Units

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Sample subject outline - Semester 1 2013

Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.

Rationale

Through an investigation of furniture and its design, this unit introduces you to skills and knowledge involved in the field of interior design. Furniture and joinery are an integral elements in an interior environment aesthetically, socially, and culturally. You will therefore investigate aspects of the interior environment through the design of furniture and joinery within an appropriate context.

Aims

The aim of this unit is to provide you with an opportunity to apply your developing skills and knowledge in an applied manner to experience the three dimensional realization of design ideas in a variety ways including the construction of a full size prototype in the workshop.

Objectives

On completion of this unit you should be able to demonstrate:

1. An awareness of the role of furniture within interior design with the ability to identify, define and solve problems in the area of furniture design.
   
2. The development of an understanding of furniture design, documentation and construction experience within the interior design context including the ability to work cooperatively and productively as a team member or leader.
   
3. Technological skills appropriate to the discipline including the ability to communicate design ideas through written works, working drawings, models, and a variety of presentation techniques.

Content

Topics covered in this unit include:

• A focus on interaction factors such as visual cues and psychological responses
  
• A historical analysis of the role of furniture design in interior design
  
• Historic, contemporary and future furniture trends
  
• Furniture design and documentation
  
• Prototype construction in the workshop and/or design of a major piece
  
• Issues of sustainability

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

The unit will involve you in lectures/seminars, tutorials, site visits, studio exercises and integrated workshop sessions. Strategies to be adopted in teaching the unit and promoting your learning include: externalisation and explicit imagining, representing and testing of ideas and proposals for projects and exercises; and the involvement of practical exercises which encourage the integration of theory and practice and self evaluation and reflection.

Teaching Mode: Hours per week: 4
Lecture: 1
Studio/Tutorial: 3

Learning Approaches:
Learning approaches will cover the following:
Lectures and seminars, Self-directed learning, Team based learning, Experiential learning, Reflective practice, Exposition, and Presentation

Assessment

Assessment will be based on the projects introduced within a studio context. Individual projects will be assessed independently but will contribute to the final grade of the unit.

There will be three projects undertaken throughout the semester. Each will be allocated a weighting according to project and unit learning outcomes.

LATE ASSIGNMENTS
An assignment submitted after the due date without an approved extension will not be marked. If you are unable to complete your assignment on time, you should submit on time whatever work you have done.

Faculty Assessment Information
To access the Creative Industries Faculty Assessment Information please refer to the Blackboard site for this unit.Studio will be formative in the sense that you will be provided with ongoing feedback in through the studio activities incorporating identification of strengths and weaknesses and suggestions for further consideration.

Assessment name: Conceptual Design
Description: Research & design submission for furniture proposal.
Relates to objectives: 1, 2 & 3
Weight: 35%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Week 4

Assessment name: Design Heroes
Description: Research and seminar presentation on a contemporary designer.
Relates to objectives: 1 & 2
Weight: 15%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Group
Due date: Week 9

Assessment name: Design - Furniture Piece
Description: Design Development, Documentation and 3D prototype construction and presentation. Group (35%) with Individual Component (15%)
Relates to objectives: 1, 2 & 3
Weight: 50%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Group with Individual Component
Due date: Week 13

Academic Honesty

QUT is committed to maintaining high academic standards to protect the value of its qualifications. To assist you in assuring the academic integrity of your assessment you are encouraged to make use of the support materials and services available to help you consider and check your assessment items. Important information about the university's approach to academic integrity of assessment is on your unit Blackboard site.

A breach of academic integrity is regarded as Student Misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties.

Resource materials

Arad, R. 1987. Expectations Broken By Design, (sound recording), Pidgeon Audio Visual, London.
DeGarmo, Black & Kohser, 1990. Material and Processes in Manufacturing, Mazwell Macmillan.
Haines, B. & Smith, T. 1988. Woodworking and Carpentry for Australians, Rigby.
Marcus, G. 1995. Functionalist Design: An Ongoing History, Germany Preste.
Noever,P. 2009 , Formless Furniture , Hatje Cantz
Page, M. 1980. Furniture Designed by Architects, Architectural Press, London.
Panero, J & Zelnik, M 1979. Architectural Press, London.
Pile, J. 1990. Furniture, Modern + Postmodern: Design + Technology, Wiley, New York.
PPC International, 1991. International Furniture Design for the '90s, Rizzoli International Publications.

Risk assessment statement

You will be required to undertake practical sessions in the wokshop under the supervision of the lecturer and technical staff. The Faculty's occupational health and safety policies and procedures will apply to these sessions.

You will undergo a health and safety induction at the commencement of the first practical session and will be issued with a safety induction card. Students who do not have a safety induction card will be denied access to laboratories.

In any workshop practicals you will be advised of requirements of safe and responsible behaviour and will be required to wear appropriate protective items (e.g. closed shoes or steel capped shoes); on any field trips or site visits, all students will progress through a safety induction session and where necessary obtain a safety induction card. Students who do not follow legitimate instructions or who endanger the safety of others or do not act in accordance with the requirements of the Workplace Health and Safety Act, will be required to leave the session/site.

Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.

Last modified: 05-Oct-2012