Week5: Contacts

1. Start convos with specialists – see list in wk3/4

Conversations and Lines of Enquiry

So this week, I’m having a chat with Jai at York Design Week – he’s emailed me a few times this week and we’ve had a really good back and forth about this project.

He’s actually said they were looking to use a greenhouse they had set up at last year’s YDW to show the effects of climate change or pollution so my initial ideas actually cemented this plan and they will be going ahead with this project.

Of course, when I set out on this plan, I really didn’t think this was going to happen to it’s quite overwhelming but I know I’ve got the support of everyone at YDW.

I will also be sending emails and research emails out to my specialists listed here in Week 3. I need to make myself an expert in this field, and I’ve been cramming in podcasts and Netflix documentaries as much as possible to fill my mind and lead to further research.

I think this blog post will be a daily update of the changes or developments in my lines of communication and hopefully be a really valuable place to draw a lot of research and information from.

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Tuesday

Conversation with Jai

So I meant to record this meeting but completely forgot – Jai was really excited by the prospect of this project but we had a lot to consider:

Last year’s project was Re-Wild York where they used a smaller geodome to create space for learning to grow in collaboration with geodomes build “Build With Hubs” and Brunswick Nurseries. By utilising the same dome, we’ll have a space large enough to look at achieving something really powerful.

We both talked immensely about the power of art and this immersive experience. by focussing on this being immersive, we can really help people understand the future impacts.

HOWEVER – Covid considerations were needed… This would be happening in October and therefore a greenhouse in October would be a little petri dish for covid to spread, and if it’s raining outside, the warm welcoming environment of the greenhouse could perhaps not achieve the same effect.

SO – we’re going to look at adapting this idea to become this idea of “choosing the future” – the pod will be erected and used as a hub/base for this project. people can then pick a VR headset to look at the future expected if we either DON’T make a change, or DO. This idea of 2 alternative futures relies heavily on the power of accuracy, it’s a hard thing to estimate, so experts are a must. Can we get someone to give us projected outcomes? Glimpses into the future?

We would link it to Glasgow COP26 which would happen 2 weeks after YDW, people therefore have a follow up connection to this, enhancing the power of this project.

Jai mentioned it being visceral – how dramatic and powerful will the future look? Will it be enough to create this sense of shock?

Jai will speak to his colleagues/contacts who know people at DC Labs in York. They might want to be involved in helping us with the VR aspect. He has asked me to contact the people I’ve put on the list in Week 3 so I can start making headway with getting all the info we need.

We’ve agreed to be back in touch over the next week, by the end of next week we’ll hopefully have more info to work with. Jai is also speaking to the rest of the YDW team tomorrow to pitch this idea and he’s said he’s more than happy for us to co-create this and work on it together.

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Following our conversation, I have sent the following email to Robin Perutz, Jonathon Ensor, Alizee Derosseaux, David Diston and Alice Seaton – hopefully I will hear back.

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Wednesday

David Diston replied this morning keen to talk to us both about this project and it’s intentions. It sounded really promising so hopefully we can talk next Tuesday… Fingers crossed!

So far Jonathon Ensor and Robin Perutz have replied but are unable to help or talk to us. Alice Seaton no longer holds that position at the university so has forwarded our email on. I’m hoping to get a good contact within the Stockholm Environmental Insitute so will keep trying!