Project proposal

Line of enquiry

How do we go about reading, understanding, and crafting images of urban spaces through subtle experiences?

Project proposal 

Through my study of maps and diagrams, I’ve observed that visual representations of cities are often highly symbolic. They frequently promise an ideal and seamless city, requiring me to imagine spaces beyond perception and align my experiences of urban spaces with their prescribed vision. Yet, here lies another perspective on space—my perception of urban spaces encompasses a range of feelings, emotions and even biases. I might feel sweaty, cold, happy, or bored. As I walk by an advertising board, I have fleeting thoughts. In this sense, I see myself not only as an observer but also as an active participant within the city. With this understanding, how do we go about reading, understanding, and crafting images of urban spaces?

In this project, I will explore this question by comparing images that reflect functional aspects with those that reflect relational definitions of urban experiences. As an urban dweller and a graphic designer who’s always seeking unexpected perspectives from subtle and mundane aspects, I decided to position my practice within nuanced and specific experiences with urban space to anchor more concrete content.

I plan to conduct my project in the following steps.

Narrow the scope of research through investigation and interviews. Collect comments on interactions with urban spaces through dialogue and observation. Focus on identifying relatively common and frequent urban experiences to serve as a reference point for determining specific directions and content.

Collect visual materials with the following questions in mind: What images represent the functionality of the urban experience and why? What kinds of images could preserve the perceptual and sensory aspects? How do I define, or can I define, the relations between these two aspects? I will collect and categorise a wide range of materials, including archive images, documents, photographs, and other visual materials. At this stage, I expect my initial inquiry to evolve into multiple smaller, more specific questions.

Analyse, process and curate the collected images. Considering the output of the research, I will explore the potential of visual narrative by experimenting with the sequence and processing of images. Since my critique of functional and perceptual urban images is not about setting a question with a definitive answer, I don’t aim to critique one direction over another. I envision the outcome of this project as a curated array of images rather than a rigidly structured report.  I want to present an open-ended discussion through the curation of images, which engages the audience to notice the nuanced differences and overlaps between the images. Based on this purpose, I need to consider the relationship between the form of image arrangement and the audience and how formal design can enhance the execution of such a purpose.

Analyse and position my studio practice. The research method of image collection and comparison is largely influenced by my creative habits developed during my pure art courses. This practice has always emphasised deep, inner exploration. I tend to form loose and abstract connections between images of scenes and emotional responses. Through this project, I hope to answer the following questions: Does my exploration and interpretation of a subtle or even mundane experience offer new insights into my design methodology? How does this practical approach introduce openness and flexibility into my design process?