Reflection Question/s
All the IVY League Colleges in the US started as liberal art universities. Yet, they offer some of t ...
Engineering & Technology
Art/Design in Engineering
In history, some of the greatest structural marvels are a beautiful cusp of engineering and art. Take the Pantheon for example. Its dome was built around 100AD without using a single rod of steel. And still stands tall in Rome. How? Click on the link to understand how art played a crucial role in creating such engineering marvels.
The greatest artist of all time, Leonardo Da Vinci was an engineer in an artist’s body. Read the article to find out more:
Even in today’s technology-driven world, pioneers in space innovations such as NASA uses origami to design prototypes of spacecraft. Watch the video to experience it!
Gradually even the STEM curriculums worldwide are changing to STEAM where ‘A’ stands for Arts. To find out read the article:
Another example of a beautiful culmination between engineering and art in this video. It is about skeletal beests called ‘Strandbeests’.
Even the top universities like Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) have introduced a new degree path combining Engineering and Art in creative ways.
Read the article to understand how an engineering student Caroline Hermans in CMU has explored, combining her interests for both art and technology.
Read the article to learn more about amazing projects made by the students of Princeton University, who found creativity at the intersection of art and engineering.
It's interesting to read that hand-drawing is making an unlikely comeback. Designers and engineers have found that the creative process is simply not as intuitive when the delicate relationship between the brain, eye, and hand is mediated by a computer.
Project 1: Design a Faucet Prototype
If you are an artist, get hold of a friend who is thinking of pursuing engineering or vice versa and together make a prototype of a 'faucet'. Watch the video and then design a kitchen/bathroom faucet in such a way that solves a specific problem.
Project 2: Origami Machine
Create an 'Origami Project - Paper Motor Walking Machine' by referring to the link.
Project 3: Study the Beauty of Bridges
Explore iconic bridges worldwide and analyze how engineering principles merge with artistic vision to create these remarkable structures.
Project 4: Examine Acoustic Architecture
Research how engineers integrate sound and architectural design to create acoustically optimal spaces, such as concert halls or recording studios.
Project 5: Investigate Biomimicry in Design
Research how engineers draw inspiration from nature's artistic forms and patterns to create innovative products, structures, or materials.
Project 6: Unearth the Secrets of Geodesic Domes
Investigate how geodesic domes utilize mathematical principles to create visually captivating and structurally robust enclosures.
Project 7: Pick Your Own Mini Project
Mini Projects are short projects to help you further explore and strengthen the understanding of fundamentals covered in the module. Treat them as stepping stones to do bigger projects later. The duration to complete such projects shouldn’t be more than 4-5 hours.
Pick a topic that piques your interest related to the learning areas covered in the module. The topic should be such that it encourages research, promotes inquiry, and adds to your knowledge in the specific area. Your projects may include:
- Written/audio/video presentations
- Analytical written/audio/video essays
- Creating mood boards
- Designing prototypes
- Anything of your choice
Project 1: Computational Origami
An MIT professor Erik Demaine has spent nearly 20 years perfecting a highly-efficient algorithm that allows any 3D shape to be reproduced as origami. Demaine has also collaborated with Tomohiro Tachi, to implement the algorithm in a new version of "Origamizer", the free software for generating origami crease patterns whose first version Tachi released in 2008. Please download the software and experiment with origami.
Project 2: Art & Technology Collaboration
Make a project including Art/Design in Engineering. Hackerspaces are the best places to find a community of people that are interested in combining technology and art and can help you to learn and expand your interest. The article lists some of the best Hackerspaces in India.
Project 3: Recreating Ancient Wonders - Collaborative Design and Construction
Collaborate across disciplines to recreate a scaled-down version of one of the ancient wonders of the world, highlighting the importance of art in engineering.
Project description:
- Research: Choose one of the ancient wonders, such as the Great Pyramid of Giza or the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, and conduct research on its architectural design, construction techniques, and historical significance.
- Collaborative Teams: Form interdisciplinary teams comprising artists, architects, mathematicians, engineers, and students with various skills and interests.
- Design and Planning: Work together to create detailed plans, blueprints, and artistic renditions of the chosen wonder, ensuring that each team member contributes their expertise to the design process.
- Material Selection: Explore modern and sustainable materials suitable for the scaled-down project, considering factors like cost, environmental impact, and structural integrity.
- Construction Process: Build the recreation of the ancient wonder, with each team member taking on specific roles and tasks, emphasizing collaboration and communication between different disciplines.
- Exhibition and Presentation: Showcase the final creation to the school and local community through an exhibition or presentation. Discuss how the inclusion of art in engineering enriched the project and inspired innovative thinking.
Project 4: Develop a Recycled Materials Art Installation
Engineer a visually stunning art installation using recycled materials, highlighting the importance of sustainability and creativity in engineering.
Project 5: Construct a Kinetic Sculpture
Combine engineering principles with artistic flair to build a captivating kinetic sculpture that moves and interacts with its environment.
Project 6: Build a Sustainable Tiny House
Utilize artistic ingenuity in designing a small, eco-friendly dwelling that maximizes space efficiency and integrates renewable energy sources.
Watch these videos for ideas:
Project 7: Pick Your Own Skill Building Project
Skill Building Projects are longer projects to encourage further research and build your skill set. The list may include building skills in engineering, finance, communication, computer programming, problem solving, decision-making, creativity, business, networking, writing, learning, self-awareness, or public speaking. The duration to complete such projects is usually 300 hours or more.
Pick a topic that piques your interest related to the learning areas covered in the module. The topic should be such that it encourages research, promotes inquiry, adds to your knowledge in the specific area. Your projects may include:
- Designing prototypes
- Creating a product
- Completing an online course
- Completing a reading list and write book reviews
- Creating Wikipedia pages
- Managing a blog
- Participating in national/international competitions
- Joining an internship program
- Anything of your choice
While choosing your skill-building projects keep the smart objectives philosophy in mind. Your project should ideally be related to your long-term interest. A good project focuses on finding better solutions, not just bigger ones for challenges in a community. So, try and create a project that can be executable in your community level, which may be your home, neighborhood, school, or college.
