The structure and focus of the Winter Break above task directly respond to feedback gathered from using the 3×3 Summer Project as part of the ARP on my PGcert study, particularly around the idea of purpose, accessibility, and the need for stronger integration into studio practice. Students mentioned that engagement was highest when the value of research was clearly articulated and when tasks felt purposeful rather than abstract. In response, the winter task is explicitly positioned as the foundation for the Spring collaborative project, with clear outcomes that feed directly into group decision-making, studio discussions, and assessed work.
Feedback also highlighted differences in research confidence, especially around reading-heavy or open-ended tasks. The winter task prioritises multiple modes of research engagement: sonic, visual, observational, and written, placing them on equal footing. This approach reflects student feedback around accessibility while maintaining conceptual depth, allowing students to contribute meaningfully regardless of preferred research method or location during the break.
Students valued opportunities for personal and identity-led research but expressed a desire for a stronger collective purpose. The winter task addresses this by reframing research as a shared act of world-building around a defined muse, encouraging early collaboration, dialogue, and alignment. Tasks such as the playlist, object still lives, and field observations are designed to foster personal input while building a common reference system that supports group cohesion.
Finally, feedback suggested that research became more meaningful when it was revisited and activated within studio contexts. The winter task functions as a live research bank that is explicitly returned to in January and carried through into the collaborative collection, lookbook, and presentation outlined in the brief(above). This ensures that early research is not isolated or forgotten, but embedded as an active driver of creative and design decisions throughout the project.
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