A Collection for One

Our new INTRO project theme is "A Collection for One". We need to collect 100 specimens from around the world to be studied by a scientist-in-residence at Brown and RISD. The scientist's collection and subsequent research is up to us to create. The persona and 100 items we collect will act as a springboard for the design of the space where the scientist will work for one year while studying their collection. The site for the workspace is an unoccupied rooftop addition to a building in Providence. My class is going to the site this Thursday to measure the space and create existing architectural plans.

Whew. I've been sick with a cold the past few days and just thinking about the amount of work ahead is making me want to go lay down. But I'm excited, too. With that, my collection is......SHAVINGS!

I took sample shavings of 100 everyday objects (think wood species and snack food) this weekend. There are multiple microplane cuts on my fingertips from this activity. Each sample is stored in a single vial and all 100 vials fit snuggly into a storage platform that I built in the CIT woodshop. The wood used to make the platform was salvaged from the "free to a good home" bin in the woodshop as well as from some scraps I had from assembling my RISD admissions portfolio. The vials I bought last month from an antiques dealer that specializes in vintage laboratory wares (I knew I would use them for something!).

Basically this project reeks of reuse.

Here's what I'm presenting in class today: