An increase in the availability of non-alcoholic activities should decrease the influence of peer pressure in terms of under-aged drinking.
The constraints that I plan to address in this analysis in this paper are that the problem of under-aged drinking is rather a social issue than one for the institution. The trigger point that is most important consist of the fact that Kalamazoo College's brand reflects diversity, which should be true with recreation.
Five class readings that I could apply to my topic would be: The Principles of Marketing, The Third Place, The Experience Architect, The City, and The Ten Biggest Mistakes from Websites
The Principles of Marketing: The article speaks of branding, which is important to Kalamazoo College. One focal point of Kalamazoo as a school is diversity. There should be activities that coincide with the need for diversity.
The Third Place: For many, the weekend is a time to relax, and forget about the work and problems. There is a need for a third place for the weekend, and if there is only one option for a Third Place, then students in opposition of it will have nowhere to go.
The City: The article talks about how the City needs to be a urban place, where people can hang out and relax. The school should promote off-campus activities so that we can break the "K bubble".
Ten Mistakes...: Even though the website speaks of other websites' mistakes, the same applies to schools. The school should be user-friendly.
"There has been a change in residential habitats too that keeps people away from downtown areas. When fewer people live and congregate downtown, crime increases because there are no 'eyes on the street', as the writer and activist Jane Jacobs wrote... The town benefits from students spending money there; the college benefits from the resources and amenities provided by the towns."
There can be a potential decrease in crime if students were to travel off-campus together in order to create a feeling of security. Also, from the discussions in class, we spoke about how the town does not accommodate to the school, yet there was no talk about how the school accommodating the town.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Trow Lounge
The area that I observed was at Kalamazoo College, in the Trowbridge Hall lounge(s) on the first floor. Its purpose is for residents and students alike to lounge around in a social setting or even study together. I made my observations on Sunday from 8:45 to 9:30. This is usually a heavy studying time since classes are on the next day.
The Trowbridge lounges give a homely feel, with the dim lighting and rocking chairs. One of the most prominent features of the lounges are the numerous rocking chairs in each lounge. There are four in the main lounge, eight in the piano area, and two each in the respective lounges. The availability is crucial for the lounges since students are allowed to walk in and out. There is a variety of seating options, with rocking chairs, table chairs, and sofas. During the observation, there were four people inside of the main lounge, two people at the table, one person on the couch, and one playing the piano. As time progressed, three people left, and three others actually came in to replenish the room. There was one other person inside one of the side lounges. In each of the lounges, there is wooden floor panels. The steps that lead into the main lounge look like they are made of marble. The sound level differed as time went on. When I first walked in, I could hear the piano being played softly. After, I was able to hear the two students discuss their studies. After, there were visitors that came to greet their friend and then left. Later on, the group of three students conversed at high volume. I would guess that the building of the room would need wood, metal, marble, concrete, and electrical wiring.
This area projects the image of being inviting and open to the residents. It is a social gathering area where people can hang out. Even people can play the piano if bored. In the surroundings, the people usually speak with "inside" voices so that they do not interrupt other people studying. In non-studying instances, people speak normally, or gather around the piano.The most interesting fact about this place that although there are numerous lights, they are all low voltage, so that it keeps the dimmed atmosphere.
The Trowbridge lounges give a homely feel, with the dim lighting and rocking chairs. One of the most prominent features of the lounges are the numerous rocking chairs in each lounge. There are four in the main lounge, eight in the piano area, and two each in the respective lounges. The availability is crucial for the lounges since students are allowed to walk in and out. There is a variety of seating options, with rocking chairs, table chairs, and sofas. During the observation, there were four people inside of the main lounge, two people at the table, one person on the couch, and one playing the piano. As time progressed, three people left, and three others actually came in to replenish the room. There was one other person inside one of the side lounges. In each of the lounges, there is wooden floor panels. The steps that lead into the main lounge look like they are made of marble. The sound level differed as time went on. When I first walked in, I could hear the piano being played softly. After, I was able to hear the two students discuss their studies. After, there were visitors that came to greet their friend and then left. Later on, the group of three students conversed at high volume. I would guess that the building of the room would need wood, metal, marble, concrete, and electrical wiring.
This area projects the image of being inviting and open to the residents. It is a social gathering area where people can hang out. Even people can play the piano if bored. In the surroundings, the people usually speak with "inside" voices so that they do not interrupt other people studying. In non-studying instances, people speak normally, or gather around the piano.The most interesting fact about this place that although there are numerous lights, they are all low voltage, so that it keeps the dimmed atmosphere.
Principles of Marketing
According to the chapter, design affects marketing in many ways. The marketing of a product is dependent on the design. The product has to be able to live up to its marketing scheme. For example, a product that is marketed as "high-tech" cannot only have two functions on it, since it will be promoted to a group that is capable of handling the technology. I feel that the choice of including or excluding product mix is the most important element in terms of marketing. Companies that only sell one type of product are able to focus on that one and create a specific marketing scheme. As time goes on and the popularity of a company rises, they have to find an innovation, which is where the new products come in, introducing a new consumer group to the rest of the products. One company that does a good job of this would be Dominos. They are known for the pizzas, but with the introduction of the oven-baked subs, they were able to attract a new crowd of people. The people that go to Domino's for the pizza are now able to get a variety of things, which can boast up the number of orders.
The discussion of branding is similar to Tom Kelley's design of experience because both depend on innovation. The experience architect has to figure out how to make sure that their product, whether it be a restaurant, space, or electronic, memorable. Marketing directors have the same job when promoting their product. They need to associate their product with something positive, so that consumers will be able to benefit from it.
Kalamazoo College is branded as the small liberal arts school of the city. It is the opposite to Western Michigan University, which is the typical big party school. In order to fight against it, the party scene must be toned down, to keep the prestige. Also, the school is promoted as a strong study abroad school, so it must continue to add in study abroad programs and encourage students to join in them.
The discussion of branding is similar to Tom Kelley's design of experience because both depend on innovation. The experience architect has to figure out how to make sure that their product, whether it be a restaurant, space, or electronic, memorable. Marketing directors have the same job when promoting their product. They need to associate their product with something positive, so that consumers will be able to benefit from it.
Kalamazoo College is branded as the small liberal arts school of the city. It is the opposite to Western Michigan University, which is the typical big party school. In order to fight against it, the party scene must be toned down, to keep the prestige. Also, the school is promoted as a strong study abroad school, so it must continue to add in study abroad programs and encourage students to join in them.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Proposal
My idea is actually split between three topics: Social Cliques, First-Year Experience, and the Health Center
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
How Did Reflective Turn Into Reflexive in Conversation
The main points of the article are numerous in terms how what a good experience architect. The name is self-explanatory, for the fact that this job entails of creating a lasting encounter for the consumer, whether it is with products, building, or events. The experience architect must make sure that the experiences are memorable in a positive way, so that the consumer would want to attend again. Also, another point was that the experience architect should always give something special to the customer, so that it will lead to good karma. They must be able to find an experience out of everything, where they can turn everything into extraordinary feats. One example of the experience architect performing a good job would be the anti-freeze story, where the customer was able to say time and effort would premixed antifreeze. With this, architects are able to profit off of the experience. Another point that Kelley makes is about the trigger points for experience architects. There must be one or two essential elements that make up the experience. Kelley also advices that companies "mix-it-up" in terms of products to make the experience stand out more.
The design of products are very similar to the design of experiences. Experience architects and designers both have to answer the question of what about this item will make it stand out in consumers minds, whether it be an innovation or an improvement on an existing project. Although customers look for the behavioral aspect, the most powerful aspect in terms of sales would be the reflective. If the designer spent extra time in making the product extraordinary, the customer would want to spend the extra money for it.
For a community building activity would have to be a party at the end of the quarter for the First Year students in order to celebrate the successful finish of the first college quarter in Kalamazoo College. The party would entail of dance music and strobe lights, to further the experience of fun. Also, the money would be spent on food and drinks, just in case the students do not like the party and would rather sit on the side and eat.
The design of products are very similar to the design of experiences. Experience architects and designers both have to answer the question of what about this item will make it stand out in consumers minds, whether it be an innovation or an improvement on an existing project. Although customers look for the behavioral aspect, the most powerful aspect in terms of sales would be the reflective. If the designer spent extra time in making the product extraordinary, the customer would want to spend the extra money for it.
For a community building activity would have to be a party at the end of the quarter for the First Year students in order to celebrate the successful finish of the first college quarter in Kalamazoo College. The party would entail of dance music and strobe lights, to further the experience of fun. Also, the money would be spent on food and drinks, just in case the students do not like the party and would rather sit on the side and eat.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
The Third Place
Ray Oldenburg describes a "Third Place" as a place away from home and from the workplace. The main emphasis inside of this Third Place is friendliness and conversation, since the stress from work and home are not apparent. The participants are allowed to come into the room and not be judged or worried that they are to be punished. There needs to be a real sense of comfort and support. The most common Third Places around campus would be Dino's or Biggby's, where students can just sit and chat over coffee. These places are important to well-being of college students, because they have a place to vent and have a good time if needed. Also, it is inexpensive in terms of equipment since the people entertain themselves. It serves as a place to gain information, share views, and not have to worry about being a guest or host.
The design elements that contribute to a successful Third Place would be a lot of space in terms of how big the room is. Also, the room needs to have dim lighting and sofas, which allows people to feel comfortable in the setting. This is successful in coffee shops, since the environment is casual and inviting others to talk. The place has to be somewhat secluding, so there is no worry of judgments being made or everyone listening into the conversation. The place has to have a homely feel, giving the secure feeling.
One place that has the Third Place on campus is, as previously mentioned, Biggby's Coffee Shop in the Library. Coffee is usually associated with staying up due to the caffeine, and students like to study and cramp with others in the library. If not to study, they can just sit down and talk. One thing that I would change about Biggby's would be the bright light that they have outside of the store. I would not usually talk to people over there, since my third place would be my room.
The design elements that contribute to a successful Third Place would be a lot of space in terms of how big the room is. Also, the room needs to have dim lighting and sofas, which allows people to feel comfortable in the setting. This is successful in coffee shops, since the environment is casual and inviting others to talk. The place has to be somewhat secluding, so there is no worry of judgments being made or everyone listening into the conversation. The place has to have a homely feel, giving the secure feeling.
One place that has the Third Place on campus is, as previously mentioned, Biggby's Coffee Shop in the Library. Coffee is usually associated with staying up due to the caffeine, and students like to study and cramp with others in the library. If not to study, they can just sit down and talk. One thing that I would change about Biggby's would be the bright light that they have outside of the store. I would not usually talk to people over there, since my third place would be my room.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Heart of the City
The author's key points in this chapter are there are many points that make up a successful urban place. One point was that there needs to be concentrated crowding, where it feels crowded even where there is not as many people. Also, a comfortable space is necessary for busy towns. The large point was that supply creates demand. Another point to look for is the percentage of women that visit the area. Men tend to watch women walk bye, so having a lot of women around will draw in the men. Seating is also a factor in what makes a good place, as in different types and the placement.
Designing good urban spaces and designing good consumer products are similar in the fact that the consumer should be the number one factor in terms of mapping. If people do not like the way that something is made, the chances that they will spend are slim to none. The place that they differ is that people do not keep the urban spaces. They buy the products for the go or for the home.
The guidelines would consist of having a higher number of women than man, concentrated crowding, and a great range of seating. Supply leads to demand, so if seating and restaurants are available, then the turnout will be great.
Designing good urban spaces and designing good consumer products are similar in the fact that the consumer should be the number one factor in terms of mapping. If people do not like the way that something is made, the chances that they will spend are slim to none. The place that they differ is that people do not keep the urban spaces. They buy the products for the go or for the home.
The guidelines would consist of having a higher number of women than man, concentrated crowding, and a great range of seating. Supply leads to demand, so if seating and restaurants are available, then the turnout will be great.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Downtown Kzoo
The Downtown Kalamazoo business area is a very conserved area, which is compared to my vision of the downtown area in Brooklyn. The first thing that confused me was the name itself, since it was called the Kalamazoo Mall, yet it is just an area of outdoor stores. During the first assignment where we had to find a store, I spent at least 15 minutes walking around trying to locate this huge building, but found nothing. One thing that I found interesting was the placement of certain stores, like the hair salon next to the optical shop. There was some good placement of stores where the sports clothing store and the rock climbing store right near each other. There was a cafe right across the street from the Arts theater, which is a great design tactic. Also, Kalamazoo followed a similar design to Brooklyn, where they situated a large Public Library next to an open park, where people can relax and read outside.
The main things wrong with downtown is the advertisement. There is not enough emphasis put on to the downtown area for it to grow into a popular area. The city has a great hotel in the Radissan, but there is not much emphasis on it. Also, the fact the strip of stores is actually called the Kalamazoo Mall throws off tourists. It should be renamed as the Burdick Strip or something along those lines. Another suggestion would to place the map that is available on Burdick Street on the other streets surrounding it so that there could be a better directory.
"This is not the kind of question that planners and architects often ask themselves. They tend to see streets and sidewalks strictly as a civic realm, a social environment where people meet and interact, and they tend to favor the sorts of attractive sidewalks and streetscapes that seem to promote sociability. If they are not greatly concerned about the impact of their work on the welfare of haberdashers and stationers, that is not surprising. They belong to professions that are often at war with commercial interests." - Lagerfeld
This passage reminded me of Burdick St, due to its red brick pavement. It gives the city that historical look, where it is not modernized. Kalamazoo's downtown is a sociable area, due to Bronson Park and the Rave theater in the area. Also, the passage reminded me of what we talked about in class about how designers do not think of the user, they think of the projects in its art form.
The main things wrong with downtown is the advertisement. There is not enough emphasis put on to the downtown area for it to grow into a popular area. The city has a great hotel in the Radissan, but there is not much emphasis on it. Also, the fact the strip of stores is actually called the Kalamazoo Mall throws off tourists. It should be renamed as the Burdick Strip or something along those lines. Another suggestion would to place the map that is available on Burdick Street on the other streets surrounding it so that there could be a better directory.
"This is not the kind of question that planners and architects often ask themselves. They tend to see streets and sidewalks strictly as a civic realm, a social environment where people meet and interact, and they tend to favor the sorts of attractive sidewalks and streetscapes that seem to promote sociability. If they are not greatly concerned about the impact of their work on the welfare of haberdashers and stationers, that is not surprising. They belong to professions that are often at war with commercial interests." - Lagerfeld
This passage reminded me of Burdick St, due to its red brick pavement. It gives the city that historical look, where it is not modernized. Kalamazoo's downtown is a sociable area, due to Bronson Park and the Rave theater in the area. Also, the passage reminded me of what we talked about in class about how designers do not think of the user, they think of the projects in its art form.
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