How has the design of modern objects made an impact on the way we live and how we feel about our lives?  How has design become an art form? From buildings to clothes, to London’s tube and phones, how has the design of these entities defined our lives and helped shape modern culture?  From Victorian styles and the industrial revolution to the swinging 60’s and beyond, this course examines the products of applied design during the past 150 years, including examples of furnishings, industrial design, fashion, and graphic design, in relation to demand, technology and production, standards, fine art, social reform, and the dynamics of consumption.

At the conclusion of this course, students will have gained a developed knowledge of a wide range of objects, designed in Britain from the Industrial Revolution to the present day.  Furthermore, they will be able to relate a wide range of objects to the socio/historical conditions in which they were produced and to discuss the specific work of some of their most famous designers.

EXAMPLE CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES (2-4 PER COURSE)

• Victoria and Albert Museum
• London Transport Museum
• Design Museum

COURSE OUTLINE