Overview

This Unit provides an exploration of 20th and 21st century design history. The unit focuses on a range of key designers, innovations and movements across many areas of design. It explores aspects of the historical development of design as a creative, cultural and professional practice, while referencing the visual, material and spatial languages of design: graphics, products, interiors, environments, film and multimedia. Students will gain an understanding of the social, cultural, economic and political role of design, together with the interface of design with the arts, and more significantly with modern technology, materials, production/manufacturing, brand, sustainability and consumerism.

Requisites

Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Pathways Teaching 3
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
21-October-2024
31-January-2025
Last self-enrolment date
03-November-2024
Census date
15-November-2024
Last withdraw without fail date
13-December-2024
Results released date
11-February-2025
Pathways Teaching 1
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
24-February-2025
30-May-2025
Last self-enrolment date
09-March-2025
Census date
21-March-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
02-May-2025
Results released date
10-June-2025
Pathways Teaching 2
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
23-June-2025
26-September-2025
Last self-enrolment date
06-July-2025
Census date
18-July-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
15-August-2025
Results released date
07-October-2025
Pathways Teaching 3
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
20-October-2025
30-January-2026
Last self-enrolment date
02-November-2025
Census date
14-November-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
12-December-2025
Results released date
10-February-2026

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

  • Discuss ideas about design and society in large and small group situations
  • Identify historically significant designers, design movements, objects, theories, practices; their social, cultural, economic importance, and their implications for the 21st century
  • Critically analyse historical issues and present responses through a range of discursive modes
  • Critique key design concepts and developments, both historical and contemporary using a body of primary and secondary resources including online resources, objects and environments
  • Integrate theoretical and historical concepts in a manner that is relevant and applicable to design studio practice
  • Analyse critically and visually design objects, places and environments at local, national, and international levels

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
Online
(Online lecture)
2.00  12 weeks  24
On-campus
(Lab)
3.00  12 weeks  36
Unspecified Activities
(Independent Learning)
7.50  12 weeks  90
TOTAL     150

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
Oral PresentationIndividual/Group 20 - 30% 2,3,4,5 
ProjectIndividual/Group 20 - 40% 1,2,5,6 
Research ProjectIndividual 20 - 30% 2,3,4,5,6 
ReviewIndividual 20 - 30% 2,3,6 

Content

  • Modernism/post-modernism/contemporary design
  • Design as political and social action
  • Design, technology, progress and change
  • Design principles, theories and significant figures
  • Design, ideas and cultural production
  • Internationalism/regionalism/globalism

Study resources

Reading materials

A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.