Design Workshops
Consequences are tied to every move we make. - Malcolm Wells, Gentle Architecture (1981)
ISU Design studio 2016
ARCH 401 Ecologic - Options for Rehabilitative Architecture
The original value scale for sustainability of human habitation was developed by architect Malcolm Wells in 1969. A perfect score on the Wells scale is “Wilderness.” Drawing on the wisdom of Well’s system, the studio, Ecologic - Options for Rehabilitative Architecture focuses on buildings that prioritize the fundamentals of sustainable and ethical habitation.
This studio sprang out of SEED with the hope to maintain interest and energy in community scale projects supporting sustainability. The strategy is two prong in that students spark interest and mobilize people in the community in the short-term and in the long term students are given the opportunity to engage in community-based design challenges setting them up for potential action throughout their careers.
The original value scale for sustainability of human habitation was developed by architect Malcolm Wells in 1969. A perfect score on the Wells scale is “Wilderness.” Drawing on the wisdom of Well’s system, the studio, Ecologic - Options for Rehabilitative Architecture focuses on buildings that prioritize the fundamentals of sustainable and ethical habitation.
This studio sprang out of SEED with the hope to maintain interest and energy in community scale projects supporting sustainability. The strategy is two prong in that students spark interest and mobilize people in the community in the short-term and in the long term students are given the opportunity to engage in community-based design challenges setting them up for potential action throughout their careers.
The Loop - Nolan Christiansen ISU (Hansen Jury Nominee)
“The LOOP” consists of an aquaponic greenhouse, market, and housing - designed to make connections with people / businesses (social loop), ecology (ecological loop), and architecture (architectural loop). “ The LOOP” functions like a closed-loop natural system, where the outputs of one system are the inputs of another. This project is a model for regeneration. It has a holistic approach that uses various innovative technologies and practices to empower families and businesses to develop relationships and a sense of community.
The Loop - Nolan Christiansen ISU (Hansen Jury Nominee)
The Loop is not directly being developed but a lot of community work has gone into the spirit of urban ecology represented in the Loop via a Friends of Pollinator Parks initiative in Columbus that has received considerable support.
Community Dialogue at TLR
Indiana University immersive workshops 2016
After the excursion in the park foraging the treat is provided. Amazing food prepared with foraged food from the Weedeater. Acorn flour waffles are stunningly good.
Field notes and reflections
In the afternoon, we went to the downtown of Columbus and visited The Living Room. It is a simple volunteer- led community. We went to talk with residents there. And discussed about their idea about how to be part of SEED and how to encourage or attract more people, more artists, more funder and more groups participate in SEED and keep it growing. There are many ways we can encourage more people participate in SEED. For example, from the public/ private education side. From the discussion, I learned a lot of valuable things. I think the SEED project can not only bring the nature and human together, but also improve the relationship between people. - Yang Yang, IU
In the afternoon, we went to the downtown of Columbus and visited The Living Room. It is a simple volunteer- led community. We went to talk with residents there. And discussed about their idea about how to be part of SEED and how to encourage or attract more people, more artists, more funder and more groups participate in SEED and keep it growing. There are many ways we can encourage more people participate in SEED. For example, from the public/ private education side. From the discussion, I learned a lot of valuable things. I think the SEED project can not only bring the nature and human together, but also improve the relationship between people. - Yang Yang, IU
Planting at the TLR plot.
Garlic mustard is an aggressive invasive plant. The best way to control is to eat it. The mustard has a tangy flavor, superfood benefits and adaptable and easy to enjoy from raw to sauteed.
Building relationships is the foundation of all efforts for positive change. Relationships take time and exceed market driven constraints and sensibilities so from the beginning designers have to understand what brings them to a project a what will sustain them. Every community has people who are ready, willing and able to engage. The Living Room (TLR) was a point of engagement for Tyler's mom, and his mom became the point person for many in the community.
Small group session working notes.
Sample from the Weedeater's kitchen.
I was in The Living Room with residents of Columbus. They were telling me how they are struggling with getting people to care about what they want to do to better their community. I felt compelled to do something to help, but didn’t know what I could do.
The sixth and final workshop was an enriching and enjoyable experience. Again, we visited Columbus and met with Clyde (@theweedeater) to learn more about foraging, this time later sampling the delectable tastes of these all-natural foods. I was inspired by the authentic tastes of the plants and seeds we found from picking off the ground. I learned that there is so much more outdoors to add to different entrées, such as salads and yogurts, to enhance natural flavors of vegetables and spices.
We visited The Living Room again; we interacted with residents of Columbus and members of the church who work to improve their community. This time, I spoke with Eric and one of the landlords about how to encourage community members to get involved in certain efforts to improve the quality of life in Columbus. I am still trying to think about how Columbus residents can be encouraged to get involved in community efforts.
- N. Goldman IU - Design and Ecology Workshop
The sixth and final workshop was an enriching and enjoyable experience. Again, we visited Columbus and met with Clyde (@theweedeater) to learn more about foraging, this time later sampling the delectable tastes of these all-natural foods. I was inspired by the authentic tastes of the plants and seeds we found from picking off the ground. I learned that there is so much more outdoors to add to different entrées, such as salads and yogurts, to enhance natural flavors of vegetables and spices.
We visited The Living Room again; we interacted with residents of Columbus and members of the church who work to improve their community. This time, I spoke with Eric and one of the landlords about how to encourage community members to get involved in certain efforts to improve the quality of life in Columbus. I am still trying to think about how Columbus residents can be encouraged to get involved in community efforts.
- N. Goldman IU - Design and Ecology Workshop
Small group discussion and proposal session notes.
Joey Leo had started us off with a tour of his urban farming including bee hives before rejoining us for the workshop at TLR.
From the weekend work shop class I’ve learn lots of things and meet different people from different community was really fun. At the first class which was Friday, we been told from a survey how environment related to art, community and society. Also we learned a concept called “The common”. “The Common”, means some of the space own by no one but kind of belong to everyone, because everyone could able to use or share that space. There are tons of are like that we called “The Common” space.
Saturday was a cold day, weather was like keep freezing. But anyway the day trip was very interesting, we stop at a famous company at Columbus they used the space outside of the company to build plant and food etc. They plant own food and serve their own company employees and donate rest of the remaining. They are doing something really sustainability and benefit to environment which was really impressive. After that we’ve been a park, we have chance to taste the nature “free food” which was the wild grass. We been teaches recognize some of the grass kind of distinguish which was eatable and which was unable, and learning more nature knowledge.
At the last, we went to “The living room” church. There were a story I heard from the church volunteer, why the church arrange like a living room and called living room because at the beginning some of the Christian don’t have place to meeting so they just find a place where is a living room to meet each time. After all the meeting attend increasing, they rent a place to meet. Even though they got a place they still want keep the all traditional so that how the living room comes. At the living room church, we attend a “Seed” program the goal of “seed” program is about build a nicely “The Common” space. From different group community the “seed” program gather us together, we got neighbor organization community, students, landlord, renter, agent, etc. We sitting together talk to each other and meet different group and spread our idea. After all we plant at outside of the church there was a space between road and church which is the space we called “The Common”, that was my first time plant tree looking forward to see when they grow.
I really like the idea of the “seed” program, the program bring different community together even they got different motivation. Like from landlord side they have more profitable motivation, and student wants more credit or neighbor organization wants meet people nearly by. Motivation brings those people together, but we do good things together for environment and get chance to know the important of sustainability to society. - Zhenyu Yang IU
Saturday was a cold day, weather was like keep freezing. But anyway the day trip was very interesting, we stop at a famous company at Columbus they used the space outside of the company to build plant and food etc. They plant own food and serve their own company employees and donate rest of the remaining. They are doing something really sustainability and benefit to environment which was really impressive. After that we’ve been a park, we have chance to taste the nature “free food” which was the wild grass. We been teaches recognize some of the grass kind of distinguish which was eatable and which was unable, and learning more nature knowledge.
At the last, we went to “The living room” church. There were a story I heard from the church volunteer, why the church arrange like a living room and called living room because at the beginning some of the Christian don’t have place to meeting so they just find a place where is a living room to meet each time. After all the meeting attend increasing, they rent a place to meet. Even though they got a place they still want keep the all traditional so that how the living room comes. At the living room church, we attend a “Seed” program the goal of “seed” program is about build a nicely “The Common” space. From different group community the “seed” program gather us together, we got neighbor organization community, students, landlord, renter, agent, etc. We sitting together talk to each other and meet different group and spread our idea. After all we plant at outside of the church there was a space between road and church which is the space we called “The Common”, that was my first time plant tree looking forward to see when they grow.
I really like the idea of the “seed” program, the program bring different community together even they got different motivation. Like from landlord side they have more profitable motivation, and student wants more credit or neighbor organization wants meet people nearly by. Motivation brings those people together, but we do good things together for environment and get chance to know the important of sustainability to society. - Zhenyu Yang IU
Joey Leo and Tyler Reynolds from TLR/Lincoln Central discuss in workshop with Indiana University students.
Workshop handouts w/notes from IU student Agnes Jonaityte.
The Living Room reflects the desire to be open and accessible to anyone in the community at any time.
In last weekend, first day we went to the hall’s class to meet with professor first time and talk about how we can prepare the second day, and what topic we need know. It class let us can feel more better breath and more better environment.
Then second day, I went to Columbus with classmates. And professor leader us to experience outdoor activities. First we take the shuttle to the Columbus about 1 hour, in this our we star to search this city at google, we want to knowledge deeper. And then we arrived a large grass, we saw the white box, professor tell us this is hive, it is interesting I never know this before this class, then we know the hive knowledge, then we across the big grass, it is need some time to walk and we can breath fresh air. Then we take the shuttle again and arrived a woods. It is name Lincoln Park and nearly by a clear river, lots of woods, flowers and variable grass.
Everything is new for us because we usually stay at home to play at weekends. Then the other people show the variables grass to us, such as peppermint that smell so fresh, onions with garlic that smell so cool like cooking, and some herb that can made it as help health. When we across an another large grass that a lots of daisies and dandelions. Then we take a shuttle again and went to Lincoln Central Neighborhood to enjoy with other people that neighborhood. We begin to talk about question together and eat special foods, it is delicious. Finally we planted a brunch of grass and take shuttle go back to Bloomington.
Then second day, I went to Columbus with classmates. And professor leader us to experience outdoor activities. First we take the shuttle to the Columbus about 1 hour, in this our we star to search this city at google, we want to knowledge deeper. And then we arrived a large grass, we saw the white box, professor tell us this is hive, it is interesting I never know this before this class, then we know the hive knowledge, then we across the big grass, it is need some time to walk and we can breath fresh air. Then we take the shuttle again and arrived a woods. It is name Lincoln Park and nearly by a clear river, lots of woods, flowers and variable grass.
Everything is new for us because we usually stay at home to play at weekends. Then the other people show the variables grass to us, such as peppermint that smell so fresh, onions with garlic that smell so cool like cooking, and some herb that can made it as help health. When we across an another large grass that a lots of daisies and dandelions. Then we take a shuttle again and went to Lincoln Central Neighborhood to enjoy with other people that neighborhood. We begin to talk about question together and eat special foods, it is delicious. Finally we planted a brunch of grass and take shuttle go back to Bloomington.
The Living Room
Individual initiatives: Landlords, real estate agents, renters, and homeowners. All people would like to see their properties increase value. The overall appearance of community is one of the factors that affect the value of community. Therefore gardening project is what they have been working on. The common space in front of the Living Room is also a great role model for neighbors. Common space is not belong to anyone but at the same time, it also own by everyone. They hope they start with a small project that may motivate others. Surely, there are obstacles that they encountering. First of all, people have no time to do the garden. Secondly, not a lot of people are involving in making community better. Last but not least, people only think about short term instead of long term, therefore they are less likely to invest in their properties. Fortunately, students from different colleges in Columbus take part in the community and help community.
Landlords: only do what profit them instead of community. Yet, they will do things to make their properties more valuable. So they earn more after they sell. Real estate agents have connections with landlords and help them manage the resources. They get profit by renting out or selling landlords’ properties. Renters need to pay the rent to homeowners. Homeowners are either landlords or they buy lands from landlords.
Individual initiatives: Artists, designers, naturalists, restorationists. The community is cyclist friendly. They have the “Bike Share” program in east Columbus, which includes having bicycles available for people to rent and having a bicycle lane for bikers. They also have a small garden near the park. The small garden is for children live in the community. They believe they could help neighbors start knowing each other if their children involve in the community. The future event that they will do is to take a walk in the community and have free
giveaways.
Organizational initiatives: Parks, groups, funders
The Living Room church is the combined of different organizations in the community that having a same goal, which is making the community a better place to live. The main ones are neighborhood alliances, a group that work similar to crime hearings, and church. The main income of Living Room is from the generous members, usually they are key internals. - Ching Ping Chan
Individual initiatives: Landlords, real estate agents, renters, and homeowners. All people would like to see their properties increase value. The overall appearance of community is one of the factors that affect the value of community. Therefore gardening project is what they have been working on. The common space in front of the Living Room is also a great role model for neighbors. Common space is not belong to anyone but at the same time, it also own by everyone. They hope they start with a small project that may motivate others. Surely, there are obstacles that they encountering. First of all, people have no time to do the garden. Secondly, not a lot of people are involving in making community better. Last but not least, people only think about short term instead of long term, therefore they are less likely to invest in their properties. Fortunately, students from different colleges in Columbus take part in the community and help community.
Landlords: only do what profit them instead of community. Yet, they will do things to make their properties more valuable. So they earn more after they sell. Real estate agents have connections with landlords and help them manage the resources. They get profit by renting out or selling landlords’ properties. Renters need to pay the rent to homeowners. Homeowners are either landlords or they buy lands from landlords.
Individual initiatives: Artists, designers, naturalists, restorationists. The community is cyclist friendly. They have the “Bike Share” program in east Columbus, which includes having bicycles available for people to rent and having a bicycle lane for bikers. They also have a small garden near the park. The small garden is for children live in the community. They believe they could help neighbors start knowing each other if their children involve in the community. The future event that they will do is to take a walk in the community and have free
giveaways.
Organizational initiatives: Parks, groups, funders
The Living Room church is the combined of different organizations in the community that having a same goal, which is making the community a better place to live. The main ones are neighborhood alliances, a group that work similar to crime hearings, and church. The main income of Living Room is from the generous members, usually they are key internals. - Ching Ping Chan
In the Field with "the Weedeater"
Our foraging journey begins in an unassuming location - Noblitt Park
In last weekend, first day we went to the hall’s class to meet with professor first time and talk about how we can prepare the second day, and what topic we need know. It class let us can feel more better breath and more better environment.
Then second day, I went to Columbus with classmates. And professor leader us to experience outdoor activities. First we take the shuttle to the Columbus about 1 hour, in this our we star to search this city at google, we want to knowledge deeper. And then we arrived a large grass, we saw the white box, professor tell us this is hive, it is interesting I never know this before this class, then we know the hive knowledge, then we across the big grass, it is need some time to walk and we can breath fresh air. Then we take the shuttle again and arrived a woods. It is name Lincoln Park and nearly by a clear river, lots of woods, flowers and variable grass.
Everything is new for us because we usually stay at home to play at weekends. Then the other people show the variables grass to us, such as peppermint that smell so fresh, onions with garlic that smell so cool like cooking, and some herb that can made it as help health. When we across an another large grass that a lots of daisies and dandelions. Then we take a shuttle again and went to Lincoln Central Neighborhood to enjoy with other people that neighborhood. We begin to talk about question together and eat special foods, it is delicious. Finally we planted a brunch of grass and take shuttle go back to Bloomington. - Linlin Zhu
Then second day, I went to Columbus with classmates. And professor leader us to experience outdoor activities. First we take the shuttle to the Columbus about 1 hour, in this our we star to search this city at google, we want to knowledge deeper. And then we arrived a large grass, we saw the white box, professor tell us this is hive, it is interesting I never know this before this class, then we know the hive knowledge, then we across the big grass, it is need some time to walk and we can breath fresh air. Then we take the shuttle again and arrived a woods. It is name Lincoln Park and nearly by a clear river, lots of woods, flowers and variable grass.
Everything is new for us because we usually stay at home to play at weekends. Then the other people show the variables grass to us, such as peppermint that smell so fresh, onions with garlic that smell so cool like cooking, and some herb that can made it as help health. When we across an another large grass that a lots of daisies and dandelions. Then we take a shuttle again and went to Lincoln Central Neighborhood to enjoy with other people that neighborhood. We begin to talk about question together and eat special foods, it is delicious. Finally we planted a brunch of grass and take shuttle go back to Bloomington. - Linlin Zhu
Field notes and reflections from IU student Agnes Jonaityte.
Food is everywhere ... the Weedeater locates a root for sampling
Student field notes from a cold day.
The simple task of being outdoors and searching for food in less than cozy weather reflects how we are disconnected from "nature."
Last Saturday we went to Columbus, Indiana for field trip. It was second time for me to forage with “weed eater” and discussed inside “Living Room”. In my personal feeling, I enjoyed more in this trip compared with last time. Because we had more interactive with weed eater and people in the Living Room.
For this workshop, the main theme is SEED project. The SEED project is focus on Columbus and Lincoln Central Neighborhood development. Since Columbus is developing, people disregard the character, the people, history and diversity of a community. So SEED wants make Columbus people aware of the commons “what we share”. To keeps those elements inside the community while Columbus is developing. “What we share”, which means that we have to share the creations of both nature and society, and should to preserve for next generations.
We foraged with “weed eater”, acknowledged and tasted different types of plants. Such as, butterfly weed, blackeyed susan and purple coneflower. The butterfly weed tasted kind of sweet and sour. The weed eater collected some plants and made salad and waffles for us, which are really good. It also inspired me about the importance of nature.
At the beginning of this workshop, we did some Commons Survey. Those all about how to maintain the natural resources while country is developing. I thought it is so hard to keep balance between developing and maintaining. But after I talked with Joey who from the Living Room, I had some new perspectives. He said there are several issues in the Columbus. There are a lot of abandoned buildings, such as parking lot, church and factory. Some of them are beautiful and vintage, but people just leaving them empty. Maybe after several years, those all will be demolish. Joey suggested that people should reuse form those buildings. Renovated, repainted, plant more trees. Do not lose character and history from those buildings. - Shiqu Yuan
For this workshop, the main theme is SEED project. The SEED project is focus on Columbus and Lincoln Central Neighborhood development. Since Columbus is developing, people disregard the character, the people, history and diversity of a community. So SEED wants make Columbus people aware of the commons “what we share”. To keeps those elements inside the community while Columbus is developing. “What we share”, which means that we have to share the creations of both nature and society, and should to preserve for next generations.
We foraged with “weed eater”, acknowledged and tasted different types of plants. Such as, butterfly weed, blackeyed susan and purple coneflower. The butterfly weed tasted kind of sweet and sour. The weed eater collected some plants and made salad and waffles for us, which are really good. It also inspired me about the importance of nature.
At the beginning of this workshop, we did some Commons Survey. Those all about how to maintain the natural resources while country is developing. I thought it is so hard to keep balance between developing and maintaining. But after I talked with Joey who from the Living Room, I had some new perspectives. He said there are several issues in the Columbus. There are a lot of abandoned buildings, such as parking lot, church and factory. Some of them are beautiful and vintage, but people just leaving them empty. Maybe after several years, those all will be demolish. Joey suggested that people should reuse form those buildings. Renovated, repainted, plant more trees. Do not lose character and history from those buildings. - Shiqu Yuan
Today has been a day of getting close to the nature and learning about the works of the living room. We went to look at beehives, a forest, and the living room. This day has been enjoyable day because I could get out of classroom to breathe some fresh airs and
learn about the nature.
By listening to introduction of bees, I learned about the importance of teamwork and cooperation. I have heard of this idea from Adam Smith’s theory of how cooperation of labor creates value more efficiently, but I’m still surprised about how tiny livings, such as bees, are able to know this. The season has changes from the time we had field trip. Thus, I came across many view od early Spring, small branches growing out of the tree, little tips of grass growing out of the ground, and small flowering blooming. The major part of the day was the visit to the living room. I have not heard of this organization before, but when I saw and heard of the things they did, I was immediately moved by their effort into making their neighborhood better and spread the love of Jesus. After listening to their stories, I realized that small things can make big changes. In general, this was a fun and meaningful day of activities. - Ke Zhao
learn about the nature.
By listening to introduction of bees, I learned about the importance of teamwork and cooperation. I have heard of this idea from Adam Smith’s theory of how cooperation of labor creates value more efficiently, but I’m still surprised about how tiny livings, such as bees, are able to know this. The season has changes from the time we had field trip. Thus, I came across many view od early Spring, small branches growing out of the tree, little tips of grass growing out of the ground, and small flowering blooming. The major part of the day was the visit to the living room. I have not heard of this organization before, but when I saw and heard of the things they did, I was immediately moved by their effort into making their neighborhood better and spread the love of Jesus. After listening to their stories, I realized that small things can make big changes. In general, this was a fun and meaningful day of activities. - Ke Zhao
Violets (salad toppers) Ching Ping Chan.
Slowly the small successes start to encourage everyone to there IS something to be discovered.
Natural and environment can be described as the character of a specific social environment and the natural environment. Among them, the social environment refers to the architecture and also reflects the characteristics of community, times and places, furnishings and other scenery and customs. The natural environment refers to the scenery of nature. In this class, design and environment, we focus more on what is the relation between human and nature, how the commons adopt the community, and some interviews and explorations from neighborhoods. In the following, I am going to introduce the Analytical Engineering, Inc. (AEI). Analytical Engineering, Inc. (AEI) has been a market leader in engine and engine component development since 1994. And I will show what I have seen at a national park. More importantly, I am planning to summary this enjoyable field trip.
To start with, I would like to divide Columbus field trip into two parts. Firstly, we visited the AEI. Secondly, we went the natural forest.
According the given handouts and brief introduction from AEI’s faculty. Analytical Engineering, Inc. is a company mainly work and research on how to using available natural resource more efficiently to minimize the pollution emission, carbon footprint particularly. After that, the staff lead us visit the 72 acres of industrial property, and 10 acre fruit tree orchard, employee vegetable gardens, and honey bees. Then, he told us that, AEI is concentrate on balanced ecosystem. He mentioned that the particular machine and engineer technique ensure that there is no power wasted during the process produce and consume energy, all the fuel are natured. At the same time, I was thinking about if every companies or manufactures were willing to use and draw the technique form AEI, I believe the color of sky and quality of environment will be as great as before.
Secondly, we went to a park for forging food. There are several paths across the natured park. I noticed that grass was grown everywhere, and tree's under full potherb and wild flowers. And, we were told some of the herbs could be made as medicine and it is taste good, oppositely, some even kill you just one bite. I remember one purple flower grows in most area of park called spiderwort. And we were told spiderwort could be made as medicine, but is poisonous if eating too much. At that point, I feel the power of nature, nature is thankful because it not only provide live to us but also grown energy to us. On the other hand, nature also kills you such easily by just one improper bite or accidently nature disaster. After we went around and foraged the park, then we went to the “Living Room”.
Actually, I was enjoying the talk with he neighborhoods; I can feel that they are pretty nice. Basically, we were required to talk about the community they live at, and what are the expectations for their living environment. The neighbor in our table, he points out they desire more parks instead of ground land, in this way, more and more residents are willing to hang out. In addition, he mentioned that he expect government or relevant department could pay more attention on deign of art. He also said, the building locate at Columbus are normal and dated. He suggested that, if the building getting more attractive, there might be more investor come to open their business, which not only residents but also investors are better off. After some discussion with the neighbor, I am strongly agree with his idea, I also expected the city I lived develop more wealth, and people can live at a better community.
In short, I have seen and talked a lot in this course, I notice that how important of natural, and seen how local people live in their community. More importantly, I am very appreciate professor Kevin Lair give us an unusual weekend, I was really enjoy this particular filed trip, lead me feel the power of natural and understand the importance of natural. - Lele Liu
To start with, I would like to divide Columbus field trip into two parts. Firstly, we visited the AEI. Secondly, we went the natural forest.
According the given handouts and brief introduction from AEI’s faculty. Analytical Engineering, Inc. is a company mainly work and research on how to using available natural resource more efficiently to minimize the pollution emission, carbon footprint particularly. After that, the staff lead us visit the 72 acres of industrial property, and 10 acre fruit tree orchard, employee vegetable gardens, and honey bees. Then, he told us that, AEI is concentrate on balanced ecosystem. He mentioned that the particular machine and engineer technique ensure that there is no power wasted during the process produce and consume energy, all the fuel are natured. At the same time, I was thinking about if every companies or manufactures were willing to use and draw the technique form AEI, I believe the color of sky and quality of environment will be as great as before.
Secondly, we went to a park for forging food. There are several paths across the natured park. I noticed that grass was grown everywhere, and tree's under full potherb and wild flowers. And, we were told some of the herbs could be made as medicine and it is taste good, oppositely, some even kill you just one bite. I remember one purple flower grows in most area of park called spiderwort. And we were told spiderwort could be made as medicine, but is poisonous if eating too much. At that point, I feel the power of nature, nature is thankful because it not only provide live to us but also grown energy to us. On the other hand, nature also kills you such easily by just one improper bite or accidently nature disaster. After we went around and foraged the park, then we went to the “Living Room”.
Actually, I was enjoying the talk with he neighborhoods; I can feel that they are pretty nice. Basically, we were required to talk about the community they live at, and what are the expectations for their living environment. The neighbor in our table, he points out they desire more parks instead of ground land, in this way, more and more residents are willing to hang out. In addition, he mentioned that he expect government or relevant department could pay more attention on deign of art. He also said, the building locate at Columbus are normal and dated. He suggested that, if the building getting more attractive, there might be more investor come to open their business, which not only residents but also investors are better off. After some discussion with the neighbor, I am strongly agree with his idea, I also expected the city I lived develop more wealth, and people can live at a better community.
In short, I have seen and talked a lot in this course, I notice that how important of natural, and seen how local people live in their community. More importantly, I am very appreciate professor Kevin Lair give us an unusual weekend, I was really enjoy this particular filed trip, lead me feel the power of natural and understand the importance of natural. - Lele Liu