Cicel Bonding Tour
Background
A bonding tour is a periodic initiative funded by the government, occurring every two years as part of a legislative cycle. It aims to showcase and gain support for public good projects, funded through legislation, with the goal of creating a lasting impact and fostering investment by emphasizing the significance of the projects and the state's commitment, while also highlighting the unique aspects that make each project stand out.
The Center for Interdisciplinary Collaboration, Engagement & Learning (CICEL) project addresses the challenge of outdated facilities that no longer meet the needs of today’s students and faculty. The project is to be funded through Bond requests in Minnesota Legislature. CICEL is not just a construction project, but a creative solution to problems with a fresh vision for the future of learning and engagement in the campus and community.
Timeline
1 Month
ClientWinona State University / Minnesota State Legislatures
Problem
Create a physical takeaway for state legislatures as part of the bonding tour, aiming to motivate their support of project funding. Ensure that the cost for each takeaway item remains below $5.
Medium
Living Hinge Laser-Engraved/Cut Wood, Cotton Paper, Illustrator
Role
Project Team Lead
Team
Project
Winona State University tasked us to conceptualize and craft a tangible takeaway for state legislatures during the bonding tour. The CICEL bonding project encompasses a $25 million state budget allocated for the implementation of a new sustainable building initiative on the WSU campus. This project was created in collaboration with Pierre Gage, Alex Trainor, Arin Hendrickson, Jadyn Niemeyer, & Katelyn Cutshall
concept
Our student design team collaborated to craft a slide-top box featuring a laser-engraved living hinge and a sliding stop mechanism. The box houses a spiral-bound press packet and a cotton coaster puzzle shaped like Minnesota.
The multimedia press packet within offers a curated, multifaceted experience and includes symbols paying homage to unrepresented native communities. It engages through various media forms, creating an immersive encounter.
Moreover, we introduced a laser-cut, inkjet printed cotton coaster puzzle that, along with the box, highlights Minnesota's essence. The design celebrates outdoor opportunities, iconic landmarks like the capitol, and key industries such as agriculture and iron production. It incorporates spearhead and feather iconography, symbolizing Minnesota's two main tribes, and a dreamcatcher as a protective and symbolic element preserving Indigenous spiritual traditions. The wave pattern on the back nods to Minnesota's famous ten thousand lakes, while the state slogan encapsulates its beauty and history.
This piece serves a practical purpose, showcasing our attention to detail and dedication to merging functionality with aesthetics.
Process
Our class tackled the CICEL project with a clear mission—two groups, two roles, all for an imminent legislative tour. My group aimed to create a compelling takeaway for legislators to secure funding for a new campus building. Internal tensions arose, and as the project progressed, I assumed responsibility for both tasks—designing a box with a living hinge and a puzzle on thick coaster cotton paper. Navigating collaboration was challenging, demanding extra effort to execute and refine work. Examining collaboration on details and strategic discussions revealed challenges in ensuring an equitable distribution of responsibilities. The struggle to motivate some members persisted until a midpoint update reignited commitment. This intervention underscored the importance of meaningful contribution beyond brainstorming, emphasizing the need for clear expectations and shared accountability.
Reflection
Upon reflection, because of the collaborative nature of our mid-sized group, once the project had concluded, I reevaluated our project direction. Seeking to shift away from Minnesota's initial iconography emphasis, I refined the design—engraving topographic patterns on both the box and puzzle. This strategic pivot involved a significant departure from the original plan, envisioning the aesthetic elements cut and engraved from wood. The revised design aimed to capture Minnesota's essence through its topography, emphasizing its ten thousand lakes and intricate water systems, including the Mississippi River's meandering path, engraved the deepest. I reworked the state slogan typography to be more emblematic of sophistication, reinforcing the connection for Minnesota legislatures between visual elements and Minnesota's cultural identity. Focusing on topographic patterns aimed to offer a unique and meaningful representation, transcending conventional iconography use. This reflection highlights the iterative nature of the design process, emphasizing adaptability and openness to refining creative direction, going back and revisiting the concept on my own, utilizing everything I learned from working within the group dynamic.