Interior Design Course StructureThe one-year Interior Design programme at MaHKU consists of three parallel courses, creating an optimal mix of design and theoretical research. They are:
Discipline You follow your specific Interior Design path. The goal is to profoundly deepen skills, themes, and discussions relevant to Interior Design. The Discipline Course consists of four units:
In this unit, you will gain thorough insight in the underlying structures of interior design. Not only its formal outcomes, but also the visual and cultural impact of design will be discussed. Topical debates and issues will be explored in various professional magazines in order to produce contexts for your own research. 2: Spatial Design Analysis (in collaboration with Public Space Design, week 9-16) You will analyse the structures and forms of spatial design and interpret them using various models. Taking references from classic models of analysis, you will be studying spatial design as a way of translating information into a structured whole that can be experienced by its intended audience or users as a visual image. The meaning of the 'image' is not only structured from within, but also produced by making meaningful links to external contexts. 3: Elaboration (week 21-28) In the age of information and networks, interior design grapples with screens and screen-based environments; with the vast, anonymous places of airports, shopping malls, and office towers; with concepts such as eco-design, flexibility, interactivity, and transformation. In this unit, you will study and practice technological innovations in materials, forms, and techniques. Not only as an interior design craft, but also to create novel testmodels. 4: Presentation (in collaboration with Public Space Design, week 29-36) In this unit, you will research the presentation of a design in a specific environment. How does the spatial environment colour the design? What is the effect of media and materials in a design presentation? What are the various layers of the contextual impact? How can you use these ingredients for developing and presenting a powerful pitch? Critical Studies The Critical Studies Course focuses on the development of a critical stance in the theory of art and design. This will prepare you to design your own research concepts, apply theoretical texts from your own discipline and use those from other disciplines. The Critical Studies Course aims to inspire you and help you write a Master research essay discussing innovative insights in your discipline and develop your own. The Critical Studies Course will also help you to contextualize your design work in a theoretical sense. The Critical Studies Course consists of three units:
1: Visual Studies (week 1-8) In interdisciplinary seminars with all MaHKU students, you will be presented with a variety of theoretical discourses and conceptual frameworks by theory staff tackling issues such as the role of research as an activity, communications models, and modes of analysis. 2: Concept Development (week 9-16) With a focus on analysis and production of research concepts, in this discipline-based seminar we will discuss questions and issues such as:
3: Interdisciplinary Studies (week 17-20) During an interdisciplinary research project of encounters and dialogues with students from all the MaHKU disciplines, you will be challenged to critically reflect on the boundaries of your own professional discipline. In 2011, the research theme will deal with Index in three consecutive seminars. In all three seminars, a guest lecturer will determine a methodology and formulate a research hypothesis. As a conclusion of each seminar, you will be working intensively in interdisciplinary groups on location to complete an assignment given by the guest lecturer and create a form of presentation. After each seminar, all interdisciplinary groups will present the outcome of their collaboration to the guest lecturer. Supportive Studies (week 17-20) Paralleling the Interdisciplinary Studies Unit, you will attend three interdisciplinary seminars by three different theory lecturers and study practice-based methods of writing a research essay. Individual Research Project In the second half of the year you will be producing an individual design project and a research essay, modifying and transforming your project proposal into a full-grown research project. You will report on the progress of your design project and essay research in the form of visual research presentations including the significance of the chosen theoretical contextualization for your design project. These will then be evaluated in group discussions (research seminars), while your interior design lecturers and your theory lecturer monitor your research progress during regular individual tutorials. With room for various try-outs and the feedback from critical discussions, you should be able to communicate and adjust both your design project and your research essay as they progress. Your investigations and reports should demonstrate a dynamic interpretation of creative practice. In your research essay, you should contextualize your design project and connect with current issues and topics in your discipline of interior design while deploying an innovative conceptual framework. Your final work should have the capacity to function as an innovative source of inspiration for your discipline of interior design and its professionals. You will present your design project in the Graduate Exhibition and publicly defend both your (5,000 word)research essay and your design project to complete your course through the MaHku Programme. |
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