Design Studies 1 (Furniture Design) opens up the historical, theoretical and philosophical underpinnings of the Furniture Design discipline. Here you are encouraged to explore and experiment with theoretical concepts, and to become curious and rigorous in the ways in which they approach and appreciate design and its role in shaping our ideas of the world.
Furniture design has a rich western historical tradition that is accessible to students in many ways. Historical investigations offered in these tutorial projects will focus on the construction of historical 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 histories by way of case studies and access to various local historical collections.
The core aim of the Design Studies 1 (Furniture Design) is to aid in the development of a 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. Design Studies 1 (Furniture Design) is about ideas, thinking and questioning. It is about finding a voice, listening to others and exploring from a broad range of perspectives from a diverse, and eclectic, mix of theory.
Through this course you will start to 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 conceptualise and carry out an in-depth and independent academic inquiry.