This invitation just in from our Master Planning Core Team…
The Master Planning Core Team has authorized the formation of a Design Field Team. This volunteer group is needed to explore, articulate and demystify "design" as it is found at the Yestermorrow Design/Build School. The primary focus will be architecture and "built form" but all other areas of design and design theory may be entertained.

Projects and other design topics addressed will be selected from those brought by others or independently taken up by the Design Team from within. Findings will be updated continually on the Yestermorrow web site and also published through venues outside the school.

WHY a DESIGN TEAM?

From its inception, the Yestermorrow School has been a different sort of design school - it is a design/build school. Smaller and more nimble, it can respond more quickly to developments and emerging trends in the design world. But in order to remain meaningful, the design curricula and the resulting buildings must be understandable to everyone connected with the school. This means students, faculty, staff, and even the occasional visitor should have access to an explanation of the design thinking behind the school's appearance.

There is currently a healthy spectrum of design being practiced at Yestermorrow, with different goals and priorities. To encourage synergies and allow them to coexist elegantly, they must be understandable. These are the two critical services the Design Team will bring to the school:

1. Design Conversation

2. Critical Dialogue

The Design Field Team's project specific reviews, or white papers, will address the following:

· Form and Aesthetics - Content

· Form and Aesthetics - Coherence

· Design Intention - Design and Process Principles (master plan)

· Program - definition and degree of success

· Feasibility and craft (buildability)

· Resource Efficiency

· Context - physical

· Context - cultural & historical

· Compliance - codes and other self-imposed rules

· Conclusions - Strengths

· Conclusions - Limitations

Considerations may be added or eliminated at the will of the team.

If you're interested...

The Design Field Team (aka: The Design Amigos) will meet regularly to discuss planned school projects and other design topics. The Team will not have authority to block or promote any project, rather it intends to become a respected voice in the broadest conversation possible about design.

Conventional and online meetings will take place no less than once a month to support ongoing discourse around various design initiatives. In the spirit of inclusion, a wiki will be created to give larger numbers access to the design conversations (i.e. Foswiki , Twiki, etc).

· Any and all members of the Yestermorrow community interested in working on the Design Field Team are urged to submit a written application.

· Due to the importance of written communication in this undertaking, there will be no personal interviews.

Selection will be blind and based entirely on the written applications. Download the application and send it via email to [email protected].

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, but please send in your responses ASAP so that we can get this team rolling!