This Special Topics is focused on a full design process for living in spaces of 500 square feet or less. Great design is in the details and this class addresses the latest sustainable materials and technology to build an energy efficient tiny home from predesign to interior materials, finishes, multi-use furniture, fixtures and equipment. The class is particularly timely as Michigan has developed laws and building code requirements for tiny homes and many cities  are welcoming their  development. The elective is focused on Interior Design majors but would be a great option for Architecture students wanting to flush out their knowledge of interior residential content. (This is running under Interior Architecture rather than Interior Design but will count towards a CoAD elective).

The Curious Objects and Connections Studio focuses on practical learning objectives, including enabling constraints, adaptability, structural studies, material-specific production intent, rapid product development, and professional display curation. Students are expected to iterate rapidly through making and craft high-fidelity objects as a tangible outcome. This class provides a comprehensive exploration of design principles and agile design methodology. The outcomes from the class will be disseminated on international design platforms.

Stories are what make us human, and drive us to act on our ambitions. Storytelling is a powerful tool that influences how we learn, helps us right moral wrongs, and build connections with each other. The primary goal of this course is to explore the different ways to tell stories, including our own. The second goal is to understand the science behind storytelling and how our brains are hardwired for stories. Finally, the course will culminate in applying these methods to your work in design: what is the best tool for you to tell the story of your work in a way that resonates with customers and stakeholders, and inspires them to act? Class meetings include a mix of lecture, discussion, and collaborative group activities to test theories and techniques first hand.

Introduction to methods of inputting and manipulating information in BIM through parametric and visual programming, and method of materializing BIM information through rapid prototyping and digital fabrication. The implications of BIM workflows on the practice of building design and construction are explored.

The Grand Tour was the international travel undertaken to finish off one’s education in the period between the mid-17th century and the end of the 18th century. At the time travel was expensive and laborious and as a result the Grand Tour was an exclusive activity for the English aristocracy. The Grand Tour typically included Paris and Rome with many other destinations along the way and could last for multiple years. It was an opportunity to immerse oneself in another culture and experience it first-hand.Now we have the opportunity to visit Rome for six days. Rome is known as the Eternal City and has a complex history with almost 3,000 years layered upon itself. Rome is not a museum but a thriving city with just under 3 million inhabitants. We will experience the city not as a singular entity but a palimpsest of urban, architectural and artistic elements that exist side by side.All designers benefit from experiencing cities, buildings, spaces, and culture. International travel allows designers to gain empathy by being in another culture and to practice intense observational skills. Within the walls of Rome we will visit Ancient Roman sites, Baroque churches, Fascist government buildings, modern contemporary Italian buildings, and a range of art and sculptures. A few introductory sessions will occur before departure to highlight and prepare for the trip. Students will be required to prepare for an on-site presentation to the group (while in Rome) and to develop a travel sketchbook to document the travel experiences.

The course will offer a historic morphological study of cities across history and geography. The course will primarily examine European and North American cities under the following headings: Ancient and Classic, Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque, Modern (nineteenth and twentieth centuries), and Post-modern (twenty-first century). Cities of Asia, Africa, and Latin America will also be investigated where applicable to learn non-western urban traditions. Specific topics will include origins and evolution of urban form, theories about urban form, and reasons and factors behind specific physical structure of the city. The course will concentrate on (1) the transformation of the nineteenth-century city and its organization, (2) the development of the twentieth century industrial city, and (3) pluralistic forms of the current twenty-first century post-industrial city. It analyzes current issues of city form in relation to placemaking, social structure, and physical design. Case studies of several cities will be presented as examples of the theories discussed in the class.

While digital games and their technologies have often relied on what we now consider conventional methods of input, like buttons, joysticks, gamepads, mice, and keyboards, simultaneously, new and different controllers powering unique interactive experiences have dotted the video game landscape. Rollerballs, Skateboards, Dance Floors, Steering Wheels, and Full Motion Simulators show the possibilities of aligning game themes and primary interaction more closely. For this course, students will create a game where the dominant interactions between user and game will be mediated by screen and an unconventional controller designed and built by the student.