Introduction to Design History

Catalog description

This course comprehensively explores the evolution of design throughout history, encapsulating profound concepts spanning from prehistory to the modern era. Serving as a foundational platform, it invites students to cultivate and nurture their intellectual curiosity regarding material culture and our engagement with, comprehension of, and enhancement of it. Design history delves into the multifaceted influences of social trends, historical events, technological advancements, architecture, and the fine arts on contemporary design. Employing a pedagogical approach encompassing lectures, visual examples, creative workshops, independent research, and written assessments, students will acquire an understanding of printed media, typography, as well as interior, graphic, and fashion design. The curriculum highlights designed objects considered pivotal by scholars, covering diverse topics such as 20th Century Design, Design in America, BIPOC and Under-Represented Designers, and the Earliest Makers.