Social Network Space...Belgium

Overview

• Capital: Brussels, also capital of EU (European Union)
• Population: 10.4 million
• Ethnic groups: 58% Fleming, 31% Walloon, and 11% mixed/other
• Language: 60% Dutch and 40% French, and some German
• Became an independent state from the Netherlands in 1830
• Is a modern, technologically advanced European state, and member of NATO & EU

Economy and Communication

• GDP/capita $37,900
• Internet Users: 8.1 million
• Cellular Lines: 12.4 million
• Broadcast Media: 90% of households connected to cable

Belgium is a democratic western European country with a GDP/capita of $37000. Hence, it was not surprising to find a very high internet, mobile device, and social network media usage.

During my research, I found out that most Belgians use email and IM as their primary sources for communicating with their friends and colleagues and social media is used to make informal connections with peers.

All generations, young and old, have knowledge of cell phone, iphone, blackberry, and Netbook to access social media network while on the move. Internet access via mobile devices increased social media usage.

Another reason Belgium has high social media usage is because, access is provided in all their three official languages (Dutch, French, and German). Facebook and twitter are usually accessed in English.

Social networking in Belgium is used for socializing, business endeavors, and government conversations. The government uses social network media as a platform for communications. The government’s main focus is to increase transparency for its population and create conversation about political issues.

Most popular Social Network sites in Belgium are:

• Manoeuvre
• Zattevrienden
• Asfaltkonijn
• Blogtendances

I was not surprised about the social network usage statistics in Belgium. It appears that social media is used to enhance personal and public life.

http://wwp.greenwichmeantime.com/time-zone/europe/european-union/belgium

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/be.html

http://publicintelligence.net/ufouo-u-s-state-department-media-landscape-belgium/

Illuminated Box...

My assignment was to make a five sided corrugated box with one side open for viewing. The interior of the box is white and the overall dimensions are 12"x12"x18". I left one of the 12"x12' side open for viewing.

I made several openings into the box to accommodate a remote light source which divides the interior planes into four spaces. I experimented with linear, round, and floral shaped openings to achieve four distinct spaces via the remote light source. I finally settled on three linear cuts on the top plane of the box to successfully achieve my objective of four spaces. My four spaces are the dark spaces separated by the three light spaces. I also used bamboo skewers to delineate my interior planes further and enhance my four spaces.

BP1...

We went on a field trip to discover how our current buildings in the landscape resembled the elements, principles, and diagrams used in humanity's first efforts to build structures on planet earth. I observed that even today, we use similar building principles as did the humans who built before us. We use circles, groves, and stacks to achieve contrast, emphasis, unity, harmony, balance, and proportion.

One of the questions to consider was if environments influence rituals or if rituals influence environments? I believe that both statements are true. In certain cases, the environment determines what gets built; however in other instances, it's the rituals that actually determine the type of building that is constructed.

The sketch is an example of repetition which emphasizes and unifies the building.

Both of these images depict the use of stacking to achieve balance, unity, and harmony. In addition, the stacks lead the eyes upward to draw attention to the central piece (fountain & plant).

The human shadows are the people who are performing an educational exploration. The groves of trees reaching vertically create harmony and balance.

Below are two examples of how circles can be used to contrast with stacks for directional purposes. The picture on the left depicts a large circle in the foreground contrasting sharply to lines leading the viewer down the path.

Similarly, the right picture shows layers in the building with a contrast to the circular tower in the background and draws attention to the building.

Reading response...

http://www.google.com/images?client=safari&rls=en&q=nabta+playa&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF8&source=univ&ei=tQ9QTbWDApOgtwfOhJG3AQ&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=2&ved=0CDMQsAQwAQ&biw=1271&bih=639

My design view

My Header

At the beginning of the semester, we were asked to design a header for our blog post which represented who we are as student designers. I pondered and came up with several ideas and yet could still not decide which direction to take.

I had many ideas and I was not sure how to visually communicate them since it was my first semester in the IARC program. I still was not sure about expectations. Our header had to be 2.5 x 8 inches and I originally came up with an idea which had a beige background and some old fashioned fonts. Every time I looked at the header, I did not like it nor did I feel like it represented who I was as a student designer.

I decided to wait a few weeks and see what I would learn in my Interior Architecture program. Once I felt that my R-mode was in session, I would give it another try with the design of my header.

I ended up coming up with an gradient gray header with many circles on the inside. To me, the gray scale is the quintessential representation of art and design students. The circles on the inside, represented my floating ideas about design, out in the cosmos, without rhyme or reason, they simply are there waiting to be trained and properly utilized.