Final year project
Home Sweet Home
I Dare You To Look Below
This first image is acting as the opening for my latest illustration/animation project, titled 'Home Sweet Home'. This project is tackling the global issue which is, 'anti-homeless architecture' or 'defensive design'. This issue has become overly prevalent in recent years and surrounds the systematic forcing of homeless populations out of cities, aka their own homes! City planners and council workers want to conjure images of wealth and stability, with the aim of shunning an already stigmatised group in our societies. The act of 'defensive design' is utterly barbaric and serves no sustainable purpose. The control that these city planners and council workers have over our population immediately made me think about how I could conceptualise the issue. I chose to do this through the form of a puppet show with the puppet master at the helm.
Here Lies Peter
This second image depicts our homeless puppet, Peter, lying cold, with one eye open, trying to avoid detection from the puppet master. Peter constantly has to struggle to rest with one eye open through fear of being moved. His only remaining possession is his home sweet home sign, which represents his only place left to go in society. The depiction of Peter all the way down, beneath society's stage, shows how unnoticed he remains and walkers-by seem to always keep on walking without even a glance.
Spikes Are Hammered
This third image depicts the puppet master having hammered his defensive design into Peter's home, destroying his environment with no remorse. The scale of the puppet master compared to Peter represents the hierarchy that exists in society and how helpless Peter may be. The complete dilapidation of Peter's environment using huge spikes represents the monotony that he must feel on a daily basis after having discovered yet another set of 'defensive design' methods in his only possible place to rest.
'Home Sweet Home' Sign
This touchpoint, leading my target audience to discover my animation, depicts Peter's only possession having been demolished by 'defensive design'. This touchpoint will be placed around the city centre, positioned close to examples of blatant 'anti-homeless architecture'.
Peter's Time To Go
This image depicts Peter under full control of the puppet master and in his most vulnerable state to date. He is battered and bruised from years of security and continues to be stigmatised by those with more power than himself. He has no control over his environment or his fate due to his status on the hierarchy.
Lewis Alexandros Coles
Final year project
Home Sweet Home
Awards
DPS Award
Work Experience
As aforementioned, my job role at UGD was not openly advertised and, therefore, there was no official job role or criteria. Due to COVID-19 regulations, my responsibilities, without working in an office environment, may have been compromised. My position’s capacity at UGD, therefore, entailed becoming a cog in the creative design wheel, in conjunction with Anthony and Richard, to deliver engaging, distinctive, and high-quality visual communication to an abundant array of client-base. My role, therefore, evolved into a hybrid experience, primarily consisting of remote work from home intermingled with occasional face-to-face studio practice, where possible. These creative projects would vary throughout the year from live job activity to reconstructing previous tasks already completed by the design team which would challenge my skill set and aid me in advancing my skills, whilst gaining new knowledge. My role would also include working with both Anthony and Lesley on a designer-client basis as if my mentors were prospective clients and I, the designer, in order to grasp the concept and technique of communicating with clientele with ease. It was very much this tailoring of my mindset to the client that led to my analytical question, intertwined within my report.
After developing rapports with my fellow colleagues, my assets and attributes, as well as my weaknesses, were becoming clear to Anthony, Richard and Lesley, providing them with more of an understanding and basis of which tailored projects would allow me to: retain these skills, enhance new ones and develop the confidence to tackle my flaws. By gradually evolving my level of responsibility through moving from assisting on projects with the team to taking full control, as well as handling tighter deadlines, I was recognised as an equal member of the force, enabling my confidence levels to skyrocket. This measure of influence was sustained, allowing me to settle comfortably and feel like an actual employee.