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Systems Thinking, (Fall 2012) SD-6510 Curt McNamara

This was a screenshot from one of websites I used to illustrate the concept of a creating a wine distribution company utilizing a sustainable system of sourcing, and distribution. The assignment was to view a system and the elements of it, and propose a better alternative. This idea largely focused making a sustainable supple chain, focusing on sustainable methods, organic principles (or bio-dynamic). Looking into shortening and reducing travel routes and looking into clean energy sources for transportation as well as simplifying the tangled web of distribution routes. The aim was to streamline the current system, while looking to reducing packaging, using reusable storage containers.

These are screen shots from a website I made in a attempt to link and share local food and farming resources in localized areas. Looking into sustainability there are a lot of different people and organizations doing great work not aware of the resources and innovation all around them. For instance I had a hard time finding restaurant owners and managers sourcing from and working with local farmers, as most buy from big factory distributors so everything can come on one food truck. So the idea was to have a site you could go to and rather then each having to do the research, there is one place that could tell who was producing what, their contact information and how to purchase from them, the idea for a assignment was to build a network and connect local farmers, urban farmers, co-ops and people just looking for a csa’s.  

Here are some excerpts from the different classes in the MA in Sustainable Design Program

portfolio

Innovation Tools and Techniques (Spring 2013) SD-6600 Curt McNamara 

This course largely focused on different software, and ways to view and break down problems and look at them through the lens of different tools, logic structures and software. This assignment looked at a system in different ways, starting with a mindmap then breaking it down further and ending with a end company concept.

Intro to Sustainable Design (Fall 2012) SD-6500 Joshua Foss

The above is a pic from a joint project called-Transmutation of Housing, By Tim Hutchens & Jacob Hvistendahl

This was a joint project which aimed at integrating emerging technologies with development of community driven large housing units. These complexes were to be in reclaimed brownfields and bring new life to unused industrial spaces. Built and furnished utilizing rapid prototyped furnishings, walls and structures made with cnc machines, and sustainable local materials, locally. The plans were proposed to integrate solar and passive heating, all the while mindful of land, material conservation and building a sustainable thriving community with many shared elements like gardens, tool rooms and laundry. Furnishing could be designed and printed to suit, and reclaimed and existing furnishing could be repaired in the community workshop. Many amenities would be shared to reduce waste. Some units would be left open for mobile users and utilized via apps like air-bnb to provide for consistent sustainable housing accommodations for travelers on the road.

 

Global Design Challenge (Spring 2013) J. Cook

This course was a way to look at the largest globally problems we face today and come up with ways to prevent, correct or fix them. Above, for a assignment I was addressing the issue of and true costs of obesity, in a series of info graphics to raise awareness on the issues with the current American diet. The goal was to educate on the issue, explain food production. Then work to inform on healthy eating practices, and preparing healthy foods.

 

 

 

The Practice of Sustainable Design (Summer 2013) D. Pierce, H. Robbins

This was a project to redesign an electric car charging station, to make them both more desirable, accessible, and visually appealing to attract the public and make them user friendly. This project was focused on raising the public awareness of the benefits from emissions and help clean up our transportation energy infrastructure.

Collaborative Product Design -- Jeremy Faludi (Fall 2013) SD

This team-based project met regularly with the design team at Rayne virtually, in which we ran a thorough Life Cycle Analysis on an existing product and all of the components, a bamboo long board. We then looked into how to make the production, material sourcing, and systems to make them more sustainable and improve upon their current methods. Working on a weekly basis focused on alternating design objectives, on ways to improve current practices and systems. This was a very detailed project resulting in suggestions to improve every aspect of the business, from redesigning every aspect of material sourcing, selection, and packaging of the boards, to improving warehouse lighting, and using printers to reduce electricity, to freight methods. 

 

Creative Leadership -- (Fall 2013) SD-6750 Denise Deluca

This course didn’t have a lot of graphic elements to represent, but consisted largely of reading and writing about leadership development and what that can mean in terms of sustainability. Click on the blog to link to the original postings, of the weekly following of three different blogs and writing about them, while learning about different leadership styles and how organizations can evolve and be focused on mission driven, and enlightened goals and what that looks like. But also what truly motivates individuals and as a result organizations to become a positive culture rather then one purely chasing a bottom line. 

Biomimetic Design -- Denise Deluca (Summer 2013)

This was a project where we looked to nature to come up with design solutions to one of today’s problems. I particularly focused on redesigning houses that used naturally strong and resilient materials utilizing hydrophobic patterns as in nature. While sizing homes could become closer to the true individual needs, as is done in nature such as shells and nests. 

 

Making a Business Case For Sustainabililty -- Wendy Jedlička  (Summer 2014)

There was a lot of business basics as well as great readings on running a business and the economic drivers of sustainability. In the end the main deliverable was to turn something like our thesis project into a potential company.

Thesis- Eco-Housing: How home construction can be sustainable. The focus is on revisiting methods, materials, processes of home construction. As well as utilizing new materials and technologies to reduce the negative impacts home construction has on the environment.

Practicum- Learning about local farming, permaculture, polycultures and helped with this project

Would you like to turn food deserts into model sustainable food systems full of healthy, organic, local food grown by African-American, Latino, Hmong and immigrant farmers? The Alliance for Sustainability in partnership with Community Table Cooperative is making that dream a reality and we need your help.

Please join us in supporting these farmers in being successful by having quick access to zero-interest micro loans for needed supplies, equipment and organic certification, as well as essential planning workshops and in-field training, and USDA crop insurance protection from weather and pest disasters. Your support will help increase the farmers’ income and allow them to create strong producer, distributor and processing coops to create a model sustainable food system that can be replicated across the country.

 

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