Thesis Assignment #4

Imagine your project in as many ways as you can. Complete all of the following:

* 5-3-3:
“You don’t understand a thing until you can represent it in 3 different ways” Marvin Minsky

5 Questions that you will investigate with your thesis project

1. How much freedom should we give to children when they play?

2. What do children get out of open ended play and imaginative play?

3. Do playgrounds serve a different purpose between urban and rural environments?

   1. Do they serve the same function in both spaces?

4. How does one go about designing and building a playground?

5. What is the difference between a park and a playground?

6. Why do NYC playgrounds have so much manufactured material in them (and so little natural material)"?

7. What would a playground in a museum look like?

8. Sub question - who out there is building inspiring playgrounds?

3 Possible venues for your work to be shown. Why? ( Look at artists or creators who show their work in these venues and explain why you would want to be part of these institutions or venues.)

1. Outside in an urban space. Where and old playground was or where a new playground is planned to go.

2. In a park. This would be an opportunity to consider where the playground starts and the park ends.

3. In association with a museum. (Inspired by Deborah Pinto Fdeda’s Tangram: Complex Shapes)

3 Experts or types of people you would like to speak to about your thesis. Describe why you would want to speak to these 3 people. (They should be realistic. Not fictional or deceased people)

1. Parents, guardians or caretakers of children growing up in urban spaces (adults).

   1. I’d like to ask them what their relationship is with playgrounds in their city. Whether those are local or non local.

   2. Do those playgrounds suit their needs and the children’s?

   3. Do they ever choose to go to parks?

   4. How often do they go to either parks or playgrounds?

   5. What do the children do at the playgrounds?

   6. Are there other opportunities to play in spaces that are not the playground, the park or the child’s own home?

2. Frequent urban playground goers (children).

   1. What is your favorite playground?

   2. What do you do at your favorite playground?

   3. Can you do that thing at all playgrounds?

   4. Do you like parks? Are they fun? Why/why not?

   5. Whats your favorite thing to do in the whole world? Why?

   6. Do you like toys? Why? Which ones?

   7. Do you bring toys to the playground or park ever?

   8. Have you ever been to a forest? (if yes) Did you like it?

   9. Do you like to go outside?

3. Cas Holman, playground and toy designer. I will fill out these questions ones I re-watch her Abstract episode. I know I at least have questions for her about open ended play. And would like to ask her about imaginative play

Re-read and compile blog posts into an outline

My thesis paper will include:

• Information about my experience with playgrounds, play, and outdoor indirect learning

• I’ll talk about “The Overprotected Kid” and the Adventure Playground

• I’ll talk about overdesigned “leisure” spaces and our current (or designers current) distaste for serendipity and aimlessness

• I’ll talk about whether or not I think tech has any place in a playground

• I’ll think about art movements and artists who can help to inform my ideas

• I’ll think about what the connection between playgrounds and exhibitions are.

• I’ll look at exhibition and museum design as it can inform my design ideas.

• I’ll talk about The Power Broker and Robert Moses’ mis-design of playgrounds

• I’ll talk about the urban projects references in Urban Utopias in the Twentieth Century - Robert Fishman

*I will do this farther down the road. I think it will be really helpful but I haven’t started thinking about design very much yet.

Scenario/Storyboard: Written, video or graphic scenario of the experience. (e.g. A storyboard that walks through the experience for any design, UX, product thesis, time-based media project)