Overview

This unit engages students in 20th Century design history, focusing on key designers, innovations and movements, within global and local frameworks. It explores the historical development of design as a creative, cultural and professional practice, referencing the visual, material and spatial languages of graphics, products, interiors and multi-media. It investigates how design has been historically practised and theorised and how this informs design today. The economic and cultural role of design is explored, in relation with modern technology, materials, production and consumerism and the arts. A contemporary lens is used to consider the relevance of the past to the present.

Requisites

Teaching Periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Semester 1
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
26-February-2024
26-May-2024
Last self-enrolment date
10-March-2024
Census date
31-March-2024
Last withdraw without fail date
12-April-2024
Results released date
02-July-2024
Semester 2
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
29-July-2024
27-October-2024
Last self-enrolment date
11-August-2024
Census date
31-August-2024
Last withdraw without fail date
13-September-2024
Results released date
03-December-2024

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

  • Discuss ideas about design and society in large and small group situations
  • Identify historically significant designers, design movements, objects, theories, practices, considering their social, cultural and economic importance, and their implications for the 21st century
  • Critically analyse a range of historical issues and present responses through a range of discursive modes
  • Critique key design concepts and developments, both historical and contemporary, using a body of primary and secondary resources, including online materials, objects and environments
  • Integrate theoretical and historical concepts in a manner that is relevant and applicable to design studio practice
  • Analyse design objects, places and environments, critically and visually at local, national, and international levels

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
On-campus
Studio
3.00 12 weeks 36
Unspecified Activities
Independent Learning
8.50 12 weeks 102
Online
Lecture
1.00 12 weeks 12
TOTAL150

Swinburne Online

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
Online
Lecture
1.00 12 weeks 12
Online
Learning activities
1.00 3 weeks 3
Unspecified Activities
Various
3.00 12 weeks 36
Unspecified Activities
Independent Learning
8.25 12 weeks 99
TOTAL150

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
Major Research AssignmentIndividual 0% 4,6 
Online QuizIndividual 0% 2,6 
Online Studio LearningIndividual 0% 1,2,3,5 

Content

  • Modernism / post-modernism / contemporary design
  • Design as political and social action
  • Design, technology, progress and change
  • Design principles and theories
  • Significant figures - their design, ideas and influence
  • Design, ideas and cultural production
  • Internationalism / regionalism / globalism

Study resources

Reading materials

A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.