Syllabus

LEARNING OUTCOMES

After successfully completing this course, students are able to:

(1) Understand the ecological implications, processes and potential of working with biomaterials in the context of design for sustainability;

(2) Analyse and evaluate material values, aesthetics and new/old crafting methods in the socio-ecological context they are introduced to.

(3) Conduct, record, analyse and present their research and experimental design process individually or in small teams.

(4) Combine hands-on material exploration with conceptual thinking and research to create prototypes and design concepts;

Credits: 9

Schedule: 06.09.2022 - 19.10.2022

Teacher in charge (valid for whole curriculum period):

Teacher in charge (applies in this implementation): Anna-Marie van der Lei, Julia Grundmann

Contact information for the course (applies in this implementation):

Anna van der Lei 

Anna.van.der.lei@aalto.fi

Julia Lohmann

Julia.lohmann@aalto.fi

CEFR level (valid for whole curriculum period):

Language of instruction and studies (applies in this implementation):

Teaching language: English. Languages of study attainment: English

CONTENT, ASSESSMENT AND WORKLOAD

Content

• valid for whole curriculum period:

  As biomaterial is a broad and currently widely used term, the students wil explore and discover new perspectives to biomaterials within their systems and understand how to create their own creative approach towards these materials.  In the course we explore, understand and work with bio-materials and their systemic contexts: natural / social / lifecycle. Depending on the annual topic, the course may be executed in collaboration with a company or organization. The core of the course is to design an innovative concept in the given context, and to execute process-driven, hands-on material experimentation that aims to use material exploration as a source for practice-based design research. The background research, process documentation and final presentation/exhibition are an important part of the learning process.  

Assessment Methods and Criteria

• valid for whole curriculum period:

  Documentation and content of background research, material design process and hands-on experimentations; quality of personal learning diary; visual and verbal communication skills. Passing the course requires attending 80% of the contact sessions (lectures, excursions, group meetings and feedback discussions) and personal learning diary kept throughout the course.

  Evaluation criteria: activity during the course, the creative process, quality of the final artefact and learning diary.

• applies in this implementation

  pass/fail 

Workload

• valid for whole curriculum period:

  Course workload 9 ECTS = 243 h

  Contact teaching: lectures, site visits, group discussions, assignments and final presentation 90 h

  Independent work: literature study, writing assignments, studio work in groups and individually 122 h

  Personal reflection 30 h

  Course evaluation 1 h

DETAILS

Substitutes for Courses

• valid for whole curriculum period:

  Substitutes for Courses

Prerequisites

• valid for whole curriculum period:

  Prerequisites

SDG: Sustainable Development Goals

12 Responsible Production and Consumption

14 Life Below Water

15 Life on Land

FURTHER INFORMATION

Further Information

• valid for whole curriculum period:

  Teaching Language : English

  Teaching Period : 2022-2023 Autumn I
  2023-2024 Autumn I

  Enrollment :

  Minimum 10, maximum 24 students. Compulsory for 1st year Contemporary Design major students.

  Registration for Courses in Sisu. Priority order to courses is according to the order of priority decided by the Academic committee for School of Arts, Design and Architecture https://www.aalto.fi/en/services/registering-to-courses-and-the-order-of-priority-at-aalto-arts

• applies in this implementation

  
  Brief: Relate to science and ecosystem and see how we as designers can help. 

  
  

  Engage with the Sea, its problems and potentials and our human relation to it. How can this relationship become less destructive? How can we know, care, act better? And what can designers bring to the table to address these issues? Are we visionaries, material developers, advocates, networkers, visualisers?

  
  

  You will work in groups, every group will focus on a different theme. At the end of the course you have 20 minutes per group to show your findings (format free e.g. presentation, performance, video etc).

  
  

  What's the role of design: 

  Group A: Seaweed as a future material

  Group B: Engaging and education 

  Group C: Restoration of habitats

  Group D: Eco-Social interactions

  
  

Details on the schedule

• applies in this implementation

  
  

  Week 1 

  06.09. TUE (Q203, Väre)

  10:00-12:00 Kick-off Materials and Living Systems 

  Task: introduce yourself with three photos. Send your photos inforehand to zoe.robertson@aalto.fi (latest Monday at noon) 

  
  Aalto Day One (13:15 – 19:00)

  https://www.aalto.fi/en/events/aalto-day-one-692022?utm_campaign=20220616_AALTO_UUTISKIRJE_ENKKU_lyhyt&utm_content=unspecified&utm_medium=email&utm_source=apsis-anp-3

  
  

  08.09. THU

  BioBlitz 14.00-18.00 + afterparty

  More information will be provided by Zoe

  
  

  Week 2 

  10.09. 

  15:45 at the Viking Line terminal in Helsinki. 

  Address: Katajanokanlaituri 8 / Mastokatu 1, 00160 Helsinki

  
  

  11.09. We arrive 10:00 in Stockholm and continue our travel by bus to Kristineberg (the bus drive will take around 6 hours)  

  
  

  12.09. Kristineberg (schedule will follow) 

  
  

  13.09. Kristineberg (schedule will follow) 

  
  

  14.9. Kristineberg (schedule will follow) 

  At 12:00 we will travel back to Stockholm, boat leaves at 20:00

  15.9. We arrive 07:35 in Turku and will travel by bus to Campus 

  
  

  Week3

  20.09. TUE (Q203, Väre)

  09:00 - 10:30 Reading Group A & B

  09:00 - 10:30 Reflecting on trip Group C & D

  10:30 - 12:00 Reading Group C & D 

  10:30 - 12:00 Reflecting on trip Group A & B 

  13:00 - 16:00 System mapping workshop by Seona Candy 

  
  

  22.09. THU Q203
  09:15 - 12:00 Alumni CoDe students presenting

  13:00 - 16:00 Introduction to Mycelium & visit VTT by Manuel Barrantes

  
  

  Week 4

  27.09. TUE (Q203, Väre)

  09:15 - 12:00 Group A & B glass workshop
  13:00 - 16:00 Group C & D glass workshop

  
  

  09:00 - 10:30 Reading Group C & D

  10:30 - 12:00 Tutoring C & D

  13:00 - 14:30 Reading Group A & B 

  14:30 - 16:00 Tutoring A & B 

  
  

  29.09. THU (Q203, Väre)

  09:00 - 12:00 critical and creative methods workshop: How to craft your project?

  
  

  Week 5

  MON 03.10.

  Mycelium workshop by Manuel 

  09:00 - 12:00 Group D 

  13:00 - 16:00 Group C 

  
  

  04.10 TUE (Q203, Väre)
  09:30 - 10:30 tutoring group D

  10:30 - 11:30 tutoring group B

  13:30 - 14:30 tutoring group C

  14:30 - 15:30 tutoring group A

  Mycelium workshop by Manuel

  09:15 - 12:00 Group A

  13:00 - 16:00 B

  
  

  06.10 THU (Q203, Väre)
  09:15 - 16:00 creative writing circle 

  
  

  Week 6

  MON - WED students can work in the lab (optional)

  
  

  11.10 TUE (Q203, Väre)

  09:30 - 10:30 tutoring group B

  10:30 - 11:30 tutoring group A

  13:30 - 14:30 tutoring group D

  14:30 - 15:30 tutoring group C

  
  

  13.10 THU (Q203, Väre)

  Final presentations (20 min presentation + 10 min questions and feedback) 

  09:30 - 10:00 group C

  10:00 - 10:30 group B

  10:30 - 11:00 break

  11:00 - 11:30 group D

  11:30 - 12:00 group A

  13:00 - 18:00 We will end the course by visiting Hanaholmen

  
  
  
  

Description