Below is the script for my Pecha Kucha, the amalgamation of various areas of research under the one theme. I have really enjoyed undergoing an individual research project and I’ve learnt so much about the environments that we live in. I am definitely now more informed about the direction that humanity is heading in and…
Author: vinnels
Smart cities
A smart city utilises Internet of Things sensors, actuators and technology to connect various components across the city. Data derived from everything connected to the network can be utilised to improve the lives of those in the city. The video below explains the capabilities of smart cities really well; I see smart cities as a…
Urban Commercial Transport
I have previously discussed the future of personal transport around cities however commercial vehicles have just as much scope for change and are therefore another interesting area to investigate in terms of how our cities might evolve. Although commercial mobility will follow the same electrification, autonomy, connectivity and sharing trends, the application of them is…
The Future of Urban Transport
“Cities make a vital contribution to the success of the country. But their success depends on an efficient, sustainable urban transport system.” Shadiq Khan Since the beginning of affordable motoring in the 1950s, the transport sector has seen only gradual and incremental improvements for 50 or so years. But now, transport is on the verge…
Water From Thin Air
Luckily in Scotland, water is an abundant resource and we rarely have to worry about if there is enough to go round. Unfortunately however this isn’t the story everywhere and as our impact on the environment worsens, so does the frequency and scale of droughts. Of all of the water on the surface of the…
The Evolution of The London Underground Map
The London Underground map has to be one of the most recognisable and influential pieces of graphic design globally that there was ever been but it wasn’t designed overnight. In fact, it’s still changing. With the first section of The London Underground built by the Metropolitan Railway opening in 1863, early maps were a confusing…
Living Sea Walls
“Omtankte” translates from Swedish as ‘caring’ or ‘considerate’ which is exactly what Volvo, the Swedish car manufacturer’s attitudes are towards improving their negative ecological impact. Their actions extend past goals to make their manufacturing processes carbon neutral by 2025 and an example of this is their work on the living sea wall in Sydney Harbour…
Is Urban Farming the Future of Agriculture?
A food desert is an urban area in which it is difficult to buy affordable or high-quality fresh food. Rather than supermarkets or market stalls these areas are often served by smaller, higher priced corner shops where shelf space is often reserved for processed convenience foods. Unfortunately, due to the rise of urban populations it…
Rei Kawakubo’s Antifashion
After developing her brand in Japan, Rei Kawakubo and her partner Yoshi Yamamoto arrived in Paris from Japan in the early 80s. Although they worked separately, together they created a complete upheaval of the fashion world that would come to be known ‘antifashion’. The austere and deconstructed nature of antifashion was born from a rebellion against…
Of Machines and Metaphors
In a recent lecture, Professor Alistair Macdonald posed to us the question “Does technology define humanity?” In order to explore this we must first define the two terms. Technology is defined as the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes, particularly in industry. Humanity, on the other hand is much harder to define and throughout…
Jess Vinnels' Design Blog 