Villagio Food Court, Sketches

This image I took from the Macdonalds cashir is where i got myidea and inspiration from.

 

I've tried to do many icons, even without using my list of 6 problems. Even arrows and such to experiment on whether or not I can be flexible 

with this grid that I am using. 

Maha, more problems

After my first problems I went looking for more and I got problems that are similar to my other problems. Basically they all have to do with sign.
My problems are mostly to do with kids and their environment. Kids tripping from bags, kids running around blocks etc.
All these problems are related to safety and signs. I separated them and got two different ideas or images for every problem. Eg . Bag problems an example of where they place their bags also shelf problems. ( image #3 example 1 for bags. )
Not all of my problems will be added to my book but just the important ones that I think will connect as a group to make my book.

Now I have to take all my problems and try to make a story board to see the connection with the placement or pages organization.
2) Will see if images are enough or should add more images to complete each story
then when i'm done with that , i will have to go back and fix my images if I have images that are not clear with brightness etc.

Class discussion

After discussing my problems with my group members, I can tell that I understand much more clearly. We all got the chance to critique each other’s work and I learned from their mistakes, which I will try to avoid in my coming steps. I wasn’t sure about my problems and I found it really hard to combine all the problems and make a scenario. I used my driver as a cast, but I think after discussing with the group I need more people and more acting.
They told me that I’ve got good problems, but Hussain said that I need to draw a storyboard so that everything becomes clear. Wafa and Aisha told me that I somehow connect everything and make it as a complete story.
- Problems of not having signs for the different sections (vegetables, fruits and Indian vegetables)
- Prices are written whether in English only or Arabic only or written wrongly.
- Sellers not wearing uniform.
- The names of the shapes are all in Arabic only!
So, what I am going to do now is draw a storyboard of two women (Arabic and English) not knowing how to act, where to ask or where to go. (Aisha Al Naama, Al Hussein Wanas, Nawar Al-Mutlaq, Wafa alsaffar)

Group Critique

Yesterday we were split into groups to discuss our projects to get feedback on the development of our stories and whether or not the photographs we took clearly showed our selected problems. Each of us took turns and laid out our photographs and described the different situations to the other team members. When I showed my images, my group gave me a lot of good feedback. Sara and Mahmoud both agreed that I had too many pictures for what was really needed. They gave me suggestions on how I could shorten my number of frames and they also thought that by doing this my portrayal of the problems would be clearer. Sarah also suggested that because I have two problems that I'm working with, maybe if I combined the two into one situation, this would not only shorten my number of frames but would make the story have a better flow. (Katie Coston, Mahmoud Abbas, Sara Al-Qatami)

Class discussion

In the class discussion, I have stated the problems and I wanted to know if the collages I made actually represented my intent. In one of my collages I have repeated the image of the donkey, making it as if it was walking towards the viewer, but Ghada suggested that I have focused too much on the donkey itself and that I should focused of the people and representing it in a way to show that it is passing between the crowd I agreed upon this suggestion since it would clearly show the meaning, maybe showing the donkey a little lost in the scene. I have several problems but it was a challenge to link the three problems together, Abdullah suggested using symbols to emphasize the scenario and make it visually comprehensive. (Abdulla, Arwa alsulaiti, Ghada Al Khater)

Class Discussion

Here's an idea of what I'm going to do for the pre-final thing. I go to take pictures with an actor. I draw storyboard to show how the shots will be taken exactly


Once he arrive souq waqif you will be lost in the parking area, the parking is always full and crowded. Inside the souq you will be lost in the restaurant area where it’s hard to find each restaurant, I tried to draw the sence where the actor will be on risk when he would catch any of these ( shysha, heater), and how he would be affected by the surrounded smoke.
Another problem that I found out when I went there for the fourth time, that there is no direction that leads you to the toilet.

In the class discussion I was grouped with hamza and fatma alkharaz to discuss our ideas and to help each other and suggesting more ways to illustrate our problems.
Hamza suggested that I should include actor in my final piece, which he think it works better than the collages. He also suggested playing with the idea of zooming in and out with the jesters to make it more interesting. (Hamzah Abdelal, Mashaer, Fatima Al Kharaz)

Phase 2 , process b

The second time around I took shots of different scenes, trying to capture some aspect of physical gestures and a persons interacting with the space. While capturing scenes that is when I encountered the donkey problem. Trying to capture different angles just to have variation that might help me later in the project.

Process b

I went again to the place and I took more pictures of more problems. Now, I have problems such as spelling mistake in the entrance of the market and that there is no English. The second problem is that there is no uniform for the workers, so when you go there you find most of the people are Indians and you don't know who to ask because they are all dressed differently.Then, there is the electisity problem where all the wires are open and everyone can touch them, and in case of fire the fire alarm is broken. but, i am not sure whether to consider this in my final problems or not.

here there is the problem of putting stuff in the middle of the passages, also, having the carts and the people walk in the same space and the problem of having the bags hanged very close to people heads.
The problem of not having signs to guide to different sections. Also, the problem of the prices and the language.

The thing that I still did not get was how to link them together and make them speak without words.

Class discussion

In the group we discussed everyone’s work, we suggested new ideas that can be used in the book, also we looked at the pictures and give opinion about whether it work or not. I suggested for Khadija some other problems that she can consider in her place, which is VCU Qatar, for example the problem of cutting on to the tables not on the cutting matt. I think I can understand their situation and suggest more because I also live in this space, but for them it was hard to suggest ideas. Some of their scenes needs to be exaggerated, as well as mine, also including people in them will help me more and also after that I need to show them back the pictures and see whether the message is shown or not. (Fatima Buksahisha, Jo, Khadija Safri)

I grouped the problems to two categories, safety issues and wrong replacements issues. Where most of the souq problems
I grouped the pictures, to show the images that might express the problem visually


I try to collage the pictures to explain my idea easily, where the first grouping of the pictures.
The idea of the misleading in the souq restaurants, if you go there for the first time its hard for you to know the location of each restaurant, and also the seating area of each restaurant I bleeding over the other, the dividers between the souq seating is not that clear.



I present the shesha’s and the heater idea by zooming in and out on the images, I try to show my idea without using the cast in my scenario.


I overlap the restaurant signs, and simplify the seating by dots to show the seating of the restaurants.

Class Discussion

The door literally closing on a person.










The excluded long and defined path for the W.C./ Prayer room.












The dangerous aspect of bench just beside the railing without parents supervision.


The people falling because of the wires.


The Bathroom sign, just in top of her, but she can't even see it as it is placed very far and can't be viewed from anywhere.












The hidden food court.

Trolleys blockage.


In this stage, I have already listed all the problems that I wanted to point. I had the idea of what the photographs should look like. For supporting my problems, I tried to add gesture and emotions of the customers to identify how my problems are facing the customers and what is it affecting exactly?

For the railing problem I took it further by zooming on the dangerous aspect of how could a child fall. Knowing that the problem is parents have to supervise children while they occupy the bench.

For the wires I show how people could get hurt if they did not recognize that it is there.

For the trolleys problem, I focused on it because I found it a major problem. I saw trolleys are all over the place distributed. I focused on how it irritates the customers. It was for more than one aspect

1. Blocking Parking, Cars to park.
2. Blocking entrance and exits to and from elevator.
   Resulting in No trolleys in shops.
   

I think I have to create an awareness by sign to make them place it in the right places, or not place it in the wrong places.

I found to big problems too that I would like to tackle:
1) The automatic door closes on people.
2) The bathroom, prayer room are placed very high distance that can't be seen . I found in front of me while watching people asking about Bathroom while the sign is right in top of their head.

While discussing the problems with Katie and Mahmoud. They have suggested to exclude two problems. Which were:

1. Bathroom has very long path which has unclear sign showing men or women bathroom/prayer room and people stood their trying to figure out.
2. The long stairs problem.

They also advised me to concentrate on the trolley problem, the railing , also to create a sign for the food court and for the entrance door closing on people. In addition, I have to create a sign for the bathroom sign.

My photos were quite expressive and showing the problem, I will now proceed in trying to figure the layout I will be presenting my problems in. (Katie Coston, Mahmoud Abbas,Sara Al-Qatami)

phase 2 process b

P1.2 Process b
When I discussed the list of problems with my group (khadeja and Jo), the things that work well was 3
1: people throw trash in the see without caring about the environment and the species in the see, it also rewinds the places look.
2: the wet grass, people go there for picnics and sit on the grass sometimes they don’t notice that the grass is wet.
3: the ground is not flat, some of the tiles are broken and sometimes teenagers broke glass on the ground.

phase 2 process b

after process b it was discussed on how I have to think out of the box and always be "politically correct" I was completely lost but tried to get a few problems that can work in the future as problems that can have a design solution " creating sign"

so a few problems that I observed were people either tripping from the platform in the center of where people circulate or having their carts bump into them.

another problem I found was people having to keep their carts outside the shops but there is no sign for that

the other problem is the queue of the carts coming in from the entrance people have to move aside and make place for the man to push the queue of carts back to the supermarket in villagio

also the abayas getting stuck in the cart wheel

after collecting such problems in class we discussed on what could work as a problem that would have a design solution or not

two important things that were told to me to put in mind that helps me to understans this projec and know how to filter my problems are
1. knowing that the space really deals with the problem often
2. knowing that it is not a personal problem like I've once suggested that for all the females that go wearing high heels get blisters and pain from walking long distances in villagio, this is not a problem that most people deal with therefore there is no need to look at it as a major problem in a shopping mall. also like the abaya getting in cart situation

Problems discussion

I got more images for my book and I tried to get different ideas of problems that I can find in Qatar Academy School. I found two more and I discussed the problems in class with my group (Ameera and Al Anoud). I told them the problems that I had which are the following
1) Sign Toilet saying 'Cleaning room' ?
2) List of classes with no direction. Also placed next to the lift which doesn't help whether you should turn right or left.
3) Students throwing their bags anywhere next to the lockers just because they are in a hurry or because there are no more shelves for their bags to put in. This ruins the look of the school. also it is not safe for anyone who walks pass by that area.

Ameera suggested I should think about showing a clear image of a student tripping, like maybe thinking of macro and micro to show the story in a better way instead of showing students walking in one direction and one way. She also said it wood look better if I actually took a shot of his foot being stuck in a school hand bag or something like that rather than just falling on top of a bag from a far distance. I should consider that to experiment with.
Al Anoud thought there is no problem with the first image (direction) because she thinks it tells you where the classes are in 'that floor', But I don't think so. Even though, you still would want to know where to go if you want to go to a specific class, otherwise you would keep on looking for it or asking people who pass by every minute.

After discussing these problems with my group, I realized there are also many problems i should keep on looking for. I also know what problems the school has already. I just have to go get the shots at the right time.

These problems that I will take shots of will be told for the next process...(Alanood Alattiya, Ameera Makki, Maha)

Class Discussion analysing problems at VCU

Thoughts:
Looking for problems was initially difficult for me since I am so familiar with the place, but gradually when i kept aside the things which we have accepted as a basic norm, i found quite a lot of problems which deal with how the people interact within the space and how people interact with the space plus the objects in space.

Visualize:
I started visualizing the problems keeping in consideration my audience, which are students and teachers. Hence my pictures first set up the environment or the area of the problem and then move to closer shots of it ie i m dealing with macro n then micro.
so i have visualized my first problem as the students use the toxic sprays (like adhesive spray) in class. this is very harmful to be done in an enclosed area, where there is no ventilation and cause breathing problem and other defects for the students as well as the teachers.
Second problem which i have observed is wasting a lot of paper and throwing on the floor. For this i have actually shown a student who is working, cutting paper and then just simply dropping it on the ground, and not using the dustbin.
Third problem is that all the students face a difficulty with the printer. And this problem is created by themselves only which could definitely be amended. So in this one ill show how students just print unnecessary copies and leave it for printing. this causes a problem for other students coz the printer is always jammed our broke.
Fourth problem is the usage of sticky sprays on the floor or tables without putting a scrap paper underneath in order to protect the surface below. Hence if it is sprayed on floor, it gets really sticky and then others student have difficulty in walking and as the shoe sticks to the floor. Even on the table, it gets rough and sticky n then other students work gets destroyed.


the first problem: using sprays in side classrooms
System:
The system i have created to visually represent these problems is in the form of a story incorporating the idea of macro and micro.
For the photographs on these problems please follow the link:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/34699106@N07/

Group discussion:
My group members were Jo and Fatima B. This discussion gave me a lot of feedback in terms of if my pictures or my photographs were able to convey the message. Most of my photographs were easily understood except one or two instances which they adviced me to show more exaggerations. And we all together came up with ideas what problems they have also faced like leaving equipment and personal stuff left attended gets lost or stolen; and how many students do not protect the furniture in the classrooms for example not using cutting mats.
Thus i will now work more on these problems and have better visual representation of my ideas and thoughts. (Fatima Buksahisha, Jo, Khadija Safri, )

Group discussion

I was grouped with Maha and Ameera Makki to discuss our ideas and help each other suggest more ways to illustrate our problems. Ameera suggested that I should include people im my pictures to make the problem look more realistic. Also, since graffiti is the way of communication in the animal market, instead I should figure out a way to have a fixed list of prices for all the animals, rather than having the workers suggest a price every time. Locals might know what the price is for a certain animal, but when westerners come, they could be tricked into false prices.

I suggested that Ameera should include a taller person under the tents in the fruit market, to show that they are too low. (Alanood Alattiya, Ameera Makki, maha)

Problems

I have 3 main problems, the ones i mentioned in class. In the Group we discussed how i can approach the problem visually. Aseel mentioned that i could take photographs of 2 cars that are coming in from the different directions. Arwa suggested that i create a collage for my second problem. Whereas Abdulla brought to light another problem that i can incoporate in my book.

I gave suggestions to all the people in the group, for Aseel i suggested she can create a sign, or put a que guider (i dont what its called, the thingi you see in airports that regulates the que)...Arwa i suggested she focuses her collage on the crowd rather than the donkey, where the main focus is on how the donkey disrupts the people etc...And finally to Abdulla i suggested a coupe of problems that he could consider (Abdulla, Arwa alsulaiti, Assil Diab,Ghada Al Khater)

Hamzah Abdel'al

We should do a book which shows th problem . so what i thought of that our problems have two sides . the first one is the problem with the space it self and the second one is how people react with these problem .. so i went so souq and pictured the first side of problem ... i took alot of photos . in this class i discovered that i should focus on the area i want to talk about because i just went too far by taking a lot of photos to general souq. now after taking photos i am thing of showing these problems in a different ways inside the book .. the way of showing will depend on the problem it self . after discussing this with my group i found my first scenario which is about people dont like take photos inside souq .
i think that i understand what we should do well but the problem is with taking more photos which is i am going to do ..