Studio Projects @ RMIT Uni

The first six months are designed to be Challenge Based.

As a precursor to the more usual Design Studio format of later years.

The design of the 12 weeks of the semester follows a model of:

• Design Sprint: 2 Weeks, Embodies the spirit of the fast paced design intensives common in creative workshops. This is a variant of the usual Intensive Mode (which is all the time for a week or more).
• Activism Project. 2 Weeks, Students engage in activities that change their sense of individual and collective agency.
  • 2020: Start a Movement, 5$ Challenge
  • 2019: Start a Movement, 5$ Challenge
  • 2019: Design Process Diagram and Vendor Book - Reflection and documentation
  • 2018: Folio - Reflection and documentation
• Design Project. 6 Weeks

The Studio Projects & Outcomes

• The Solar Cooker (D4S, 7 week Design Project): Offers students a project focussed upon saving energy in the home. 2020 works
• The Special Purpose Machine (IDE, 7 week Design Project): Asks students to imagine a single purpose machine. 2020 works
• The Hand Tool (UCD, 7 week Design Project): Offers Vesper Tools ( a Melbourne based bespoke hand tool maker) as a domain for a design challenge to design for handwork. 2020 works, 2019 works, 2018 works
• 5$ Challenge: 2020 works, 2019 works
• Start a Movement: 2020 works, 2019 works
• How to Clean a Train (UCD, 2 week Design Sprint): Picks up on a suggestion of a 3M design studio lead, and uses it to navigate occupational ergonomics. 2020 works, 2019 Works,
• The Shopping Trolley Challenge (D4S, 2 week Design Sprint): Asks for the redesign of the shopping trolley, to avoid the need for plastic bags. 2020 Works, 2019 Works
• The Upcycled Light (D4S, 7 week Design Project): Takes the Waste Impact Ban by China, to provoke design responses of upcycling. 2019 lights, 2018 lights
• Material and Process Exploration (IDE, 7 weeks of Projects): Offers students a self up-skilling project in 'owning' the processes of manufacture.
• The Rube Goldberg Machine (IDE, 2 week Design Sprint): Offers a challenge to design a complex machine proposition, with a human and whimsical commentary. 2019 Works, 2018 Works