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ExLaB: Experimental Furniture Futures (ABPL90361)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
Please refer to the return to campus page for more information on these delivery modes and students who can enrol in each mode based on their location.
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Semester 1
Overview
Availability(Quotas apply) | Semester 1 |
---|---|
Fees | Look up fees |
The Experimental Design Lab, or ExLaB, is a design laboratory that explores, researches and creates design through an experimental design process focused on the materials and machines things are made from.
Playful experimentation and prototyping lie at the core of the ExLaB pedagogy, encouraging designers to re-examine everyday materials and invent new ones. This process driven design, design through making, suggests an alternative “bottom-up” approach to the conceptual process that places materials and the way things are made at the core of the process. This alternative approach is important both as a way to provoke innovation, by compelling designers to uncover latent opportunities that only become evident through open ended experimentation, while also readdressing our relationship with the planet by requiring a deep understanding of what things are made from.
The major project designed and made by each student is a piece of furniture that is the product this intensive process of experimentation and research with both fabrication techniques and materials. The final furniture pieces should exemplifying how the constraints of certain materials and making processes can, in fact, be manipulated and used to the designer’s advantage, driving the design process to result in creating an innovative, beautiful, unusual and functional object. Students will be provided with specific training in the operation and potentials of different fabrication equipment within the MSD makerspaces.
This subject is a quota subject and places are limited. Students who have provisionally enrolled in the subject must provide a short portfolio of their design work and a statement outlining why they are interested in the subject to be considered for selection. Submission is to be emailed directly to the subject coordinator at least two weeks before semester starts.
Costs to Students:
- Students will be required to purchase all materials used for the development of their design and the production of the final piece.
- All fabrication costs will be provided for free if the student chooses to use the facilities with the ABP makerspaces.
- The typical costs to students is $800 - $1,200 and is determined by the materials selected by the student for their project.
Intended learning outcomes
On completion of the subject, students should be able to:
- Develop a design agenda and concept from an experimental, iterative process that focuses on making techniques and material qualities
- Demonstrate a deep understanding of the chosen materials qualities and take advantage of these in the design of the furniture piece.
- Show a thorough understanding of making processes and how the selected processes take advantage of the material qualities use for the furniture piece
- Create a highly resolved and functional furniture piece finished to a high quality standard with refinement of details.
- Communicate and test ideas and design propositions through iterative use of prototypes, material and making tests, orthographic drawing, 3D-modelling (digital or physical), photomontage, renderings, and animations;
- Apply critical thinking to the assessment of design proposals, and to make changes and improvements based on that assessment through iterative design processes;
Generic skills
- Critical design thinking and analysis;
- Introduction to and advanced use of a range of fabrication and making techniques
- Ability to work with different design methodologies
- Physical and digital prototyping and its translation process
- Time management and project management
- Constructive acceptance of feedback and criticism.
- Ability to integrated digital tools and physical prototyping in design process.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
Admission into one of the following courses
MC-ARCH Master of Architecture
MC-ARCH2Y Master of Architecture (200 points)
MC-ARCH3Y Master of Architecture (300 points)
PLUS
Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
---|---|---|---|
ABPL90142 | Master of Architecture Studio C |
Semester 2 (Early-Start) (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)
Semester 1 (Early-Start) (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)
Summer Term (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)
|
25 |
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Recommended background knowledge
Students are required to have extensive experience with digital design software in particular Rhino 3D as all the fabrication equipment is operated using this program. Experience with Grasshopper is also desirable but not required.
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Assessment
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Stool Exercise 1: over 2 weeks, (equivalent to 8.5 hours of work per student). Working in pairs student will be required to design a stool that is made solely using the assigned fabrication machine.
| Week 3 | 5% |
Stool Exercise 2: over 2 weeks,(equivalent to 8.5 hours of work per student). Working in pairs student will be required to design a stool that is made solely using the assigned material
| Week 5 | 5% |
Design Journal – Mid Semester Review (equivalent to 26 hours of work per student). The design journal is a document that records each student's progress throughout the semester, documenting, analyzing and critiquing introductory projects, precedent research, and their own projects progress and development, (15%);
| Week 10 | 15% |
Design Journal – Final Submission (equivalent to 51 hours of work per student)
| During the examination period | 30% |
Furniture Piece, equivalent to 76 hours of work per student. The furniture piece should display a deep understanding of making processes and material qualities, resulting in a highly resolved and functional furniture piece, (45%).
| End of semester | 45% |
Additional details
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Quotas apply to this subject
Dates & times
- Semester 1
Coordinator Rochus Hinkel Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 3 hours per week in lecture/workshop Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 1 March 2021 to 30 May 2021 Last self-enrol date 15 February 2021 Census date 31 March 2021 Last date to withdraw without fail 7 May 2021 Assessment period ends 25 June 2021 Semester 1 contact information
Time commitment details
170 hours
Additional delivery details
Quota: 18
This subject is a quota subject and places are limited. Students may provisionally enrol via the Student Portal, but places are not guaranteed until selection is completed. You will be notified in writing by the Student Centre if you are selected.
Selection criteria: Students who have provisionally enrolled in the subject must provide a short portfolio of their design work and a statement outlining why they are interested in the subject to be considered for selection. Submission is to be emailed directly to the subject coordinator 2 weeks before the subject commencement week (Semester 1 by Feb 15-2021 and for Semester 2 by 12 July-2021) . For detailed information on the quota subject application process and due dates, refer to the EDSC Quota Subjects webpage: http://edsc.unimelb.edu.au/quota-subjects
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
There are no specifically prescribed or recommended texts for this subject.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Course Master of Architecture Course Master of Architecture - Links to additional information
Last updated: 3 November 2022