Project Utopia was a unique opportunity that encouraged collaboration, effective communication, and forward planning. It was based around the concept of redesigning the area of Fremantle Port, essentially transforming it into a modern “utopia”. Students were encouraged to incorporate the UN global goals, liveability factors, sustainability, and residency for both local citizens and tourists.

To kick off the project, the year 7 cohort was introduced to a short novel by Lois Lowry, set in a modern utopian society. It was a world where diversity was non-existent, and control overrode all minute traces of human creativity. We were tasked to examine what made that utopian society functional, but also to analyse the potential faults and drags of this outwardly perfect world. We were tasked to create a community where all citizens could be supported as a group, and strengthened as an individual. This project spanned 10 weeks and ended with a showcase of our learning and Vision Board.

Process Outline:

Within the year 7 cohort, students were organised into small groups of 4-5 and given a brief outline of the project to come. We had foreknowledge on Utopian Societies due The Giver, a curriculum chosen book set in an outwardly utopian society. To begin with we were given an “empathise, define, prototype” design outline. My group and I had to empathise with the local citizens of Fremantle and consider the iconic culture of the previous Fremantle Port. I learnt how to follow the design thinking process thoroughly and efficiently, and how prepare for each step of the journey. After selecting an area of the port to work on, we continued to plan towards our final product, our Project Utopia 4Vision Board. Nearing the end of the project we began to piece together our Vision Board. Eventually we pasted these additions onto a large sheet of A2 cardboard, organising the information in a way that was neat, presentable and showcased our ideas.

Liveability and Sustainability

The liveability factors were commonly known well before we began Project Utopia. As we had covered these factors in HASS, we could easily make connections between reality and these features of society. Bolded and bright red, we posted a few liveability factors onto our vision board. They related to our ideas and formed the foundation of our designs. I learnt how to incorporate these factors into the everyday life of our modern society, and how we could improve our speculative community (Future Fremantle Port). Our group decided to include many liveability factors, but the most prominent are the following:

Within our project we attempted to make all our ideas sustainable and link them back to the liveability factors. This encouraged us to choose what was best for the community, not just expensive facilities targeted at only a small population. From this process I learnt how small objectives tie in and impact the larger scheme of things (in this case, liveability factors within Project Utopia). Throughout this learning experience we had to act both effectively and open-mindedly in order to produce optimal results.

The UN Global Goals

The Global Goals played a huge part in Project Utopia. Throughout the process, students were encouraged to incorporate the global goals within our ideas and designs. My group and I planned our Vision Board around tourism, and as a result we connected our ideas to a few specific and focus relevant global goals. I learnt how we could base our thoughts around the global goals, making the links from thought to reality.

The goals we used were the following:

My group and I had to research the components or each global goal, and I learnt efficient and reliable researching techniques, as well as applying the skills I had taken from our introduction on Cornell Notetaking.

Individual Journey

Project Utopia was an academic rollercoaster. It incorporated the key features of a large, group assignment, including the necessity for collaboration, communication, leadership, and most importantly, teamwork. I learned many things from both the process and managing my personal wellbeing during this project. Firstly, I had to cooperate with my teammates and adjust to the new environment. My allocated group members were people who I had never worked with before, and I had to collaborate with them for the whole project.

Secondly, it was important that all groups were able to complete their work at a cohort set pace, and often we fell behind on planning as we had skipped to the next step. I learnt to follow the process carefully and made sure that everyone was ready to move on before action was taken. Linking the Global Goals and Liveability Factors into our vision board was tricky, as many of our ideas were focused mainly just on Tourism, rather than contributing to sustainability and the general wellbeing of the society.

My group and I had to use the ASC Capabilities Wheel to settle our differences and work as a cohesive, collaborative unit. We had to be organised, practice ethical and effective communication, as well as displaying leadership qualities throughout the process. Project Utopia was a valuable experience that taught me how to cooperate over an extended period with my allocated group members, and to share responsibility equally according to everyone’s strengths. Tied in with the liveability factors, global goals, the objectives of sustainability, target audience and innovation, our Fremantle Port Vision board was a success.

After an incredible opportunity and learning experience, Project Utopia drew to a close. It had been both a fun and educational experience, and I had learnt many group cooperation, researching and ideating skills along the way.