DEA 2510

History of Design Futures

Course Description

Course information provided by the 2025-2026 Catalog.

This course examines the history and theory of environmental design from the classical era to the 20th century with an emphasis on design and innovation as a catalyst for cultural change. How have design innovations broadened the palate of human expression and experience? Key projects, methods, and ideas from across the world will be explored encouraging a speculative approach to historical material.

Prerequisites REF-FA25 DEA 1101, DEA 1150/DEA 1140, and DEA 1500?.

Enrollment Information REF-F25 Priority given to: DEA undergraduate majors who have completed 1000-level CORE courses, including DEA 1101, DEA 1150/DEA 1140, and DEA 1500 with minimum grades of B-. DEA minors and transfers will be given enrollment consideration based on course caps and/or permission of instructor.

Distribution Requirements (HA-AG), (HA-HE)

Last 4 Terms Offered 2024FA, 2023FA, 2022FA, 2021FA

Learning Outcomes REF-FA25

• Develop a foundational understanding of movements and periods in architecture, interior design, art, product design, furniture and landscape and object/space design, and relate them to their cultural, technological, social, and spatial contexts.
• Explore the use of research, writing, visual analysis, and multimedia in formulating and presenting a thesis or position.
• Cultivate a speculative approach to historical material. Identify potential linkages between past and current design practice.
• Explore how historical precedents can serve as points of inspiration or resistance in contemporary design practice.
• Consider the impact of shifting modes of technology and systems of communication on cultural, social, physical, and intellectual experiences of spaces and objects, and trace their trajectories.

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