Final Project | Speculative Futures
Retrospective
The theme of my graduation project is ‘Retrospection‘, which is a topic based on the after the New Normal.
It is a project that explores the question of whether there will be a new relationship between supply and demand between humans and nature in the future. The aim of this project is to use satirical visual art to make people aware of the importance of nature.
Video introduction
Preliminary Research
First Page
The Encyclopedia of World Problems and Human Potentialists the types of natural resources that are currently in short supply around the world. Combining this with the data from the BBC News website on the six major resources that will be drastically reduced in the future.
Research 01 -Background to the natural crisis
Although we have always stressed that humans and nature are equals, in reality we are still taking more than we can protect. So, based on this data, I have created a visualisation of the relevant data.
Second Page
The real-life examples confirm that there is an overlap of needs between humans and plants.
For example, plants get their nitrogen from human hair and urea from the urine excreted by the human body. The close correlation between humans and plants makes it possible for humans to supply plants in turn.
Research 02 -Interoperability of human and plant nutrient needs
Based on this reality, I show the overlap between the nutritional needs of plants and human tissues in a more extreme way, by visualising that plants can act as absorbers to absorb human supplies.
Third Page
Research 03 -Mood Board
I then collected the work of artists such as French artist Stephanie Kilgast whose sculptures show the fusion between nature and humans in a strange collision of a post-apocalyptic feel.
These artists’ works explore the relationship between man and nature, and my mood board is based on this, extracting key words such as ‘reverse supply, irony, virtuous circle, distortion, symbiotic relationship’ to guide the direction and style of my project.
Fourth Page
Research 04 -Output Form Define
On the fourth page, I conceptualise the form that my project will eventually take. Probably an app concept for connecting plants and humans. Then a device for energy conversion and a visual dynamic poster.
Blue Print
First Page
Blue Print 01 -Brain Storm
On this page I made a blueprint for brainstorming. In this section I used William Morris’s research techniques and did some experiments with graphic transformations.
Mimosa pictorial design
Flycatcher design
Flycatchers and mimosas are both plants that respond to human behaviour, so I showed them both as two graphic patterns. And I wanted to explore the future of plants that might actively communicate with humans.
Second Page
Blue Print 02 -Evolution
On this page , I have made some assumptions about a future plant that has evolved as a result of absorbing humans.
For example, it will have the heat-sensing body temperature of a human, its branches and leaves will become as hard as a human skeleton, and most importantly the roots will be encased in an embryonic sac so that it can be readily removed from its soil environment and absorb nutrients from the embryonic sac, just like a human baby.
The plant’s flower core will evolve into a nerve that can communicate its needs to humans through subsequent applications.
The object of my character is the plant of the future, and a series of ideas based on the plant of the future are made.
Output
First Page
Output 01 -Process
A complete flowchart is then shown on this page , where the device receives information from the plant and communicates it to the human, followed by the whole process of nutrient delivery back to the human, similar to the energy conversion in a hospital scenario.
Second Page
Output 02 -Experimentation
Based on my vision, I experimented with shaping the future plant in clay.
I modelled it using 3D modelling software, and what the video shows is a rotating display of my 3D modelling. This is a demonstration of my idea for the device.
Third Page
Output 03 – Poster
On this page I made a visual kinetic poster display, I was mainly inspired by the topographical map, the heart and the heat sensing map. On page 8 I made a visual kinetic poster display, I was mainly inspired by the topographical map, the heart and the heat sensing map.
In the middle of the poster is a transparent heart, and as it rotates, the plant topography in the background of the poster takes on the effect of a heat-sensitive map of the human body.
AR display
I then combined the model with reality composer to show the interactive effect of the ar, allowing it to be widely used on social media platforms.
Social Media
Finally, I have put together a video of my project and posted it on social media in the hope that it will draw widespread attention to the relationship between humans and nature.
Process
Draft
Story Board
Preliminary sketch idea
Work Shop
This final design has improved my design skills and creative thinking in a number of ways.
Firstly, the weekly lecture sessions we organised and the workshop sessions afterwards have helped to inspire me in a new and creative way about my profession.
Reflection
By reflecting on this design process, I think there are aspects that I can still improve on in the future.
For example, could the energy conversion device in my design concept have been designed with more detailed conversion channels? And can the 3d-printed modeling be as good as expected? As the content is now mainly electronic and the medium of communication is online streaming, perhaps a physical and interactive device would have more resonance and empathy with the audience if there was an offline visual presentation later on.
Leave a Reply