their individual group ideations.

The final stage, Implement, involved returning to the materials, constructing a model and presenting their concepts or prototypes to the collective body in the form of a ‘pitch’.

“It was equally helpful to be able to brainstorm with the other participants and take away teaching strategies relevant for our art and design subjects.”

The hunt for regional ambassadors

The SLQ is also seeking to appoint ‘ambassadors’, including teachers from across regional Queensland, that possess the “qualities of a 21st century educator” and have a broad network of influence, ideally through a teaching association or member organisation.

For more information on the workshop and Regional Ambassador program, visit www.designminds.org.au/design-experiments-workshop/