Of course today design is commonly understood as 'making things look good' ...
Lidwell, William, Kritina Holden, and Jill Butler. Universal Principles of Design.
Academy of Visual Arts Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Visual Arts Programme GDCV1106 Product Design Basics No. of units: 3 Duration: 39 hours Course Description & Rationale: The idea ‘If all people can be surrounded by beautiful things, all people will have more beautiful lives.’ was one of the key thoughts in the 19th century for the development of what today is called ‘design’. Of course today design is commonly understood as ‘making things look good’, but the original meaning of the term ‘beautiful’ was more intended along the lines of ‘good’, ‘good quality’ or even simply ‘safe’. So, what makes a thing ‘good’? Looks? Functionality? Ethical considerations? Sustainable materiality? Personal sentiment? This course looks at the things surrounding us in our daily lives, and – through practical application of aesthetical, phenomenological and other design theories – establishes concepts about the true nature(s) of things that allow us to make more informed choices about the objects that we fill our lives with. This course has a focus on product design, but will also make connections to furniture and fashion design, and other object-based design areas. Apart from introduction to various theories on objects, it also contains a significant number of practical studio classes that allow participants to hands-on experience and explore what it takes to make things ‘beautiful’.
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Intended Learning Outcomes for this course (ILOs): Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to: No. 1
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) Demonstrate insight into the principal steps within in the development process of a new object, from sketch to production;
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Express their personal ideas on things through simple three-dimensional objects using basic materials and tools of the design field;
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Explain ideas to their peers a selection of theories on the nature of things; and
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Appreciate good – in every sense of the term – three dimensional design.
Alignment of Teaching and Learning Activities with the Intended Learning Outcomes: No. Teaching and Learning Activities ILO No. Teaching Hours 1. Presentations with aid of notes and audio-visual media 1, 3, 4 8 2.
Team-working research projects and group discussions
3, 4
4
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Studio-based Practical Research
2, 4
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Visits of design offices and production-sites
1, 2, 4
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Assessment: No. 1.
Assessment Methods/Activities
Weighting
Student presentations and following group
30%
Remarks
discussions on theoretical topics 2.
Practical research projects:
50%
2 small and 1 medium-size design assignments to develop hand-scale objects 3.
Class journal
20%
Students are to keep a journal on their activities within the course, especially the visits
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Alignment with the Intended Learning Outcomes of the GE Programme (PLOs) Please indicate alignment by checking ‘√’ the appropriate box
Learning Outcomes
PLO1
PLO2
PLO3
PLO4
PLO5
PLO6
PLO7 √
ILO1 √
ILO2 √
ILO3
√ √
ILO4
Alignment with the Intended Learning Outcomes of the GE Category (CLOs): Please indicate alignment by checking ‘√’ the appropriate box
Learning Outcomes
CLO1
ILO1
√
CLO2
CLO3
CLO5
(if applicable)
(if applicable)
√
ILO2 ILO3
CLO4
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ILO4 Course Contents in Outline: Topic
Teaching Hours 1. Introductions to the principle contemporary thinking on things/objects/ 30.8% products: · Aesthetics; · Phenomenology; · Material Culture; and others. 53.8%
2. Introductions to professional design skills: · Professional sketching; · (Technical) drafting; · Analogue model-building; and · Virtual modelling. 3. Introduction to a variety of production methods
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15.4%
Key References: 1.
Antonelli, Paola. Humble Masterpieces: 100 Everyday Marvels of Design. London: Thames & Hudson, 2006.
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Ching, Francis D. K. Design Drawing. Hoboken: Wiley, 1997.
3.
Costall, Alan and Ole Dreier, ed. Doing Things with Things: The Design and Use of Everyday Objects. Aldershot: Ashgate, 2006.
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Hara, Kenja. Designing Design. Baden: Lars Müller Publishers, 2007.
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Laurel, Brenda, ed. Design Research: Methods and Perspectives. Cambridge: MIT, 2003. Lidwell, William, Kritina Holden, and Jill Butler. Universal Principles of Design. Beverly: Rockport, 2003. Mills, Criss B. Designing with Models: A Studio Guide to Making and Using
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Architectural Design Models (Hoboken: Wiley, 2005) 8. 9. 10.
Norman, Donald A. Emotional Design: Why We Love (or Hate) Everyday Things. New York: Basic Books, 2005. Verbeek, Peter-Paul. What Things Do: Philosophical Reflections on Technology, Agency, And Design. Philadelphia: Pennsylvania State University Press, 2005. Wong, Wucius. Principles of Form and Design (Hoboken: Wiley, 1993)
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