6:30 AM, I sit in awe of a surreal tranquility, one which has not been experienced since the start of the Shad Valley 2012 program.
The hunger for knowledge and struggle for humility, the elevation of ambitions and the crucifixion of pride give birth to a sudden burst of energy, one which gradually struck all of us. The wound of its impact grows deeper each time we encounter another Shad.
And in this unforgiving mixture of pain and pleasure, looking towards the marvelous promise held by this metamorphosis, the day begins.
After the announcements session, the first task of the program was given – an open exploration of industrial design. The openness of the task was demonstrated by several characteristics:
1. No theory was taught.
2. The term industrial design was never defined.
In essence, very few of us had knowledge in this specific field that has yet to be defined by our instructor. This resulted in several consequences:
1. After the completion of the initial design, we were told that our design processes contradicted design theory (an extremely useful comment AFTER the completion of the design).
2. Marketing, as opposed to design based on research, became the center of many projects.
The open nature of the project destroyed many boundaries hindering our creativity, an advantage which I believe many of us took for granted. The mere possibility of boundless creativity gave us a precious glimpse at the minds of each other, to marvel at our similarities and to take advantage of our differences.
My particular group was given the task of designing male footwear specifically for the Shad Valley program. I am still suffering the shock from the brilliance of an idea proposed by a teammate, suggesting an internal air circulation system. Through our debates on this and many other aspects of the product, we achieved efficiency and quality beyond any of our expectations.
The day ended with an awe-inspiring outdoor chemistry demonstration.
I refuse to compose a conclusion to this blog entry, for this is merely the beginning of an experience which holds indescribable promise.
Jake Bian, Shad Valley Carleton 2012
