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70 515 Industrial Design 3: Industrial Design for Profession

Emnenavn på Norwegian Bokmål: 
Industrial Design 3: Industrial Design for Profession
Credits: 
24
Course code: 
70 515
Level of study: 
Master
Teaching semester: 
2024 Autumn
Assessment semester: 
2024 Autumn
Language of instruction: 
English
Year: 
2024
Maximum number of students: 
24
Person in charge
Kathinka Bene Hystad
Required prerequisite knowledge

This is a 3. semester master course in industrial design and students must have taken Industrial Design 1 and 2 in order to take this course. Experience with 3D modeling and physical modeling is required.

Course content

In the professional design world, designers need to communicate and sell in their projects at all levels. To be valuable for an external partner the material needs to provide reliable information and justification for the presented design solution. In this course we train the students to develop this within their projects.

This course builds on the design skills and methods learnt across the previous Foundation and Master courses. In industrial design for profession, we integrate and push these skills and mindsets to create rich projects. Combined with a deeper understanding of society, businesses and design management, the students develop projects with a high degree of professionality.

At this stage we expect the students to have developed good design skills making them able to reach further with a strong sense of curiosity, experimental outlooks, and independency. The students should be able to utilize their interdisciplinary design expertise strengthen their competence in industrial design. We encourage students to tailor their own personal development as a designer in preparation for their diploma.

The core outcome of the course is to integrate and mature the processes and methods learnt across the Master of Design in the context of professional requirements.

The course is studio based within industrial design where project outcome will be physical products.

 

Learning outcome

Knowledge: By the completion of the course the student shall have knowledge about:

  • Obtain an understanding of design management and business models in context of sustainability and be able to influence and tailor their design process accordingly.
  • Working with products as Brand carriers, learning how to create brand identity in physical products.
  • Insight and understanding of how a school-project differ from real world design projects both in time use, finish and as decision basis, so that the students are in control of their competence in dialogue with professionals.

Learn how to write a debrief, set up a budget and project plan as a contract between client and designer, and train on how to use it in the design process, ensuring the result and profitability.

Skills: By the completion of the course the student shall have the ability to:

  • Be trained in designing at speed; material generating and decision-making for increased proceeding in a design process.
  • Be able to work with brand identity in products and be trained in translating brand values into physical brand identity.
  • Be able to plan and conduct a design process considering sustainability and circularity ensuring future sustainable products. 
  • Increased skills in presentation and commination of projects through visuals, justification, and presentation technique.
  • Develop a mature individual skillset by a higher understanding of and nurturing of personal design areas of interests, skills, competence, and capacity as a preparation for the professional life.

General competence:

By the completion of the course the student shall:

The student should be more confident in their role as future professional designers, having identified their strength as designers, knowing the guidelines forhow to deliver their competences in a professional context. They should be able to position and direct themselves as future designers.

Working and learning activities

Workshops, lectures, individual and in groups. Peer feedback is a core method in the course.

The course starts with Design4Craft, the industrial design week at AHO.

Excursions related to project topics may be arranged and will be confirmed at semester start.

Curriculum

Curriculum will be presented at the course start.

Form of assessmentGroupingGrading scaleComment
Portfolio assessment (Vurderingsmappe)IndividualPass / failThe course has 2-3 project deliveries. Each project will have a delivery of a physical objects supported with visuals and presentations and/or a reflective text. If a student does not pass any of the introductory modules, an improved delivery can be submitted for new assessment at a given date in due time before the final assessment. All assignments, presentations during the course must be completed and passed before a student can have the final assessment. There will be an external examiner for asessing the final module. Group delivery/assessment may occur in part of the course
Vurderinger:
Form of assessment:Portfolio assessment (Vurderingsmappe)
Grouping:Individual
Grading scale:Pass / fail
Comment:The course has 2-3 project deliveries. Each project will have a delivery of a physical objects supported with visuals and presentations and/or a reflective text. If a student does not pass any of the introductory modules, an improved delivery can be submitted for new assessment at a given date in due time before the final assessment. All assignments, presentations during the course must be completed and passed before a student can have the final assessment. There will be an external examiner for asessing the final module. Group delivery/assessment may occur in part of the course
Workload activityComment
AttendanceThe students are expected to attend lectures and tutoring at AHO and work at their assigned studio space throughout the semester.
Forventet arbeidsinnsats:
Workload activity:Attendance
Comment:The students are expected to attend lectures and tutoring at AHO and work at their assigned studio space throughout the semester.

70 305 Creative Technologies: games and worldbuilding

Emnenavn på Norwegian Bokmål: 
Creative Technologies: games and worldbuilding
Credits: 
6
Course code: 
70 305
Level of study: 
Master
Teaching semester: 
2024 Autumn
Assessment semester: 
2024 Autumn
Language of instruction: 
English
Year: 
2024
Maximum number of students: 
20
Required prerequisite knowledge

The course is open to master students of design, architecture and landscape architecture. A mix of students from each discipline will be promoted.

Prerequisite prior knowledge    

Completed foundation education (180 ECTS) in design, architecture, urbanism or landscape architecture.

Recommended prior knowledge        

The course is focused on giving an introduction to how technologies can be explored as materials and tools for creative processes. Prior experience with, and an interest in technology tools and platforms, is recommended. Students are expected to work in groups and individually.

Course content

The course has two objectives. Firstly, it aims at informing students of the various tools and techniques involved with technologies that are currently becoming increasingly relevant for design, architecture and urbanism; such as game technologies, mixed reality (AR, VR, etc), machine learning, 3D scanning, sensors, data and creative code. Secondly, it seeks to engage with these technologies and themes in a critical fashion, through open-ended exploration, play and error. The course aims to expose students to emerging technologies, tools and methodologies, and the content of the course will therefore be updated each year. Through these objectives, the course seeks to teach master students at AHO the various possibilities that lay in emerging technologies that are available for design-processes and which might guide their studio work. As such, the course has a theoretical and practical approach to technology. It involves a series of lectures, as well as individual case work among students.

 

The themes and exercises of the course will cover:

  • Creative exploration of new or emerging technologies.
  • Making use of technology in creative processes
  • Interdisciplinary exploration of technology as materials and tools for creative processes.
  • Hands-on exercises
  • Larger in depth project for the final week with an individual project from each student or in a group.

Each year the course will explore a new technological theme or topic. In 2024 the course will focus on games and game-technologies. The course will be led by Nadja LIpsyc, a game-designer working with virtual reality and immersive experiences. The course will look at games and game-technologies and -techniques broadly to uncover what designers and architects can learn from gamedesign.

Teacher: Nadja LIpsyc

 

Learning outcome

Knowledge

With the completed studies the student will have a broader understanding of how emerging technologies effect design-processes, as well as be able to explore a set of technologies for creative purposes.

Skills

With the completed studies the student will be better equipped in utilizing the latent potentials of emerging technology in the setting of product/interaction, architectural, urban or landscape design.

General competence

The student should be able to explain the choice of methods and technologies for realizing their chosen projects, and why. The student should be able to critically reflect on the role of technology in their creative processes

 

Working and learning activities

As with other elective courses the course will consist of weekly learning activities, lectures, material exploration and use of available technology resources. Each course day will focus on a student's project work with new assignments given on a bi-weekly basis.

During the elective course week at the end of the semester, a larger project is to be conducted and presented for the rest of the group. There are several goals for the one-week projects.

 

Curriculum

The reading-list will be updated for each year’s themes.

Form of assessmentGroupingGrading scaleComment
Portfolio assessment (Vurderingsmappe)IndividualPass / failThe deliverances from each module and a final exhibition makes up the basis for assessment.
Vurderinger:
Form of assessment:Portfolio assessment (Vurderingsmappe)
Grouping:Individual
Grading scale:Pass / fail
Comment:The deliverances from each module and a final exhibition makes up the basis for assessment.
Workload activityComment
Lectures There will be a lecture on creative technologies and other related subjects each Tuesday.
Individual problem solvingIndividually tasks will be given between ordinary course days.
Workshops There will be a larger workshop in elective course week.
Attendance 100 % attendance is expected for the whole course.
Forventet arbeidsinnsats:
Workload activity:Lectures
Comment: There will be a lecture on creative technologies and other related subjects each Tuesday.
Workload activity:Individual problem solving
Comment:Individually tasks will be given between ordinary course days.
Workload activity:Workshops
Comment: There will be a larger workshop in elective course week.
Workload activity:Attendance
Comment: 100 % attendance is expected for the whole course.

70 504 Systems Oriented Design: Design for Very Complex System

Emnenavn på Norwegian Bokmål: 
Systems Oriented Design: Design for Very Complex System
Credits: 
24
Course code: 
70 504
Level of study: 
Master
Teaching semester: 
2024 Autumn
Assessment semester: 
2024 Autumn
Language of instruction: 
Norwegian / English
Year: 
2024
Maximum number of students: 
30
Person in charge
Andreas Wettre
Required prerequisite knowledge

This is a course for master students in their 3rd and is open to design, architecture and landscape architecture students.

Course content

Learn to work with complexity – using Systems Oriented Design

This systems approach will empower students with the ability to rapidly learn and understand the complexity of the context to find the most effective places in the system to design interventions that are relevant to addressing the problems. The SOD methodology is applicable in any context and scale, from sustainable product design to policy design to sustainability transitions of society at large. An essential part of SOD is to use design skills to visualize complexity.

The methodology can also be used within a spatial framework, where one can focus on the spaces and places of a system as the drivers of the design project. Through the application of SOD to the fields of landscape architecture and architecture the course poses a challenge of expanding student’s work to address their spatial interests at a systematic context with a cross-scalar and transdisciplinary lens.

This SOD fall masters course invites you to get on the dance floor and jointly explore and play with ideas that are rooted in systems thinking and design doing.

We aim to work with two different tracks:

  1. Focus on what happens before a building project get started, looking at the need in a bigger perspective, and understanding all the actors and their agendas in order to develop a desirable future and portfolio of interventions.
  2. Focus on industrial design and take a broad look at sustainability by investigating economical and societal approaches to make ideas truly succeed in the market.

The two tracks will exchange learnings and discuss methods and mindset to maximize the learning.

If you are a curious person who likes to puzzle and have fun with exploring a context broadly and figure out what would be relevant to design to make systemic impacts, you have found the right course for you!

If you have done the “Introduction to SOD” in your 3rd year at AHO (Design) you will find that we in this course go deeper into SOD and adapting your thinking and skills in a different context.

We will pull in resources from our Executive Master SOD students and their network as “context navigators”. These are actors who have a deeper domain knowledge.

If you want more information look up the menu Projects/Master projects at the website https://systemsorienteddesign.net

Teachers on the course: Andreas Wettre, Abel Crawford, Jonathan Romm + external contributors

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Learning outcome

Knowledge: Students will be introduced to System Oriented Design (SOD) as a method and approach, to:

  • Develop a sensibility for systems, relationships and consequences: cause and effect, to think of how systems are embedded within different domains and different scales
  • Visualize complexity, and using these visualizations as a tool to understand and find interventions to improve the systems
  • Deal with uncertainty through unfolding and understanding complexity while working with “problematiques” (multiple interlinked problems)
  • Anticipate futures through developing an ability to understand and consider multiple future scenarios and evaluate the possible, probableand desirable, developing both individual and participatory visions of the future.
  • Anticipate thresholds for implementation and impacts of designed solutions.
  • Rich design space for working with interventions in complex problematiques
  • Critically think and self-reflect through considering questioning the norms, values influencing the opinions, behavior and decisions of yourself and the stakeholders they are designing for.
  • Considering your role as a designer/architect and citizen in the local community and global society.
  • Navigate sustainability by being exposed to the state of the world and guiding design criteria for sustainability Regenerative, Resilient, Circular, Cross-scale design through a critical lens

Skills: Students will acquire skills in:

  • SOD as process-led methodology
  • Visualizing complexity and utilizing Rich Design Space
  • Research by design methodology
  • Systems Thinking
  • Sustainability Science
  • Critical Thinking
  • Dealing with uncertainty
  • Collaboration through interdisciplinary problem solving in groups
  • Workshop facilitation

General competence:

  • Students will be able to use SOD methodology to understand and tackle complex problems and to utilize systems thinking.
  • Holistic perspectives, ethics and sustainability as well as cultural, organizational, economic and technical considerations are central to the Systems oriented designer.
  • Systems-oriented designers can play a decisive role in managing complexity in future societal developments. Systems-oriented designers typically can work in consultancies, in organizations, in municipalities with service design, on policy level and in the private sector.
  • Systems-oriented designers are trained in techniques such as Gigamapping.
  • The systems-oriented designer is also a skilled workshop facilitator and leader of co-design processes
Working and learning activities

Project plans are created for each project individually according to the demands. Each project requires, in principle, its own project design. The course itself is a dynamic social system that must be adjusted and tweaked in real time.

The students will choose whether to work in pairs, in a larger group or individually.

Curriculum
  • Designing Complexity : The Methodology and Practice of Systems Oriented Design (2022)
  • Author(s): Birger Sevaldson
Form of assessmentGroupingGrading scaleComment
Portfolio assessment (Vurderingsmappe)IndividualPass / failAll students need to present their work in three milestones + the final presentation. In addition, all students need to deliver a gigamap, a report and a process board.
Vurderinger:
Form of assessment:Portfolio assessment (Vurderingsmappe)
Grouping:Individual
Grading scale:Pass / fail
Comment:All students need to present their work in three milestones + the final presentation. In addition, all students need to deliver a gigamap, a report and a process board.
Workload activityComment
AttendanceThere will be milestone presentations at the end of each module to ensure and evaluate progress. Students are expected to attend all lectures, tutorials and presentations.
Forventet arbeidsinnsats:
Workload activity:Attendance
Comment:There will be milestone presentations at the end of each module to ensure and evaluate progress. Students are expected to attend all lectures, tutorials and presentations.

70 509 Digital Commons: Strategic design for society

Emnenavn på Norwegian Bokmål: 
Digital Commons: Strategic design for society
Credits: 
24
Course code: 
70 509
Level of study: 
Master
Teaching semester: 
2024 Autumn
Assessment semester: 
2024 Autumn
Language of instruction: 
English
Year: 
2024
Maximum number of students: 
24
Person in charge
Einar Sneve Martinussen
Required prerequisite knowledge

This is a third semester Master course only available for students in their final year. The course has interaction- and service-design as its starting-point, but is open for all design fields. Students are required to document advanced design skills in their chosen specialisation/field through a portfolio.

Recommended prerequisite knowledge

The course builds on the design skills and methods learnt across the previous Foundation and Master courses. In this course students and teachers integrate and push these skills and mindsets to create rich, reflexive projects that address societal issues through the design of digital services and interactions. For students who want to take part in this course a strong sense of curiosity, experimental outlooks, societal engagement and independence is therefore recommende

Upload portfolio here: https://nettskjema.no/a/421797

 

Course content

About the course

‘Digital commons: Strategic design for society’ is an advanced Master course about designing for digital societal development. The course introduces the students to how design methods and tools can be used strategically to address societal challenges in the context of the digital shift.

This course has a focus on using design in the broader context of sustainable societal development, and will use the lense of digital technologies and platforms to investigate new possibites for positive change. Students will get to apply and expand their skills and mindsets as designers through practical, exploratory projects where the design of digital serivces and interactions are put to use to work with a range of societal issues - including sustainability, power and equity, policies for urban- development, innovation and knowledge, welfare and public services, and citizen participation. Alongside these practice-led projects the course will offer a selection of theoretical and inspirational lectures and seminars on topics such as technology critique, political science, sociology, studies of everyday life. Through this course students will also learn about theories and methods from the field of strategic design and get practical experience from applying these in design projects. Dan Hill describes strategic design as follows:

"Strategic Design takes the core principles of contemporary design practice – user research and ethnography, agile development, iterative prototyping, participation and co-design, stewardship, working across networks, scales and timeframes – and then it points this toolkit at ethical concerns, addressing systemic change within complex systems, and broader societal outcomes.” Dan Hill (2019)

A particular focus for the course is exploring how digital services can be designed to expand and enhance social infrastructures for everyday life. Social infrastructures are the common spaces, facilities and insitutions that enable social life and participation in society. Key examples include both formal institutions like libraries, museums, public pools, culture venues, parks, playgrounds, and sports-halls, as well as more informal structures like street-corners, cafes, and organisations and clubs that contribute to socially resilient and sustainable cities and communities (Klinenberg, 2018). Today, our use of social infrastructures are increasingly interwoven with digital platforms, as forms of digital commons, engendering new forms of practices, functions, and possibilities. In this course we will investigate how digital tools and means may be used to strengthen and enhance social infrastructures and thereby contribute to societal development. We will also explore and conceptualise a broader understanding of digital commons as social infrastructure by designing and developing protoypes and interventions that help us examine the digital shift in society thorugh citizen-led participation and user-experience. Through the projects in the course students will use design methods to develop strategic interventions in the world today, as prototypes and pilot-projects.

The course brings together research-initiatives at AHO with ongoing society development-projects. The ‘Digital Commons: Strategic design for society’ course is organised together with the research-group Digital Urban Living / Digital commons and is a part of D-Box, the National Centre for Transforming Public Services (a collaboration between AHO, BI and DOGA). Key partners and collaborators from these research-groups and networks will be involved in the course. This course builds in part on the series of courses organised by Digital Urban Living over the past years, and will continue our exploration of many of the themes addressed in here, including digital society, sharing culture, inclusion, social sustainabiliy and trust.

Learning outcome

KNOWLEDGE

Students will be able to:

·       Describe general theory and discourses around design and digital societal development.

·       Describe general theory, techniques and outcomes of strategic design, exemplified by research and projects within the field.

·       Apply and explain various strategic design techniques and frameworks in own projects.

·       Describe complex issues faced by designers working with digital societal development.

·       Use design as a strategic, conceptual framework for analysis, judgement and discussion in the context of societal change.

SKILLS

Students will be able to:

·       Design interventions with foci on immediate value, subsequent outcomes and plausible strategic impacts.

·       Integrate their established design skills as a part of a strategic design methodology.

COMPETENCE

Students will be able to:

·       Conduct collaborative and co-creative design projects as a team in a public and/or situated studio setting.

·       Explore and understand the potential of design for strategic change in different aspects of society.

·       Envision and communicate possibilities and solutions in the context of societal challenges.

·       Further develop their general design competencies within a strategic design framework.

Working and learning activities

TThe course has two core components: thematic seminars that run throughout the semester, and a series of design-projects. The seminars will be run by teachers and external guests and address a series of themes that will inform the development and discussion of the design-projects. The design-projects will be run with external partners and the students are expected to develop, and in part organise, these projects with a high degree of independence and professionality. The majority of the work will be done as pairs or groups, as well as through collaborations across the whole class. Projects typically have multiple presentations throughout in order to allow students to see and comment on each other’s work. Co-learning with and from other students is an important part of the course, and it is encouraged that the majority of the time is spent working in the class studio in order to develop an inspiring and encouraging design-environment.

Teachers: Einar Sneve Martinussen, Joakim Formo

Form of assessmentGroupingGrading scaleComment
Portfolio assessment (Vurderingsmappe)IndividualPass / failThe students will be assessed on the quality of submitted design projects and presentations throughout the course. The student must submit all assignments in the course to receive final assessment. Other aspects that is evaluated are active participation and collaboration in class, independence, professionality, co-learning and collaboration with others. The students are expected to attend in all collective activities (workshops, presentations, seminars) and participate in the studio throughout the projects.
Vurderinger:
Form of assessment:Portfolio assessment (Vurderingsmappe)
Grouping:Individual
Grading scale:Pass / fail
Comment:The students will be assessed on the quality of submitted design projects and presentations throughout the course. The student must submit all assignments in the course to receive final assessment. Other aspects that is evaluated are active participation and collaboration in class, independence, professionality, co-learning and collaboration with others. The students are expected to attend in all collective activities (workshops, presentations, seminars) and participate in the studio throughout the projects.

70 505 Design Studio

Emnenavn på Norwegian Bokmål: 
Design studio
Credits: 
24
Course code: 
70 505
Level of study: 
Master
Teaching semester: 
2024 Autumn
Assessment semester: 
2024 Autumn
Language of instruction: 
English
Year: 
2024
Maximum number of students: 
30
Required prerequisite knowledge

Passed foundation level (BA-level) courses at AHO or equivalent, 180 ECTS.

A third semester Master course (only available for students in their final year). Open for all design fields, but students are required to follow up and go in depth within their previous chosen specialisation/field in which they can document advanced design skills through a portfolio and application.

Upload portfolio here: https://nettskjema.no/a/421512

Please specify which track you prefer. 

Recommended prerequisite knowledge

This course builds on the design skills and methods learnt across the previous Foundation and Master courses. In “Design Studio” students and teachers integrate and push these skills and mindsets to create rich projects with a high degree of professionally. For students who want to take part in “Design Studio” a strong sense of curiosity, experimental outlooks and independence are therefore required. “Design Studio” allows students to tailor their own personal development as a designer in preparation for their diploma.

 

Course content

“Design Studio” is an advanced Master course where the students will develop projects across themes and partners curated by the Institute of Design. These can be connected to research projects, external partners or emerging problematics within the field of design. The ambition for this course is to develop stand-out projects where students go in depth into the issues they chose to work with, and create high level outcomes. The core values of the course are exploration and professionalism – meaning that the course encourages the development of reflection, criticality and new knowledge about emerging fields, but also has the ambition of developing high quality deliveries and communication.

In this course students will have a large degree of freedom and responsibility as to how their projects are developed. ‘Design studio’ is a place for students to integrate the knowledge they have gained throughout their education and work towards exploration, professionalism and specialisation. A central part of the studio course is to develop project-experience and knowledge about how different forms of larger design projects can be structured and executed.

Students work individually or in small groups. Each project will be followed throughout the semester by a supervisor and typically, a partner. Partners and supervisors depend on the specialisations and/or themes that the projects take up. Each track supervisor will be responsible for the students that choose to follow his or her track. The track may consist of one long project or several projects.

The main teaching structure is mentoring on project level and the ongoing evaluation of progress. There is a common structure for milestones and core-deliverables throughout the course (development of project descriptions and plans, documentation and deliverables, and main presentations). Co-learning is central across the projects, and students will be involved in developing research, lectures and course-materials for the whole group.

Projects will come out of curated themes and partners developed by the Institute of design or from research topics across the institute’s research projects. Projects can both be done as specialisations towards specific fields or in inter-disciplinary groups, where students from industrial design, service design and interaction-design work together.

Tracks for Fall 2024: 

1. OCEAN INDUSTRIES CONCEPT LAB: Advanced Interaction Design

Track responsible: Kjetil Nordby

Max amount of students: xx

Field: Interaction design

Prerequisites:

The course builds upon design skills and methods acquired through courses at the bachelor's and master's levels. In the "Design Studio," students and teachers integrate and further develop these skills and mindsets to create complex projects with a high level of professionalism. A pronounced curiosity, an experimental attitude, and independence are therefore necessary for students who wish to participate in the "Design Studio." For taking part in the OICL track, students will need to have a background from interaction design and master interaction design tools and methods for prototyping and developing interfaces. Students need to apply with a portfolio that demonstrates this.

Introduction:

Are you eager to engage in projects where your contributions can drive real change? The Advanced Interaction Design Studio offers you the opportunity to collaborate with leading industry partners and participate in cutting-edge research projects, enabling you to make designs that push the boundaries of interaction design.

The studio revolves around authentic design cases undertaken on behalf of industries, public entities, or researchers across various domains. Supervised by Professor Kjetil Nordby and OICL's PhD candidates and design researchers, this course provides a platform for practical application and exploration. The results of the cases will be used as input in several ongoing research projects. OpenRemote, OpenZero, OpenAR and OpenBridge. These projects produce design guidance that is in use all over the world.

We've curated a selection of project cases, each linked to leading companies and research endeavors. We will adapt the project to the interest of each student to make sure the project brief will align with your learning objectives.

Possible design cases:

1. Back to Sails: User interfaces for very large sail ships. (OpenZero)

2. To the Moon: User interface for spacecraft control. Satellite to be launched in 2028. (OpenRemote)

3. The Swarm: Interface for remote control of flying drone swarms for search and rescue operations. (OpenRemote)

4. Eco Feedback: Interface for reducing energy use for ships in operation. (OpenZero)

5. AI for Public Services: Exploring interaction design for AI-supported public services. (Digdir)

6. Working with AR: Designing augmented reality interfaces for maintenance workers. (OpenAR)

 

Additionally, you have the option to propose cases that align with ongoing OICL research projects. Feel free to contact the lab for a discussion. Note: Find updated description of the cases on this link: https://www.oicl.no/courses/design-studio

 

About “OCEAN INDUSTRIES CONCEPT LAB”

Design Studio is an advanced master's course where students develop design cases under the guidance of interaction design researchers at AHO (Oslo School of Architecture and Design) and various public and industry partners. The ambition of the course is to cultivate outstanding projects where students delve deep into the issues they choose to work on, producing high-level results. The core values of the course are exploration and professionalism, which entail encouraging reflection, a critical attitude, and new knowledge in emerging areas, while also aiming to produce high-quality results and dissemination.

In this course, students will have a significant degree of freedom and responsibility for how their projects evolve. The "Design Studio" is a space where students can integrate the knowledge they have gained from their studies and work towards exploration, professionalism, and specialization. A vital aspect of the studio course is to provide students with project experience and knowledge of how various types of larger design projects can be structured and carried out.

Students work individually or in small groups. Throughout the semester, all projects are supervised by an advisor and usually also a partner. Specializations and/or themes of the projects dictate the choice of partners and advisors. All track supervisors will be responsible for the students who choose to follow their track. The track may consist of one long project or multiple projects.

For those keen on integrating new design methodologies, the OICL track Advanced Interaction Design offers access to state-of-the-art equipment, including mobile eye trackers, VR and AR devices, and game engine templates. Moreover, as a participant in the design studio affiliated with OICL, you'll benefit from access to ongoing research seminars hosted by the group.

The primary learning structure involves project-level guidance and continuous evaluation of progress. There is a common structure for milestones and significant submissions throughout the course (development of project descriptions and plans, documentation, submissions, and main presentations). Collaborative learning is essential across projects, and students participate in the development of research, lectures, and course materials for the entire group.

 

2. EXPLORING DESIGN FOR SERVITIZATION 

Track responsible: Paola Trapani

Max amount of students: 12

Field: Service Design

Prerequisites: Students need to have at least one out of two semesters on master level focusing on service design or provide a portfolio showcasing an equivalent experience. 

COURSE CONTENT: The course delves into servitization principles and practical applications through a product-service system (PSS) approach. Servitization involves offering a combination of products and services or transitioning entirely to services to add value to products. For instance, in consumer products like sneakers, companies could offer sneakers-as-a-service (SAAS) through subscription models, refurbishing or recycling returned shoes. Servitization aligns with sustainability goals by promoting resource efficiency and supporting a circular economy.

EXPECTED OUTCOME: Students develop a servitization project, starting from a product of their choice, to demonstrate how transitioning to selling services can enhance customer relationships, create revenue streams, promote sustainability, and increase profit margins.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students grasp PSSD and servitization principles, analyze industry drivers, and develop skills in service-centric business models, critical thinking, communication, and ethical decision-making.

COURSE ACTIVITIES: The course will include lectures, readings, presentations, group discussions, research on case studies, and prototype development.

EVALUATION: Focuses on knowledge-based practice, methodology-driven investigation, communication, and prototyping.

 

Learning outcome

KNOWLEDGE

  • The core knowledge outcome of the course is to integrate and mature the processes and methods learnt across the Master of Design.
  • Further, students are expected to develop domain-specific knowledge across their projects.
  • Knowledge about how advanced design projects can be structured and organised.

SKILLS

  • Develop and mature individual skillsets as designers.
  • In “Design Studio” students develop and expand core project-handling skills. Including scoping, research, project-description, time-management and communication.

GENERAL COMPETENCE 
Across “Design Studio” the goal is to develop the maturity of the students’ design competence and skills. This is done by both focusing on exploration and professionality on an advanced project-level.

Working and learning activities

The main activities of the course will be project- and specialisation-specific. Across the course there will be a focus on learning project planning, developing and scoping. The course is run in a studio setting, and co-learning across the projects, with some shared lectures and presentations etc, are important. The students will be required to make and present one topic specific “lecture” to the whole “design Studio:”

 

Curriculum

Reading list will be available in Leganto.

Form of assessmentGroupingGrading scaleComment
Project assignmentIndividualPass / failStudents accepted to the different Design Studio tracks must define their own learning outcome together with the track responsible, after deciding their focus area. This will be the basis for their final evaluation. The assessment method is to be decided by the track responsible in dialog with the student. Students need to present and submit all projects, documentations and presentations in order to be assessed for the course. Students also need to schedule their own mentoring sessions.
Vurderinger:
Form of assessment:Project assignment
Grouping:Individual
Grading scale:Pass / fail
Comment:Students accepted to the different Design Studio tracks must define their own learning outcome together with the track responsible, after deciding their focus area. This will be the basis for their final evaluation. The assessment method is to be decided by the track responsible in dialog with the student. Students need to present and submit all projects, documentations and presentations in order to be assessed for the course. Students also need to schedule their own mentoring sessions.
Workload activityComment
Attendance
Workshops
Evaluation (mid term)
Forventet arbeidsinnsats:
Workload activity:Attendance
Comment:
Workload activity:Workshops
Comment:
Workload activity:Evaluation (mid term)
Comment:

70 304 Design Management: Circular businesses and the design process

Emnenavn på Norwegian Bokmål: 
Design Management: Circular businesses and the design process
Credits: 
6
Course code: 
70 304
Level of study: 
Master
Teaching semester: 
2024 Autumn
Assessment semester: 
2024 Autumn
Language of instruction: 
Norwegian / English
Year: 
2024
Maximum number of students: 
20
Person in charge
Monika Hestad
Required prerequisite knowledge

Passed foundatin level courses (Bachelor) at AHO or equivalent, 180 ECTS.

The course is open for design and architecture students.

Course content

About

There is a strong drive to change towards a far more sustainable society. EU has set in motion a range of initiatives and regulations, which sooner or later also will affect businesses and their designers. For a business, the shift means a completely different approach to how they are using resources and what they offer. They will have to redesign their value chains, their entire organisation, as well as their products and services. The aim of the course will be to learn how external factors, such as regulations, can change business objectives and motivation and see these changes in relation to the company’s design process.

This course is for architects and designers that want to learn about the role of the design manager in process and strategy development and enhance their design management skills. For design managers to be able to help companies with strategy and process development, they must obtain insight into the business and innovation culture, methods, processes, and language.

Textile is a material where EU has come far into developing a strategy for creating changes[1]. The initiatives taken here are for example a digital passport, circular businesses models and eco-design criteria to make the products last longer. In this course we will go deeper into these changes as they also may suggest what could be future requirements for all products to be available at the market. 

The key takeout from the course is that it is relevant for all students that would like to understand the business context of the design process.  It will help them to understand a professional setting for a designer and how external factors inform, give opportunities and are setting constrains for what to design. The course will also train soft skills, such as being able to collaborate and manage group work, as well as self-assessment. The course has its foundation in design management and is developed to be relevant for both architects and designers. 

In this course, the students will be introduced to theories related to design management, design thinking, business strategy, the circular economy, as well as policy making. The students will solve specific business challenges in teams and apply their skills in business development. 

[1] https://environment.ec.europa.eu/strategy/textiles-strategy_en

Learning outcome

Knowledge

Understanding the link between the business objectives and the design process. Understanding how external regulations and politics may impact the design process.

Understanding the importance of design principles and process.

Skills

The students will obtain basic design management skills. The course emphasises professional conduct and how to engage with a professional client, and how to plan and present for a client. Basic tools to analyse a business context and templates will be introduced.

General Competence

The students will get a basic understanding of commercial thinking in the transition towards a sustainable and circular economy. General knowledge of design management and design driven innovation in a business context. Basic introduction to business terminology (value chain, business models etc.)

Develop consciousness of own role and contribution in projects.

Working and learning activities

Practical organisation

The course will have a mix of lectures, readings and group work.

 

During the autumn semester the students will be introduced to one-two businesses that have started to develop sustainable business practices. These will act as clients for the students. By engaging with these businesses, the student will gain an understanding of what is their business motivation and their ambitions for becoming sustainable. They will also gain an understanding in how to work with a client. In addition, a couple of guest speakers are invited to go deeper into some of the topics raised.

The first part of the course will be about understanding key concepts such as design management, the design process, what is a sustainable product, what is the regulations to be met, circular business models and business strategy and the design manager´s role in an organisation.

The course culminates in a one-week practical seminar, where the students will develop a refined design process or principle to design by for their client.

The course will use digital sources such as Miro. It will be mixed with physical workshops and an, if relevant, off-campus tour.  

 

Curriculum

Key words: Design management, sustainability, EU, circular value chains, business strategy, design principles, design driven development

Links and documents will be uploaded to Moodle. If you would like to get started, here are some resources:

Online resources

Readings

Altman, J. and M. Hestad. 2019. The little booklet on: Business Design. 2nd edition. London: Brand Valley Publications.

Amit, R. and C. Zott. 2021. Business model innovation strategy: Transformational concepts and tools for entrepreneurial leaders. New Jersey. Wiley.

Best, K. 2015. Design Management: Managing Design Strategy, Process and Implementation. 2nd edition. London. Bloomsbury Academic.

Bradford, A. 2020. The Brussels Effect: How the European Union Rules the World. Oxford University Press.

Ceschin, F. and I. Gaziulusoy. 2016. Evolution of design for sustainability: From product design to design for system innovations and transitions. Design Studies. 47, 118-163.

Design Council (2020). Moving Beyond Financial Value: How might we capture the social and environmental value of design? UK: Mission Oriented Innovation Network (Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose) and Design Council. Dec 2020. Retrieved 02 Mar, 2024, from https://www.designcouncil.org.uk/fileadmin/uploads/dc/Documents/Moving%2...

Drew, C. 2021. Developing our New Systemic Design Framework. Design Council. Retrieved 20 Mar, 2024, from https://medium.com/design-council/developing-our-new-systemic-design-fra...

European Commission. (2020). A new Circular Economy Action Plan For a Cleaner and More Competitive Europe. EUR-Lex. Retrieved 20 Mar, 2024, from https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?qid=1583933814386&uri=CO...

Ellen MacArthur Foundation. 2021. Circular Business Models: Redefining growth for a thriving fashion industry. Available at:

https://emf.thirdlight.com/link/circular-business-models-report/@/preview/1?o

Johansson-Sköldberg, U., Woodilla, J. & Çetinkaya, M. 2013. Design Thinking: Past, Present and Possible Futures, Creativity and Innovation Management. 22 (2)

Lewrick, M., Link P. and Leifer, L. 2018. The Design thinking playbook: Mindful digital transformation of teams, products, services, businesses and ecosystems. New Jersey. Wiley.

McKeown, M. 2011. The Strategy Book: How to Think and Act Strategically to Deliver Outstanding Results. 1st ed. London: Financial Times/Prentice Hall

Mozota, B., Collignon, H & Valade-Amland, S. 2024. Designence ® 2.0 Strategic Responsible. DMI. 35(1)

 

 

 

Form of assessmentGroupingGrading scaleComment
Portfolio assessment (Vurderingsmappe)GroupPass / failDeliverables • Group presentation of a design process / principles (Moodle) • Group presentation of a design process / principles (In class) • Individual reflection note on contributions to the groups success (Moodle)
Vurderinger:
Form of assessment:Portfolio assessment (Vurderingsmappe)
Grouping:Group
Grading scale:Pass / fail
Comment:Deliverables • Group presentation of a design process / principles (Moodle) • Group presentation of a design process / principles (In class) • Individual reflection note on contributions to the groups success (Moodle)
Workload activityComment
AttendanceParticipation in class at lectures and discussion seminars, the cross disciplinary workshop and tutoring is obligatory is expected and necessary to be able to pass the course Active participation in classes is required, and the ability to communicate and reflect on the subject. It will include peer-to-peer presentation, participation and final presentation of the business project. Students are expected to take advantage of the time allotted for self-study, and to read the given and recommended literature within their chosen or given area of design management. Students are expected to contribute to a professional and constructive cross disciplinary collaboration.
Forventet arbeidsinnsats:
Workload activity:Attendance
Comment:Participation in class at lectures and discussion seminars, the cross disciplinary workshop and tutoring is obligatory is expected and necessary to be able to pass the course Active participation in classes is required, and the ability to communicate and reflect on the subject. It will include peer-to-peer presentation, participation and final presentation of the business project. Students are expected to take advantage of the time allotted for self-study, and to read the given and recommended literature within their chosen or given area of design management. Students are expected to contribute to a professional and constructive cross disciplinary collaboration.

70 303 Digital fabrication, technologies and processes

Emnenavn på Norwegian Bokmål: 
Digital fabrication, technologies and processes
Credits: 
6
Course code: 
70 303
Level of study: 
Master
Teaching semester: 
2024 Autumn
Assessment semester: 
2024 Autumn
Language of instruction: 
English
Year: 
2024
Maximum number of students: 
15
Required prerequisite knowledge

Passed foundation level (BA-level) courses at AHO or equivalent, 180 ECTS.

Prerequisite prior knowledge: Completed foundation education or equivalent. Basic prior knowledge in CAD tools such as Rhino, Solidworks, Alias, Blender etc. is required.

Recommended prior knowledge:

Prior knowledge of 3D printing and related technologies is recommended.

The course is open to design and architecture students.

Course content

Digital fabrication is in rapid development and increasingly involved in design and architectural processes, as a tool for prototyping and construction. The course is meant for design- and architectural students at master's level, that seek a deeper insight in the utilization of digital fabrication, in their studies and elsewhere.

This course will give insight into use, limitations and possibilities with some of these technologies through practical, hands- on exercises. The course is meant for both design and architecture students who want a practice based understanding of existing and emerging digital fabrication technologies. The course will enable the students to explore many of these technologies through small workshops and exercises.

SUPPLEMENTIVE INFORMATION

The course is a collaboration between the academic staff at the Institute of Design, the Institute of Architecture and staff at the workshops at AHO.

Learning outcome

KNOWLEDGE 

At the end of the course the students will

  • have knowledge about SLA, SLS, FDM, 3DP, lasercutting, knifecutting and 3D scanning.
  • have hands-on knowledge in how to run the different machines.
  • know how to evaluate the usefulness of the different processes.

SKILLS
With the completed studies the student will

  •  be better equipped in utilizing the latent potentials of the technology in the setting of product-/interaction- and architectural design.
  • possess the necessary knowledge involved in preparation and pre-processing of digital CAD files. 

GENERAL COMPETENCE 
The student should be able to explain the choice of methods for realizing the tangible object, and why.

Working and learning activities

As with other elective courses the course will consist of weekly learning activities, lectures, material exploration and use of available digital fabrication processes through exercises in the workshops. The course culminates with an exhibition demonstrating selected outcome of the course.

Teacher: Ricardo Simian

Curriculum

Anderson, C. (2012). Makers: the new industrial revolution. Random House.

Hopkinson, N., Hague, R., & Dickens, P. (2006). Rapid Manufacturing: An Industrial Revolution for the Digital Age. John Wiley & Sons.

Thompson, R. (2007). Manufacturing processes for design professionals. Thames & Hudson.

Form of assessmentGroupingGrading scaleComment
Portfolio assessment (Vurderingsmappe)IndividualPass / fail Assignments will be given between ordinary course days. 5 of these are required to be submitted and is part of the assessment. The will also be a final oral examination.
Vurderinger:
Form of assessment:Portfolio assessment (Vurderingsmappe)
Grouping:Individual
Grading scale:Pass / fail
Comment: Assignments will be given between ordinary course days. 5 of these are required to be submitted and is part of the assessment. The will also be a final oral examination.

12 802 Diploma Design

Emnenavn på Norwegian Bokmål: 
Diplom design
Credits: 
30
Course code: 
12 802
Level of study: 
Master
Teaching semester: 
2024 Autumn
Assessment semester: 
2024 Autumn
Language of instruction: 
Norwegian / English
Year: 
2024
Required prerequisite knowledge

Completed pre-diploma and 270 ECTS in total.

Course content

The diploma at the Institute of Design is the final project in the Master programme. The Institute takes a broad approach to the design profession that includes products, services, systems and interactive experiences. The education brings together aesthetics and technology, creativity and design methods, culture and research. The programme has roots in Industrial Design, but today also includes Interaction Design, Service Design and Systems Oriented Design. This is reflected in the width of our students’ diplomas, and the broad range of themes that they address.

The diploma concludes our five-year Master in design and is done in the final semester. The diploma is a self-initiated and self-organised project that takes place over 18 weeks. The students develop and define their own project-descriptions (the diploma programme) in a pre-diploma’ course, in the semester leading up to the diploma. During the diploma project the students have a main supervisor at the Institute, but can also seek additional input and guidance form across AHO and externally. Diplomas are typically done as individual projects, but can also be done in groups.

The diplomas at the Institute of Design are characterised by variety and breadth. The diploma projects are typically initiated and developed by the students, and they are free to explore different themes and formats. These can be creative explorations, product development and theoretical projects, or collaborations with commercial companies, public services or researchprojects. Diplomas can also be discursive design projects that seek to raise questions or challenge societal or cultural issues. Often our diplomas are ‘hybrids’ that bring together different methods and actors, or span across our different design specialisations.

The purpose of the diploma is multi-layered. The students have to bring together what they have learned throughout their education to define and develop their own project. A challenge here is how the project is followed through, how it is developed and how it is executed as a design project. In the scope of the Master, the diploma is a relatively large project that demands that the student is self-driven, organised, structured and creative. At the same time, the diploma is a possibility for the student to explore his or her own identity as a designer, to research topics she or he finds interesting, or to challenge the students acquired skills and methods. The diplomas should therefore be understood holistically as projects where the students get to choose their own themes, approaches and processes, but where the challenge is also about organising and developing the project itself. Defining and developing the scope and plan for the project is done both in the project-description (diploma programme), as well as throughout the process.

It is important to note that in doing a holistic evaluation of the diplomas, the focus should be on the project itself rather than how closely it follows the initial description or diplomaprogramme.

Learning outcome

KNOWLEDGE

By completing a diploma the students base of knowledge will be about:

-design methods, materials, technologies and tools

-design history in related field

-research methods, design processes

-use of users and targets groups in projects

SKILLS

-be able to develop design solutions through artistic and scientific research, concept visualization, co-working and finalizing a project.

-master design-driven methods, tools and ways of expression, and be able to use this in a creative process, in a goal-oriented, professional and experimenting way.

-be able to reflect on the relationship between content and the project and the wider world.

-be able to communicate both process and end result in a good way.

GENERAL COMPETENCE

-be able to communicate values and concepts and inspire dialog and interdisciplinary processes through a wide range of design methods and tools.

-be able to perform a set of professional roles and cooperate well with other occupational groups.

-be able to reflect on own performance and deliveries and stretch beyond own limits.

-take responsibility for own learning and academic progression, be able to transfer knowledge into other fields.

- be considerate on own contribution and ethical questions at hand.

 

Evaluation

The students deliver their diplomas in the form of their collected outputs, a presentation and a report. The outputs can be a variety of formats; models, prototypes, installations, diagrams, visualisations, mappings etc. The diploma report should give an overview of the project, the process, the possible outcomes (impacts) and the student’s reflections. The report should not be evaluated on its own, but as giving an overview of the project. The students also deliver a 20-minute public presentation of their diploma on the day of the evaluation. The sensors shall evaluate the compete diploma project delivery consisting of the students collected outputs, their report and public presentation.

Evaluation process
The evaluation of the diplomas are done by an external team of sensors. This sensor-team represents the different design-directions that the students can specialise towards. All the sensors are responsible for the overall evaluation of all diplomas, but each sensor is given particular responsibility for a selection of diplomas. The sensor team is first given the diploma reports digitally. These report should give an overview of the diplomas. The reports should be read by the sensors in preparation for the evaluation at AHO. The physical outcomes of the projects is presented to the sensors at AHO. On the day of the diploma-presentations each student is given 20 minutes to present their diploma. The sensor-team then have a total of 15 minutes for questions, discussion and feedback. These 15 minutes should also include a brief summary of the sensors evaluation and overall feedback. This is a public event for the whole of the school and the intentions for this presentation-format is to facilitate dynamic discussions about the diplomas and interesting responses, as well as a learning situation for other students The sensor-team’s final evaluation is given as a written report for each project. This is delivered some time after the public presentation day.

Form of assessmentGroupingGrading scaleComment
Project assignmentIndividualPass / failIn evaluating a diploma, the aim is to consider how the diploma has been developed as a project; including both its thematics, its processes, its outcomes and its reflections. The diplomas should be evaluated on the terms, problematics and scope that the students themselves have defined in their project. The delivery consists of: Diploma report, models - if that is part of the project, exhibition, public presentation.
Vurderinger:
Form of assessment:Project assignment
Grouping:Individual
Grading scale:Pass / fail
Comment:In evaluating a diploma, the aim is to consider how the diploma has been developed as a project; including both its thematics, its processes, its outcomes and its reflections. The diplomas should be evaluated on the terms, problematics and scope that the students themselves have defined in their project. The delivery consists of: Diploma report, models - if that is part of the project, exhibition, public presentation.

70 700 Pre-diploma Design

Emnenavn på Norwegian Bokmål: 
Pre-Diplom Design
Credits: 
6
Course code: 
70 700
Level of study: 
Master
Teaching semester: 
2024 Autumn
Assessment semester: 
2024 Autumn
Language of instruction: 
Norwegian / English
Year: 
2024
Person in charge
Rachel Troye
Required prerequisite knowledge

Completed 240 ECTS (5 year degree) or 90 ECTS (2 year degree)  in total.

Course content

The PreDip course aims to help students to develop a solid launch pad for their diploma projects, one that will allow them to start their design/research process from a knowledgeable and critical position and with a clear plan.

The choice of theme is primarily in the hands of each student, and the direction in which this subject is to take is mainly the result of consultations between each student and their supervisor, the institute leader, and the course staff.

The course is organized in two main phases. The first phase focus both on the individual student’s own skills and interests and the choice of the actual theme of the project. This first phase will be presented and assessed at a midterm-presentation (after app. 1 month). The second phase deals with designing the actual project with a feasible project proposal as its main and final delivery.

 

Learning outcome

KNOWLEDGE

- A reflective, constructive and critical stance to his or her own disciplinary interests, strengths and weaknesses.

SKILLS
- An ability to pitch concepts for as well peers as for potential tutors and partners.

- An ability to develop a feasible diploma project as required at the Institute of Design at AHO.

- An ability to plan an independent or colloborative project.

 

GENERAL COMPETANCE
- An ability to convey his or her maturity as a designer at a level that make a positive outcome for a diploma project at AHO very likely.

- An ability to conceptualize design ideas into an actionable project proposal.

- An ability to propose, discuss and plan an independent study and design project.

Working and learning activities

The course will mix lectures, own research and writing with presentations and tutoring.

Form of assessmentGroupingGrading scaleComment
ReportIndividualPass / fail Studenten er selv ansvarlig for å ta initiativ for avtale om veiledning med både hoved- og bi-veileder. Videre må studenten levere et oppgitt antall delinnleveringer og presentere disse i følge en oppsatt timeplan i kurset. Den endelige sluttinnleveringen består av den ferdigstilte prosjekt beskrivelsen levert skriftlig og en presentasjon av den i plenum. Begge deler er obligatoriske. Et bestått kurs krever godkjent skriftlig prosjektbeskrivelse og en muntlig presentasjon.
Vurderinger:
Form of assessment:Report
Grouping:Individual
Grading scale:Pass / fail
Comment: Studenten er selv ansvarlig for å ta initiativ for avtale om veiledning med både hoved- og bi-veileder. Videre må studenten levere et oppgitt antall delinnleveringer og presentere disse i følge en oppsatt timeplan i kurset. Den endelige sluttinnleveringen består av den ferdigstilte prosjekt beskrivelsen levert skriftlig og en presentasjon av den i plenum. Begge deler er obligatoriske. Et bestått kurs krever godkjent skriftlig prosjektbeskrivelse og en muntlig presentasjon.

Start semester

60 537 Vulcano

Emnenavn på Norwegian Bokmål: 
Vulcano
Credits: 
24
Course code: 
60 537
Level of study: 
Master
Teaching semester: 
2024 Autumn
Assessment semester: 
2024 Autumn
Language of instruction: 
English
Year: 
2024
Maximum number of students: 
16
Person in charge
Gro Bonesmo
Luis Callejas
Required prerequisite knowledge

Admission to AHO and successful completion of three years bachelor level studies (180 ECTS). The studio is recommended for students in their second year of the master programs. The course is open for landscape architecture students and architecture students. 

Course content

In 1972, the French art critic and cultural philosopher Pierre Restany launched a call for the conversion of Mount Vesuvius into an international cultural park. Restany curated the call, inviting leading figures from the art world and design. It happened in the "Land art years," which “witnessed a shift from the object to the idea, from form to environment, and from work to gesture”.

Pierre Restany played a pivotal role in transitioning the art world towards a "new realism," which simultaneously critiqued radical abstraction, figuration, and what he called "Stalinist social realism”. Today, a new generation of designers are once more inclined to work directly with reality rather as opposed to meaning. This is a new generation of artists and designers aiming to address the environmental crisis informed by the emerging aesthetics arising from the reality of new scientific observations.

Given this cultural momentum, some of Restany's original propositions gain renewed relevance, as well as his peculiar fascination for the volcano as a powerful and mysterious landscape entity. The vulcano as a site, phenomenon, landscape, and state shifting matter, embodies a fertile force that keeps exposing humanity's fragility in vivid ways, while simultaneously showcasing its capacity to thrive and evolve in the face of potential extinction. Design cultures from regions at volcano’s foothills continue to offer valuable lessons on designing for a ground that can not be taken for granted, never static, where the same matter that composes buildings and landscapes can shift to become designed objects’ most powerful treat.

This studio aims to reenact Pier Restany's call for mount Vesuvius in different volcanic zones around the world. Architecture and landscape architecture students will propose projects in active volcanic zones relying on new knowledge unavailable to the original group of artists and designers convened by Restany. We will delve into a selection of the original visionary proposals, which include figures as disparate as Reuterswärd, Topolino, Enzo Mari, Alessi, Costa-Karahallos, Xenakis, Gruppo “Continuum”, Isozaki, Giannetto Bravi; while at the same time discuss specific volcanic phenomena (and its representations) to guide design. Restany’s manifesto for “new realism” will be a lateral guide, but we will also consider that not everything in his manifesto, or his friend’s ideas about the volcano, aged particularly well.

Proposals developed in the studio may be landscape architecture, buildings, parks, gardens, or ideally a combination of scales. Ten suggested programs are suggested as departure point for the cultural park. As in previous studios, collaboration between architecture and landscape architecture students is encouraged and highly detailed projects are expected. 

Learning outcome

Knowledge

  • Capacity for formulate independent arguments to sustain spatial ideas and relate them to both history and theory linked to the topic.
  • Advanced design competences at different scales in preparation to undertake independent projects, such as landscape architecture and architecture diploma at AHO.
  • Architecture in relation to landscape architecture and their shared botanic, geographic and representational tropes.
  • Landscape architecture design techniques in relation to topographical features.

Skills

  • Translation of scientific data and representations into design decisions.
  • Working creatively with environmental and climatic factors as a way to produce form, structure and other organizing principles.
  • Capacity to solve complex landscape and architectural programs with a high degree of creativity and inventiveness.
  • Ability to work with pattern recognition in high resolution surveys, pattern development, formal composition.
  • Capacity to design details that embody the discursive aspect of the project.
  • Landscape architecture's spatial principles for architects.
  • Capacity to translate scientific, cartographic and geographic material into formal principles and decisions.
  • Detailed design (landscape and architecture).
  • Architecture spatial principles informed by landscape.
  • Form making at different scales.

General competence

The studio’s general competence is within the fields of landscape architecture and architecture. These competences include: Form studies in relation to geographic tropes and features, structural definition in relation to landscape form, botanic literacy in relation to volcanic soils, detail design in relation to landscape features and site adaptation through careful studies of site’s topographical features.

Working and learning activities

Studio work on models and drawings combining analog and digital tools. Lectures, design deskcrits. Non-mandatory field trip, design focus pin ups and reviews.

Students are expected to attend all lectures, reviews, pinups, develop the projects in the studio and have at least one desk crit session per week. Expectations towards work developed in the studio are commensurate with 24 ects.

It is required to advance the work through weekly progress in models and drawings. There will be two main deliveries, one midterm and one final, as well as different pin-ups along the semester which are mandatory.

 

Excursion

The studio will travel to a volcanic zone in Lanzarote. We will focus on Cesar Manrique’s work, including the gardens designed in volcanic soils.

Form of assessmentGroupingGrading scaleComment
Project assignmentIndividualPass / failThe students work on a given/selected project throughout the course and the assessment is based on an assignment that counts for 30% of the grade for the midterm and 50% for the final. The remaining 20% accounts for studio participation and the quality of oral presentations in the mid term and final.
Vurderinger:
Form of assessment:Project assignment
Grouping:Individual
Grading scale:Pass / fail
Comment:The students work on a given/selected project throughout the course and the assessment is based on an assignment that counts for 30% of the grade for the midterm and 50% for the final. The remaining 20% accounts for studio participation and the quality of oral presentations in the mid term and final.

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