Course Syllabus
Furniture Design Studio - EC |
 |
| Team: |
Kjærholm |
| Semester & Location: |
Summer - DIS Copenhagen |
| Type & Credits: |
Core Course - 6 credits |
| Core Course Study Tours: |
Sweden/Finland |
| Major Disciplines: |
Architecture, Design, Industrial Design |
| Faculty Members: |
Erling Christoffersen, ec_design@mail.dk |
| Workshop assistants |
Flemming Steen Jensen Anders Engholm Kristensen Åsa Johansson Signe Østergaard Lund Kathrine Damgaard Pedersen Nathanial Smith Arthur Saaby Thomsen |
| Program Director: |
Henning Thomsen, ht@dis.dk |
| Time & Place: |
For times see calendar below - Studio in V10-A41 |
Description of Course
This intense summer session trains you in the full design process of a piece of furniture, normally a chair. You will start with conceptual development and production of working drawings, and end with the building of a full-scale prototype, as well as the exhibition of your work.
Learning Objectives
The primary objective of this design studio is to produce a piece of furniture which draws inspiration from its Scandinavian context and achieves maximum utility with the minimum material.
Through this process, students develop their capabilities in:
- Development and refinement of design concepts
- Production of sketches as well as working drawings
- Construction of a full-scale prototype
- Craftsmanship in different materials
- Communication through exhibition and presentation
Faculty
Erling Christoffersen: Architect MAA. Cabinetmaker, 1974. School of Applied Art Copenhagen, 1979. Royal Academy of Fine Arts Copenhagen, 1982. Own office, 1979. Professor at School of Architecture 1986-1989. Professor Denmark’s Design School, Copenhagen, 1989-2005. Visiting professor University of Oregon 2005. Workshops at University of Victoria 2001, 2004, 2009. Visiting professor University of Washington 2014. Member of Cabinetmakers Autumn Exhibition (Snedkernes Efterårsudstilling). With DIS since 1998.
Prerequisites
Enrollment at a professional school/department of design or architecture at the junior, senior, or graduate level. Prior experience with stationary power tools and hand tools is required.
Approach to Teaching
Studio instruction is a combination of one-on-one tutoring and discussions in studio and in the workshop. The studios are organized as vertical studios, meaning that students of different levels will be taught within the same studio. Expectations will therefore relate to each individual student and their respective level of experience.
Expectations of the Students
Students are expected to be fully engaged in the studio discourse, be prepared for each individual desk critique and workshop session and to invest time outside of studio hours developing projects. Students must check DIS Canvas daily. The most current schedule, including last-minute changes, will be maintained here. Readings and other relevant course material will be posted here for downloading. Due to workshop capacity, once in the workshop, students are divided into two groups - Team Wegner and Team Kjærholm - that alternate morning and afternoon slots weekly in the workshop, 08:00 - 14:00 and 14:00 - 20:00 respectively.
Observe that students will be working six days a week during the two weeks in the workshop (i.e. including the Sundays). Hence students should not plan any trips during the workshop period!
The Assignment
The assignment is to design and build an object for sitting made from a given amount of material provided by DIS. The structure of the furniture will take its cue primarily from wood and/or wood based materials but other materials can be included as well. Any additional materials are at the student’s own cost. The finished piece cannot exceed 80 x 80 x 80 cm. The program for the furniture is individual, decided by the student and guided by the faculty. It is possible to work conceptually on a new piece of furniture or to re-interpret a well-known type of furniture based on students` individual analysis and design development. No matter what the starting point is, the furniture must have a visual and structural clarity, and consequently express the main idea behind the design. The final presentation of the assignment - the object for sitting - must be accompanied by a presentation board illustrating the main ideas behind the design as well as the process and development of the design. Students are furthermore expected to use their sketchbook / visual journal for design development in order to ensure process documentation.
Submission of Assignments
All presentation material must be supplemented with a digital submission of the presentation board. This requirement is necessary for grading and archival purposes for DIS, as well as documentation you will need for your own portfolio. Submission guidelines will be posted on DIS Canvas prior to deadline.
Field Studies and Study Tours
The study tours of the Architecture and Design Program at DIS form an integral part of the learning process. We travel to places to learn through experience and through analysis. We travel to places to understand and ultimately, to become better architects and designers. In the Furniture Design in Scandinavia Program, particular focus is placed on visiting furniture production facilities to facilitate an understanding of the production and business side of the furniture design discipline in Scandinavia.
Field Studies
Half or one day field studies to sites of design interest as well as contemporary case studies linked to the assignment.
Long Study Tour
The week-long study tour will expand your frame of personal experience from Copenhagen to include sites in Sweden and Finland. This is an opportunity to compare what you have studied thus far in Denmark with a larger Scandinavian context and in turn with your previous experiences from your home country. Visits will be to both contemporary and historical sites to provide background for understanding the design context you experience today.
Evaluation & Grading
Evaluation is based on daily work in studio and on final presentations. Assignments are generally presented to a panel of jurors including the student’s own instructor. Grades are given by the instructor in accordance with other jurors. To be eligible for a passing grade, you must complete all assigned work.
| Assignment |
Percent |
|
Assignment 2 - Process in studio and workshop |
40% |
|
Assignment 2 - Presentation |
60% |
Design Process evaluated on basis of:
• Approach: Student is motivated, positive, engaged in the project and in all studio activities, attending and prepared for every session in studio, inquisitive, self-critical, receptive to input from both faculty and fellow students.
• Production: Student is diligent, productive, continuously engaged in sketching, prototyping, modelmaking, and other forms of physical/ digital design development, to support the progress of the project and the dialogue with faculty.
• Innovation: Student is creative and experimenting, continuously willing to push the project forward, exploring different design opportunities, oriented towards generating unique design solutions.
Final Presentation evaluated on basis of:
• Completeness: Student presents the required deliverables - well- crafted drawings, models and other visual presentation material - to convincingly communicate the scope and content of the project in a meaningful and creative manner.
• Delivery: Student orally presents the project in a well-prepared and organized way, communicating the project intentions in a professional manner and engaging in a receptive and reflective dialogue with critics.
• Design: Student presents a final product of high artistic quality that convincingly shows a conceptually clear and well-motivated design solution where the elements of the brief have been explored thoroughly and creatively.
Shipment Option
DIS can arrange shipment of students chairs to select destinations in the US at the end of the semester. Please note, shipment will take at least eight weeks. A list of the select destinations will be published on DIS Canvas during the summer. One chair only, no molds and no mock-ups.
The price for shipment varies from year to year due to international shipping prices. In 2018 we were able to ship at three rates, which varied according to both number of chairs shipped (bulk is cheaper than individual) and to geography (larger cities cheaper than smaller ones). The prices were 400, 500, and 600 USD based on the above parameters. We are not able to promise a price in advance, but aim to obtain a price early in the summer session to allow students time to consider to ship or transport their chair on their own.
At each destination with multiple receivers, one student shipping a chair will have to function as the addressee on the shipment. This is purely for delivery purposes. Those students combined in each shipment should make arrangements for pickup thereafter. Students need to supply DIS with their contact info (name, address, e-mail, phone number). Check Canvas announcements for specifics and deadlines.
Exhibition
An open house exhibition will be held at the end of the semester on the 2nd floor of F24/V23. Works from all Architecture, Graphic Design, Interior Architecture, and Urban Design studios, as well as from the Furniture Design in Scandinavia program will be exhibited. See specific details on DIS Canvas.
Academic Regulations
Please make sure to read the Academic Regulations on the DIS website. There you will find regulations on:
DIS - Study Abroad in Scandinavia - www.DISabroad.org
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
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