Welcome!

This advanced studio investigates the power of products, systems and services to create positive social and environmental change. This semester, as social entrepreneurial designers, students will have the opportunity to work with EARTH University in Costa Rica. EARTH is at the forefront of identifying, testing and sharing techniques for sustainable agriculture in the tropics. Students enrolled in this course will investigate new uses for agricultural wastes and natural materials and develop in-depth proposals for the creation of new products that will benefit EARTH and its local and global communities.

During the 2011 spring semester break this studio will travel to EARTH University in Costa Rica to observe, collaborate with and present project concepts to the EARTH Community.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Final Review

The De-SE final review is being held today in the Gallery of the ID Building from 10-5pm. The students will be presenting their semester long investigations and project proposals for EARTH University.

Friday, April 22, 2011

Happy Earth Day!

In celebration of Earth Day the De-SE students are making making seed bombs to distribute in neglected areas around Providence.

Instructions on how to make a Seed Bombs courtesy of TreeHugger.com
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/04/how-to-make-seed-bombs.php

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Mid-Review 4/21

Today is the De-SE studio mid-review. We will meet in room 312/313 at 1pm for a discussion of the work produced this semester. The students will be presenting their material research, material samples and initial concepts for implementing these material processes as development projects for Costa Rica. Join us!

Here to Hear

The De-SE studio trip to Costa Rica exposed us to many different aspects of Costa Rica and the role that EARTH University plays in its development. While at EARTH the studio was able to present our material research and samples to EARTH's Director, Carlos Murillo Martinez, EARTH's Manager Diddier Moreira and to students of EARTH. All of these individuals provided the studio with valuable feedback and perspective into how the research and materials we are creating might be used by them or by the communities they work with.

The most valuable part of the trip however, did not come from our time presenting, but from our time observing and listening. The studio took trips to experience the dry forest, hear from the Park Rangers at Las Baulas National Park, meet with the Head of the La Playa Grande Community group, work along side the EARTH students on Environmental Projects around campus and see the rural poor in the communities outside of EARTH's campus and the issues that plague them.

These experiences are what will shape the trajectory of the students work throughout the semester as we look for opportunities to implement the use of agricultural bi-products as new material and products.

Students work with the Las Baulas National Park Ranger to collect discarded plastic and trash along the La Playa Grande coast.

In the outskirts of Liberia, squatters build homes out of scrap metal and materials. EARTH students work in these communities to create projects that promote social development.

De-SE along side the EARTH University students prepare the soil for planting in the community garden as part of EARTH's ongoing work in the squatter community.

RISD students at EARTH University.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

RISD at EARTH

The De-SE students present their material research and processes to Carlos Murillo, Director of EARTH University for his feedback. He explained the goals of EARTH to: 1) Clean Energy
2) Clean Water, 3) Clean Country, 4) Information Technology and 5) Enterprise Innovation and how our work may find appropriate uses at the University and in the local community.



Friday, March 25, 2011

Material Abstraction_Process

The students are quickly developing processes for working with the materials ranging from fiber extraction to composites to using mycelium bind the materials together. All are leading to some interesting results. Next week we will be traveling to Costa Rica to visit EARTH University to learn more about its sustainable agriculture and rural entrepreneurship projects. While we are there we will also present our studio's work - the material processes, samples and concepts - to the students and faulty at EARTH University for feedback. We hope to lead a discussion on the potentials of working with these agricultural bi-products and how these materials could be implemented into projects for EARTH and its local community.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Design, meet Science.

On a visit to the RISD Nature Lab the studio took samples of the agricultural bi-products under the microscope. After a quick refresher on 10th grade biology, the studio examined the inherent structures and characteristics of the plants we are working with on a microscopic level. Though we have been working with the materials for a few weeks, making samples and testing their properties, once we got a closer look there were a few exciting surprises. The rice hull, the hard protecting covering of the grains of rice which look smooth to the naked eye, have a fine cross hatch pattern and texture. It also has a high content of silica that contributes to its shiny appearance. The sugar cane bagasse, a fiberous mulch left over after the sugar cane is crushed to extract the juice, under the microscope revealed that there is still plenty of sugar residue and looks as though it is crystalized. The sugar cane wastes, the tops of the sugar cane which are cut off from the stalk and discarded from production, when cut in section reveal its layered structure of an exterior epidermis, interior layer of fibers and a soft woody center of phellem. These discoveries are leading the studio in questioning how we are working with these materials and how much more there is still to learn.

Sugar Cane Waste_Section

Sugar Cane Bagasse

Rice Straw Hull