DESIGN IN CRISIS
SENSING LIKE AN ANIMAL
The Beaver Experiment
For the beaver experiment, we tried to construct a dam. In the morning we were doing this without any knowlegde in groups of two. After we got a tour with more information about how the beavers would go about it, we had to try again.
To make a steady construction, we started with the big chunks of trees. By putting them in the same direction as the waterflow, they are more resistent to external forces. To make the structure more dense, we used smaller branches and twigs, which we put in the other direction and sort of weaved them through. To create more coverage and a natural filter, we filled the remaining holes with mud and added an extra layer of leaves.
When we tried again in the afternoon, we had to use some daily-use materials to make tools that could make us work more like a beaver. We gave every person one beaver trait. We used a cutter at a 45 degree angle to cut the trees and scissors to scrape of small flakes of the tree branches to simulate the teeth function and movement. To simulate the way beavers transport smaller branches in their beak, we used hair clips. For the strong nails they use to construct their nest, a rake was pasted around someone’s arm. The most important trait about the beaver, is that it swims, or rather floats. So we packed someone in trash bags to simulate this.
The Final Work
“Based on what you have learnt: Craft an 'IKEA for beavers' manual of instructions for the building of a dam. Remember to account for the appropriate way to deal with materials, location/emplacement, tools, ways of chopping wood, the appropriate gadgets to become a beaverchitect. Take into account that your manual would never be a ‘standard’ one.”
BEAVERS
In this deliverable I made a step by step guide on how beavers construct their dams, using my own experiences and other various documentation. This guidebook mainly uses drawings to show the beaver’s process.
In this deliverable I made a step by step guide on how beavers construct their dams, using my own experiences and other various documentation. This guidebook mainly uses drawings to show the beaver’s process.
A ikea-guide who explain how to build a beaver dam. It shows what you need for a dam and how you can build like a beaver.
A ikea-guide who explain how to build a beaver dam. It shows what you need for a dam and how you can build like a beaver.
In order to make some kind of IKEA guide, I thought of the things that are mentioned in there. The most important stuff are the materials (in this case the tools) and the explanation of ‘how to’. That’s why I made this guide combining text and drawings of the tools, the placement and the steps on how to do it. It was very striking to me, more than in the other sensorial explorations, that there’s a similarity between the beavers’ and the humans methods.
In order to make some kind of IKEA guide, I thought of the things that are mentioned in there. The most important stuff are the materials (in this case the tools) and the explanation of ‘how to’. That’s why I made this guide combining text and drawings of the tools, the placement and the steps on how to do it. It was very striking to me, more than in the other sensorial explorations, that there’s a similarity between the beavers’ and the humans methods.
In this assignment 10 steps are represented to build a whole beaver environment. They're based on what we learned from the Beaver Expert and the whole beaver experience, including some tips we learned from building the dam ourselves.
In this assignment 10 steps are represented to build a whole beaver environment. They're based on what we learned from the Beaver Expert and the whole beaver experience, including some tips we learned from building the dam ourselves.
During the “beavering” day we examined how beavers construct their dams: What is important for their choice of location, how they cut and collect the materials for their dams and how they build it. The “VATTENDAMMEN” guide imitates an Ikea manual, the difference is that there are no standardised instructions and that the builder has to apply it on varying conditions of nature.
During the “beavering” day we examined how beavers construct their dams: What is important for their choice of location, how they cut and collect the materials for their dams and how they build it. The “VATTENDAMMEN” guide imitates an Ikea manual, the difference is that there are no standardised instructions and that the builder has to apply it on varying conditions of nature.