Industrial Design for Architecture

Course Structure

1. History of Design and Architecture: general overview on the historical evolution of industrial design, within which it is highlighted the relationship among man-object-space. The interpretation is, in fact, the investigation of the relationship between the design of built space and the design of the products contained, integrated or anyway related therein. To this regard will be the theme of language and craft production, proto industrial and industrial;
2. Aesthetics, Semiotics for Design: analysis of the major languages and figurative archetypes that are historically defined and are repository of a heritage of recognizable signs. Training of the skill to recognize these languages and to analyze them so to identify their distinctive features;
3. Design and the Contemporaneity: acquisition of the framework of knowledge that is necessary to confront with the language of Contemporaneity even during the designing stage. Design is the discipline of Contemporaneity: the critical understanding of the variables relating to the design of new industrial products \x96 even those included in the universe of products for the architecture -, implies a commitment to evolve the cultural and interpretive skills, which make intelligible that specific meaning of the discipline;
4. Design and Innovation: acquisition of knowledge concerning the concept of innovation in the field of design through lectures, exercises and guided tours. The theme of innovation is explored and expanded from two different perspectives: the design and management, with specialized educational contributions;
5. Design Strategy: acquisition of the skill to implement the process of design integration with the organization and strategy of firms: the process of new products development and the role of design in that process; the innovation process of the contribution of design to the development of an innovative product;
6. Materials Technology: the main families of materials that are applied in industrial production will be analyzed as for: their properties, the potential gained during the transformation processes, the levels of compatibility with other materials, the possibilities of connection and assembly, the strength and durability of building elements. It will provided the information necessary to understand the relationships between the industrial products with the materials that constitute them. Also the tools for the selection of materials, such as the Cambridge Engineering Selector Design version Consideration, will be shown and provided;
7. Manufacturing Processes for Design for Architecture: gaining the ability to understand and manage the technical, technological and economic considerations related to production processes and logistics flows of industrial products;
8. Technology of the built environment: acquisition of knowledge on the repertoire of technical elements necessary to identify and design products compatible and integrated to buildings. Acquisition of the ability to design of building components for interiors (interior partitions, metal, plants, decorative elements) and exterior(external vertical closures and their finishes: curtain walls, skylights, natural and artificial stone materials) starting from their function in the building up to the constraint of implementation and cost;
9. Seminars: meeting with teachers and professionals coming from the business world. The seminars will be focused on the relationship between Design and Architecture and the evolving role of design in the innovation of buildings;
10. Design Studio: design activities like workshops will be divided into three design studios. The theme of the design studios will be defined with companies that produce industrial products for the built environment. Also the studios will tackle themes of increasing complexity so to gradually develop increasing design skill.