Generating the Final Idea

So it was with great excitement that I spoke to a representative from our maintenance department regarding access to lockers.  He said that we could potentially have a great many lockers free of charge as there was a school that had long ago closed that had a fair number sitting unused.  The students were thrilled with this news as the lockers in our brainstorming session had become a kind of central idea that hinged on whether or not we could get some to play with.  Jasmine met with the students and we began our discussion around the final four overarching concepts and lockers.  Although we found the sound equipment might be affordable based on what we wanted to do, the idea of creating something interactive and functional to the space trumped everything for the students.  Jasmine brought some sketches to show some of her ideas based on the last session as to how we might proceed.  This was not meant as a prescriptive formula, but as a start to discussions and it was a welcome place to begin.

 Students considered shelters, seating and tabletops made of cement cast or actual lockers. Included in the discussion was casting objects of significance to students' every day life: granola bars, sweatshirts, cell phones, pencil cases, binders - the things their lockers are stuffed with daily.  Jasmine had the idea of casting the lockers with these things on, over or in them. This was a wonderful way of signifying the students who "live" within the school building.

Students were asked to respond to these ideas, building on what they had heard and using what they could imagine to expand, enlarge and revise what they had heard so far.  They had their own version of what might become of this locker.  They helped to narrow down what was truly important to our student population in creating this space.  They drew several sketches of what we might do and here are just a few of their ideas. 

We had practical, fantastical and sculptural plans that spoke to a huge range of approaches.  Students worked in groups and armed with newsprint and felts discussed, drew and wrote about what could happen.  Some ideas could be easily managed with the resources we have and others required much more funding and equipment than was available. However, what was clear was that students were most interested in constructing some kind of shelter from our rainy climate and/or seating.

 Out discussion was open and engaging and students were encouraged to share their ideas.  There was a great deal of excitement and a feeling of momentum after the workshop.  We are ever closer to creating this piece.

At our next meeting Jasmine will be demonstrating and teaching students the casting methods that will likely be used in this project.  We are looking forward to this already.