Reflection on feedback and collaboration

After talking to my peers and teachers about my new design proposal, I knew I had to make changes once again to the plan of my design. This feedback has been so helpful throughout this process as it helps me see my errors, my skills and how I can push my design even further. It has helped me learn so much more through communicating and collaborating. Each week my group would discuss our design progress online if we weren’t able to make it to class, so we would always get constant feedback from one another. This activity would not only help me with the feedback I was given, but analysing other peoples works helped me see the strengths and weaknesses in each project and what make a good project. I believe analysing works is essential to become a better designer. Collaborative learning is such an essential skill to have. I use it a lot in my minor-design thinking and I believe I have become a great role model when it comes to group work and being a helpful participant when working with others.

Although I have seen a few iterations of my design process, each change, where it be drastic or minor, has helped inform my decisions as a designer and how to criticize my own work which benefits the project.

Considering teacher and peer feedback for further development

With considering the feedback from my last class and design proposal- I had made further changes to my design. Rather than having a tea counter at the entrance of the fernery, seating in the hut, and rockery beds with tea signs and plants as the tea ‘zones’, Comments from my peers included that the walk felt disconnected and disjointed to the hut and the bar. Another comment included that there was lots of potential to turn the areas of information on Maori tea history into more impactful designs. I then was inspired by the Rotorua Redwoods public toilets to create atmospheric spatial experiences for my teas. I found potential in the hut where people can sit around and drink tea to turn into the source of where to get their tea beverages from. this would draw a stronger connection to the people and environment. It turns the walk into a destination place for all to come together, learn, heal and share in this amazing history of Maori medicine.

Essence of Design- Mind Map

Atmosphere and Change

The locations of the tea pods are carefully located and spaced out to provide the best area of light which isnt too overwhelming. They are ordered in a way that creates a good balance of their flavour profiles from spicy, bitter and sweet. The brightness of the lights (24W) should provide enough light in the dark so people wondering this walk at night will havr the best experience. The ideal time to visit this walk is from 5pm – 10pm dueing the winter months (Winter is when it will be open and operating).

Forms volumes and zones

My design is divided in zones and creates siz separate spatial experiences which captures the essence of each native tea plant. The forms of the structures act as shelters for the human body to be immersed and enclosed. The commo motif is the threshold of the arch shape which welcomes visitors into these large scale, patterned light structures. The tea shrouds/pods are wide enough for a person in a wheelchair to fit and rotate comfortably so anyone can be fully immersed in Maori history and culture of medicine through tea drinking.

The human body and the hand- a cup as a vessel and catalyst for the experience-

The cup is an important feature in my design. I initially though to design a biodegradable takeaway cup for all visitors but that would be impractical and still creates waste. i rather thought to use the resources already made on this earth and create a collection of cups and mugs to use for visitors wanting a warm cup of traditional Maori tea. The cup will form the hand in many different ways as it will come in many different shapes and sizes.

The wood grain on the decking is another meeting point of the body where the foot meets the ground. Wood is a classic and traditional material, the sound of footsteps ground to being at a marai. The volcanic basalt platform beneath the tea shrouds iterate the roughness of the volcanic site that the domain was, and its texture to touch beneath the hand and feet remind us of this past.

Modelling the Design