CSULB |  COTA  |  DEPARTMENT OF DESIGN

 

​120B | PROJECT 1 | URBAN INTERSECTION

PROJECT OVERVIEW

The ‘dérive [literally: “drifting”]’ is ‘a technique of rapid passage through varied ambiances’ that ‘involves playful-constructive behaviour and awareness of psychogeographical effects’. The participants of a dérive must ‘let themselves be drawn by the attractions of the terrain and the encounters they find there. Chance is a less important factor in this activity than one might think: from a dérive point of view cities have psychogeographical contours, with constant currents, fixed points and vortexes that strongly discourage entry into or exit from certain zones.

This assignment teaches students to translate an experience into an abstracted visual representation of that experience as catalyst and vehicle for discovering and creating new, unbefore created objects, spaces, or events.

​SCHEDULE

PART 1. YOU EXIST IN A PHYSICAL WORLD, YET, EVEN STILL

Document extensively via hand written notes, experiential sketches, photography, video, etc. All of this can be gathered in a "loose", informal,
yet informative manner.

Each student is to select an URBAN (not suburban or rural) intersection
(or location to be defined by instructor) as a node (site) within a dérive.

The student's intersection MUST be more than 3 miles from Campus. Downtown Long Beach is approximately 5 miles from our building.

The student is to engage CONSCIOUSLY in mapping and recording
their "drifting" experience visually, abstractly.

Document the phenomena that makes that inter/section "unique", profound, reflective via a series of objects or aspects known through the senses rather than by thought or intuition.

Observe the Scale(s) of objects (architecture, signage, nature, etc.), traffic patterns (vehicular and pedestrian), sound (mechanical and natural), colors, textures, iconic geometries, feelings (happy, sad, scared, exciting, etc.).

By all means, be adventurous. Safety is the enemy of creativity and discovery. Within a space of comfort and ease, you'll gain little; stretch yourself inside out.

FIRST DELIVERABLE

by our 3rd class meeting, see class schedule.

Present, via pinup and display, your artifacts. The greater the collateral collected and presented, the greater the potential for discovery;
consequently the higher your grade is likely to be—not guaranteed,
but it is an observation from "best practices".

PART 2. ACTIVE DISCOVERY, GENERATION, COMPOSITION

Use what you discovered to create a collage presentation that captures
the phenomena or the essence of the given1 urban intersection.
Mix of logic and the abstract.

​REFERENCES AND INSPIRATION

Reading. Yes, you should read in order to evolve your conscious
awareness of the world around you.

Theory of the Dérive (1956) by Guy Debord

Psychogeography and the Dérive by Sadie Plant

The Situationist Practices of Urban Space

Situationist Art

Flâneur vs Dérive

Visible Signs: An Introduction to Semiotics in the Visual Arts. Crow, David. Crans-pres-Celigny, Switzerland: AVA, 2003. Print. pp. 178–220; 320–370

​FINAL DELIVERABLES (PRESENTATION)

1 - 24x24" 1/2" thick Black Foam Core Board (black all the way through), or

1/2" thick Plywood Panel, or similar (with instructor's approval).

Compositions may be made using any medium, mixed-media, ie. paint, ink, graphite, colored pencil, colored paper, photography, periodicals, found objects discovered from the site, etc. Be creative, thought provoking, search for your unique and personal discovery.

The use of material relief is highly encouraged, known as Bas Relief, meaning low or relatively flat sculpture meant for walls and doors, often found on classical architecture in European cities.

Include your name on a separate Name Plate that can be pinned to the wall next to your board for photo-documentation. Use 1/2" tall "Designer Lettering" ONLY to write your FULL NAME in BLACK INK ONLY. Use light pencil guidelines as necessary for proper control.

Making us work to decode is interesting.

This tells us exactly what it is. It's uninteresting.

Consider sketching while moving to capture a pure expression of time and movement.
Don't draw the house, express the feeling of the house through your line, markings on the paper.

This tells us what it feels like. That's seductive.

CSULB |  COTA  |  DEPARTMENT OF DESIGN  |  BIO

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