Lyndie Dourthe

I find the work of french artist Lyndie Dourthe utterly amazing! With her clever use of digital print and stitch she creates delicate flowers, mushrooms and anatomical based pieces from light papers and fabric. She draws inspiration from the intricacies within nature. The careful presentation of her work adds much to her already beautiful creations. I find her work extremely inspiring ! Take a look at her website .here.

Dissertation Discussion

I found the Dissertation Workshop extremely helpful as the tasks helped me to decide how I could tackle my chosen topic using different research techniques. I can use the techniques I have learnt throughout the research process. I found working within a group and hearing the opinions of everyone else very helpful.

Above is the mindmap I created whilst brainstorming my initial ideas for my dissertation topic. My ideas were linked to the subject I researched for my wiki entry of 'Resource Depletion'. This research made me aware of the techniques we as textile designers could use to reduce the negative effect we currently have on the natural environment and its resources. I find exploring the alternative methods available extremely interesting. I would like to focus on the effects resource scarcity has upon the cost of production, buying and recycling and what innovative methods we could use to reduce them. I would also keep a strong connection to my discipline: textile design. I will continue at this point to research further sustainability throughout the life cycle of materials and how we can create products from recycled materials. An example of this are Alyce Santoro's sonic fabric neck ties made from recycled cassette tape. The conceptual artists creations are multifunctional as they also play if a tape head is run over them. They are 50% tape and 50% polyester.

Wiki Entry - Resource Depletion and Design

Sara Greenwood

Textile Design

Resource Depletion and Design

Definition
Resource depletion is the term used to describe the decline in the raw material of our world. They can be categorised as either non-renewable or renewable resources. Renewable resources are continually produced usually through natural cycles. Non-renewable resources cannot be replaced within a socially relevant time scale to prevent the damage which extracting them causes. (Chapman and Mather 1995, pg14)It is in our interest to prevent resource depletion from further occurring as our planet’s resources are essential to the human economy so they must be sustained in order for us to continue to exist.

“The limited availability of these commodities, together with their technological importance...begin to act as a constraint on the economy’s growth potential” - Heal, G, The Optimal Depletion of Natural Resources (1974 pg1)

The main causes of resource depletion are our ever growing population, our excessive consumption and the poor distribution of our natural resources themselves. These factors are putting increased strain on earth’s finite materials. We are now working towards cutting back on our use of these scarce resources by using renewable alternatives to prevent their complete exhaustion.

A Brief History

Economists are highly interested in the depletion of our resources as it has an adverse effect on economic growth. It is ‘...the allocation of scarce resources to satisfy human wants’ (Norton, 1984), that is the reason for economics. Early economists from the late 18th and early 19th century had differing opinions on what the causes and effects of resource depletion were.

The economist, Thomas Robert Malthus, was known for his pessimistic views on the world’s ability to cope under the extreme pressure of resource depletion. Malthus believed that natural resources reach a point at which they can no longer provide adequately for the expanding population. Once the population has reached a certain point the land is the limiting factor as it does not have the capacity to provide for such masses, (Norton, 1984). An ever increasing marginal cost will be the result of any additional output during the production of our natural resources.

Source: Resource Economics, G.A Norton, 1984

John Stuart Mill had differing opinions on the topic of resource depletion. Although his logic was similar to Malthus’ in that our natural resources are not limitless, he did not believe that complete exhaustion was inevitable (Norton, 1984 pg106). His belief that technological advances would keep the population from exhausting our resources as it increased can be found in ‘Principles of Political Economy’, 1848. Norton states Mill’s idea that resource scarcity is not a consequence of our population but a specific problem in itself. Furthermore we must consider that the depletion of our resources have varying consequences depending on the individual category which is diminishing.

Resource depletion has been an issue since the 1700’s within Eastern European society. Although prior to this indigenous groups used sustainable agricultural methods within their networks. This was to ensure the land was kept fertile, for reuse.

The 26th president of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt stressed the importance of preserving our resources during his seventh annual message, of December 1907:

“To waste, to destroy our natural resources, to skin and exhaust the land instead of using it so as to increase its usefulness, will result in undermining in the days of our children the very prosperity which we ought by right to hand down to them amplified and developed”.

As Roosevelt states, the careless ways in which we did and continue to use our depleting resources will not help in reducing the effect facing generations to come.
The consumption of oil in the United Kingdom over recent years has become increasingly higher. Oil reserves cannot withstand this pressure which is why as shown in the below image less oil is available for extraction. It is clear we are already struggling to meet our needs due to the depletion natural resources.

“Levels of oil extraction amounted to 72 million tonnes in 2008, approximately 5 million tonnes less than in 2007”. – National Statistics Online, (2010)

Source: Office for National Statistics; Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC)

Pearce and Rose explain that we must not focus primarily on the short-term events which occur prior and during the shortage in natural resources, as the future is of most importance (Pearce and Rose, 1975 pg 21).

Resource Depletion and Design

Design practice is greatly affected by resource depletion, regardless of discipline. The key elements, which designers use to create their designs, are mainly sourced originally from nature. The extraction of these materials from the land and the production methods which the textiles industry implements, can have a devastating impact on the land and its resources. It is important that designers know the origin of their resources and that they can ensure they are being economically gathered and processed. Sustainability must be considered now, before it’s too late.

“Issues such as global warming, resource depletion and waste disposal are strongly affected by product design, and urgently need addressing” – Greenwood, T, ESP Design.org (n.d)

The textiles industry plays a crucial role in resource depletion. The manufacturing of resources from raw materials can be extremely wasteful and harmful to the environment. Population increase has meant that there is increasing demand for commodities, thus resulting in mass production and resource depletion.

The cotton industry infrastructure is changing due to increased rainfall and flooding throughout countries such as India, causing a decrease in cotton production. This therefore means the price of cotton will increase due to high demand. By March 2010 cotton yarn prices had already increased by 25%.

India has adequate spinning capacity although the lack of power supply hinders production. The chairman of South Indian Mills Association, J. Thulasidharan explains, “Most spinning mills in Tamil Nadu are able to operate only at 65% of their full capacity”. (Livemint 2010)

To try and reduce the effects of the current rate of production The Pakistan Textile Exporters Association temporarily banned the export of cotton. Countries which have a high consumption rate such as Vietnam and China would feel the effect of this. Clothing prices would increase due to the limited resources and their demand for garments would no longer be being met. (Livemint 2010)

Similar price inflations are set to occur within the UK market due to the scarcity of resources. Neil Saunders, the consulting director at retail experts, Verdict believes the hardest hit will be retailers in the mid-market range: "Retailers who will struggle to grow volumes will have to take a hit on profits or put up prices - that means those in the middle market, such as Next, Bhs and Marks & Spencer." (Saunders, N, 2010)

Scarcities lead to innovation. Designers can work towards solving the problems resource depletion is causing. Dramatic changes should be further made as to how we use our resources. (Chapman and Mather 1995, pg16) The introduction of new ecological techniques within the textiles industry such as botanical dyes could decrease the effect harmful dyes have on the environment. Use of botanical material in its natural form for dyeing will deplete the stages at which harmful dyes are discarded after use. The dyes are made from renewable resources, which lead to an increasingly sustainable environment. It may not be plausible for the mass market at present to use these dyes although if independent designers chose this method over the conventional then it could encourage others to consider this technique at a later date.

Eco Colour: Botanical Dyes for Beautiful Textiles, India Flint (Source : Amazon.co.uk)

Designers must realise that the resources our planet provides us with are not in any way unlimited. With this in mind, it is essential that we manage the distribution and use of these resources conservatively rather than to continue to take advantage of what we have at present.


Bibliography

Barbier, E.B, (1989), Economics, Natural Resource Scarcity and Development, Conventional and Alternative Views, London, Earthscan Publications Ltd

Chapman, K, Mather, A.S, (1995), Environmental Resources, Essex, Longman Group Ltd

Greenwood, T, ESP Design.org, Eco Sustainability, (n.d), http://www.espdesign.org/sustainability-definition/environmental-sustainability/ [accessed 4.10.10]

Heal, G, (1974), The Optimal Depletion of Natural Resources, University of Sussex, The Review of Economic Studies Ltd

Livemint: Cotton Yarn Prices May Rise Further, (2010), http://www.livemint.com/2010/03/25222129/Cotton-yarn-prices-may-rise-fu.html [accessed 4.10.10]

National Statistics Online, Oil and Gas Reserves , (2010), http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=129 [accessed 3.10.10]

Norton,G.A, (1984), Resource Economics, Victoria, Edward Arnold (Publishers) Ltd

Pearce, W.D, Rose, J (1975), The Economics of Natural Resource Depletion, London, The Macmillan Press Ltd

Roosevelt, T, (1907), Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia, http://millercenter.org/scripps/archive/speeches/detail/3779 [accessed 01.10.10]

The Independant, Soaring Cotton Prices Put Pressure on Inflation, (2010), http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/soaring-cotton-prices-put-pressure-on-inflation-2078855.html [accessed 3.10.10]

Mind mapping

As I explained briefly in my previous post, we began brainstorming ideas within our groups creating mind maps of our thoughts on each individual subject we had chosen. This is the mind map we made for my issue of 'Resource Depletion and Design' :

This mind map was lacking in research as it was just primary thoughts, so I created a further mind map which included some research into our ideas. I feel I have delved a little deeper into my chosen subject here :



I have included information regarding the decrease in cotton availablity in recent years and the effect this has as demand is ever increasing. I have also researched ways in which ecologists have attempted to calculate the economic value of our planets biomes. Hopefully after more research and reading of journals/ books I have collected I will have a better understanding of my issue and how it effects designers presently and in the future.

Design Studies -Level 3 Assignment 1

During our first Design Studies lecture of this term our lecturer divided us into groups which consisted of students from a range of different disciplines including Graphic Design, Textile Design, Jewellery and Metalwork Design, Interior and Environmental Design, Product Design and Interactive Media Design. We were asked to each choose a separate design related subject from the list provided so that no two individuals from within our group are researching the same topic. We then met up to discuss each topic, creating mind maps which would act as a starting point for later research. The topics chosen within our group were :

• Branding and Design
• Up-Cycling, Down-cycling and Re-cycling and Design
• Mass Production and Design
• Population Overshoot And Design
• Resource Depletion and Design
• Fair trade and Design

The fact that our group was made up of students from different disciplines meant that the discussions we had covered a wider scope than many of last years single discipline tutorial dicussions. I found this extremely helpful and came away with ideas for the different directions I could take my topic of 'Resource Depletion and Design'.
I am now in the process of further researching my chosen issue which will be used to write an entry in a wiki style. We will later recieve feedback from the other members of our group which will contain their thoughts and any constructive criticism they may have on how we have approached our topic.

Assignment 5B

After exploring new primary and secondary research techniques over the course of both semesters I feel many could be greatly beneficial when applied within my studio work. I will use my ‘self motivated project’ brief as an example of how I may implement these techniques. Within this brief, my aim was to research densely populated spaces and explain the strain which has been inflicted on our environment and architectural building due to our ever increasing population. My intension was to create a body of work capturing the essence of city living with the potential for development into textile designs.
Within these areas where many people reside housing seemed to be of a low standard. The slums or shanty towns in countries such as Peru and India display a prime example of such conditions. Western countries have also had to accommodate for the rise in population. Architectures answer to this problem in many cases was to design tower buildings which were when first built an innovation although now are deteriorating quickly and commonly known for having a low standard of living. With these issues in mind I will explain how I could have researched this subject differently with my current knowledge.
Research techniques from semester such as exploration of relevant literature would be beneficial. I could read architectural journals and magazines with which I could collect source material as inspiration for my designs. Reading Textiles magazines containing trends which relate to my project would be another means of incorporating these skills. I could also read articles which addressed my topic such as individual’s views on tower buildings and whether they feel they should be demolished or left as part of a city’s heritage. Part of the reason why I chose to explore this issue is due to the recent demolition of many high-rise buildings which would surely mean it would be easy to access these through library records in the affected areas. Literature written about the lifestyle of someone living within a densely populated area would allow me to replicate this idea into my designs. It would increase my understanding of the world I am designing for by learning about a wide range of cultures and lifestyles. Reading academic literature would result in my awareness of what has been done before and allow me to be innovative.
Another technique used throughout my design studies assignments was brainstorming. Applying this within my studio research would allow me to highlight initial thoughts which I could later elaborate on. During group discussion and brainstorming issues are highlighted along with possible solutions. Interacting with fellow students and collecting their opinions at the first stages of my research would provide me with more opinions on my chosen subject, rather than just starting from a point where my thoughts could potentially lead me to only explore something within my comfort zone.
Primary research techniques from the second semester assignments such as observing and recording, within environments which relate to my subject, would arm me with documentation of an experience that I am trying to portray through my textile designs. I could visit and explore tower buildings to really grasp how their interior and exterior structures are up close. I could establish how these buildings had been built first-hand and study their extreme dimensions giving my designs an increasing chance of success. Watching how residents interact within the communal areas in the building could also be recorded in quick observational drawings and note taking. Source drawings recording what I saw would be much more expressive if completed within the exact environment I am studying. It would not be possible at present to visit a range of other locations I feel demonstrate the living environment I aimed to portray throughout my body of completed work due to costs. These include previously mentioned locations such as Indian slums and Peruvian shanty towns.
Finally interviews would be another likely choice for collecting information. By interviewing residents from areas concerned I would compile inside information for someone who has experienced living in tower blocks for the majority, if not all their life. I would use a semi-structured layout to gain qualitative results allowing interviewees to tell me in detail about what it’s like living in a building which houses so many people. I could interview an older inhabitant who was one of the first to live in these huge innovative buildings and compare their thoughts to that of an individual who has only in recent years lived in the same building. Interviewing as many individuals as possible of differing ages would be essential in gaining valid informative results. I could also find out through surveys what the general public thought of these buildings. Interesting survey layouts would encourage participation. Allowing each individual to personalise their thoughts by providing them with space to draw and highlight sections which they believed were most important to them for positive or negative reasons.
The research skills I have learnt to implement effectively throughout assignments I feel I would benefit me greatly if used within my studio work. They would if used correctly allow me to delve deeper into the subject I have chosen to explore and develop my ideas. My research would be reliable as most of it would have been conducted personally. The outcome of researching at this higher level will only increase my appreciation of my subject matter, in turn creating a much more believable case. In future projects throughout my third year I will implement these extensive research skills at the beginning of my brief carrying this new mind set I have acquired to break new boundaries with my research. I believe I will be much more adventurous in general when tackling future projects as I now feel I know how to obtain the information I need the most. I will use these skills to further research all fields of design and broaden my knowledge of the market. Finding out about the world I am designing for is important in order to progress with my designs. Continuation of design literature reading literature is also key in helping improve my design knowledge as well as being aware of contemporary design throughout all disciplines. Prior to completing these assignments over the course of the Design Studies module, I believed I could only implement my skills and designs within my own field of Textile Design. I now understand I have the freedom to explore design in general and have more confidence which I believe has equipt me for tackling bigger issues in the future.

Assignment 5A

Throughout this text I will describe the research methods I could potentially use to further explore my chosen subject of auto theft from semester one. I will explain my reasoning for using each method thoroughly and how I believe my results will be affected by these choices.
Primarily I would review the literature I have already read as well as exploring further relevant academic texts. The data within would develop a greater understanding of research which has previously been carried out and also create a case to work from in future.
After reading my source texts from previous research into this issue, the article by Michael Cherbonneau and Heith Copes entitled ‘Drive It Like You Stole It’, Auto Theft and The Illusion of Normalcy’ demonstrated the potential interviewing has as a primary research technique. Whilst completing the tasks assigned throughout semester two I became aware of how interviews should be conducted in order to produce qualitative results with the potential to solve existing problems.
I believe I could potentially interview auto thieves myself which would make the results more reliable as I would have collected the information first hand. Asking these questions within a safe and monitored environment would be essential. If the questions prepared were carefully considered then the information would be exactly what I feel was required to better my understanding of the issue and how criminal’s decisions affect the outcome of the crime. Derek Cornish and Ronald Clarke’s text, ‘The Reasoning Criminal: Rational Choice Perspectives on Offending’, places emphasis on this theory. Paying my interview subjects has its pros and cons and at this point I would have to guess which would provide me with the most reliable information. The prospect of gaining money from partaking in these interviews may encourage individual’s agreement although I could not be sure of any other aspect such as sincerity. Willingness of these individuals to take part isn’t certain and it may be unsafe to use them as subjects so possible alternatives could include police officers who deal with auto thieves first hand and will be on many occasions the first to discover stolen vehicles. They should also be more reliable generally regarding their answers. I will gain an understanding of how often and where these crimes occur as well as generally how the crime unfolds. Through conducting my own interviews during semester two I have discovered that giving my interviewee the opportunity to elaborate on their answers improves the information gathered and provides me with an increased amount of knowledge relevant to my chosen subject. It would also be sensible to interview a broad range of individuals from as many different locations as possible to increase the validity of my results.
Observing and recording is another technique which would be beneficial when further researching auto theft. I could arrange to view CCTV footage of auto theft crimes taking place watching the offence unfold, how the criminal acts and the process in which they go through whilst stealing a vehicle. Problems could occur due to the poor quality of film and focus which may lead to inaccuracies. Uncertainty of whether I could gain access to the footage due to reasons regarding confidentiality may cause difficulty. Taking notes would leave me with information I could elaborate on later and the experience in general would further enlighten my understanding of the criminal act. With this information I could set up mock thefts to simulate what had happened in reality to help future design and test prototypes. I could arm vehicles with existing products to test their effectiveness. Awareness of the market concerned and what is already available whilst researching for the purpose of design is extremely important. Observing and documenting the surroundings and goings on when on patrol with police would be another opportunity to gather research. Witnessing the damage caused during a break in at such an early point in its untouched state would provide knowledge on what wasn’t effective regarding the vehicles security. Experiencing just how criminals behave in general would be greatly beneficial in distinguishing character profiles without generalising them as one identical group.
Conducting public surveys to enquire what they felt would increase levels of security and if they had ever encountered auto theft would be beneficial. This would ideally be done in an area with a high level of vehicle theft incidents. To pin point these areas within the United Kingdom I would access the most recent records from the Home Office. I could then search worldwide records if I were to tackle vehicle theft on a global scale. Asking a broad section of the public would give me a clearer idea of the issue and increase validity. To increase levels of participation as stated previously for interviewing purposes I would keep surveys short and to the point. Hopefully the results after implementation would be qualitative and therefore back up design development in future. Again I considered using car thieves as subjects during further investigation. In doing so I believe it would result in a better grasp of their mind set and decision making although they may not be reliable.
Using skills developed from previous assignments, surveys could be conducted as visual experiments using scenarios and allowing the participant to explain how they feel about an issue or make sense of what is occurring within images. For example illustrations showing possible theft deterrents could be shown to the individual so they could explain which would make them feel safer and which they’d like to see integrated into the vehicle system. Using this layout would encourage participation and make my gathered research much clearer for future reference.
With the use of research methods explained throughout the course of this text I feel I could successfully explore the issue of auto theft. Observing and recording would allow me to understand how design could improve the current spatial situation. The interviewing and surveying processes would allow me specifically, to gain information without relying on research carried out by others. I believe these techniques would benefit me greatly as the information gathered would be of a higher standard and reliability.

Bibliography:

Cherbonneau, M, Copes, H, (2006), ‘DRIVE IT LIKE YOU STOLE IT’Auto Theft and the Illusion of Normalcy,
British Journal Of Criminology Vol 46, No.2, University of Missouri, Advance Access

Cornish, DB, Clarke, RV,(1986) The Reasoning Criminal:Rational Choice Perspectives on Offending,
New York, Springer-Verlag, New York Inc,

http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/crimeew0809.html (accessed 26.11.09)