FEATURED PROJECTS
This project will ask students to examine the current climate related stressors and impacts to PNW communities, indulging those anticipated from climate change in Washington, and select and defend project locations, systems, scales and conceptual project scopes based on the potential to increase business/jobs and justice while decarbonizing the build environment in your locality.
Students will gain familiarity and confidence discussing how design in support of Green New Deal policies may increase success of community level climate adaptation and resilience efforts. Through an inventory of community data, meta-analysis of assets, assessments of vulnerability and risk, competence in climate preparedness and conceptual explorations of structural change, we aim to generate critical examinations of risk to rural and underserved communities in Washington and opportunities for initiating large-scale change through design in this course. Our aim for this project is to develop and present creative visions for planning and design intended to generate jobs/business, improve ecological and social justice and affect a new era of decarbonization.
Students created informative videos for county residents with illustrative graphics summarizing the assets, risks and opportunities facing WA counties around the topic of the green new deal and climate change as it relates to jobs, justice and decarbonization in WA.
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Questions you should consider when preparing your video:
1. What are the demographics of this county?
2. Are their spatial trends in demographics?
3. What are the unique ecological conditions, natural resources or conservation areas of value in this county?
4. What areas are at risk of impacts from climate change?
5. Is there a county climate planning document or group?
6. Who is most vulnerable to these impacts? How many people?
7. What actions have been or are being taken? Any design precedents?
8. What economic and political challenges or opportunities exist given the local industry, education and labor force etc?
9. How has this research informed you about potential for GND systems and intersectionality (jobs, justice and decarbonization) in your county?
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Over the course of first three weeks students examined national and local historical New Deal contexts and relevant policy, science and social theory related to the Green New Deal today. In class we progress critical thinking and representation of these themes as it relates to advancing the goals of the Green New Deal. For all of our work it will be as important to consider our desired audience as it will be to consider the design elements themselves.
Students utilized the information uncovered through course readings and class exercises to prepare a minimum of three (3) creative and illustrative pieces of propaganda or other infographics (video and/ or posters) to share with the class communicating the results of their interstitial research into the opportunities and constraints of the Green New Deal, including support of or impacts to business/jobs, justice and decarbonization strategies.