David Boekelheide ACD MFA Capstone Spring 2011
Assembally Required: Shifting personal expression to community action
Making objects and spaces that support a healthy relationship with the natural environment is paramount to me. Humans have the ability to create solutions using appropriate technology, which is commonly understood as technology designed with regard to the environmental, ethical, cultural, social, political, and economic aspects of the community for which it is intended. Developing a holistic design practice allows me to consider both the social and ecological impacts of my work. I use my experience with craft and design to support my values of conservation and relate them to the greater community.
For the past year I have been working directly with developers and planners in the community who share an interest in supporting models of sustainable living. In these relationships I have been able to close the gap that often exists between the initial design concept and the community it is intended to serve. For example, I designed and created lighting and secure bicycle storage for a new urban residential living complex that will not draw power from the power grid. The materials and processes used for this project created aesthetic that reflects the ideals of the original concept and conveys them to the intended users.
Carrying my creative process beyond the studio allows me to collaborate with people and organizations that share my core values. Recently I have been working to transform PNCA’s current bicycle parking into an iconic sculptural garden which will celebrate the contribution that cyclists make to our city. This has presented an opportunity to assemble disparate communities while finding commonalities within our collective vision for a more sustainable future.