Posted: December 17th, 2015

What does Reiner mean by non sequiturs and paradigms? You may want to look up these terms if you are not familiar with them.

What does Reiner mean by non sequiturs and paradigms? You may want to look up these terms if you are not familiar with them.

• Two seemingly contradictory approaches to design have been discussed in these videos. This video appears to focus more on using constraints (limitations) to find good design. William McDonough discussed how a focus on abundance (taking advantage of resources and processes that are abundant) and growth can faciliate good design. Are these ideas (constraints vs. abundance) really opposed to one another? What might you risk by focusing too much on constraints or too much on abundance?
• Despite the many constraints, what was abundant in Kigali, Rwanda?

Two seemingly contradictory approaches to design have been discussed in these videos. This most recent video appears to focus more on using constraints (limitations) to find good design. William McDonough discussed how a focus on abundance (taking advantage of resources and processes that are abundant) and growth can faciliate good design. Write a reflection and discuss the following questions:

Q1.Are these ideas (constraints vs. abundance) really opposed to one another?

Q2.What might you risk by focusing too much on constraints or too much on abundance?

Q3.Can you think of other situations in which contraints and/or abudance were not adequately considered and it led to poor design? Or perhaps inaccurate assumptions were made about constraints or abundance?