Furniture Design
Overview
This unit explores the principles of furniture design and associated furniture manufacture.
The unit will focus on the development of conceptual furniture for specific target markets and/or environments and will involve creative thinking, design for production, human factors and aesthetic design.
It will provide students with an opportunity to develop knowledge and skills required for the communication of furniture proposals as well as developing their project management skills.
Students will gain an introductory knowledge in many of the following areas:
- the furniture design process
- ergonomics
- component manufacture
- furniture construction techniques
- material and process specification
- prototyping
- supplier interaction and project planning.
Requisites
DIA20001 Construction 2: Building Services and Documentation Packages
Rule
Pre-requisite
137.5 credit points
AND
DPD20001 OR DIA20001
01-June-2025
02-November-2025
Learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Apply physical exploration to the development of furniture and how this can be used to resolve functional, structural and construction issues common to the industry.
- Justify their design concept by researching market sectors, intended users and environments.
- Apply product design processes, ergonomics and human factors (in the context of practicality, comfort and usability) within the constraints of a design brief
- Produce a full-scale proof of concept using a range of design processes including sketching, production drawings, fabrication and rapid prototyping.
- Evaluate the needs of the intended user, their environment, the market sector, and the constraints of material and manufacturing processes, to develop commercially viable proposals that are unique, well-engineered and fit for purpose.
Teaching methods
Hawthorn
| Activity Type | Activity | Total Hours | Number of Weeks | Hours Per Week | Venue Type and Activity Detail |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| On-campus | Studio | 36 | 12 weeks | 3 | 6 sessions will be held in a classroom and remaining 6 sessions in protolab. |
| Specified Activities | Supervisor Meetings | 42 | 12 weeks | 3.5 | Furniture prototype completion |
| Unspecified Activities | Independent Learning | 72 | 12 weeks | 6 | Independent study, Assignment preparation, Revision |
| Total Hours: | 150 | Total Hours (per week): | 12.5 | ||
Assessment
| Type | Task | Weighting | ULO's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment | Individual | 20% | 2,3 |
| Assessment | Individual | 80% | 1,2,3,4,5 |
Content
Topics to be discussed may include:
- History of furniture design
- Furniture design methodologies and innovative product development strategies
- Furniture manufacturing techniques
- Ergonomics and human factors
- Furniture prototyping
- Furniture testing and standards
- Commercial production
Through project based learning students will engage in a number of activities, these will include:
- Individual project design
- Self-directed research
- Technical development
- Mock-up and/or prototype manufacture
- Graduate Attribute – Communication Skills: Verbal communication
Study resources
Reading materials
A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.