Undergraduate Course: Interior Design 4A: Design Research and Practice (ARCH10055)
Course Outline
| School | Edinburgh College of Art |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 4 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 40 |
ECTS Credits | 20 |
| Summary | In this course students explore the physical and environmental context of their project to develop an appropriate strategic approach.
Through in-depth investigation students will further their understanding of design enquiry using a variety of research methodologies and tools to explore project themes.
This exploration and analysis will result in a professionally focussed body of work which addresses personal objectives alongside wider design and societal agendas.
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| Course description |
In this course students will set out the project foundation for their final year project. They will develop a strategic approach to the physical context for their design project, to research and analyse the opportunities and challenges it may present.
Students will engage with current and emergent thinking within the field which may require research to include some or all of the following - site surveys, historical & current data collection, statistical analysis, technical & environmental studies.
Students will develop their research through a series of taught research methods workshops and small group/individual studio tutorials alongside self-led personal investigations.
In semester 1 students will work towards the submission of a Research Report, which takes the form of a feasibility study into the physical context of the site or contextual environment for the project. This portfolio will include a collection of drawn information, visuals, and textual information to communicate both understanding and analysis of research findings.
Initial investigations in Semester 1, will continue into semester 2 as students develop their Design Strategy Portfolio. The themes of enquiry will be determined by the student to align with their own design project focus. The included project focus report will be formatted as either a visual essay with written reflection and analysis, or a written report, addressing a research topic such as conservation and re-use, lighting, acoustics, branding, environmental study, or material specification/technologies.
This course runs as one half-day per week with a mix of studio-based teaching and learning activities. Students will progress their coursework throughout both semester 1 and 2 by developing and conducting their own research investigations, data gathering, and evaluation during and between classes.
Students will record research gathering and reflect on their journey as sketchbook entries.
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Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2024/25, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: 0 |
| Course Start |
Full Year |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
400
(
Lecture Hours 2,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 15,
Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 6,
Summative Assessment Hours 1,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 8,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
368 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
This course has 2 assessment components:
¿ Research Report (30-40 A3 pages) 40%, due Sem 1 exam diet.
¿ Design Strategy Portfolio (30-40 A3 pages) 60%, due Sem 2 exam diet.
Research Report: A visual report on project feasibility and contextual analysis. A3 document to include technical drawings, image & text. Assessed against LO1 only.
Design Strategy Portfolio: A visual portfolio, communicating a project focus and strategy through a range of detailed studies. A3 document to include technical drawings, diagrams, image & text. Plus, research sketchbook appendix submitted as a collated digital PDF or sketchbook video link, to document research journey. Assessed against LO2 & LO3.
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| Feedback |
Formative Feedback:
Throughout the year, students will receive verbal feedback of work in progress from peers and staff on a weekly basis.
A single formative review point for each assessment component will also provide graded feedback from course tutor(s).
Formative review of component 1 ¿ Research Portfolio, due sem 1, week 6/7.
Formative review of component 2 - Design Strategy Portfolio, due sem 2, week 6/7.
Summative Feedback:
Written feedback and grades will be provided for assessment component no. 1, submitted in sem 1 exam diet.
Summative feedback for the Research Portfolio (Component no.1), will inform the Design Strategy Portfolio (Component no.2)
Grades will be provided for assessment components 2, submitted in sem 2 exam diet.
Summative feedback will be provided by the course tutors, according to University regulations.
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| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Communicate to a professional standard a rigorous and analytical research process that defines the design context.
- Analyse and evaluate research findings to inform appropriate design strategies, while applying specialist design knowledge and skill.
- Document a personal design research journey, presented and curated in a visually creative manner, which informs and critically reflects upon project objectives.
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Reading List
Brooker, Graeme & Stone, Sally.
Re-readings 2: RIBA, 2019.
Higgins, Ian. Spatial Strategies for Interior Design. Laurence King, 2015.
Hudson, Jennifer. Interior Architecture: From Brief to Build. Laurence King, 2010.
Muratovski, Gjoko. Research for Designers: A guide to methods and practice. Sage Publications, 2016.
Vaux, Dana & Wang, David. Research Methods for Interior Design: Applying Interiority. Routledge, 2021.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
¿ Research and enquiry: By carrying out research and enquiry from a range of resources, you will learn how to critically evaluate findings in order to identify and evaluate solutions to complex problems, to make informed judgements.
¿ Personal and intellectual autonomy: Through developing personal themes and an individual project focus you will develop skills in working autonomously.
¿ Communication: By articulating a range of ideas and contexts through visual and written form, you will learn how to disseminate research, data and analysis to a variety of audiences. Through critical reflection on research, design process, and project objectives you will document a personal creative journey unique to your own practice.
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| Additional Class Delivery Information |
- 3 hours of lectures
- 12 hours of seminars/tutorials
- 24 hours of supervised practicals/workshops/studio
- 3 hours fieldwork
- 1 hour of summative assessment
- 3 hours of feedback/feedforward hours
- 8 hours of programme level learning and teaching
- 346 hours of directed and independent learning
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| Keywords | Research,Brief,identifying precedents,conservation statement,structural and services strategy |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Mr Andrew Siddall
Tel:
Email: |
Course secretary | Mr Daniel Jackson
Tel: (0131 6)50 2309
Email: |
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