RAD Drops
RAD Drops is a student-organized planner system designed for USC Roski School of Visual Art and Design. It hosts a tri-semester series of up-cycling art and design workshops to strengthen the Roski community and reduce waste by uniting art with design, students with professors, and materials with ideas.
Year
2023
Deliverables
Branding, student organization, event planner system, launch event 1
Materials
Paper, leftover materials, etc
Techniques
Printing, cutting, recycling, organizing and promoting
In comparison to other art schools within universities, USC Roski School of Visual Art and Design boasts a more intimate community. With only around 90 new and transfer students combined each year, Roski’s population remains relatively small. However, this close-knit Roski community generates a noteworthy amount of waste, including paper, wood, and metal, which unfortunately does not undergo efficient recycling. Besides the material waste, students have felt the school’s community is disjointed.
To really make a change, I gained a comprehensive understanding of Roski's commitment to environmental conservation and school unity through interviews with staff and professors. What's more, I engaged with the USC Sustainability Office’s top-level management, Ms. Gina Whisenant and Ms. Amanda Davidson. Successfully convincing them, I arranged an on-site inspection at the Roski School of Art and Design. While they provided valuable insights into USC’s ‘Zero Waste’ plan set for 2028, I shared the specific challenges that Roski faces and detailed the assistance required to overcome them.My effort resulted in their intention to tackle this matter and integrate Roski’s concerns as a pivotal element of their upcoming ‘Zero Waste’ plan.
Approved by USC and the Roski administration and dean, RAD Drops was officially established. It will begin operations in Fall2024, implementing a variety of fun activities based on the reuse of waste materials. I designed and tested the first event, a card game called "Treasure Rescue", as the first sample.
Treasure Rescue
It's a game of leftover materials centers around the idea of turning discarded or unused materials into valuable resources. The game aims to promote sustainability, creativity, and resourcefulness by encouraging players to explore, salvage, and repurpose materials in an engaging and interactive manner. There are two parts of the game. Part 1 is a simple and fast-paced card game similar to UNO. People compete to be the first one collect the needed Material Cards to enter the Part 2. With the Material Kit given by the game supervisor, the players enter the Part 2 will try to achieve the Task Card in real life. Through competitions, chellenges and rewards, the game motivates players to think innovatively about waste, fostering a sense of environmental responsibility and showcasing the potential beauty in repurposing discard.ed items.
"I’m pleased that you didn’t address Roski’s material waste issue with a single design approach but implemented a sustainable systemic measure. This solution is feasible, and your research is impressive. The integration from online platforms to offline activities is smooth and practical. Reusing leftover materials during activities, considering the budget, is intelligent. This system raises awareness about resource wastage and has inspiring educational implications for the future.
Many students suggest creating an app for buying and selling leftover materials, but they overlook key considerations, such as planning, management, quality checks, and promotion. Environmental protection requires collaboration, and as designers, the goal is a comprehensive solution. ” ----------THE DEAN OF ROSKI, HAVEN LIN-KIRK
