According to QS World University rankings, The University of Alberta prides itself in being one of the top 5 universities in Canada .One of the major buildings that contribute to the University's ranking is the centre of interdisciplinary research which is also known as CCIS. CCIS was built in the summer of 2011 and is one of the leading research facilities in Canada. This is due to the rigorous planning and research process that focuses primarily on the sustainability aspect of the building. This caused it to be awarded the silver designation for Leadership in Energy and Environmental design which is also known as Leed. Leed is an environmental council which rates buildings on a ranking system from certified to platinum. The ranking system that accompanies this is based on benchmarks to analyse the construction,design and operation of buildings.
The University of Alberta contains 39 thousand undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate students, with this in mind, it is no surprise to see that students are diverse and rich with the subjects that they choose to study. From human ecology to materials engineering, the University of Alberta attempts to bridge and interconnect these subjects. A building such as CCIS is an example of combining different disciplines. Very rarely will one be able to sense this connection on campus but CCIS is an exception as it is able to merge ideas and combine thoughts. Throughout decades of research, science has become evolved into very specialised branches. Despite this specialisation, it continues to borrow ideas from a variety of other subjects such as arts or maths. By understanding this connection, one will see the importance of cooperation and working together.
An example of this bridging of concepts is the terrazzo floor located at the main floor of CCIS. When exploring this building the first aspect an individual will notice is the intricate floor pattern and design of the main floor. The diverse colours and shapes of the floor cause our eye to be drawn .Furthermore, very rarely are floors even given thought ;let alone decorated and integrated to this extent. This is why it is one CCIS's main features. Scott Person, the designer of the terrazzo floor, set out to create a ten-colour epoxy design reflecting the scientific research conducted at the University of Alberta. Displayed by the picture the floor represents shapes such as neutrons, fractals, and even stars. The purpose of this floor is to literally interweave different images of disciplines and to show a deeper meaning.
Scott Person said
"Art, like science, shares a deeply rooted bond in an emotional, if not spiritual, sense of awe, and artists, like scientists, often begin their work from careful observation."
Alike designers, scientists must take into account other aspects such as the environment and sustainability. Scott emphasised that science and art are really not as different as one might believe. Despite them being different fields, both require dedication and motivation. In order to succeed the emphasis on focus is important in order to achieve greatness.Furthermore, skills in art and science can be used hand in hand. As one walks around the floor of CCIS one will understand that these fields are all connected in a way and all focus on the goal of expanding knowledge.
This idea of merging sciences and arts further relates back to Enzio Manzini's idea of design in that everyone is a designer. The connection of different disciplines relates back to Ezio Manzini's "Design When Everyone Designs". His theory emphasises that every designer has responsibilities that are more than meets the eye. The belief that people must be social actors and care for aspects that are bigger than design is rooted in his core ideas. To accomplish such aspects, there must be an effort to actively communicate , therefore, making them take on the role as a designer. This relationship that Manzini emphasises about communication is essential to my discussion .Much like the relationship between diffuse designer and professional designer, professors are giving their students the tools to succeed and in turn, they hope that their students will contribute to social change alike what their professors did.
Furthermore,CCIS is an experience enabler allowing academics to further research that they have accomplished.Students at the university are taught to core ideas during classes and are encouraged to study in order to further develop knowledge of those ideas. Through labs and other forms of research, everyone is able to combine, share and discuss such ideas to ultimately develop on complex subjects .Like a mind map a small thought is expanded to a web of intricate and complex ideas. Professors promote social collaboration and aim to stimulate reactions through learning tools such as labs or group presentations. These encourage students to communicate outside class time to discuss academia. The ability to cooperate with one another is powerful in that new aspects are learned though a different perspective.
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