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Free University of Bozen-Bolzano

Project Product Design 2.c

Semester 2 · 97166 · Bachelor in Design and Art - Major in Design · 19CP · IT · EN · DE


The course provides students with knowledge and skills in the operational approaches of work, methods and theories of product design for various functional and experimental fields of application with a focus on digital production processes.

Lecturers: Kuno Prey, Ada Keller

Teaching Hours: 180
Lab Hours: 0
Mandatory Attendance: not compulsory, but recommended

Course Topics
Module 1 Design of everyday objects for the home, office, person, travel, etc. Products to be produced in eco-sustainable materials that can be produced for the most part with production systems with low technological complexity. Module 2 • Contemporary production technologies, tools, and processes • Exploration of different production scales: from analog to digital, from artisanal to industrial • Playful exercises to experiment with digital production methods Module 3 The aim of the course is to provide students with a both theoretical and practical path related to design companies case studies, both Italian and international, and – at the same time – with a training in “project writing and communicating”. Through the observation of case studies, key concepts related to companies are: the catalogue, the series, the development, the strategy, the communication, the corporate culture, within the history of the companies and the development of the industrial design system of objects. In addition, a series of products typologies is being observed through punctual researches developed and presented by the students. The writing and editing a sextodecimo completes the course within the whole module: it is a booklet dedicated to the project developed, at much care is dedicated to the contents. The course is aimed at developing practical research tools and presentation skills at a high level.

Teaching format
Project work in the atelier, Lectures, Tutorials, Case studies, Personal reviews

Educational objectives
Knowledge and understanding have acquired their own project methodology in the field of product design, from the phase of planning to the phase of realisation of the project. have acquired the basic practical and theoretical knowledge necessary to realise a project in the field of product design. have acquired the basic knowledge to be able to turn a critical eye to their own work and to deal with contemporary complexity. have acquired the basic knowledge necessary for further Master's studies in all components of project culture as well as in theoretical subjects. Applying knowledge and understanding plan, develop and realise a project in the field of product design. be able to finalize the creation of an accomplished project in the field of product design, thanks to the basic knowledge acquired in the practical, scientific and theoretical fields. recognise the main phenomena of contemporary society, to observe them critically, also from an ethical and social point of view, and to elaborate appropriate solutions at the level of a design proposal/response. make use of the skills acquired during the course of study in the event of continuing studies in a Master's degree programme in the field of product design and to develop them further. Making judgements be able to make independent judgements for the purpose of developing their own design skills and in relation to all those decisions that are necessary to bring a project to completion. be able to make independent judgements, both in the critical evaluation of their own work and in their ability to use the right interpretative tools in those design contexts in which they will work and/or continue their studies, also considering ethical and social aspects. Communication skills present an independently realised project in the field of product design in the form of an installation, orally as well as in writing in a professional manner. to professionally communicate and substantiate one’s own decisions and justify them from a formal and theoretical point of view. communicate and present your own project at a professional level in another language and correctly in a third language in addition to their own language Learning skills have learned a work methodology at a professional level - in the sense of being able to identify, develop and realise solutions to complex problems by applying the knowledge acquired in the practical and theoretical fields - in order to start a professional activity and/or continue their studies with a master's degree program. have developed a creative attitude and learned how to enhance it and develop it according to their own inclinations. have acquired basic knowledge in theoretical and practical subjects as well as a study methodology suitable for continuing studies with a master's degree program.

Assessment
Module 1 Presentation of the project: each candidate will present his work through graphic drawings, a model, photographs, a synthetic text and a concentrate of his work in a sixteenth. The design path, the final result and all the materials delivered will be evaluated. The presentation of the project will be public. Materials to be delivered: three days before the examination date the following documents must be delivered to the project assistant: 1. construction drawings; 2. model of proportions or functional model (possibly in 1:1 scale); 3. Max. 3 photos that highlight the characteristics of the final elaborate format 10cm x 15cm, 72 dpi, RGB, jpg and 300 dpi, CMYK, tif; 4. short summary text where the final paper is presented (max 500 characters, doc or rtf); 5. the data need to be concentrated in a sixteenth (Sedicesimo) in the A5 format of the design path and with the final result. The facsimile of the sixteenth will be delivered and explained to the students one month before the end of the project. NB: The timely delivery of all the materials being examined is essential for admission to the exam itself. Module 2 • Handing in a brief summary of individual and collective reflections • Submitting a brief summary documentation of the assignments and exercises developed during the semester • Preparing presentations showing production tools and technologies • Handing in the technical drawing (2D-construction drawings) of the final semester product Module 3 Students will be asked to carry out home assignments during the module. The final assessment will be based on the results of those assignments, on participation in class, on the final presentation of the main project and on a dedicated written presentation. The students will be asked to prepare a sextodecimo in A5 size. The contents are to be elaborated according to a set of columns/chapters, to be filled with the material prepared and collected during the semester development. N.B. ALL THE STUDENTS ATTENDING THE EXAM AS NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS MUST AGREE UPON THE CONTENTS WITH THE TEACHER.

Evaluation criteria
Module 1 The quality and clarity of the research, the creativity and the originality of the design concept, the quality and clarity of the design process, of the development and realization of the project such as the professionalism and consistency of the presentation and documentation. Also contributing to the final evaluation will be the initiative and the personal commitment in the atelier, in the research and the study and the participation in the project or the continuity, the attention and the curiosity demonstrated. Module 2 The evaluation will consider factors such as creativity and originality in approaching exercises, adherence to deadlines, curiosity, and motivation in addressing short and secondary projects, as well as the quality of the design process. The ability to express ideas through technical representations (2D tables and 3D models) will be an other evaluation criteria. Additionally, the final assessment will take into account the commitment to the main project and participation in the work group, research, and study, as well as the demonstrated attention, curiosity, and continuity in projects. Module 3 Participation and engagement in class activities, through attention, good researches, analysis and improvements. The evaluation will consider: • active and curious participation in class; • home assignments results and attitude; • improvement in the capacity of engaging, researching, elaborating, writing and presenting within the class context; • the final A5 format project – the Sedicesimo – in all its contents and technical details, from writing to layout, from iconography to completeness.

Required readings

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Supplementary readings

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Sustainable Development Goals
This teaching activity contributes to the achievement of the following Sustainable Development Goals.

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Modules

Semester 2 · 97166A · Bachelor in Design and Art - Major in Design · 8CP · DE

Module A — Product Design

The course should provide fundamentals, skills, working methods, theories and practices of Product Design in diverse functional and experimental scopes.

Lecturers: Kuno Prey

Teaching Hours: 90
Lab Hours: 0

Course Topics
Generally, a young designer who approaches the reality of the profession is not forced to wait for a company to give him a direct assignment but can, on his own initiative, come forward proposing new projects. However, he must have clear ideas and first of all identify his fields of interest and the sector in which he wishes to enter and then which companies he would like to collaborate with. He needs to develop a particular sensitivity to understand the different philosophies of the companies he is considering and to perceive the "gaps" within the existing collections. ATELIERprojekte_SS26 aims to hone these skills and to tackle the necessary path step by step: - to define one's own field of intervention after a careful; - investigation into the world of objects and services that surround us; - understand how a company builds a collection, if and with which designers it collaborates and how it presents itself on the market; - perceive the "empty" spaces to fill in the collections/catalogues; - think and define a concrete project or service; - visualize it through models of proportion, function or mock-up; - prepare an appropriate presentation, also in writing. Each student will have the task of defining his or her own theme and developing it during the semester. The points from which to start can be the most varied: from the exploration of urban spaces to the reinterpretation of one's own personal environment. In any case, students will be encouraged to take a critical look at the reality in which they live. This very open and free form of project is an exercise in self-employment that requires particular attention to the organization of one's work and a good and responsible management of one's time.

Teaching format
Project work in the atelier.

Required readings

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Supplementary readings

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Semester 2 · 97166B · Bachelor in Design and Art - Major in Design · 6CP · IT

Module B — Digital fabrication

The course should address the emerging world of digital fabrication from CAD to CAM and its impact on today’s craft and mass production systems.

Lecturers: Ada Keller

Teaching Hours: 60+145
Lab Hours: 0

Semester 2 · 97166C · Bachelor in Design and Art - Major in Design · 5CP · EN

Module C — Theories and languages of product design

The contents of the integrated theoretical module refer to the role and status of products in our material culture and, in particular, how products take part in networks of meanings: how they contribute to producing meanings, through their configuration given by shapes, colours, textures and consistencies, and how they are given meanings in the course of the everyday practices in which they take part. The module refers to research areas such as product semiotics, design semiotics, object semiotics, product language, product semantics.

Teaching Hours: 30
Lab Hours: 0

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