Syllabus

LEARNING OUTCOMES

On completion of the course, the students can:   

1. Identify and discuss reflective, investigative and critical design practices in their historical, theoretical and cultural context.   
2. Reflect critically and articulate their own values, practices and matters of concern.  
3. Create a concept, narrative or prototype that conveys their reflections while challenging/ expanding the methods and/or frames of their own practice.  
4. Conduct, record, analyse and present their research, design process and outcomes. 

Credits: 9

Schedule: 24.04.2025 - 05.06.2025

Teacher in charge (valid for whole curriculum period):

Teacher in charge (applies in this implementation): Julia Grundmann

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

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:

  The course introduces students to reflective, investigative and critical practices in design by addressing it as an expanded and evolving field with a political dimension. The key methods of reflective practice, critical design, speculative design and investigative design and their theoretical and historical foundations are introduced.  

  The course enables the students to apply research-oriented reflective and critical approaches to analyse and reflect upon their own actions, mindsets, methods and outputs in their design practice.  

  During the course the students will reflect on matters of concern that are related to their design field and own values (material, social, political, cultural, ecological) and use design as a vehicle for critical deliberation. The outcome of the course is a design artefact (2D, 3D, time-based) that is accompanied by a reflective narrative. Students learn to explicate the foundations of their critical stand.

  Link to sustainability: SDGs according to student projects.

Assessment Methods and Criteria

• valid for whole curriculum period:

  Passing the course requires:  

  (1) Attending and contributing to 80% of the contact sessions.  

  (2) Oral and written reflection of the study material and the deliberative design process, learning diary.  

  (3) Completion and presentation of the design assignment. 

Workload

• valid for whole curriculum period:

  243 h /9 credits. 80% attendance in contact sessions required.  

  • Lectures 27h 
  • Group discussions and tutoring 54h 
  • Literature study, reading groups and writing assignments 27h  
  • Design assignment, studio work, presentation 81h 
  • Personal reflection, Learning Diary 53h 
  • Course evaluation 1 h 

DETAILS

Study Material

• valid for whole curriculum period:

  The Corruption of Co-Design Political and Social Conflicts in Participatory Design Thinking (Introduction / Conclusion) Otto von Busch 

  Chapter 3, Matt Malpass. Critical Design in Context: History, Theory, and Practice  

  Investigation/Design by Nicolas Nova 

  Selected episodes of Material Matters Podcast: https://materialmatters.design/Podcast 

  First Things First Manifesto http://www.eyemagazine.com/feature/article/first-things-first-manifesto-2000

  Hanna, Julian, Auger, James and Encinas, Enrique (2017) Reconstrained Design: A Manifesto.  In: DIS ‘17 - 2017 ACM Conference

Substitutes for Courses

• valid for whole curriculum period:

  Substitutes for Courses

Prerequisites

• valid for whole curriculum period:

  Prerequisites

FURTHER INFORMATION

Further Information

• valid for whole curriculum period:

  Teaching Language: English

  Teaching Period: 2024-2025 Spring V
  2025-2026 Spring V

  Registration:

  Registration for courses in Sisu. Min. 5, max. 24 students.

  Compulsory to CoDe Major students.

  Priority to Contemporary Design students in year 1 (also CoDe exchange students) and second priority to Contemporary Design students in other years who have this course in their personal study plan. Prerequisite: Completed BA degree.

  Otherwise the priority order 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. This course is compulsory to students in the Contemporary Design MA. Therefor, there will only be very few places for students of other courses.

Description