Esmeralda Aleyda Diana

My decision to pursue KCAD for graduate school has been a dynamic adventure, challenge, and learning curve. Though unfamiliar with different computer software, this challenge has enabled growth, specifically in design.

Though outside of my comfort zone, I have challenged myself to learn all the tools presented to me in a way that can become part of my expression. Throughout my life, I have grown up working with my hands, writing, designing freehanded, drafting, sketching, drawing, and painting on the side.

Art is a substantial part of my life as a creative and visual individual. Art also allows me to think flexibly, freely, and flowingly about my concepts and things that generally would remain restrictive.

I prefer drawing by hand, sketching my ideas and thoughts on paper into pictures, creating process work as a starting point, then translating the sentiments onto a computer screen to transition and communicate my thoughts more clearly.

This freehand method helps me begin a project design idea overall. Hand drawing has become a foundation to project the thought of my design concepts and architectural drawings through experiential pictures.

My thesis concerns 'OSOM,' the forgotten, disregarded waste, marginalized and informal communities, designing a proposal to mitigate a need as a resource. Out of sight, out of mind should not happen in places like these. Instead, they should maintain inclusion for our well-being as a global community.

'OSOM' (out of sight, out of mind): when we don't see things before us, we forget and disregard their importance. Even if it does not affect us directly, it will affect others first, then us after it's too late, so how can we all involve ourselves in filthy things to be prevented, like trash waste? Thinking of the in-between, underdog, and transitional spaces (alley, sidewalk, foyer), the areas people go through but ignore as important, left forgotten needs to be paid attention to for safety, health, and encouragement for growth regardless of their location and space. My hope for this thesis project is to evoke emotions and recognition of issues I am drawing attention to.