2013 Pre-Departure Preparation

The Chapman University Graphic Design program took students to London to study Sustainable design in connection with the 2012 Olympic Games. The first class went over in July 2009, and again in July 2010. Summer of 2011 was our third trip and we left London knowing that we wanted to return, however the summer of 2012 would not see us crossing the pond due to the crowds and added cost associated with the Olympic festivities, the way they would affect London, and the running of the course. Recruiting for Summer 2013 commenced beginning in the Fall of 2011 and continued all the way through the Spring of 2013. The dates below list only group student dates. There were countless one-on-one meetings with students and dozens of phone calls/emails with our contacts in London. February 11 - Study Abroad Fair to promote all Chapman travel courses. February 14 - First official meeting to go over the scope of this years course. This time around the students will be working only with Buro Happold, the leading engineering firm, with 27 offices throughout Europe, North America and Asia. Their focus ranges from built environments, energy alternatives and smart city solutions. The entry wall in the London office will be our canvas, as well as a web site, that will rotate information graphics to visiting clients as well to their staff. Our task is to inform viewers of current or pending projects - as well as inpire the creative mind to think about design solutions for the future. April 5 - Second official meeting to answer any last questions before course deposits are due. May 6 - Third and last official meeting prior coming together on July 1. We have 21 students going, including two computer science students who will be invaluable for the programming portion of the web site. May 21 - unofficial visit to ExhibitTree to see what the communication fabrication possibilities are for the project we will be working on for our client. These pictures chronicle a bit of what we saw while there including some of the latest technological breakthroughs in exhibition fabrication.