Design For Society Assignment 4: Urban Poor

B.A. (Hons) Visual Communication

Module: Design for Society Module Code: VC202-880-05 (20 credits) Lecturer: Katherine Szeto + Marta Kusztra

Assignment 5:

Introduction:

Date: 12/9/2006

Design campaign raising awareness and enhancing empathy toward poor people in Shanghai

It is difficult to walk the street in Shanghai without noticing the homeless, poor migrant workers, beggars. These people have become a permanent part of the urban landscape. The number of poor people living a hand-to-mouth existence on the margins of society is growing and so is the intolerance toward them. There is little understanding of the reasons for their social condition, and little interest in helping them improve it. The people in Shanghai are indifferent, sometimes even aggressive toward the poor. What is your attitude toward this problem?

Brief:

Create a campaign that will raise awareness of the issues surrounding poverty. Demonstrate how graphic designers can contribute to a change in social attitudes toward urban poor. Come up with a powerful message and a strong design idea. Remember that the most innovative, new, experimental social campaigns are often the most efficient in communication. It is up to you to define the message you choose to convey, what media you decide to use, who you want your campaign to address, and what aspect of poverty you would like to discuss. The goal is to develop an original and consistent design concept. You are expected to: 1.

Define the term “urban poor”. Investigate the problem, analyze the most common social attitudes toward poverty and poor people in Shanghai, and examine your own attitude.

2.

Research the most successful social campaigns in the last five years in China and abroad. How can your campaign be different?

3.

Outline the concept of your campaign (in writing). Include this in your rationale.

4.

Present at least 3 design solutions that correspond with your concept. Experiment visually!!!

5.

Prepare final presentation.

Learning Outcomes:

understand the effectiveness of the use of typography, illustration and photography in the context of society understand contemporary and contextual issues influencing graphic design in society conceptualize creative design solutions that may consider cultural, economic and social contexts prepare and produce sensitive, creative design solutions that may consider cultural, economic and social contexts research, identify, analyze, and apply contemporary techniques using appropriate media

Work Required:

Students must submit: 1. 1 sketchbook documenting concept development; 2. Project presentation 3. Project rationale

Deadline:

October 25th 2006

Assessment Strategy:

Documentation of Research (40%) Design Rationale (20%) Final Design Solution (40%)

Project Weighting within the Module:

This project is worth 25% (twenty-five percent) of the total Visual Communication module mark.