Divided into three areas of activity, this course will serve as an introduction to the practice of product design. Through short exercises and projects of various lengths students will design a variety of products for use in domestic environments; through pin-ups and desk critiques they will begin to develop and understand goals and methodologies employed in this discipline. The class will also serve as the workshop in which pieces designed and developed will be realized in the prototype studio. Secondly, students will be involved in ongoing research activity culminating regularly in class presentations. These research projects will focus on important designers, movements and manufacturers from 1850 to 1990. The third component of this class will be a major research project that each student will undertake culminating in class presentation of a research paper. This paper will focus on aspects of design history that have had significant impact on the development of contemporary design.
