2020 GEL-Lab Design Studio Overview
THE STUDIO
OVERVIEW
GloWD’s GEL-Lab Design Studio presents a unique opportunity for multi-disciplinary, multi-generational, and multi-national intellectuals and creatives to collaboratively and iteratively explore new design frontiers for all aspects of applied design into the future through virtual means and methods.
IN ACTION
The GloWD 2020 GEL-Lab Design Studio was structured with eight (8) teams in two (2) tracks. Each team was comprised of multi-cultural, multi-national and multi-disciplinary members. Design studio participants, spanning five (5) continents from eight (8) different institutions and design programs, worked with a diversity of home institution faculty. Overcoming time zone challenges, the 2020 GEL-Lab Design Studio groups benefited from international and expert input from around the world.
For this virtual course, the design brief, developed by eight seasoned educators, asked the teams to identify, interpret and address, through and by design, any current or future world-scale issue or disaster of interest to the students and their tutor.
Using digital means and led by their dedicated instructors, each of the eight (8) groups collaborated to discuss, research and determine their special area of design inquiry. They then developed this into a final project while being challenged to maximize the broad range of skills and expertise present within the each team to produce a thoughtful and comprehensive complex solution.
MULTI-LAYERED LEARNING
In line with GloWD's intent to bridge education and practice, two key types of learning were also emphasized in conjunction with the design portion of the project:
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Collaboration – focused on putting the "3C's" of cooperation, communication and connection into practice for delivery under tight timescales of concept through to solutions (documented through a shared group design portfolio)
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Personal and professional insight – focused on self-awareness as an individual, a professional, and a discipline-based designer, individual reflection and assessment are used to develop the mindsets and skills essential for stronger current and future collaboration and innovation (documented through a self-reflection journal)
I really enjoyed working with such a diverse group of design students across the world. This experience has taught me so much in such a short time span. The self-awareness and self-reflection process made me connect with myself as a person and designer in a way that I have never done before. Therefore, it enabled me to see the bigger picture while being able to go into detail, to reflect and evaluate everything.
SAVANNAH TAITZ
University of Johannesburg, South Africa