Project: City Worldbuilding Team Project
This project was a collaborative piece involving four teams, each representing one of the classical elements: Earth, Fire, Water, and Wind. My team was tasked with Water, and our objective was to design a civilization built around this theme. We brainstormed a variety of ideas and concepts, eventually deciding to create a city where water is treated as a luxury item. This city is situated in the desert, with its inhabitants separated into different classes by massive walls. The closer one lives to the center, the more greenery and access to water they enjoy. Not only that but there would be differences in architecture, the higher class would be more refined and based on French gothic architecture while the lower class would be more medieval.
Since this was a collaborative piece, I began by creating a mood board to visually align the project with the team's overall vision. After presenting the board to the group and receiving approval, I moved forward into the development stages. I created 10 sketches, each exploring different aspects of the village and its structures. After evaluating the options, I selected the one that best captured the essence of the environment and the story at the time and proceeded with refining that concept. This is where I started to come across some problems.
Since I was responsible for designing the lowest class, those who live in the harshest part of the desert wasteland, where water is scarce, and survival is a constant struggle. However, I quickly realized I had become so accustomed to working with highly detailed designs and intricate shapes that I found it challenging to simplify my approach. I wasn't satisfied with the progress I made and felt disconnected from the designs. At this point, I decided to completely rethink my approach by focusing on the story behind the people who would live in this part of the city. How would these individuals survive in such a harsh environment? I envisioned them living more distant from the higher-class society, scattered across the desert with giant cracks in the ground separating them. This led me to develop a smaller village concept, situated near a massive, dried-out canyon with an old, decaying water wheel that had been repurposed into a makeshift bridge.
As I developed the new concept, I focused on creating more withered, rundown houses that reflected the scarcity of resources and the struggle for survival. My favorite part of the process was choosing the color palette—I truly enjoyed the painting process, as it allowed me to capture the desolate beauty of the environment.
This project was one of the most challenging I’ve worked on, largely due to the simplicity of the designs. I initially struggled with the idea that a design had to be complex to be impressive, and I found it difficult to step away from my usual, more detailed approach. However, this project taught me to appreciate the power of simplicity. I realized that sometimes the most effective designs are the ones that focus on the essentials, allowing the concept to shine without overwhelming the viewer with unnecessary details.
This shift in perspective was incredibly valuable to my growth as a designer, and I now have a greater appreciation for minimalist approaches in my work. Additionally, I thoroughly enjoyed the collaborative aspect of the project. Working with others to create a shared city and story allowed me to see how different perspectives could come together to form a cohesive vision. The experience of collaboration not only enhanced the final outcome but also made the process much more enjoyable and fulfilling.