Whatchamacallit #3

Researchers and explorators always make use of tools and devices that serve a specific purpose. Some tools may not have a dedicated name and their function is often not so obvious, so what am I going to call it? = Whatchamacallit!

During the exploration of urban nature we might have encountered several interesting things and situations. What if we had a tool to help we observe better? Next time we are on the field, we can create a tool right away. Time will be limited, we need something right there and right at that moment. We cannot design first and make after, we must work with our imagination and our hands simultaneously. We use simple materials and techniques to very rapidly prototype, to design (brain) and make (hands) our own research tool.

Very Rapid Prototyping Physical Ideation

What we call “Very Rapid Prototyping” is an activity that uses simple materials and techniques to create physical representations of the images in our mind. When prototyping with simple materials and tools, the hands work simultaneously with the brain. The ideas and images you visualize in your mind are translated into the physical world. At the same time, the physical materials give your senses a feedback that update and modify the image you have in your mind. The cycle starts over again. This loop breaks the boundaries between what you see in your mind and what you have in your hands.

Exploration of Urban Nature is a research phase in which the toolkit is created from scratch. We can’t interview Nature, but we can create the tools that will help us see Her from a different perspective.