In this module we will explore and investigate design practice from holistic and reductionist perspectives, their relationship and critiques, and discover diverse forms of thinking and making in design.

Students will explore design as a cross-disciplinary endeavour through considerations of impact on personal practice and methodologies, social and life-centred design as well as systemic design.

This module will challenge students to consider design practices from the artefact to the system level, and gain an understanding of positionality of design and innovation on a micro, meso and macro level. Students will explore how design has impacted the world, solved and created problems and how design processes evolve to respond to the world's ever more complex challenges. This will be done through collaborative and individual design challenges which will allow students to explore and test diverse and inventive methods to design and system thinking. Students will undertake a journey of unlearning, experimenting, play and curiosity.

This is a studio module and will manoeuvre students into designerly ways of thinking, making and knowing.

Principal Aims

• Systems thinking and the holistic impact of human activities on the environment and communities.
• Understanding regenerative principles of resilience, diversity and interconnectedness.
• Gaining ecological literacy through developing understanding of ecosystems, their function and the interdependencies between various elements in nature.
• Design ethics through critical evaluation of choices, intervention and impact in the design process.
• Social design and the importance of designing with and for people towards regeneration.
• Biomimicry through solutions that mimic natural processes and systems
• Circular economies by prioritising the entire life cycle of products and systems, minimising waste and environmental impact.
• Visual communication for design activism and effective dissemination of interventions, solutions and knowledge exchange.

Principal Learning Outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• To demonstrate an understanding and use of systems thinking in the design process.
• To document eco-system analysis through visual methods and creative responses.
• To develop skills in communicating complexity regarding design ecologies and regenerative practice.
• To develop abilities in regenerative design processes through a multi-disciplinary design approach.
• To describe and critically evaluate designs from a life-centred perspective.
• To develop critical and ethical awareness of issues surrounding sustainable and regenerative design.
• To demonstrate persuasive communication in delivering complex information to a trans-disciplinary audience.

Syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

Over the course of this module students will undertake a journey critically and creatively exploring issues of design ecologies and regenerative practice through various strands of design and architecture, underpinned by systems thinking. Students will respond to a brief in the form of a portfolio, design solution and pitch which will seek to be entirely regenerative in concept, evaluation and intervention.

 Please note: Module availability and staffing may change year on year depending on availability and other operational factors. The School for Cross-faculty Studies makes no guarantee that any modules will be offered in a particular year, or that they will necessarily be taught by the staff listed on this page.

Interdisciplinary

This module runs as all other Design Studies modules in the School for Cross-faculty Studies. As the hub for interdisciplinary and trans-disciplinary scholarship and practice, by default this and other Design Studies modules are inter and trans-disciplinary, enabling students from all disciplinary backgrounds without prior design study experience.

International

The content of this module is drawn from a broad set of international precedents and practitioners allowing for a multi-perspective exploration of design practice.

Subject specific skills

• Systems thinking: understand and apply systems thinking to analyse and address interconnected ecological and social systems.
• Design thinking: apply design thinking methodologies to creatively and collaboratively solve problems within the context of ecological and regenerative design.
• Ecological literacy: develop a deep understanding of ecosystems, biodiversity, and the principles governing ecological balance.
• Biomimicry knowledge: gain insights into the principles of biomimicry and the ability to apply nature-inspired solutions to design challenges.
• Social design skills and community engagement: develop skills in engaging and collaborating with local communities, understanding their needs, and incorporating local knowledge into design processes.
• Resilient design: design systems and solutions that are resilient to environmental changes and can adapt to evolving conditions.
• Visual communication: capabilities in compositing, creating and disseminating complex information through diverse graphic media.
• Rapid prototyping: abilities in creating quick and low fidelity contextualisation of ideas through diverse materials and digitalisation.

Transferable skills

• Collaborative and interdisciplinary skills: work collaboratively with diverse teams and stakeholders, recognising the importance of interdisciplinary approaches to address complex challenges.
• Critical thinking: cultivate critical thinking skills to evaluate the environmental and social implications of design decisions and propose innovative solutions.
• Communication skills: effectively communicate regenerative design concepts to various audiences, including stakeholders, policymakers, and the general public.
• Adaptability and lifelong learning: foster a mindset of continuous learning and adaptability, staying informed about new developments and emerging best practices in regenerative design.

Please note: Module availability and staffing may change year on year depending on availability and other operational factors. The School for Cross-faculty Studies makes no guarantee that any modules will be offered in a particular year, or that they will necessarily be taught by the staff listed on this page.