Collaboration: A Love Story

Connectivity on a campus, how do we take in, share and experience an event in a contained urban area

The University of the Arts was one of the preeminent centuries old art schools in the world. It contained disciplines in music, dance, theater, design, fine arts…the list goes on and on. Nearly every day there was a performance, gallery show, or spectacle of some kind between all the schools, but if you ask any student there, the odds of them engaging in this playful environment were slim. But why?

In this research assignment, our team of researchers tried to determine, the extent in which students engaged with one another, supported each other or even knew that a worthwhile experience was happening right outside their classroom door. Over 3 months, we interviewed students. Created self engaging focus groups. Experimented with cross department interactions. Wayfinding. Even created an information display network that students could use to post and connect with (as this was well before phones and social accounts diverted our attention into a world of #doomscrolling)

The group then decided the best way to present all of this, was to put on a play. Invite all of the disciplines. Every student. Every faculty member. Rent out a theater. Bring song, dance, design and special guests on stage to hear the full production. Because if you have to go through a critique, why not sell tickets and make it entertaining.

Launched: 2010
Design Team: Giacomo Ciminello, Jes Williams, Matt Miller, Sherika
Faculty Advisor: Jonas Milder
Theater: Arts Bank