Module: PFD5000-20 Sustainability

Level: 5

Credit Value: 20

Module Tutor:  Erin Deighton

Module Tutor Contact Details: e.deighton@bathspa.ac.uk

1. Brief description and aims of module:

This module enables you to engage with current and emerging debates around sustainability and ethics in furniture and product design. Themes may include interrogating the life-cycle of products or materials, through a practice-based creative brief.

The module will explore approaches to sustainable design and help develop your awareness of the potential impact of your practice. The module also aims to expand your understanding of the changing political, environmental, and social contexts for design. You will have opportunities to learn about and challenge how designers and producers take sustainable and ethical approaches; their methods, ideas and theories.

2.Outline syllabus:

This module will support a focused investigation into ethical and sustainability issues within furniture and product design.  Through a creative brief, studio-based individual and group tutorials, you will gather, debate and reflect on a variety of design and production approaches. This will support your expanded knowledge of the range of materials, processes, methods and ideas adopted by other designers and producers that engage in ethically and sustainable approaches.  Using this knowledge, you will select and creatively and experimentally apply appropriate materials and processes in your own work, and demonstrate how this informs your subject understanding.

3.Teaching and learning activities:

Will usually include:

• Staff presentations                 

• Group and individual tutorials and critical reviews

• Supported workshop engagement

• Study trips and / or gallery visits                                

• Personal presentation, display and documentation of work 

• Independent working on directed project work                                 

• Active participation in taught sessions and directed learning           

Assessment Item 1:

• Assessment Type: Course Work

• Description: Portfolio

• % Weighting: 100%