Chloe is the founder of TRACE and the Editor-in-Chief for 2years.
-> Click here to access the TRACE site.
TRACE
/trās/
verb
find or discover by investigation.
work over a drawing, map, or design by drawing its lines on a superimposed piece of transparent paper.
noun
a mark, object, or other indication of the existence or passing of something.
TRACE is the undergraduate, student-led, and curated environmental design publication at UC Berkeley’s College of Environmental Design.
As a noun, ‘trace’ refers to “a mark or line left by something that has passed” and “a minute and often barely detectable amount or indication.”
As a verb, ‘trace’ means both “to copy (something, such as a drawing)” or “to discover.”
As an allusion, the name ‘TRACE’ is a nod toward trace paper, an inexpensive yet valuable design instrument that has been used for decades, but in today’s design settings, it often gets overlooked. Trace paper, due to its affordability and physical transparency, enables a unique form of quick and iterative visual thinking as it is layered on top of itself.
As a publication, TRACE strives to bring the designer’s thinking and attitude during the design process to the forefront of the discussion.
Why are decisions being made?
How do these decisions manifest in the design?
What ways of working are involved?
How do these ways of working reveal or obstruct a design’s potential?
TRACE pursues answers to these questions by interrogating students’ ways of working and thinking, instead of merely focusing on ‘finished’ or ‘polished’ projects. A unique kind of design knowledge can be uncovered by looking at the considerations, affordances, and negotiations underpinning every decision made by the designer. This knowledge does not yield static solutions; rather, it is dynamic — it shines light on what a design has the potential to become. TRACE strives to facilitate the exchange of knowledge gained by students through experiences within and outside of the studio. The publication intends to act as a repository for this exchange and to spark discourse within CED and the broader environmental design community. Specifically, TRACE is asking students and academics to question what you know and how you know it.
TRACE is distributed by William Stout Architectural Books, San Francisco.
TRACE is currently being exhibited now on display at the Bauer Wurster Gallery, UC Berkeley.
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