Ex_Lab: Experimental Furniture Futures (ABPL90361)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
Overview
| Availability(Quotas apply) | Semester 1 Semester 2 |
|---|---|
| Fees | Look up fees |
Ex_Lab: Experimental Furniture Futures is part of a suite of electives, the Digital Design and Fabrication Electives. In these electives students have the opportunity to build and demonstrate expertise and competence in the understanding and application of contemporary design tools that inform and shape design process and thinking. Digital Design and Fabrication Electives are based on a culture of experimenting and making – applying contemporary design and making tools to create advanced physical and digital artefacts and environments. For more detailed information concerning the respective tutors, design approaches and previous examples as well as other offerings in the Digital Design and Fabrication Electives suite please check on the ADD+F Research Hub website under teaching and learning: https://msd.unimelb.edu.au/addf
Ex_Lab encourages students to re-examine everyday materials and invent new ones. This process driven design suggests an alternative approach to provoke innovation, by compelling designers to uncover latent opportunities that only become evident through open ended experimentation, while developing an understanding of what things are made from. Students demonstrate their capability to design and fabricate a piece of furniture that is the outcome of a process of experimentation and research with both fabrication techniques and materials.
In Ex_Lab student will exemplify how the constraints of materials and making processes can be manipulated and used to the designer’s advantage, driving the design process to result in creating an innovative, aesthetic, and functional object.
Students will receive specific training in the operation and potentials of different fabrication equipment within the MSD makerspaces.
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.
- In combination with prototyping and fabrication students should allow for a minimum of 300-600 AUD to cover material costs; costs often depend on students’ choice of material.
NOTE: This subject has a quota of 16. See “Additional delivery details” under “Dates and Times” for more information.
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: 8 November 2024
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
Admission into one of the following:
- Admission into or selection of one of the following:
- MC-ARCH Master of Architecture
- MC-ARCLARC Master of Architecture/Master of Landscape Architecture
- MC-ARCHUP Master of Architecture/Master of Urban Planning
- MC-ARCHUD Master of Architecture/Master of Urban Design
- MC-LARCH Master of Landscape Architecture
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: 8 November 2024
Assessment
| Description | Timing | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
Design Review 1
| From Week 3 to Week 4 | 15% |
Design Review 2
| From Week 7 to Week 8 | 15% |
Final Design Review with verbal presentation
| During the examination period | 50% |
Design Journal
| During the examination period | 20% |
Additional details
Last updated: 8 November 2024
Quotas apply to this subject
Dates & times
- Semester 1
Coordinators Rochus Hinkel and Craig McCormack Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 3 hours per week Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 26 February 2024 to 26 May 2024 Last self-enrol date 26 February 2024 Census date 3 April 2024 Last date to withdraw without fail 3 May 2024 Assessment period ends 21 June 2024 - Semester 2
Time commitment details
170 hours
What do these dates mean
Visit this webpage to find out about these key dates, including how they impact on:
- Your tuition fees, academic transcript and statements.
- And for Commonwealth Supported students, your:
- Student Learning Entitlement. This applies to all students enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP).
Subjects withdrawn after the census date (including up to the ‘last day to withdraw without fail’) count toward the Student Learning Entitlement.
Additional delivery details
Quota: 16
This subject has an automated quota. Your enrolment confirms your space in this subject. If you choose to withdraw from this subject you will be forfeiting your space and may be unable to enrol again. Please check the Handbook for more information.
Selection criteria: First come basis.
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: 8 November 2024
Further information
- Texts
- Incidental costs
Students will be required to purchase all materials used for the development of their design and the production of the final piece. In combination with prototyping and fabrication students should allow for a minimum of 300-600 AUD to cover material costs; costs often depend on students' choice of material.
- Links to additional information
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
Last updated: 8 November 2024