City/Egg Container

1. To what extent do Whyte and Gibbs approach city design from different perspectives? Do you find one more convincing than the other?

Based on the two readings I found that Whyte focuses city design on the details and not so much extreme design techniques. However, Gibbs is very big on drawing the consumer in and keeping them there. Whyte focuses on things such as the sidewalk and trash cans. These small aspects make the city a better place, but do not necessarily keep the consumer in. Gibbs focuses on the larger aspect of design such as stores and stories. He wants the consumer to feel drawn in by the cities design. Also to enjoy the experience so much that they come back for more. I tend to agree with Gibbs side of city design. I feel that drawing in people and giving them an experience they will never forget leads to the most success.

2. What elements of an urban area are particularly attractive to you? What elements repel you?

What draws me into an urban area is a lot of action. I like people to be around and things to do. Most of all I enjoy being outside. Rows of stores and shops really make me enjoy my experience. What repels me is too much traffic. I enjoy people, but not cars. Plus if I do drive to a destination I do not enjoy finding a parking spot.

EGG CONTAINER

Rob and I designed our egg container. We knew we wanted to put our egg in a box, but did not know how to protect our egg from being smashed. We decided that air pockets were the best idea. We used zip-lock bags. At first we were just going to use small air pockets and wrap the bag in rubber bands to keep the air in. However, we decided to blow three bags up about halfway. We then wrapped the egg in one bag and put the other two on the outside. Using tape we connected the bags together. Then we placed the bags in a box that we cut. The first test was successful, but our idea failed on the second test. The air began to deflate out of our bags and I think that is the reason for the failure. If we were to do it again I would probably figure out some way to keep the bags inflated longer or use something else for air pockets.

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