INT 351 Furniture History and DesignMEF UniversityDegree Programs Interior DesignGeneral Information For StudentsDiploma SupplementErasmus Policy Statement
Interior Design
Bachelor Length of the Programme: 4 Number of Credits: 240 TR-NQF-HE: Level 6 QF-EHEA: First Cycle EQF: Level 6

ECTS Course Information Package

School/Faculty/Institute Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture
Course Code INT 351
Course Title in English Furniture History and Design
Course Title in Turkish Furniture History and Design
Language of Instruction
Type of Course Flipped Classroom
Level of Course Intermediate
Semester Fall
Contact Hours per Week
Lecture: 1 Recitation: - Lab: - Other: 2
Estimated Student Workload 130 hours per semester
Number of Credits 5 ECTS
Grading Mode Standard Letter Grade
Pre-requisites ARC 202 - Architectural Design IV | INT 202 - Interior Design II
Co-requisites None
Expected Prior Knowledge -
Registration Restrictions Only Undergraduate Students
Overall Educational Objective To learn furniture design with designing, thinking and making, together with getting a general overview of 20th century furniture history.
Course Description The course is designed to impart basic furniture design knowledge and skills with using active learning methods (learning through doing) with the aid of furniture design history. Students will understand human experimentation and scale during the process of learning through hands-on approach.

Course Learning Outcomes and Competences

Upon successful completion of the course, the learner is expected to be able to:
1) appreciate one’s passionate about creative thinking, designing and making;
2) acquire basic knowledge about furniture design history (20th century; arts and crafts, modernism, soft modernism, mid century modernism, futurism, pop art…);
3) discuss the evolution of modern design by making both presentations and projects; about furniture design and learn how to use these knowledges in a modern context;
4) apprehend basic construction techniques and tools;
5) identify basic materials which can be used to produce furniture and explore the technical and visual potential of these materials;
6) analyze professional furniture design world due to site trips and “design talks” which will be made by professional designers;
7) collaborate with their friends to develop teamworking skills and derive an understanding of furniture design profession conditions;
8) apply presentation, model making and communication techniques.
Program Learning Outcomes/Course Learning Outcomes 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
1) Ability to read, write and speak effectively in Turkish and English, equivalent to a B2 European Language Passport Level in English.
2) Ability to use information and understanding of the perceptive, experiential and behavioral aspects of human – space relationship as an input of interior design.
3) Ability to re-interpret the Interior Design profession under the light of rapidly changing theories and approaches.
4) Ability to develop a personal and critical perspective towards the design of spaces.
5) Ability to effectively implement interdisciplinary design and research principles into the solution of problems in her/his field.
6) Ability to bring together her/his knowledge and insight obtained from various sources into the design of interior design problems in a creative way.
7) Ability to use the ethical methodology necessary to develop sustainable interior design approaches with the perspective of social responsibility.
8) Ability to access and use knowledge towards the development of interior spaces using materials and products within the scope of sustainability.
9) Ability to use entrepreneurship, creative thinking and leadership skills towards developing innovative interior design approaches.
10) Ability to find solutions to interior design problems by developing interdisciplinary approaches and within the context of local, national and global networks.
11) Ability to present design ideas in visual, verbal and written media as well as ability to share ideas using analog and digital techniques in national and international professional circles.
12) Ability to develop sensitive and sustainable design approaches respecting needs of various users, local and regional values, natural and cultural heritage.
13) Ability to design interiors in an integral fashion with building systems.
14) Ability to determine individual learning needs in order to become an intellectual professional and the ability to connect with national and international professionals as well as groups.
15) Ability to develop interior design proposals that are suitable for national and international standards, professional etiquette, regulations and legal procedures.
16) Ability to keep track of contemporary research, inventions, approaches and technologies in order to develop new ways of thinking and creating.
17) Ability to create a difference through design solutions by defining and evaluating social and spatial problems, ability to make those available to the society.

Relation to Program Outcomes and Competences

N None S Supportive H Highly Related
     
Program Outcomes and Competences Level Assessed by
1) Ability to read, write and speak effectively in Turkish and English, equivalent to a B2 European Language Passport Level in English. S
2) Ability to use information and understanding of the perceptive, experiential and behavioral aspects of human – space relationship as an input of interior design. S Project
3) Ability to re-interpret the Interior Design profession under the light of rapidly changing theories and approaches. S Project
4) Ability to develop a personal and critical perspective towards the design of spaces. S Project
5) Ability to effectively implement interdisciplinary design and research principles into the solution of problems in her/his field. H Project
6) Ability to bring together her/his knowledge and insight obtained from various sources into the design of interior design problems in a creative way. H Project
7) Ability to use the ethical methodology necessary to develop sustainable interior design approaches with the perspective of social responsibility. N
8) Ability to access and use knowledge towards the development of interior spaces using materials and products within the scope of sustainability. S Project
9) Ability to use entrepreneurship, creative thinking and leadership skills towards developing innovative interior design approaches. S Project
10) Ability to find solutions to interior design problems by developing interdisciplinary approaches and within the context of local, national and global networks. N
11) Ability to present design ideas in visual, verbal and written media as well as ability to share ideas using analog and digital techniques in national and international professional circles. H Project
12) Ability to develop sensitive and sustainable design approaches respecting needs of various users, local and regional values, natural and cultural heritage. H Project
13) Ability to design interiors in an integral fashion with building systems. S Project
14) Ability to determine individual learning needs in order to become an intellectual professional and the ability to connect with national and international professionals as well as groups. N
15) Ability to develop interior design proposals that are suitable for national and international standards, professional etiquette, regulations and legal procedures. S Project
16) Ability to keep track of contemporary research, inventions, approaches and technologies in order to develop new ways of thinking and creating. S Project
17) Ability to create a difference through design solutions by defining and evaluating social and spatial problems, ability to make those available to the society. S Project
Prepared by and Date CEMAL COBANOGLU , February 2020
Course Coordinator AKTS1
Semester Fall
Name of Instructor Asst. Prof. Dr. CEREN ÇELİK

Course Contents

Week Subject
1) Introduction to the course, Workshop: “Plug-in” (group work), Phase 1 (desk crits)
2) Workshop: “Plug-in” (group work), Phase 2 (pin-up session)
3) Student Presentations, Workshop: Phase 1 “Re-expressing Masterpieces” (in-class exercise, group work)
4) Student Presentations, Workshop: Phase 2 “Presentations: Masters” (pin-up session, group work), Introduction to Project 1 “Re-design it!”
5) Student Presentations, Project 1 “Re-design it!” (desk crits)
6) Student Presentations, Project 1 “Re-design it!” (desk crits)
7) JURY: Project 1 “Re-design it!”
8) Site Trip “Furniture Design Offices”
9) Student Presentations, Workshop: “Cardboard Seating” (in-class exercise, group work)
10) Student Presentations, Design Talks (Guest Designers)
11) Student Presentations, Introduction to Project 2 “Design for Istanbul”
12) Student Presentations, Project 2 “Design for Istanbul” (desk crits)
13) Site Trip “Ateliers”
14) Student Presentations, Project 2 “Design for Istanbul” (desk crits)
15) Final Examination Period
16) Final Examination Period
Required/Recommended ReadingsDesign of the 20th Century, Taschen, Fiell C. and Fiell P. 20th Century Design, Octopus Publishing Group Ltd, Miller J. Furniture in History, Pearson Education Inc., Pina L. The AZ of Modern Design, Merrell Publishers Limited, Polster B. and Neumann C. and Schuler M. and Leven F. Furniture Design, John Wiley & Sons Inc., Postell J. History of Modern Design, Laurance King Publishing, Raizman D. Mid-Century Modern, Conran Octopus, Quinn B. Icons of Design, Prestel, Albus V. Designer’s Guide to Furniture Styles, Pearson Prentice Hall, Crochet T.
Teaching MethodsVarious teaching methods will be followed through the semester such as lectures, workshops and projects. Beside instructor lectures, each student (individual or groups of two) will be assigned to present specific topics through the semester. Two individual projects and three group workshops will be conducted within the course. For projects, desk crits of design iterations will be conducted weekly. Workshops will be finalized by pin-up sessions. There will be two final reviews for projects.
Homework and ProjectsCourse contains presentation assignments, two projects and three workshops. Each student (individual or groups of two) will be assigned to present specific topics from a determined historical period. Students will built on-site 1:1 models as the outcome of Workshop-1. Second assignment is the outcome of Workshop-2, an in-class exercise that focuses on re-making 3d models of existing designs with waste materials. After these two workshops, first project will be designed in a four-week process that focuses on re-designing through specific design parameters. For Workshop-3, as an in-class exercise, students built 1:1 seating units with cardboards to achieve certain parameters as stability and mobility. The final project, Project-2, will be a five-week project that students will design a furniture individually. Within this project students will design for a certain location in Istanbul, applying the principles of user behavior, physical environment, cultural norms and technical requirements.
Laboratory WorkHands-on design, digital design and model-making experiments conducted weekly.
Computer UseAs the course focuses on history and design, it does not require a direct extensive use of computers in studio. However, specialized softwares such as Sketch Up, 3D Max, Rhinoceros 3D, Grasshopper, Cinema 4D etc. will be helpful for students to present design ideas.
Other ActivitiesThere are two planned excursions (site-trips) and one-day design talks with guest designers.
Assessment Methods
Assessment Tools Count Weight
Attendance 1 % 20
Homework Assignments 1 % 5
Presentation 1 % 10
Project 1 % 25
Final Examination 1 % 40
TOTAL % 100
Course Administration basak@abradesignstudio.com cemal@abradesignstudio.com
0532 725 0555
Students are expected to attend at least 80% of the course hours and be actively present. Late submissions are not accepted. Proper studio behavior (cleaning after working at the studio, not disturbing others, avoiding the use of any volatile adhesive etc.) is expected. Students are responsible for their own safety and actions during studio hours and excursions. Any sign of plagiarism results in direct failure of the course. Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism: YOK Disciplinary Regulation

ECTS Student Workload Estimation

Activity No/Weeks Hours Calculation
No/Weeks per Semester Preparing for the Activity Spent in the Activity Itself Completing the Activity Requirements
Course Hours 14 2 3 1 84
Homework Assignments 1 8 8
Midterm(s) 2 8 2 20
Final Examination 1 16 2 18
Total Workload 130
Total Workload/25 5.2
ECTS 5