Last Wednesday I had a fascinating chat with one of my newest PhD students who is looking at wheelchair accessibility in informal settlements. We were talking about using photovoice, a research method that asks participants to record their environments with photos which they then use as a way of understanding space and conveying their thoughts and experiences. Through talking more generally about how photos can help us understand our spaces in a way that is different from direct observation, she shared an interesting anecdote. She and her mom had taken some pics of their cottage so that they could advertise it for rental, but they noticed quite a few things that looked out of place, unsightly, or visually unbalanced. On the basis of this examination, they did a bit of "editing" - rearranging some of the furniture and removing other items. Their second round of photographs gave a far better impression of the cottage - a successful exercise in curating. This led me to think,...
Reflections on architecture, design, interiors and inspiring creativity