THE BRIDGE
Concept, video editing, and graphics by Veronica Orecchia, Rob Nealy, and Leah Levy
Problem: While students immersed in water-related studies are aware of, and able to interpret LEWAS data, much of the public -- Blacksburg's Farmers Market -- are unaware of the significane of water and the role they play on their local watershed through urbanization. The problem is the public disconnect from the waters cycle/environment.
The LEWAS Lab is a unique real -time water and weather monitoring system. LEWAS is installed at the outlet of Webb Branch on the VT Campus just off of West Campus Drive downstream of the Perry Street Parking lots and just upstream of Duck Pond. LEWAS has sensors to measure water quality data including flow rate, depth, pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, and temperature. This date can be used as an indicator of stream health for an on-campus impaired stream in real time. All of this information is available with more detail on their website www.lewas.centers.vt.edu
The objective of "The Bridge" is to create a user experience to help the Farmers Market be more involved in the environment and LEWAS Lab and bridging the disconnect between the two.
Research for the project first began with studying the impacts that local and organic farming had on the environment and specifically the watershed. Research revealed a cut down on CO2 emissions in local farming due to less travel of products to market, as well as less chemicals in the watershed due to organics farming lack of chemicals and pesticides. Another factor of research that could be seen directly in Blacksburg, VA and through national reports was the amount of packaging and waste compared between a large chain grocery store.
Further research involved the history of Market Square Park and farmers markets in general which provided insightful information on the interactions between the vendors consumers, and users of the space as a whole.
Ideation started during and shortly after the researh phase. Quick marker renderings, fusion models, and samplings were created, shared, and discussed. Some ideas thrown around involved plantable seeds, a traveling kiosk, an event, and a csa program. The ultimate decision came down to a water installation piece in the physical space as it had many layers and possibilities that involved both user groups, the LEWAS Lab and the Farmers Market. Further ideation came in the form of sketches and Fusion 360 models to show materials of different types of water installation ideas like a stream or fountain. The idea of the inset creek into the ground with a walkway came quickly but refinement and an additional piece of the display was still needed. Ideation for the app interface began at this point with different samplings of typography, layout, function, and colors.
After a meeting with Kathryn Albright, an architecture professor at Virginia Tech as well as the lead designer behind the structure in Market Square Park, our group had a much better understanding of the design intent she originally had for the space and discovered that the design committee had orginally wanted to incorporate a water feature when it was first constructed but the budget wouldn't allow for it. It was at this point that there was a shift in thinking of instead of our solution being hypothetical, to rather begin designing it as if it were to be a real piece installed in the area.
Further development then began with the idea for a mural to make use of the art that already exists in that space and to combine it with live water feature and creek installation.
Designs for the painted mural were finalized and refined fusion models created. After an initial pin up and review, there were still a few refinements neccesary after suggestions had been made from outside viewers of the project like the LEWAS Lab, professors, and other students in different classes. These changes were implemented through following graphics for the user experience video explaining and proposing the concept of "The Bridge"
All graphics on this page by Leah Levy