Handbook

Design is ubiquitous and manifests itself through objects, environments, processes and systems. It does not exist in a vacuum. It is contingent on the wider contexts of the world we live in and, importantly, its historical precedence. Design History and Theory 1 outlines historical frames and narratives which have shaped design as a discipline and a profession through the 19th and 20th centuries. The course will introduce you to some of the core movements, theories and protagonists, and equip you with tools to independently explore various trajectories of design and their contemporary legacies. Through a series of tutorial exercises, assessment tasks, and weekly readings, you will develop transferable academic skills, including research, referencing, interpretation and critical analysis of visual and written material. At the conclusion of this course, you will understand the relevance of the study of history and theory to the practice of design.