Design Values, Issues and Ethics

At the beginning of this module we were given a brief which required us to choose an aspect of community in our teams and research then design something to help a community in some way. To do this we received readings to help with our research and talks about biomimicry and the background of values issues and ethics. As the venue of this module was the Botanic gardens it made a lot of sense for this module to look to nature for inspiration. We explored the gardens for ideas of what systems are already in place using the methods of biomimicry and the cradle to cradle technique. this was a very radical and new way of thinking for use as up incoming designers but it was really helpful and helped open our eyes to all the different ways design can be used. So, what actually is Community? According to the oxford dictionary the literal meaning of the word is -

• ‘A group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common.’

‘A group of people living together and practicing common ownership.’

• ‘A particular area or place considered together with its inhabitants.’

There are so many more meanings for the work community but in my opinion the word community comes down to a sense or a feeling of being at home and comfortable with the people that surround you. A community is family and friends that help carefor you and guide you on the right path.

This was the basis of our community, for my group we chose to focus on Education which is a key part of the growth of a community, Animals and  biomimicry has a big link to  education which I found very helpful when it came to researching this specific topic.

The main idea behind our community was education. Our research focused on the main needs of a community and how education through biomimicry takes place in these situations. The main needs a community has were -

Shelter - Social Weaver birds nest in colonies from 10 up to as much as 400-500 and they are good at keeping control of temperature with enough room to sleep alone in the hot weather and together in colder temperatures. Meerkats live in burrows which are a series of interconnected underground tunnels that provide shelter and a shade from the heat of the African sun. This idea was one of the main focuses in our final design because it was the most relevant and interesting fact we found that can be linked back to education and biomimicry through the idea of the adults having to teach their young how to maintain these burrows after they pass and as the community grows.

Protection - Sociable weavers use pointed and sharpened sticks at the entrance of their nests to deter predators and intruders. Meerkats create bolt holes which are a sub-system of entrances and tunnels created around the territory and used as safe area or an easy escape when they are faced with danger. Lemurs learn the danger calls of other species to determine if there is any danger near and in what direction it may be coming form.

Communication - Meerkats have a large vocabulary and use different situations e.g. purr for contentment, chatter when nervous and squeal to alert others of danger. Meerkats also use sound to coordinate their

hunting efforts. When the dominant female and male wake up and decide it is time to begin a hunt they will both call for the rest of the gang to follow. This idea appeared in our final idea in the form of a large microphone at the highest point of the island where the two leaders could lookout and communicate with the rest of the community easily.

Social Hierarchy -  African Elephants line in a matriarchal society, so other females in the social group help a calf to its feet after birth and show the baby how to nurse. The older elephants adjust the pace so the calf can keep stride. By watching the adults, the calf learns which plants to eat and how to access them.

Food/ Education - Adult Meerkats bring the youngest pups dead scorpions and as they get older are increasingly given prey that is alive but injured, finally, the youngsters are given intact prey. All of these techniques seen by animals were things that we focused on and mimicked when designing out island and community idea. The main reason behind this is because we found the education comes with everything, no matter what you do you are always learning and parents are always teaching their young how to fend for themselves later on in life.