Day 1 Reflections - Isaac Lim

 EQ1. How is innovation a key feature of survival? Innovation is the improvement of existing items around you, and then using them to your advantage. Since in survival, you can just barely get along with each day with the limited materials and resources, innovation is a must. For example, the Vietnamese had used the Americans’ camouflage cloaks to hide from enemy helicopters and to deter dogs from their scent. That was innovation, since they had used the cloaks that they had salvaged from the dead American soldiers for different uses than they were originally intended, and this had all been a very important part in the survival of the Vietnamese.

 EQ2. How is cultural integration reflected in design? The designs are thought up from the people who were affected by their culture in the first place, and as such, those people’s minds are influenced by the culture that they are used to. As such, the designs in a country would be heavily influenced by their cultures or religions. For example, the temple’s pillars had carvings and imagery on them of dragons, and these decisions in designing would reflect quite clearly on either the culture or the religion and beliefs of the people.