Yesterday we had the final crit for our semester one project, and it was great to see more guest critics again, as well as several projects pinned up (concern regarding printing costs not withstanding). Fortunately, the feedback I received for the project thus far was incredibly positive, although the overriding advice at this stage was to hone in more on the micro level, the personal interactions that users of this particular infrastructure may experience at all levels (incorporating thoughts regarding greater accessibility as well). As far as the critics were concerned, I had nailed the macro/strategic level. However, another item that would prove beneficial is figuring out how to encourage potential users, and existing commuters, to switch from car to bike - providing such a campaign in diagrammatic + perspective form perhaps would be ideal. This is something I had overlooked - perhaps a subconscious bias towards “build it and they will come” thinking, which is naive & ignorant (politely speaking). In addition, there were quite a few bits of advice regarding either clarifying or amplifying existing diagrams and elements thereof (and for instance providing site keys where relevant), such as the moments where this cycleway touches the ground, and perhaps taking another look at the topography of the bridge as a whole - does it need to be a wholly elevated phenomenon? One other comment that did make me chuckle somewhat is that a couple of my perspective views were perhaps a little too subtle, and a little too good at blending the renders with actual photographs. The conversation surrounding the chosen perspectives also circled back to amplifying the micro strategy that must be developed and implemented.

Realistically, we have 4 days to tie things off and reprint where necessary, then we’ll be in to the second and final semester.

I’m not going to lie, as the previous blog entry will have suggested, I have found this project to be more arduous than fun. However, with the helpful feedback from the last crit, and the proverbial light on the horizon, here is hoping to a productive four days.