Dots Design Activity

To give the client an opportunity to visually represent their ideas for a site in a hands-on manner.

PURPOSE:

The idea is for the clients to enjoy themselves with the endless possibilities of solutions to achieve the goal for the site.

DESIGN PHASE:

This should be done in the early stages of any project. Highlighted in bold are the phases most applicable.

Vision and goals
Site exploration
Program development
Co-design
Design evaluation
Implementation

MATERIALS NEEDED:

Plain sheets of paper
Copies of the base map printed on paper
Drawing materials
Coloring materials

PREFERRED FORMAT:

This activity is suitable for workshops, open houses, focus groups, online meetings, etc. It can go for 45 minutes to one hour.

SUGGESTIONS:

Do come prepared with appropriate drawing materials
Do ask probing questions to help stimulate the participants' creativity.

Overview

The Hands-On Design Activity is designed to help us understand our stakeholder’s vision and aesthetic perspectives . This engagement strategy also helps our stakeholders understand the possibilities and solutions that can be achieved on the site. With this activity, each stakeholder or meeting participant is given a map of the project area and are asked to visually represent their ideas for the site. They should be provided with adequate drawing and writing materials to help achieve this goal.

Organization and Process

In order to help participants open up their imagination, several questions can be asked to participants. These include:

How do you want people who visit this space to feel? List some emotions (this could, for example, include "inspired", "reflective", "solemn", "energized").
What are some colors that best reflect these emotions?
What are some textures that reflect those emotions (for example, soft or hard; smooth or rough; texture similar to those of water, pine needles, sand, mowed grass, meadows, polished stone, gravel, etc.)?
What are some shapes or forms that you think reflect those emotions? Draw them.
What are some other shapes and symbols that relate to the history and culture of the cemetery? Draw them.

Tips to Inspire Participants:

Sometimes a list of vegetation types can also serve as inspiration for design. Plants ranging from grass lawns to heavy tree planting can serve various aesthetical and ecological benefits.
Material suggestions are also welcome. Concrete bricks, tiles, ceramics, clay, water, and even mable materials can all be used to beautify and represent various spiritual views to the site.
Lighting features are not exempt in giving a visual experience on the site. Different colors of light in different intensities, pointed at different directions can set different tones and have the power to control our experience while setting a mood on the site.
Colors of materials are very important as well, they are most of the time the first thing we notice before in landscapes before recognizing any other thing. We can definitely use this in illustrations.
A list of elements and features of landscape that should be considered are: vegetation type, path ways; materials; colors; forms; texture; and symbols.

Lessons Learned

The activity was very productive and the clients enjoyed it. Through this process the clients realized how hard it could be to come with an idea from scratch and also took time to appreciate our efforts. The method was also successful because we had adequate materials to go round and we were available to answer all their questions.

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