In this project, students were required to create upcycled items in three different categories: furniture, clothing, and decorative items. Students were directed to take everyday objects and enhance their value, aesthetics, and function. To start the process, students researched the style and cultural trends and the origins of the items. Next, material and construction techniques were analyzed to create the re-design in each category.

      My main concept for this project is connection which is encompasses gestalt, and grandma-chic.

CONNECTION: It is defined as “A relationship in which a person, thing, or idea is linked or associated with something else.” Through each piece, a connection is conceptualized and emphasized, not only by the physical connection of items but through symbolic human connection.

GESTALT: “An organized whole that is perceived as more than the sum of its parts.” By connecting individual pieces through the multiplication of individual parts or combining different parts to create one whole, gestalt is defined. The principles of proximity, closure, continuity, similarity, and multi-stability are interplayed in each piece, which creates an overall feeling of connectedness.

GRANDMA-CHIC: A transformative process from “old to new” allows forgotten or unused history pieces to be reinvented into something loveable and useable in the modern world. Grandma-Chic also meets all generations’ needs by providing nostalgia to the older generations and modern influence to the newer generations and thus creating a connection of time and human experience through individual pieces.