Concept Designing (GEG.P501)

Conept Designing
Instructors: Kayoko Nohara, Xinru Zhu, Masahiko Furukata (MAU), Kohei Kobayashi (MAU)
Day/Period: Intensive (schedule below)
Course number: GEG.P501
Credits: 2 Offered
Location: Tokyo Tech Ookayama Campus, MAU Ichigaya Campus

Course description and aims

Society and industry are seeking “engineers with design sensitivity”. This talent should be able to create products that balance functionality and design, incorporating a variety of perspectives. At its root, the question is “how to give form to universal and versatile ways of thinking (concepts)”. In this workshop, students start with one topic and experience the design process through building a concept through discussion, creating a simple molding design, and giving a presentation. Together with students from Musashino Art University, students are expected to discover normally overlooked aspects of “ideas taking form” such as the various possibilities, discoveries, and the importance of trial and error.

Student learning outcomes

This workshop has the objective of bringing together the many perspectives within a team to produce a product or system which expresses a good balance between functionality and design. By creating a combined team with the complementary skills of Musashino Art University students under the guidance of Musashino teachers, it will broaden perspectives and teach the difficulty and importance of communication through debate and direct experience of manufacturing.

Class flow

Intensive workshop for 6 days at the end of July.
Make a mixed team with students of design and fine arts and obtain practical experience of the design process in the sequence “From a subject extract an idea, and develop a new concept up to an artistic expression”. After a lecture on basic design theory and learning about communication between different disciplines, each team will take part in the workshop. Finally, teams will present their results and created objects which will be subject to evaluation from external visitors.

Course schedule/Required learning 2023

Class 1 July 24 (Mon) 15:30–19:00 @ Tokyo Tech Ookayama Campus Lecture
Class 2 July 25 (Tue) 15:30–19:00 @ Tokyo Tech Ookayama Campus Lecture and brainstorming
Class 3 July 26 (Wed) 15:30–19:00 @ MAU Ichigaya Campus Transfer from theme to concept
Class 4 July 27  (Thu) 15:30–19:00 @ MAU Ichigaya Campus Share a clear idea about the concept
Class 5 July 28  (Fri) 15:30–19:00 @ MAU Ichigaya Campus Complete the design production
Class 6 July 29 (Sat) 15:30–19:00 @ MAU Ichigaya Campus Presentation, discussion and evaluation

Contact

Dr. Xinru Zhu (Assistant Professor, Nohara Lab)

External links