PRESENT
How I integrated the expertise areas into my Final Bachelor Project
For my Final Bachelor Project, I designed The Grass Garment. This is an exploration of how one can listen to, and collaborate with grass and a nonhuman co-designer. The jacket is made with grass from the Karpendonkse Plas in Eindhoven, grass seeds, and water-soluble thread and therefore has a clear before-life. A label on the back of the jacket refers to the location where the grass was harvested. The Grass Garment is also designed to have an after-life: it can either be composted into compost as fuel for new life, or it can grow new grass.
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The purpose of this project is to encourage and inspire (fashion) designers and individuals, including consumers and wearers, to become more aware, and ideally engaged in, the before-life and after-life of their things. By doing so, they can develop a deeper understanding of the influence they exert on nonhumans, and recognize the privileged role humans have in relation to nonhumans.
BUSINESS & ENTREPRENEURSHIP
With the goal of inspiring others and spreading the message, I worked out a scenario for a podcast that has multiple episodes in which experts from different fields can share their perspective on more-than-human design. During these podcasts, projects like The Grass Garment can be discussed. I did a quick analysis of Podimo, a popular platform for hosting podcasts, to fill out a Value Proposition Canvas. I learned to do this during Design Innovation Methods.
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I think that, with the increasing number of listeners, podcasts are a great way of education in an entertaining way. However, a business model for this project was not my focus, as I mainly wanted to learn more about more-than-human design, sample making and the fashion industry. For a next project, I would try to think about possible business scenarios earlier on in the project, instead of adding it to the project later on.
CREATIVITY & AESTHETICS
During my FBP, I made a lot of samples to explore ideas and making techniques (T&R). I made many sketches to brainstorm and I did lo-fi prototyping to try out concepts. I tried to use my making skills to create a new aesthetic with the grass paper, and learned to work with this material and its qualities and fragilities.
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I learned about pattern making during my internship, and used this knowledge to make the pattern pieces for the jacket. Using the properties of the grass paper that I had discovered with my samples and documentation (M,D & C, D&R), I decided to make the moulds and deckles for the paper making of the jacket myself.
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By applying the sample making method, I found a way for myself to deal with complex concepts such as more-than-human design. By documenting the samples, I learned to structure this sample making and get more knowledge out of it (M,D&C).
MATH, DATA & COMPUTING
I used the autobiographical design method to collect qualitative data about my own experiences of the making process and the composting process of the jacket. I did this in the form of notes, photos and reflecting. I also gathered data on the composting process to include nonhuman validation, and the feedback of fellow students during a Silent Critique Session (U&S).
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I used a template to document my samples and collect the data of these samples all in one place (D&R).
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With this, I might not have applied this expertise area in the most common way, but I considered the value of data collection of both humans and nonhumans.
TECHNOLOGY & REALIZATION
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I have explored making techniques during my project, from knitting spools to crocheting, to the traditional paper making technique. I learned more about material properties and their aesthetics (C&A), and I used this for my final design too.
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I also made the moulds and deckles used for the paper making with grass, and learned to work with the material.
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I made lo-fi prototypes and samples to get feedback from others (U&S), and to help me in my brainstorming.
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Although I did not work with technology in the sense of electronics, I did learn a lot about prototyping, materials, making techniques and sample making.
USER & SOCIETY
For The Grass Garment, my users were not just humans. Besides using my own reflections to gather data about this project, I also tried to take many perspectives of (non)humans. That is also why I used composting as a method to validate my work. I have taken into account nonhumans for my Design for a Sustainable Future project, and thus I was already familiar with taking nonhumans into account during the design process. By mapping out all the nonhumans involved, I could see the impact of designs on the environment.
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When I presented my samples during a Silent Critique Session to get input from fellow students. I used (qualitative) their feedback to work out my design for the midterm demo day.
PROFESSIONAL SKILLS
I struggled often to make choices all by myself during this project. When I was stuck, I often approached others to discuss my ideas, and I felt more confident to do this after my internship.
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I also learned to reflect more on my choices during the process, instead of only afterwards. I learned a lot about myself, like how I struggle committing to ideas. I am working to accept making not fully justified choices, and sometimes even the wrong choice. In the end, I think that my project contributes well to the existing research on before- and after-lives of things, biographies and more-than-human design in general.
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DESIGN AND RESEARCH PROCESSES
I developed myself in this expertise area by using a Research through Design methodology, and using methods such as sample making, autobiographical design and composting. I used the sample documentation template to document my grass samples and to explore how a template can help with a reflection from a more-than-human perspective.
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By reading many papers, I developed a better understanding of how a research paper is structured.
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PROFESSIONAL IDENTITY AND VISION
As a designer I enjoy making prototypes and coming up with new ideas, challenging myself to make high-quality designs. Therefore I joined the Crafting Wearable Senses squad. With a focus on materials and making processes, I learned more about myself as a designer, and my skills.
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After my FBP, I am also more sure about wanting to do more within the fashion and textile industry. Working with an environment-centered approach has become more important to me, and I want to learn more about this in future projects. More-than-human design has inspired me, yet I find it hard sometimes to understand all concepts, and to make it concrete. However, I think that it has great value and I want to continue using this way of thinking about design in the future.