Any thoughts on a SketchUcation Members ????

Marian

A really nice idea Mike, this would be awesome if it will get off the ground.
Now that the warehouse has sharing capabilities, forming teams of collaborators for distinct projects could be possible, all coordonated by a specialist who has experience but little spare time, and could manage and guide one or two teams.
I think there are a lot of stundents and kids around this site, we have more free hours but less experience in architecture or any other form of real design, so we could potentially learn something from the masters, also this could be a way of teaching those poor kids something about modelling.
My suggestion would be to start with small projects and build on them (i know, it's commonsensical stuff)
Any way this is just my 2 cents, but i would really like to see this happen in one way or another.How cool it would be to use your passion/hobby to help people.

Cheers and lots of luck, Mike

toxicvoxel

Mike,
If southern Africa is your focus you may wish to look at the following link:
http://www.shuttleworthfoundation.org/
(Mark Shuttleworth is the bloke who flew the first private Russian space mission a few years back.)

They have specific funding criteria but your initiative may fit well with their overall objectives.
.

Mike Lucey

Thanks Tox, I'm reading about the Shuttleworth Foundation with
great interest! I think there might be tie-in possibilities
of some sort. I'll understand better when I have read all of
the Site.

Good thinking Marian, your suggestion of using the WareHouse
sharing capabilities is top notch. This could in effect be our
Virtual Learning Centre!

I'm really delighted and excited that in just a day we have
started to formulate a Plan Of Action! This is something that
has continued to attract me the the SketchUp Community, their
open willingness to help others. This may sound 'corny'(as the
USA guys say) but its TRUE and can be seen day after day on this
forum.

The only thing that we must keep in mind is that while its all
very fine to dream, at the same time we have to be realistic
and not bite off more than we can chew. However I do see a
DOABLE project that I think many Members would be more than
willing to offer a little precious time to help out with.

Please keep the suggestions rolling! Oh! and don't forget to
view the TED presentations by Dave Eggers and Neil Turok!

Mike

pbacot

Hi,

I had an idea to concentrate on a favorite archaeological site in Mexico, on my own--model the extant ruins and recreate according to archaeological evidence. Then I thought, based on programs others are doing, that it would be best if the children / young adults of the area did this, with help from SU professionals. The resulting production could be much bigger than I could do alone, and could be used in education, tourism etc. for the local community. I think it would need boots (or sandals) on the ground and coordination with local and donor organizations.

Your ideas are right in the same vein. I haven't embarked on anything yet, but would like to help in some way on projects.

Peter

Mike Lucey

Thanks Pbacot for your input. I think your suggestion just goes
the show that there is an inclination here on the forums amoung
members to do something that would benifit others that are less
fortunate.

It would be great if we could hear lots of ideas and think hard
about a suitable project path that would fit in well with the
community here.

Mike

bellwells

@remus said:

Perhaps some free architectural work for a suitable charity? i suppose the problem with this, though, is that it would be very easy for a few forum members to get very heavily involved with it and end up spending a disproportionate amount of their time on it.

Whatever happens, id love to get involved with a big project between everyone.

I am willing and able to dedicate free time to architectural projects for suitable charities or even "deserving" individuals or groups. I have always thought our talents should be shared with those who deserve and need it.

My current project will likely be my last (by choice), so I will have plenty of spare time to share.

Mike Lucey

Thanks Ron for adding your weight. It looks like you are going
the retirement route? Hey! its not all its cracked up to be!
Better to keep your hand in

Have you any ideas that you would like to bounce off us?

Mike

bellwells

Mike, to me retiring means I am my own client. I'll never abandon architecture; it's too much a part of me (for better or worse).

I'll think about this....

Mike Lucey

Much appreciated Ron Looking forward to hearing what you
think.

linea

Mike I am very interested in this, great idea. Count me in. I think they're could be many uses for our combined services, probably not just in the fields of architecture and education. A while back I was commissioned by a charity to just draw a simple 2d map of a shanty town in Gambia. The charity workers there had no map of the area. Luckily the resolution of the area on Google Earth is very good so the charity workers went door to door collecting info; mostly they took the surnames of the residents but some of the buildings were shops, cottage industries etc. I traced the map off the g.e. image in cad and then typed in all the detail. It took about a day but the resulting map was useful.

Obviously our focus will be SU based but I thought this is a good example of how there might be lots of things that we might not at first think of that could make a big difference.

Jon

Mike Lucey

Bravo Jon, You have Walked the Walk, well done to you!

I think there is a lot in what you say. Its going to be very
difficult organising a particular cause to help BUT just maybe
(as you say) we could offer our SketchUp and other skills to
any deserving cause. SketchUcation would be ideal conduit for
this kind of charity work.

Maybe we could have a section that would be a place for charities
to outline the work they need done and Members wishing to get
involved and help out could either jump in and do the job (as in
your case) or join forces with other Members to complete a job.

It would be a loose arrangement that might work well for all as
I fully understand that we all have time constraints and for this
reason might feel hesitant to get involved. But this would be
a pop in if you have a few hours to spare sort of thing that could
work AND could be started right away!

What is the general consensus on the type of operation proposed
and has anyone a good name for it so we can get rid on the ????

Mike

pbacot

Mike, there a two types of projects. Some projects have a well outlined design that needs fleshing out. (eg. a straight forward prototype shelter design, or mapping /modeling something that exists for the use of the community or organization). The other is a full design project. How can a bunch of opinionated designers collaborate on a design? That would be a breakthrough in itself.

linea

Pbacot everybody will have to put their ego aside (nobody in this community is egotistical or arrogant anyway). I think the idea of one designer is a pretty outdated idea these days. Are we striving for iconic architectural masterpieces? Function and budget will be more important.

bellwells

@linea said:

Pbacot everybody will have to put their ego aside (nobody in this community is egotistical or arrogant anyway). I think the idea of one designer is a pretty outdated idea these days. Are we striving for iconic architectural masterpieces? Function and budget will be more important.

I agree. I'm confident we can all cooperate on this.

pbacot

That's good. I didn't mean to throw water on any design work scenario. This could be the proving of a true community feeling. Who decides design direction though? I also did not mean to imply there would be one designer only. I am most familiar with private practice where someone eventually has the decision making power over all others, in order to move forward where different solutions are proposed. Personally I am not worthy to tie the modeling or design shoes of many here. If given a task, I'd be honored to fill-in the caulk on someone else's idea.

You need not be egotistical or arrogant to feel you are right. Designers are creative people who naturally have their own strong ideas. I look forward to seeing the collaborative process do some good, like the many amateur computers doing long computations, or the many amateur astronomers combing the skies.

bellwells

To paraphrase a Supreme Court Justice, good design is like pornography, I know it when I see it.

bellwells

One way to kick this thing off would be to get Google to use their considerable marketing efforts to announce our willingness to help deserving causes.

This fits right into Google's world view and would be wonderful advertising for them. Using their SketchUp product to better the world. How perfect!

The problem would be to sift through what would be thousands of requests. This would be daunting task and I haven't thought through that process yet. As mentioned earlier, I think, we could have a few forums established for this process. It just occurred to me that this could significantly burden Coen's life. Maybe this special requester forum would be on Google Groups....I never visit there though.

Sometimes the best way to tackle a new problem is to dive right in.

Mike Lucey

Great ideas Ron. I think you could be right, that we might simply
inundated with requests. Maybe the softly softly approach might
be the best way to handle something at this point in time but we
still have the, what, where, when and how question!

Double Espresso

How about a 'challenge' to design things like modular prefab housing that could be used to provide shelter and replacement homes for areas that are struck by disasters. This could also extend into areas like irrigation systems to direct water from rivers to villages.
Individual design concepts are chosen by open vote, or a panel, then modified and improved by member input and then taken to final engineered design.
Patents and copyrights will be an issue but that can be handled with non-profit agreements etc.

Then approach Google with a Web-Reality show concept where the Google/Sketchup Humanity Team in partnership with Corporate Sponsors works with local people and a Relief Organization to install the irrigation system or housing, or ???.

This might be of interest - http://www.unhabitat.org/categories.asp?catid=9

DE

Mike Lucey

Thanks DE for your input and welcome. We have quite a few
ideas bounced and I am sure in time we will stumble across
something that will be the ideal way for the SketchUcation
Community to do some good works.

I would however like to see us get involved in something that
would allow ALL of the SketchUcation Community to get involved
not just a particular group. However your idea is noteworthy

Mike