projects

Case Study Presentation – 5%

Find a project or the work of an artist that is relevant for the class and prepare a presentation+discussion about it. Submit the topic or project of your choice to this spreadsheet no later than Wednesday, October 4. I expect you to be critical about the project or the work you will present and reflect on good and bad aspects of the data visualization. Additionally, explain in your presentation why you chose this work, why you think this is relevant for us to discuss and how this contribute to the class.

Every student will present a case-study presentation during class. The presentation should not be longer than 15 minutes! that including the discussion and Q&A. (keynote, powerpoint or google slides). The presentation has to be submitted as PDF format and must follow the following naming standard: presentation-title_YourFirstName_YourLastName.pdf. If you used google slides, also embed the slides in your blog. You can find guidelines for preparing the presentation in this link.

Some ideas for presentations here:

You are expected to present 2 or 3 of the following projects during the IMA End-of-Semester Show (December 8)

Project 1 – Visualizing Yourself 20%

For this project you will collect data about yourself every day for 2 weeks (start early!). For the data collection, formulate 3 questions or hypotheses that visualizing the dataset will help you to answer. The only mandatory aspect is that the data must have a temporal dimension. Where can you find data? WeChat messages you send and receive, the calories or nutrition values of your food & drinks, your daily physical activity, how much time you use your phone, your feelings or mood changes, etc. The dataset should not be too small and not be too large either. A reasonable dataset would be around 4 or 5 data points per day, each with 2 to 4 dimensions.
At the same time, you will redesign an every-day object using Rhino and other skills to encode the data you gathered. The final product will be a non-traditional data visualization that allows for comparison and makes it possible to answer your data questions. When choosing the object to make, think about something that can assist you in communicating your data. Examples of objects could be: wearable, lamp shade, soldering iron arm, pencil case, etc. Here you can see a Pinterest board with ideas: https://pin.it/1a4ow0w
The object or part of it should be prototyped by using 3D modeling in Rhino and 3D Printing technology. Feel free to combine materials and fabrication techniques that you have used in the past, but make sure you demonstrate the skills you have learned with 3D modeling in Rhino and 3D printing.

Project 2 – Parametric Objects 20%

Create a program(a grasshopper definition) which makes a family of 3D objects using Grasshopper and Rhino.
More specifically, your definition should generate a family of interesting 3D objects, which are all parameterized in the same way, but which differ when their parameters are set to different values. The objects generated by your program should be suitable, for rapid prototyping in the real world. For your presentation you will show at least 3 physical objects that you created with this program.
In your search for a concept, things around us which are mass-produced could be helpful, using your definition they could be personalized.
Consider the potential of your parametric object to operate as a cultural artifact. How might it somehow attain special relevance by generating things which address a real human need or interest? Does your generative object have a perspective? Is it possible for an object to be critical? Tactical? (What could those terms mean when applied to generative objects?)
Is it a tool? Garment? Decoration? Can it be funny, surprising or unexpected?
If you really have absolutely no idea what to do, start by creating a definition that generates vases.

Note: it is important to organize your Grasshopper nodes, e.g. using Group and color coding.

Project 3 – Sculpting Data into an Everyday Object 30%

Create a meaningful data physicalization to explore the potential of a representation of data that can be better understood by an audience through tangible means. In other words, in this last assignment you will create a physical artifact embedding data through algorithmic techniques to generate its 3D form. You will select data by yourself and then, you will use Grasshopper and Rhinoceros to complete your project iteratively from prototype to final stage utilizing digital fabrication techniques. Through this process you will identify appropriate fabrication methods to translate your virtual model into a physical one working between 2D and 3D modeling methods. Your artifact could be entirely digital fabricated or you can create it by mixing digital and handmade fabrication techniques, either way you will have to use at least one digital fabrication approach that you learned in this course.

Concept Development: Write a 200-300 word narrative that describes your project. Discuss where your inspiration came from; what data did you choose and why, some of the problems you had to solve in developing it; and an evaluation of your results, considering what you could have done better, and what you think you did well.

Presentation of work and Blog Post: Present your physical artifact in class. You will not make a presentation but a poster that will visually communicate your ideas and results. Use photos, renders, and drawings to better explain your production process, the decisions that you took and the reasons for doing so. For the blog, together with the concept development, present the digital version of your poster and optionally, an animated GIF or a screen video of your project rotating or evolving. Additionally, upload your definition (or post a link to it) and post an image of it. Be sure your definition is clear for others to understand.

Note it is important to organize your Grasshopper nodes, e.g. using Group and color coding.

Examples of Exceptional Work (A):

A very well-defined, advanced parametric model using techniques you learnt in the class, together with excellent documentation outlining the context, design principles, and implementation.
Using Rhino/Grasshopper techniques that we didn’t cover in class, along with excellent explanation and documentation.
Highly creative concept and use of parametric design.

IMPORTANT NOTE: It is imperative that if you copy code that other people have used, you give attribution to these people.

See rubric here