Graduate Environmental Design

Investigates the relationships between: Space . Place . Function & Application of furniture and fixtures design. The studio is focused on innovation, industry standards and the understanding of the manufacturing process for mass production furniture, case goods and fixture design. As a department, we look at furniture and fixtures as an integrated component of spatial experience.

This graduate lighting studio provides students an entry point into the design of lighting as both a product and a phenomenon. The class is focused on lighting as both an object and as aspatial phenomenon. The critical analysis of light from these two different perspectives is essential

DP6 introduces parametric solid modeling and real world fabrication processes. Through the process of prototyping their designs, students will gain experience creating forms both digitally and traditionally and realize how one process can better inform the other while strengthening their creative process and meet industry standards for manufacturing.

DP6 continues to develop digital design skillsets. The goal is to define and implement the most vital contemporary practices. Emphasis is placed on how the digital and analog are equally encoded and continually inform design outcomes. The course deals with topics ranging from modeling, rendering, diagramming, engineering, and fabrication.

This class will focus on the design and development of composite materials. In addition to serious research of contemporary composite materials, this class requires students to design, develop and test a new material that responds to specific performance and design requirements. The class will include theory of materiality readings and discussions, as well as student positioning of their own theories of materiality.

This class will focus on the design and development of composite materials. In addition to serious research of contemporary composite materials, this class requires students to design, develop and test a new material that responds to specific performance and design requirements. The class will include theory of materiality readings and discussions, as well as student positioning of their own theories of materiality.

This class builds off the exploration, research and development of studio 1. Issues of market, materials, brand and budget are major studio drivers. Studio has an emphasis on the innovation of materials, manufacturing processes as well as the establishing of personal voice and relevance to our discipline.

GTSL 2 builds off experiences and opportunities from GTSL 1. This studio continues to cultivate the development and application of new innovative materials and manufacturing approaches applied to lighting design in multiple scales. New technology, components and making processes will create opportunities for discovery.

Building on information and experience gained in DP6, this class brings more advanced 3d modeling and fabrication practices into focus with an emphasis on vetting design prototypes and their iterations for large scale manufacturing.

Digital Process 7 continues to develop digital design skillsets. The goal is to incorporate highly specific data sets, be it site, material, structure, etc. Emphasis is placed on how digital applications can enlivens our connection and design of our physical surroundings. The course deals with topics ranging from mapping to physics to electronics.

Grad Seminar brings our students together to discuss issues of importance and to have conversations about the greater world and designs connection to it. It allows our students an opportunity to explore and set strategy for defining career direction, examine personal voice, discuss current trends and question their position in the discipline of design.

This class deepens the discussion on the interplay between person, space and brand. This studio explores various methodologies for exploring the sequential and non-sequential narrative that is multidimensional, multi-disciplinarily and multi-sensorial and begins to address an expanding scenographic vision and discipline, based on brand exploration. Looking at a confluence of story, place, interaction and self in relation to brand, we begin to see how we not only behave in spatial contexts but push boundaries in real and artificial ways by manipulating narrative structure while delivering an authentic brand experience.

There is always a certain amount of interactivity in every project. These interactions help to elevate the level of emotional impact and effectiveness. When well crafted, the level of involvement, impact and interactive process adds to the investment of the user and creates a sense of ownership over the experience. The strength of story paired with place, materials and message supply a rich basis for Experience Design.

This course builds an enhanced understanding and application of spatial graphics to the build environment. It investigates all aspects of shaping place, making connections & immersions which influence the way in which we experience our environment whether that is: live, work or play. This class address's graphic's role in communicating the simultaneity of multiple storylines and content which utilize a broad range of media and interaction.

On any given semester students may have the choice of one of the below: A) Research Project - Industry Sponsored B) Internship - Industry Sponsored C) AC Lite Term - to expand knowledge base

Studio 2 builds off of the experiences of Spatial Scenography 1. The course stresses the need to push beyond current industry solutions and to explore new avenues for expanding the boundaries and opportunities within our discipline. Course investigation will be applied to Retail, Hospitality, Exhibition and Event Design solutions.

This class provides students an understanding of the creation, management and evolution of brands through three dimensional and experiential design. Branding and design strategy as a creative discipline will be introduced and students will seek to understand how to physically manifest experiences that create or support a Brand's DNA, image, essence and values through the creation of installations, concepts and campaigns.

The goal of the class will be to provide a cultural and intellectual overview of the history of the furniture. The course will look at cultural and environmental needs that have lead to important product designs over time. As well as material and technological advancements that utilized mass production, the overview will provide a historical foundation for what challenges lie ahead. This knowledge will provide a basis of understanding how successful products have created mass appeal. Study will include how new products start and following the process to product coming to Market. In the end, the program will provide a comprehensive overview and insights into the rigors and inter workings of the Global furniture market.

This class establishes the deep at which one must develop a meaningful encounter in narrative spatial design. We investigate how the sensorial aspects of immersion, impact and interaction are major influencers in scenography-based design. It is these mental, physical and psychological aspects that will be examined within the context of culture, lifestyle and application.

The framework of Thesis Studio 1 is to establish an area of concentration that will be developed into a final thesis project. Working closely with faculty and interacting with fellow students, graduate students will define a project, which has the ability to be self and industry defining.

The framework of Thesis Studio 1 is to establish an area of concentration that will be developed into a final thesis project. Working closely with faculty and interacting with fellow students, graduate students will define a project, which has the ability to be self and industry defining.

Fabrication Innovation Furniture 1 will challenge the student to re-invent traditional form creation through experimental prototyping in both digital and analog processes. Students will be required to research and document specific points of innovation in furniture design and what they are a response to, whether it be new technology, discovery of new materials and fabrication processes, and or shifts in social norms. Through the use of both direct and procedural 3d modeling, along with advanced rendering techniques and real-world fabrication, students will be challenged to carve inroads into a new and more relevant form language for the modern lifestyle. Students will be required to demonstrate an expanded vocabulary both in form evaluation and real-world fabrication processes across a diverse range of materials. By exploring innovative form creation through non-linear workflows that restack the norms of conventional thought, long held assumptions will be reconsidered and a sense of discovery will fuel inquiry.

Fabrication Innovation 1 provides the student with the direct and hands on skills needed to operate and implement motion controlled tools. Dealing with additive and subtractive devices, the class attempts to understand the thumbprint of each machine. Knowing and incorporating the so-called "flaw" and or logic of each technology enables the designer to achieve not only novel visual characteristics but also an incredibly optimized design strategy. The bulk of the design done over the last century demanded objects be "perfect" and in the end many things took on the same sterile appearance. This was often done in an attempt to negate the look of the fabrication process and in many cases this added on many laborious steps in the making of the object. By examining the specifics of a digital fabrication process the student can develop their design by leveraging, not only CAD but also CAM. The students will be required to research how such tools can affect their own practice and impact their aesthetic. These findings will then be directly manufactured using a range of digital output devices.

The framework of Thesis Studio 1 is to establish an area of concentration that will be developed into a final thesis project. Working closely with faculty and interacting with fellow students, graduate students will define a project, which has the ability to be self and industry defining.

The framework of Thesis Studio 1 is to establish an area of concentration that will be developed into a final thesis project. Working closely with faculty and interacting with fellow students, graduate students will define a project, which has the ability to be self and industry defining.

Thesis Studio 2 builds off the framework and direction established in Thesis Studio 1. Working with advisers, students will articulate, develop and execute their thesis project. This project will culminate in an exhibition, written thesis, digital documentation and posting of all project content.

Thesis Studio 2 builds off the framework and direction established in Thesis Studio 1. Working with advisers, students will articulate, develop and execute their thesis project. This project will culminate in an exhibition, written thesis, digital documentation and posting of all project content.

Fabrication Innovation Furniture 2 will now build on an advanced digital toolset with a deeper understanding of traditional fabrication techniques. Students will utilize this comprehensive prototyping workflow to meet the demands of modern furniture design. Through a greater and more intimate relationship with such tools, students will be pushed to develop personal and unique processes in problem solving resulting in a more personal point of view ultimately reflected in their final designs. With innovation as the driver, Students will continue to develop their skills in 3 key areas to answer the challenges of modern furniture design. By utilizing advanced modeling techniques informed by real world constraints in structure and manufacturing processes, students will learn iteration techniques in direct modeling workflows in addition to non-destructive, procedurally driven parametric workflows. In rendering, students will develop specific workflows needed to create highly photo-realistic images necessary for design proposals and presentations that effectively communicate the strengths of the designs both in still shot renderings and real-time cinematics. Through real-world fabrication students will explore traditional and experimental prototyping techniques along with expanding their material and process vocabulary both to construct their design into a full scale finished prototype and simultaneously further inform their 3d modeling skills.

Fabrication Innovation 2 builds upon the understanding of a digital fabrication processes but now the student is expected to think beyond the constraints of the tool. The student will be encouraged to hack or develop a recipe of operations in order to design not just the object in mind but the process for the construction of such things. The student will be encouraged to no longer assume that the existing best practice is indeed the best practice to make a particular shape. The student will now reconsider just how a thing might possibly be made and what that new way of making might offer culturally, environmentally and in the marketplace. The student will be expected to form relationships with local industry and local firms in order to study how such problems are currently being addressed and overcome.

Thesis Studio 2 builds off the framework and direction established in Thesis Studio 1. Working with advisers, students will articulate, develop and execute their thesis project. This project will culminate in an exhibition, written thesis, digital documentation and posting of all project content.

Thesis Studio 2 builds off the framework and direction established in Thesis Studio 1. Working with advisers, students will articulate, develop and execute their thesis project. This project will culminate in an exhibition, written thesis, digital documentation and posting of all project content.

This class will focus on helping students make the transition from student to a design career. This internationally minded, personal marketing course will enhance your skills in communicating and effectively presenting yourself to potential employers. The course starts with your own personal career opportunity assessment, incorporating your vision into the context of opportunities available to new graduates; with the ultimate goal of helping you determine what design path best suits your strengths and skills.

In tandem with Thesis Studio 1: FLF, Thesis Writing Studio 1: FLF establishes a focus for the final thesis project. Students will develop an integrated research, writing, and making process, and map out a thesis paper that articulates and communicates the ideas in their project.

In tandem with Thesis Studio 1: SXD, Thesis Writing Studio 1: SXD establishes a focus for the final thesis project. Students will develop an integrated research, writing, and making process, and map out a thesis paper that articulates and communicates the ideas in their project.

Thesis Writing Studio 2: FLF, along with Thesis Studio 2: FLF, focuses on completing the thesis project. Students will revise and refine the thesis paper begun in Thesis Writing Studio 1 and explore ways to use writing in communicating their ideas to specific audiences.

Thesis Writing Studio 2: SXD along with Thesis Studio 2: SXD focuses on completing the thesis project. Students will revise and refine the thesis paper begun in Thesis Writing Studio 1 and explore ways to use writing in communicating their ideas to specific audiences.

Students will learn collaborative skills: working together as a design team to develop and construct a cohesive and curated group exhibition. The goal of the exhibition should be to explore and execute an engaging spatial experience that displays the process and content of each student's work within the Graduate Environmental Design major.