Phase:

What is Context Investigation?

Context Investigation is the research phase of a design project. By the end of this phase, students will have learned about their site or user, researched any relevant issues or topics, and been exposed to a wide range of exciting precedents that will inspire their own project ideas.

Phase:

Example of Context Investigation

For a studio where students are designing futuristic transportation systems:

🚗 Precedents of Future Transport systems

Analyzing electric, solar, and hydrogen-powered vehicles.

🔋 Study of Renewable Energy Sources

Exploring solar panels, hydrogen fuel cells, and more -- be done through diagramming

🌍 Environmental Context & Energy Efficiency

Understanding how context could affect design -- can be done through collages/mood boards.

👥 User Interviews

Talking to commuters about their needs and challenges

👥Expert Interviews

Car designers, urban planners, city planners, public transportation analysts

Synthesis

Phase:

How to Context Investigate

Synthesizing Findings

• Help them draw conclusions from their research (lessons learned)
• Focus on patterns, themes, and unique insights.

Encourage Visual Representation:

• Have students create visual media (charts, diagrams, etc.).
• Display their findings in the classroom to foster discussion.

What is a Precedent?

A precedent is a project done in the real world that can be used to help explain some of the ideas that will be covered in the studio or project.

Students should locate and critically evaluate precedents and demonstrate how the content of the relate to their projects.

Precedents generally fall into a number of categories:

CONCEPTUAL

ASPIRATIONAL

COMPARABLE

CONCEPTUAL PRECEDENTS

They explore ideas related to the studio through critical analysis of a wide range of largely art-based projects.

ASPIRATIONAL PRECEDENTS

They look at cutting-edge or futurist implementation of technology as related to the studio topic.

COMPARABLE PRECEDENTS

They look at nascent or current projects, often in the marketplace, that relate to the theme of the studio at a design and technological level that students can reasonably achieve within the course of the Studio.

Through a critical analysis and melding of these categories, students can develop ideas for creative and technical innovations based on an expansive understanding of the theme.

What makes a good Precedent?

MEANINGFUL

-Provides a rich social, historical or cultural context.

-Highlight examples of current relevant projects.

-Shows a novel approach.

-Shows a novel design solution.

-Exposes students to concepts, projects, and research that they are unaware of.

-Helps generate conversation about the studio topic early in the brainstorming process.

INSPIRING & EXCITING

-Shows a conceptual application.

-Shows a novel technical, functional, or mechanical application.

FOCUSED

GUIDING

Shows students options, avenues, and principles at any point during the design process. Precedents are useful throughout the studio, not just at the beginning.

Example:

Ready-to-Play

In this studio, students will consider the landscape of play within the context of furniture design. Each student group will design a furniture piece that facilitates a playful experience between a child and an adult care-taker. 

Students will look at three curated Precedent Libraries

Within each Precedent Library, there are a variety of projects for students to look at.