From the beginning, Barry’s approach to the class made me somewhat uncomfortable; the idea of designing for a future scenario, and not getting caught up in the constraints of today. My approach to design is driven largely by a desire to solve problems and overcome real constraints. But in the end I found it meaningful. Removing some of the constraints of the present allowed me to create a more ambitious design. Designing for the present would have meant getting caught up in a lot of politics and issues with water rights and would have lead to something far less interesting. It allows one to imagine an alternate future; what could be someday. Which in the long run could be far more important than something that’s practical now.
Aqueduct Futures 