Unit Outline

In this unit, you will be introduced to historical influences on the development of contemporary design practices. You will examine the key features of art history in the Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic and 20th century periods, as well as specific design movements, such as the Arts and Crafts Movement, Art Nouveau, Modernism, Futurism, Art Deco, Bauhaus, Surrealism, Pop Art, Minimalism & Post-modernism. You will learn to develop informed responses to the main ideas and motivations behind these eras and movements. You will also consider overarching themes such as sustainability, and the changing roles of technology, manufacturing and the artisan.

Intended Learning Outcomes

As per the Assessment and Results Policy 1.3, your results will reflect your achievement against specified learning outcomes.

On completion of this unit, you will be able to:


1.	Identify historical influences on contemporary design practice
2.	Evaluate the main ideas, motivations and social context of historic design movements
3.	Apply historic influences and ideas to solve contemporary problems
4.	Reflect on importance of historic reference in contemporary design practice

Requisites


REQUISITE TYPE	REQUISITES
Anti-requisite (mutual excl)	ZAD209

Alterations as a result of student feedback

To Be Determined.

How will I be Assessed?

For more detailed assessment information please see MyLO.

Assessment schedule


ASSESSMENT TASK #	ASSESSMENT TASK NAME	DATE DUE	WEIGHT	LINKS TO INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Assessment Task 1:	AT1: Designing from/of the Past	Week 4	20 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
Assessment Task 2:	AT2: Iconic Design	Week 7	30 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
Assessment Task 3:	AT3: Storytelling Past, Present & Future Design Practices in your Region	Week 14	50 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4

Assessment details

Assessment Task 1: AT1: Designing from/of the Past

Task Description:

Objects, visual images, buildings, and other designed things of the past are loved, hated or just not noticed. An old building walked past everyday suddenly becomes visible when its demolition is announced, people campaign to save it, and it gets restored and repurposed. A contemporary design often references the style of an earlier era (furniture, interiors, appliances, clothing, posters, book covers, and more).

This assessment task asks you to choose a contemporary designed object, image or building that references, revives, reworks and/or reconstructs something that was designed in the twentieth century. You will consider:

• What is the appeal of this thing from the past, or why is it thought to be relevant now?
• How has it been revived, re-worked, and given new purposes and meanings in the present?
• What has remained the same?
• What has changed and why?

Task Length:

600 words with illustrations (research, references, images and supporting documentation. Word count excludes references)

Due Date:

Week 4

Weight:

20 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Identify and describe key historical concepts, principles and/or processes in relation to the chosen example (30%)	LO1, LO2
2	Communicate conclusions from observations and comparative analysis (30%)	LO1, LO2
3	Critically reflect on and draw conclusions between design example and the past (40%	LO3, LO4

Assessment Task 2: AT2: Iconic Design

Task Description:

This task focuses on ‘iconic design’. You will choose one example of an object that has become a design icon; and then investigate why this particular object has become so highly regarded by considering it in itself (e.g., its function, its aesthetic, its difference from precedents or similar objects) as well as the processes by which it became famous. You will then reflect on your chosen example from a critical perspective, asking questions like:
• Who uses/owns it?
• What/who does its fame exclude?
• What kind of dispositions or values is it linked to?
On the basis of your reflection, you are to propose an alternative icon or an anti-icon.
Note that your example must be a different type of object than what you did for AT1.

Task Length:

800 words and illustrations ( word count excludes references)

Due Date:

Week 7

Weight:

30 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Describe and analyse the intrinsic aspects of the chosen example that makes it an ’iconic design’ (30%)	LO1, LO2
2	Investigate and describe the processes by which your chosen example gained iconic status (e.g., responses by critics, curators, media and the public) (30%)	LO1, LO2
3	Critically reflect on the chosen example by proposing a rationale for an ‘anti-icon’ or alternative version (40%)	LO3, LO4

Assessment Task 3: AT3: Storytelling Past, Present & Future Design Practices in your Region

Task Description:

This assignment requires you to research an everyday practice in your region over time relating to food, transport, manufacturing / making, clothing or housing. You are to research and uncover the regional relationships (people and places) in order to propose a ‘futuring design scenario’. This future scenario will be informed by:
• Critically exploring and relationally analysing your chosen practice over time, paying attention to ways in which designed things (tools/technologies; knowledges) have shaped that practice;
• Researching and uncovering as many diverse stories as possible from the past that relate to your chosen practice;
• Considering deep history and ancient/traditional practices that may have been displaced, and how this might be relevant to future practices or scenarios.
Your task is to then transpose this research and story telling of the past into a design proposition that can inform the future.

Task Length:

Presentation, 3 minutes with slides/images Design proposition, 1000 words plus sketches, diagrams, images (word count excludes references)

Due Date:

Week 14

Weight:

50 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	In a timeline convey the story/multiple stories about this everyday practice over time in the chosen region and how people interacted/behaved in relation to this practice (30%)	LO1, LO2
2	Outline and analyse themes and patterns of how people related to this practice over time by exploring social, ecological, cultural, and economic factors through the lens of defuturing and design futuring (30%)	LO1, LO2
3	Articulate your future design scenario/proposition through an analysis of the past and present, describing how people in your region can relate in new ways to this everyday practice (40%)	LO3, LO4

How your final result is determined

To pass this unit, you need to demonstrate your attainment of each of the Intended Learning Outcomes, achieve a final unit grade of 50% or greater, and pass any hurdle tasks.

Submission of assignments

Where practicable, assignments should be submitted to an assignment submission folder in MYLO. You must submit assignments by the due date or receive a penalty (unless an extension of time has been approved by the Unit Coordinator). Students submitting any assignment in hard copy, or because of a practicum finalisation, must attach a student cover sheet and signed declaration for the submission to be accepted for marking.

Requests for extensions

If you are unable to submit an assessment task by the due date, you should apply for an extension.

A request for an extension should first be discussed with your Unit Coordinator or teaching support team where possible. A request for an extension must be submitted by the assessment due date, except where you can provide evidence it was not possible to do so. Typically, an application for an extension will be supported by documentary evidence: however, where it is not possible for you to provide evidence please contact your Unit Coordinator.

The Unit Coordinator must notify you of the outcome of an extension request within 3 working days of receiving the request.

Late penalties

Assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a late penalty of 5% of the original available mark for each calendar day (or part day) that the assignment is late. Late submissions will not be accepted more than 10 calendar days after the due date, or after assignments have been returned to other students on a scheduled date, whichever occurs first. Further information on Late Penalties can be found on the Assessments and Results Procedure.

Review of results and appeals

You are entitled to ask for a review of the marking and grading of your assessment task if there is an irregularity in the marking standards or an error in the process for determining the outcome of an assessment. Details on how to request a review of a mark for an assignment are outlined in the Review and Appeal of Academic Decisions Procedure.