OCAD UNIVERSITY
100 McCaul Street
Toronto, Ontario
M5T 1W1
T: 416 977 6000
F: 416 977 6008
WWW.OCADU.CA
COURSE OUTLINE
INDS 2B17
MATERIAL EXPLORATIONS 2
Faculty of Design Suite 500, 100 McCaul
Program Assistants
Advertising, Graphic Design, Illustration x 352
Environmental, Industrial Design, Material Art & Design x237
Curriculum Stream: Industrial Design
Credit Value: .5
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course involves the study of the fundamental and alternative materials and
processes used in built structures and in the mass production of products. Materials and
processes are explored in order to gain insight into their technical capabilities and
limitations. The functional and expressive outcomes of these materials and processes are
also examined. Product function, cultural meaning, specifications, tooling, and assembly
methods are examined as essential elements in preparing designs for manufacture. The
course will be delivered using lectures, in-class discussions, demonstrations and
individual critiques. All assignments based on studio-seminar courses require research
and presentations that include verbal, written and visual components. Field trips to
manufacturing sites are part of the process.
COMPETENCY FRAMEWORK
The industrial Design program at OCADU provides students with a framework of sixteen
unique design competencies. A competency is defined as the knowledge, skills and
behaviors a student must master in a specific content or performance area.
Each competency has five levels of expected learning outcomes. As a student, you are
expected to master and integrate all competency learning outcome levels in order to
successfully complete your education at the Industrial Design program.
The competencies are clustered evenly into four thematic domains. Each domain
features a series of courses that provide students with the opportunity to develop their
competency levels progressively, from one course to the other.
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The section ‘learning outcomes’ and ‘competency levels’ in this syllabus document
provide detailed information on this course’s competency domain and the specific
competencies and learning outcome levels this course requires you to achieve.
Each course instructor will frame course assignments consistently using the Industrial
Design Process and an ID toolbox of design methods. The details of both process and
toolbox are documented on the Industrial Design website.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
This course is part of the 'Objects' competency domain. In the ‘Objects’ domain students
learn to give shape to their ideas based upon a deep understanding of materials,
structure, manufacturing and technologies. Through iterative prototyping students
develop a sensibility for form and materials, now and in the future. The 'objects'
competency domain comprises four competencies. Each competency has five levels that
are developed progressively across successive courses. Each level has specific learning
outcomes. This course develops the following competency levels:
Competency: Form Development
The Form development competency is the ability to develop meaningful and aesthetic
form solutions through a deep, tactile understanding of materials, structure and
semiotics. This course enables students to develop the ''Use'' competency levels.
Competency: Fabrication
Being able to safely use tools and fabrication processes and understanding the changing
role of designers in contemporary manufacturing. This course enables students to
achieve the 'Use' competency level.
Competency: 3D Thinking
3D Thinking is the ability to use an iterative process of making, sensing, testing and
thinking to develop, understand and share tangible ideas. This course enables students
to achieve the 'Intake' competency level of 3D Thinking.
The next section provides a detailed overview of the competency learning outcome levels
students are expected to develop.
COMPETENCY LEVELS
Form Development Competency level: Use
Students start to develop their own voice in form development [critical ideas, preference
in materials etc.] while working within the constraints of structure and materials and
apply role of semiotics within the development of a project Fabrication
Competency Level: Use
Within the context of an assignment students develop the basic ability to safely apply
principles of tools and machines without specific instruction. Students become aware of
the many facets of making/fabrication and conscious of their own strengths and where
they need assistance.
3D Thinking Competency Level: Intake
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The student becomes aware of all the spatial thinking processes that are engaged in
designing/making and understands how the iterative process of spatial thinking is
different than analyzed or theoretical material thinking.
COURSE METHODOLOGY
Studio work, seminars and lectures provide the foundation of this course.
TEACHING METHODS & DELIVERY
The variety of formats used in the class includes project work, discussion, presentations
and lectures. The teaching methodology is concerned with ingraining theoretical
knowledge through practical experience. Teaching methods and delivery will include a
combination of lectures, demonstrations, critiques, individual and group discussions,
student presentations and in- class work.
STUDENT COURSE LOAD
Class Time: Three hours per week. This class meets once a week for a three hour
session.
Prep Time: For every three hours spent in class, a minimum of four hours per week on
average will be spent completing assignments outside class time.
BIBLIOGRAPHY/RECOMMENDED TEXTS
This list is for reference only. Additional reading material will be posted on CANVAS.
Required Readings
Thompson, Rob. Manufacturing Processes for Design Professionals. New York, NY:
Thames & Hudson, 2010. Print.
Recommended Readings
Guixe, Marti. One to One. Rotterdam: 010 Publishers, 2002
Benyus, Janine M. Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature. Publisher: Perennial
(HarperCollins), 1998.
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