OUGD603 - Extended Practice: Tony Broomhead Crit

Today I had a crit with Tony Broomhead and some other students. He came into college and we all had to sign up for a crit each. It was really helpful listening to everyone's ideas and where they are up to with all of their briefs. I asked him questions about a variety of different projects. Ellen and I mentioned that we have thought about extending the Holbeck tree brief, by creating a mobile library. The tree wouldn't directly be linked but it would be made so that people could interact with elements of the library and enjoy themselves.

Tony gave us some really good feedback for this idea which are shown below. He even did an illustration and suggested that we could make the library in to an archive. 

I asked about my publication and said that I was really stuck with it at the moment. I said that I would like to create an experiential piece of work to reflect what I learnt on my placement at Momentum. He suggested for me to take the ideas I had when fulfilling a brief at Momentum and adapt it to be representative of me. I really like this idea but I'm just not sure it answers the brief and whether it is a bit far fetched. 

I explained what I was producing for Briony Machin and asked whether anyone had any suggestions about more materials I could produce. I wrote the list on the sheet below. 

OUGD603 - Extended Practice: Tony Broomhead (Balloons Live One Day Brief)

Today I went and visited the OS31 studio in Sheffield. I have been in touch with Tony ever since he came in and did a workshop with us at college. When I got there he showed me some of their projects they had completed and some that they are currently working on. This was really interesting for me to see! 

Below are some photographs I took while I was there. The model shown below was laser cut and created out of wood as a miniature mock up of one of their projects.

This is their miniature model for the Grand Designs Live Competition which they won and this will actually be built down in London. This prototype was made by hand, using a variety of different card and paper. I was so impressed by the outcome of this to say that it was crafted in this way. It made me want to create something similar.

He then told me what he would like me to do today. He explained that they had recently won a pitch to design an area within the new Sheffield Children's Hospital which is currently being built. They had already come up with a concept for it based around balloons.

Their idea is to have balloons floating up a staircase for the poorly children to be able to follow as they get higher and higher. I loved this idea and it reminded me of the film called UP. He had already made a little model of this idea but wanted me to express it in my own way.

At 2pm we then went for a meeting with about 10 different people who are involved in the process of making it happen. Tony presented the idea so far and I was able to talk about the model I had created to try and persuade them to go ahead with it.

This was a fantastic experience and I feel as though I gained so much from it. There were a bit health and safety queries from the women we presented to, so they are going to review the situation and feed back to Tony. To say that I was involved in such an amazing brief is a fantastic thing to say, and I have also gained more work experience from it.

After the meeting Tony then took me to Sheffield Uni to the Architecture studios and showed me all of the work they produce there. It was fascinating to see, and obviously interesting to me as I am so interested in three dimensional outcomes. 

I didn't create any design boards for this brief, as I didn't feel as though it was substantial enough, and the photographs I received from Tony weren't very high resolution. Instead, I have therefore uploaded three PDF presentations explaining the concept and the development up to present day. I am looking forward to hearing back from Tony about how this project is going as well as all of the others and I am hoping I may be able to go back and visit in a couple of weeks, as he said this would be possible and great for me to see how projects have developed.

This was a fantastic opportunity and proof that graphic design isn't just the stereotypical leaflets, business cards and posters!

Feedback from the meeting:

Concept:

- Floating balloons

- Reflective in the day

- Illuminate at night

- Winding up the staircase

Feedback:

- Are the stairs that open? Safety first

- If it is open it can work if it is closed then it can't work

- Lights could be in the walls rather than inside the balloons as this is easier to maintain

- Cluster at the bottom and a few strays at the top

- Have the stray balloon in the hospital somewhere - The children could find it

- Different sized balloons

- Refer as a bubble as this is more friendly

OUGD603 - Extended Practice: Tony Broomhead Holbeck Urban Village (Feedback)

Today we received some feedback via Twitter from OS31. I started following them the day of the workshop so that I can keep up to date with their projects. I responded to their tweet today as well and we continued to get several more responses.

OUGD603 - Extended Practice: Tony Broomhead Holbeck Urban Village (Emails)

Below are some of the emails which have been exchanged between Tony Broomhead and I since the workshop. It has been really good to be in constant contact since and it will also make it easier for me to approach him in the new year about the possibility of work. 

OUGD603 - Extended Practice: Tony Broomhead Holbeck Urban Village (Visit)

All of these photographs were taken yesterday. Ellen and I went into college first thing to collect the tree from woodwork and pay for it. We were absolutely made up with the result! 

We then took it into the studio and used the string Ellen and I had left over from our Christmas cards. We used brown, red and green and alternated for each tier. We then used silver paperclips and fed them through each piece of string.

We then got a taxi to Holbeck Urban Village and met Steve who was in charge as well as the photographer. Below are all of the photographs we took while we were there to document our experience.

Ellen and I hung our business cards on there and we also asked if anyone in the studio had one which they would like to hang too. Alex Dyson was the only person who had one, so the three of us hung our cards and when we arrived we asked the photographer if he would like to hang his on it as well. 

Below are some photographs of Steve who helped to organise all of this for us. He asked us to place the trees on the shelf behind reception before we left so that everyone could clearly see them and interact with them. He also said that he will be using the trees for some events within Marshall Mill. 

Here is a lift of all of the different studios within Marshall Mill. 

After we had been to Marshall Mill we had a little walk around the village. 

This is the tree that OS31 designed in the garden. 

On our way home Ellen and I walked past an architect firm which we often walk past when we go home. I decided to quickly go in and ask them about their graphic design team. I left one of my business cards with them. I think the receptionist was a bit startled that I had just gone in their without making an appointment but I love the idea of working with architects to build miniature prototypes.