INTRODUCTION:

A Utopia is a society in which everyone can thrive and live happily. It is a place in which everything is perfect. Project Utopia started in English, where we were studying the giver. We talked about how the society there lives and how they view it as a utopia in which their every need and want is met. Project Utopia was about designing a perfect place for all people to live and thrive as well as developing our designing, creative thinking, and problem-solving skills all into one project. We originally were going to make a project with no boundaries of money, space, or resources. This later turned around when we were asked if we would like to have our project Utopia based on real life. So ASC went along and said yes, and all of a sudden we were now redesigning the Fremantle port.  We had to work together and come up with innovative, new ideas. Throughout the course of our project, we learned about and incorporated the ASC capabilities, UN Global Goals and Liveability factors into our design. Our end goal for the project was to combine Indigenous artwork and green space into one design.

ASC Capabilities

Problem solving

Problem-solving is the process or the way to find the solution to difficult or complex issues. During Project Utopia, as a group of four, we had to learn how to use this skill. We used our problem-solving skills a lot to figure out ways to adapt our project. We used our problem-solving skills a lot during this process because when there were hurdles that came up we all had ideas and found a solution to the problem. An example of this was when we had to find a way to let light inside of the tunnel and ventilate things. We decided that if the glass on top of the tunnel was retractable then light could come in and fresh air could get in as well. Having problem-solving skills are a vital part of life because it helps people to overcome challenges in life. It makes things easier for you and also they needed to be successful in life.

Effective communication

Effective communication is when two or more people can communicate clearly. Effective communication is an important skill to have in life because it can help you in group work. When working in our group effective communication was a vital part of getting any group work done. It saves time when people get the point the first time. An example of us using effective communication in our group was when Aun was not here to give us the photos he had that was part of his job. We did not have any of the photos so we had to quickly find others and communicate effectively so as to not waste precious time. We got the work done in time and glue everything to our vision board. So you can see that effective communication is a crucial skill to have in life, especially when working on a group project.  Effective communication can also save you time and then you can get more work done.

Public speaking

I have never been that keen to do public speaking. It has always scared me and I just never really thought it was that important. In project Utopia, I was really pushed to my personal limit to do public speaking in front of peers and adults. It was extremely intense and nerve-wracking for me. I Learned over the course of the term that public speaking is more than just being able to stand in front of people and speak, It is about body language, tone of voice and more. How you use your body to say things, like hand gestures or your stance. How confident you are and your preparation. I am still really scared of public speaking but I have warmed up to it a bit and not find it easier to do.

UN Sustainable Development goals

The United Nations Sustainable Development goals were a huge focus in project utopia. They all linked together in our project to try to create a society that is perfect. There are 17 goals in total and they all focus on an aspect that we need to eliminate for the world to be a better place. Through understanding the Global goals I have gained a deeper understanding of all of the problems we and many others face in the world. In my group, we focused on 4 goals that we thought were very important. The goals that we have focused on in our project were goals 3, 8, 9 and 11. We focused on goal 3 because we wanted to make sure that when people use our design that will feel very relaxed and it will help people to calm down. We wanted people to be able to hang out there and be able to just relax have no anxious feelings or stress. We also incorporated goal 8. We wanted this place to be able to have some practical use for others and not just be aesthetically pleasing. So e decided that if we asked elders of the indigenous community to come and perform ceremonies we could pay them to do this. Goal 9. Our project has incorporated this goal into it because it is the simple alternative to going on the longer bridge further down the road. It is a lot safer for people walking or biking on it and it will be a very scenic route instead of the normal way. Last of all there was goal 11. Our project is sustainable because of the types of materials that we are using. We are using sustainably sourced materials that have been recycled or that were going to get thrown away. Ferrock is a sustainable solution simply because of what it is made of and because it sucks Co2 out of the air.