Course Title: Design Studies 2 (Furniture Design)

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Design Studies 2 (Furniture Design)

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

GRAP2379

City Campus

Undergraduate

320T Architecture & Urban Design

Face-to-Face

Sem 2 2008,
Sem 2 2010,
Sem 2 2011,
Sem 2 2012,
Sem 2 2013,
Sem 2 2014,
Sem 2 2015,
Sem 2 2017,
Sem 2 2018,
Sem 2 2019

GRAP2379

City Campus

Undergraduate

375T Vocational Design and Social Context

Face-to-Face

Sem 2 2020,
Sem 2 2021

GRAP2379

City Campus

Undergraduate

515T Creative Industries

Face-to-Face

Sem 2 2022,
Sem 2 2023,
Sem 1 2024

Course Coordinator: Julian Pratt

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 4820

Course Coordinator Email: julian.pratt@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: 71.02.02

Course Coordinator Availability: by appointment


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

None.


 


Course Description

Design Studies 2 (Furniture Design) is concerned with the relationship of technology to furniture making. By examining the interplay between crafts, art, technology and ergonomics you will come to a critical appreciation of the nature of individuality in the design and production process. Furniture design has a rich western historical tradition that is accessible to students in many ways. Technological investigations offered in these tutorial projects will focus on the construction of understandings and narratives of histories of furniture design that fall outside the dominant design discourse. A particular emphasis will be given to global furniture design by way of case studies and access to various local collections and reproduction houses.
The core aim of Design Studies 2 (Furniture Design) is to aid in the development of your critical awareness crucial to your contribution to the world as designers and as citizens. The emphasis here is not on ‘designing’ but coming to understand the structures and systems that make the world what it is, and by implication prescribe our ways of operating in it.
Through this course you will develop analytical and research skills, including the ordering and interpretation of information and an ability to translate information into cohesive arguments.
The key objective is to develop critical thinking abilities and encourage critical reflection. In a broader context, these skills will help you to critically challenge the status quo and provide the framework for design innovation. This may be reflected by the development of personal principles and an outlook that may champion or challenge the traditional roles of the furniture designer. You will develop a greater appreciation of the role of design in relation to other intellectual, cultural and commercial practices and will be able to conceptualize and carry out an in-depth and independent academic inquiry.
You will be expected to read academic text, write in a manner commensurate to the area of study, listen and contribute to discussions. Thinking and making time to think is privileged in the Design Studies stream.
 


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

This course contributes to the following Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) of the AD007 Associate Degree in Design (Furniture Design)
1. Explore materials and modern manufacturing methods to develop concepts to proposal or prototype for both local and international corporate or individual clients
3. Apply and creatively adapt theoretical and technical knowledge and skills to your practice of furniture design
5. Evaluate your own work, ideas and concepts, including self, peer and industry critique
7. Present and communicate furniture prototypes for sustainable futures which consider the professional and ethical practice of furniture design in a global societal cultural context

 


Through this course you will develop analytical and research skills, including the ordering and interpretation of information and an ability to translate information into cohesive arguments.
Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:
1. Investigate material and technological influences on the practice of furniture design and manufacture
2. Interpret and evaluate information in an ordered and critical manner
3. Critique the work of your peers and to be critical and reflective of individual work
4. Analyse and describe the social, commercial, cultural and traditional contexts surrounding furniture styles
5. Present findings and arguments in verbal, written, multimedia and 3D forms
6. Deconstruct the historical contexts and references within the practice of furniture design
7. Develop new propositions for contemporary furniture
 


Overview of Learning Activities

You will be engaged in learning that involves a range of activities:
• Topic specific seminars – space to introduce, explore and extend key course topics, theories and design projects
• Case studies – review, critique and analysis of bodies of work from artists and designers
• Research tasks – you will research social, ethical, philosophical, economic and cultural perspectives of designing furniture in the 21st Century. You will undertake applied research in a design discourse in the areas of materials and client/market need.
• Group-based learning - group discussion, collaborative projects and peer critique
• Presentations - the communication of your ideas to peers, teachers and industry partners and clients
• Negotiated learning – during the course you will have the opportunity to negotiate project outcomes in consultation with your teachers
 


Overview of Learning Resources

More detailed briefs for the course will be distributed in class. As most of the work will be learner centred you will be guided in developing your semester work plan by the teaching staff in the first weeks of the course. Design Studies requires significant amounts of reading, researching, talking to people and documenting encounters. Some resources will be supplied for certain learning activities; however students will be largely responsible for their own learning resources. 

Online learning tools and content

 As a student in this program, you can access online learning tools and resources for your program and associated courses from the RMIT student website.

https://www.rmit.edu.au/students

  RMIT will provide you with specific course materials for learning through our online system (Canvas). The course and workshop notes are posted on Canvas. 

https://rmit.instructure.com

RMIT Library

There are services available to support your learning through the University Library.
The library provides guides on academic referencing http://www.rmit.edu.au/library/referencing along with specific subject guides.

The University Library has extensive resources for Furniture Design students. The Library has produced a subject guide that includes quality online and print resources for your studies http://rmit.libguides.com/furnituredesign

The library also provides a variety of resources including databases, e-journals, e-books and websites. You can find more information on Library services at: https://www.rmit.edu.au/library 

Additional resources and/or sources to assist your learning will be identified by your course coordinator and will be made available to you as required during the teaching period. 
 


Overview of Assessment

You will be assessed on how well you meet the course’s learning outcomes and on your development against the program learning outcomes.Assessment for this course is ongoing throughout the semester and feedback will be given on all assessment tasks.

Assignment 1: Case study - 25% (CLO 1, 2 & 3) Individual 

Assignment 2: Research task - 35% (CLO 2 - 6) Individual 

Assignment 3: Design task - 40% (CLO 1 - 6) Individual