Community Care at UIC School of Design

This was a collaborative project with Emma Dwyer and Grace Luxton for a course with professor Eric Von Haynes.

Our group chose to explore what Community Care looked like at the UIC School of Design by asking faculty, staff, and students directly about their expectations and experience through unique interactive survey methods.

We began this inquiry by hanging a large poster in a high-traffic area that could engage any member of the design community. These posters asked a few different questions to scratch the surface of needs and desires in the space. We hung markers along with them to encourage participation.

For the second round of inquiry, we pulled phrases from the first set of responses to ask more specifically about the expectations, needs, or desires that were mentioned previously. This both validated the needs of those that participated and honored their contributions. This was hung in the same spot with the same markers, but a different format, so the participants could connect that this was a continuation of the project.

The final step we took was inviting everyone to talk to us in person, so we could record and transcribe the things community members wanted to address. These interviews were turned into zines that addressed the three questions we asked from part two of this project. The zines were then freely distributed throughout the UIC School of Design to instill connection, create awareness, and foster the deeper sense of community that its members desire.