Top Image: Spiral staircase in Helsinki's Public Library, Oodi. Photo credit: Amy Shimm

Welcome to
Design Fundamentals

Amy Shimm-Noveshen

Hello, and thanks for visiting my CCSF instructor profile!

I'm excited to share that I’ll be teaching Hybrid Design Fundamentals in Fall 2025.

This course is cross-listed as VMD 101 and PHOT 100 — but don’t worry, it’s the same class, held at the same time and place. You can register under either section, depending on your program.

I’m looking forward to a creative and collaborative semester!

We have required in-person class meetings every Wednesday from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm on the Ocean Campus. The classroom location is changing this Fall, and I’ll update this page as soon as it’s finalized.

We have an optional Zoom drop-in office hour every MONDAY at 10 am. Students take advantage of this for project input and one-to-one help, etc.

If you’d like to learn more about the Design Fundamentals course, please visit the Course Information page

For help with adding or waitlisting a class, or to explore student support services at CCSF, check out the More Resources section.

From Practice to the Classroom

I first discovered my love of design as an undergraduate at Brown University, where I created cartoons and worked on layouts for the daily newspaper. That early creative experience led me to pursue a Master of Architecture at UC Berkeley.

After working in the design field for a decade, I joined City College of San Francisco in 2000 as an Adjunct Lecturer, teaching in the Visual Media Design, Photography, and Interdisciplinary Studies departments.

My teaching is rooted in collaborative strategies, encouraging students to engage with design as a process grounded in thoughtful communication, shared ideas, and creative problem-solving.

If you have questions about current or future courses, I’d love to hear from you. Feel free to contact me at ashimm@ccsf.edu.

I hope to see you in one of my classes soon!
— Amy