MA APD - Term 1, Part 3: The Mining Project

Part 3 of the first term, was 12 weeks long - 'The Mining Project'.

This was a pretty fun and kick-ass project that had us go some 1328m below ground in Renström mine, with New Boliden, a few hours north of Umeå. (I posted the video a classmate made on this a little while ago, as that was quick and easy to post, and interesting too).

The challenge - based on field studies, participatory observations, interviews, creative exercises and additional research, to identify and choose a significant and relevant problem or design opportunity to work with, within the overall theme of this project title (The Mining Project) and People Centred Design. You are then expected to analyse and solve this specific problem or design opportunity with a product 

solution.

Here a quick and brief overview, which will possibly also help me evaluate putting together the final report for this project (yet to be completed), as well as what I may include in my portfolio, which I should also be working on, again, very soon.

-gratuitous close up of brainstorm session results - these all from a brainstorm session I held, coaxing classmates to attend with cookies for ideas

-initial ideation sketch - one of the first (loose and fairly quick) sketches that really started to drive the direction of the project for me

-initial ideation sketch, part 2 - this was a version of the same sketch intended to show how a variant for low mines might look

-concept direction sketch - an evolution of earlier ideas combined in a more defined direction

-'user testing' - or passenger volume evaluation

-concept direction sketch - with a 3D underlay and Photoshop colouring in

-laser cut samples - super intricate levels of detail possible on 3mm thick PMMA

-the laser cutter at work on a full run of parts

-a small snapshot of the model components in progress

-1:20 scale model in progress

-post presentation feedback - all of us presented our projects first, one after the other, and feedback followed in one session after all presentations

-me getting feedback on my presentation, concept, and design - attending were representatives from Atlas Copco (one of the leading companies in the field of mining machines - Swedish based), and New Boliden (the mining company which we visited for our initial research, and one of Atlas Copco's main clients), who were both collaborators on the project, and gave feedback at earlier stages of the project as well

-final model pre presentation - I took that piece of white tape off the day of, but here it's holding the last bit of glueing in place

-Dispatch, Main ATU // Ambulance - Taxi - Utility - my final presentation poster

This project was long and challenging enough, and in the end, we again celebrated by holding a pub.  No pictures of that one to post though unfortunately.

MA APD - Term 1, Part 2: Alias

Part 2 of the term, we learned Alias Automotive.

An interesting program, good at making 'A-Class' surfaces.
Beyond that, it's got a stupid interface, and lacks 'undo' as a function.

The Mining Project

The start of this past week kicked off The Mining Project, our main project for this term, running till the end of the term.  We spent 3 days in Boliden some 2,5 hours north of Umeå, to venture some 1323m below the surface into the Renström mine.
Should be interesting to see what the results of this project bring at the end of the term.

MA APD - Term 1, Part 1: Semantic Form Project

A brief recap of the first term of my masters at UID (Umeå Institute of Design).

The first term was pretty much divided in 3.  First we had 'The Water Tap' project.  

The challenge: to design a mixer tap fixture for the private bathroom which is both aesthetic and expressive in its form language.  Taking into account the context/environment, ergonomics, semantics, operation, function, and form, as well as thinking about the materials that would be used to produce it.  

This course was intended to be pretty analogue - meaning hand sketching, no computer 3D, and sculpting in grey clay.

-Water Tap final presentation - me in front of my poster, Thomas, the Program Director for APD (advanced product design) looking on pensively

-me explaining how it works

-me emulating using my water tap - this photo was used as the underlay for my main poster image

-båge - (bow in swedish), my final presentation poster

-Water Tap Pub - afterwards we celebrated by holding a pub up in the art studio at school, inviting all the other students at UID to come hang out and have a look at the projects over some beers

Intro Week At UID 2011

Ping-pong from Umeå Institute of Design on Vimeo.
Ben Hopson, industrial designer, artist and educator from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, led this year's joint kick-off project for all first-year students at UID. The idea for the annual kick-off project is to familiarise the students with each other, the facilities and the staff.

VDL Futura, International Coach of the Year 2012

VDL Futura, International Coach of the Year 2012

Yes the bus that was done by van der Veer Designers, while I was there won the prestigious International Coach of the Year 2012.  Great job and congratulations to van der Veer Designers on this achievement, which is some great recognition.
And having that logo on the front I worked on sure makes me happy and proud too!

7 flights in 7 days

So on my journey to Sweden, I decided that it would be cheapest(?) to fly with Iceland Air via Iceland to Sweden.  At the same time, I also still had KLM vouchers left over from my whole flight fiasco from last summer where they routed me through Memphis on my way from Amsterdam to Toronto.  And with yet another wedding invite, this time of my cousin in the Netherlands, I thought I'd make good use of one of my vouchers for that trip.  

So with all of this lined up, and looking at my agenda, I had scheduled in 7 flights in 7 days.

Mon: Toronto - Reykjavik

Tues: arrive in Reykjavik, enjoy a planned 1 day stopover in Iceland

Wed: Reykjavik - Stockholm, Stockholm - Umeå

Fri: Umeå - Stockholm, Stockholm - Amsterdam

Sun: Amsterdam - Stockholm, Stockholm - Umeå

-Keflavik Airport, Iceland - and one of the very first things I encounter, while looking for my airport shuttle, it this bus, the VDL Futura that we did for work, with my logo prominently on the front.  That was a crazy cool feeling!

-volcanic landscape - the route between Keflavik International and Reykjavik has some crazy barren volcanic landscape, with no trees in site or much else either

-more volcanic landscape - the moss was neat, all in all, really different, bizarre feeling to see a landscape so devoid of Trees or much other vegetation beyond moss

-The Blue Lagoon Spa - having booked in a full day stopover in Iceland, and in planning a shuttle from the airport to Reykjavik, they advertised the option of stopping at the spa on the way, so, why not?

-early morning mist at the Blue Lagoon

-Geo-thermal energy - or just geothermal heating, I dunno, but still interesting to see (at least that's what I assume these pipes were for).

-Antoin & Nicole's Wedding - and yes, the traditional dutch wedding seems to involve getting married at a Castle, with a coach with horses these days (well, maybe not the norm, but that was the case this time)

Kenora Road Trip

Made the road trip up to Kenora mid/end August for Danielle and Peter's wedding.  Quite the trip.  Super long drive.  Ontario is really really really wide (i.e. some at least 24hrs driving from Ottawa to Kenora +/-, and that's still just one province)!

-Lake of the Woods boat tour

-The happy couple just before officially being married

-Yellow Bird Lodge - the main reception hall, which us ID kids helped deck (being tall, I was put on lights)

Intermission - Home on the range

So as a sort of intermission between working, and heading back to school to do my masters, I came back home to the farm, in Canada.  It served as a nice break and mental vacation, and I think was a good way of splitting up work and the start of school.  The farm can be really amazing and great, beyond just being home with family, it can just be a great amazing and relaxing place sometimes.  Almost therapeutic - which you may also infer from these pictures I snapped one evening when the lighting was so perfect I made a mad rush for my camera.

-The homestead - sunset, perfect light

-Jules in a field of gold - (oats)

-sunset, rural Ontario

-field of gold - looks like its on top of the world

Last day of work

With the craziness and being busy with moving and lots of other stuff, it's been a little bit since posting.

I guess here's a quick recap on the end of June.  Last day of work at van der Veer Designers was cool.  We had a BBQ on the rooftop terrace, which was only slightly rained out.  Was a nice time, and people brought a nice variety of good food.

I tried to bring my bit of Canadiana by making a Maple marinade for some salmon which we grilled, as well as making 2 maple walnut cheesecakes which were VERY rich (like 4 bricks of Philly and 3 eggs per cake rich), which was super good.

-Moment of rain on the rooftop terrace - still a great location to hold a BBQ

-some of the spread - some great salads to accompany what was BBQ'd, as well as my maple walnut cheesecake

-things I'll miss - just a cool street scene in Utrecht which I recognized on one of my final evenings there as something I'll miss: the cafes/restaurants with the large street patios and street life, the human scale of things, and bicycles everywhere - a great way to live.

-life condensed - this was my final train trip from Utrecht (moving stuff to relatives in the NL), and walking around with a full size suitcase, 40L hiking pack, another bag, and a bike in a box is no easy task.