People & Weather

   In the eleven session of the class we learned about human response to weather. Human response to climate mostly is related to adaptation. People adapt their lifestyles, food and architecture to the weather that they live in. This may not be very obvious nowadays, because of the use of technology. Technology is changing the world dramatically in terms of globalization. But in the past, climate really impacted people’s lifestyles. In countries like Iran that have a variety of climate conditions, adaptation to the weather is really obvious in the architectural style and the kinds of food and clothing people wear.

                                      Fig 1. Traditional costume in North of Iran

  For example, the North of Iran is full of forests and it is near to the sea. Hence, it has a humid climate. People mostly build their homes with wood which is the most available material. The main crop is rice. Sea foods are available, so rice and seafood are main dishes. South of Iran has a hot climate and most of the parts are desert. Therefore, the architecture and food adapted to that climate. 

                                            Fig 2. North of Iran 

   Human always responded to the environment that they live in and try to find a way to be able to adapt in that climate. Architecture in the South of Iran, especially in desert part has the most genius architectures. Buildings are built in a way that they are cold in the hot summer without using any cooling appliances, just by locating summer rooms in places that receive less sunlight. 

                                           Fig 3. South of Iran architecture

  Iran is a country with different climate condition, so in winter just with one hour flight you can go to the South from North and visit the beach. You can experience two seasons at the same week. So these differences in climate require various kinds of lifestyle and architecture to get the best of the situation.

                                          Fig 4. Kish Island in winter

                                          Fig 5. Tehran in winter

References

Fig 1. Retrieved from http://www.parstimes.com/women/traditional_costume/

Fig 2.Retrieved from http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Middle_East/Iran/West/Gilan/Rasht/photo354816.htm

Fig 3. Retrieved from http://a-budding-architect.blogspot.com

Fig 4. Retrieved from http://meganima.blogspot.com/2006/12/kish-island.html

Fig 5. retrieved from http://www.ee.ryerson.ca/~rjavaher/Iran.htm

Aging

  Aging is an inevitable part of human life. Although nowadays scientists are working on combating aging, but there is still no way of escaping from it. So it is better to provide senior citizens sufficient facilities in order to give them a better life.

                                            Fig 1.

   There are some diseases that mostly occur with aging like lack of vision, hearing, sense of smell, and so many others. So by these changes in the human body we need some considerable alteration in living environment. Some factors that could be mentioned are: using round furniture, increasing ambient lighting and so many others. According to the National Safety Council (NSC) falls is the most common health problem for elderly people due to poor vision. So making use of sufficient light can prevent many problems.

                                               Fig 2.

 After we talked about aging we saw a documentary of an old photographer Bill Cunningham who works for the New York Times. That was an interesting movie. The guy had an attractive and unusual personality. He has been taking photos in the New York streets for so many years. What was really interesting for me was his strong passion towards his career. The fact that he wasn’t paid for his work made him a free man. 

                                                        Fig 3.

   At the end of the movie when director asked him some personal questions, that I think that was the peak of the movie.

                                           Fig 4.

  The guy asked him if he has ever had a romantic relationship in his life. It took him some minutes to answer and then answered no. He continued to say that he had never given a thought to it. He was persisting that he is not regretful of his decision. I was shocked. Despite all the prosperity that he gained in his career, he has lost something important in his life.
  I felt that he was not satisfied with his life although he did mention. He had a deep sadness in his eyes. Therefore, I came up with the question that what is the measurement of success in life? Is he a successful man? Is success bring happiness to our life or not?       


References

Fig 1. Retrieved from http://healhty-care.com/men-cant-stop-aging-but-aging-might-not-be-the-problem/

Fig 2. Retrieved from http://www.bocahomecare.com/behavior-changes-seniors

Fig 3. Retrieved from http://www.seat42f.com/bill-cunningham-new-york-poster.html

Fig 4. Retrieved from http://watchmovieinhd.com/watch-bill-cunningham-new-york-online-free/

      

Color

  In this session of the class we talked about sound, light and color. The subject of the color was the most attractive part for me. Light and color are somehow connected to each other. It is the light that enables us to see colors. 

                                             Fig 1.

  We experience color both physically and emotionally. We experience colors physically by the use of visual sense and emotionally by various perception of colors. Individuals have different perception of colors related to their memories and experience. Also, colors associated with different meaning. People in different cultures and countries may have various interpretation of the same color. Each country has its own national color and people have emotional attachment to that color. Hence, the flag in each country resemble their national color.

  I remember that when I went to China the overuse of red in clothing and decoration was interesting for me. Our tour guide told us that in the past, red was the color of empire. So, ordinary people did not have the permission to use that color at all. After revolution it became their national color and also became popular in design and clothing, as well as we see it in their national flag.

                                          Fig 2.

 In my country red is associated with the certain region in North West of Iran. I do not know the reason, but whenever someone like red or wears red clothing people recognize him to that area.

 However, turquoise, which is used mostly in tiling historic buildings  has certain meaning for us. Especially it used in mosques in Iran, it deliver the spiritual meanings with itself. So, I believe the memories of color have the most powerful effect on our psyche and impact our reaction to colors.

                                          Fig 3.

References

Fig 1. Retrieved from http://members.peak.org/~jeremy/bigfun/html_color_chart.html

Fig 2. Retrieved from http://www.picturesofchina.net/China-flag.JPG

Fig 3. Retrieved from http://www.culturalnomad.net/

Ergonomics part 2

  In the second session we talked about ergonomics. We measured different chairs at school and each of us found the chair that best fits our body. Related to our body style we selected different chairs.

  Also there were some things in common; we all agreed that chairs in the Hub are not comfortable because of their material and shapes. The Hub in the school is considered to be a place for gathering, but it does not have the required elements. Using metal, which is always cold and unergonomic design makes us  escape from the place.

                                        Fig 1. Non-ergonomic airplane seat

  In addition we talked about airplane design. I myself always have a problem with the seats in airplanes especially when you have a long flight it becomes really unbearable. My problem is that headrest of air plain's chair are so high, I always feel that these are not designed for me. I could never reach the headrest; I get neck aches and backaches after all flights.
 As people have different heights why they do not make it adjustable? I always wonder what is the measurement tool for designing this public furniture? I am not very small, I think I must be included in the average chart that designers always use for measurements, but it still does not fit my body.
  Also, the only adjustment is bending the backrest that does not seem standard. If a person who sit in the back seat be very tall, it will be annoying for him to sit when the front chair is bended.

  Improving the airplane’s interior can be very satisfying for all people around the world as it is one of the important means of transportation nowadays.

                                     Fig 2. Non-ergonomic airplane seat



References

Fig 1. Retrieved from http://www.popsci.com/military-aviation-amp-space
/article/2009-04/why-are-airplane-seats-so-miserable-and-what-can-be-done-about-it

Ergonomics part 1

   Ergonomics is the relation between man and industrial products. Ergonomics design can increase productivity. 

  The term ergonomic mostly refers to products, but the question is what constitutes ergonomic interior design? What are the factors of the ergonomic design?

  As far as I understand building that makes the best  of all kinds of energy and natural resources like light or wind can be considered ergonomic. Ergonomics in all kinds of design tries to increase productivity. Ergonomic is not just about furniture, having  efficient amount of light, sound and heat in a place can be considered ergonomic too. 

   Having an ergonomic interior space in residential places can give people better feelings which lead to life satisfaction. An ergonomic workplace will lead to better productivity. Living in an ergonomic, human friendly places can enrich our lives. 

                                           Fig 1. Non-ergonomic products

    The standards that are used to make ergonomic products are very controversial, because designers mostly use the average measures of people. But the question is what should other people do? Are the height of elevators suitable for a basketball player? Or are typical chairs suitable for tiny people?

                                                  Fig 2.Ergonomic products

   I believe that in order to have really ergonomic design we must mostly focus on designing adjustable products. Don’t you think it is the only way that will satisfy all people in the same place?

References

Fig 1. Retrieved from http://www.geekscribes.net/blog/2008/05/27/ergonomic-our-health-has-a-price/

Fig 2. Retrieved from http://www.interiordezine.com/index.cfm/Essential_Design_Tools/Anthropmetric_data

                                                 

Crowd

   Crowd have wide range of meanings and related to people’s background it changes. It  relates to the number of people in a certain place. It can be the things that occupy your mind, or it can be just a feeling of crowd without any physical presence. I mean sometime just the mood you have, can give you the feeling of crowd. When you have a problem or you have a physical pain, you may feel crowd in a place that you never have had this feeling before.

                                             Fig 1. 

   The definition of crowd varies from culture to culture and country to country. Even people in the same country could have various meanings of crowded which is  related to the geographical situation that they live in. I cannot think of crowd without thinking of personal space. I believe that they are somehow connected to each other. For example when you live in a country like Japan in which every place is full of people so not only is your definition of crowd is different there but also your definition  of personal space. When people live in a less populated place, the number of people they meet in every place is less and they get used to having more personal space. So their personal space become bigger.

                                            Fig 2.

   People’s personalities can affect the meaning of crowd too. Two sisters who grow up in a same family have unique definitions and tolerances of crowd.  I myself have the experience of having different expectations of crowd. I always had my own place my own studio and I never shared my place with anybody. So when I came to the USA and I got a roommate I had a problem with her about having privacy and our tolerance of the crowd was different. Hence, I had a hard time to adapt myself to the new situation. But it is just a different definition of the same subject, isn’t it?


References

Fig 1. Retrieved from  http://www.CartoonStock.com
Fig 2. Retrieved from http://www.Clipartof.com

Personal space

  Measuring personal space in the class was very interesting for me. Each of us preferred different distance from one another. Some preferred to be close to the other and some far away. During that measurement we realized that unconsciously we change the distance  related to the height and size of a person that we are talking to.

  When we were talking about personal and social or public space in the class I was comparing the definition of personal space in my country with American people’s. About a month ago when I came to the US the first thing that was really weird for me was people’s behavior in public places. People stand  far apart from each other in the line in a shop or bank. Whereas in my country people stand  more closer to each other and they easily start friendly conversation with strangers. I think it may not happen here, because people  here always keep their distances with strangers. 
  So personal distance will be affected by so many factors like personality, culture, gender and some other factors which make it hard to give universal definition for it.

                                           Fig 1. Personal space

   I realized  American people’s expectation of personal space can vary largely from place to place. For example, my friends and I went to a bar last weekend and we were sitting around the table next to a window, the bar gradually became crowded. When I was talking with my friends I realized that the guy near my seat rested his hand on  my chair and it made me so uncomfortable or the waiter got very close to talk to us. In my country people keep somehow the same distance in all public places but here people show different behavior related to the setting.

   The other interesting thing that I came up with in an article was that people’s personal space not only can be different in size but also can be vary in shape. Some  may prefer to be far when they see the face of another but not be very far when people are behind them. They may not be very sensitive to have a far distance from people beside them.

  In spite of all the  differences the idea that we all carry a kind of invisible form around ourselves which is called personal space is really intriguing. 

                                          Fig 2. Shaping personal space



References

Fig 1. Retrieved from http://www.dirjournal.com/info/space-this-time-its-personal/

Fig 2. Retrieved from http://www.harbourfrontcentre.com/visualarts/architecture_
Fall08.cfm