Design Futures

^{Image credit: Emma Martin, Interspecies Design Studio, 2020, this studio explored some of the topics considered in this subject, have a look at a selection of the resulting projects at this link}

Are you ready for the world of tomorrow? Near future promises thrilling technologies but will also see collapsing biodiversity, a dangerous climate, and oppressive AI. Are you familiar with emerging science, creative ethics, more-than-human design frameworks and technical innovations that can tackle these challenges while supporting all living beings, human and nonhuman?

If you would like to have a glimpse into your future careers, join the Design Futures elective, ABPL90147, in Semester 1, 2024. Students of this subject have presented their outstanding work at international conferences, participated in exhibitions, published in journals, and won awards in competitions. Many have developed ideas that led to the work on advanced research in academia and creative jobs in world-leading architectural practices.

The subject is open to graduate students in Melbourne School of Design, Victorian College of the Arts, and other faculties. Research students working on the PhD or Master theses are also welcome.

Further Details

Contact: Stanislav Roudavski, srou@unimelb.edu.au, all questions welcome.

Video presentations @ Vimeo

Publications @ Academia

Research and creative collective: Deep Design Lab

See the Handbook and the subject materials are now online on Canvas.

Testimonials

In the words of past students...

“I have learnt so much and had my perspective on architecture and many other things completely changed, in a good way.”

"This is the only subject in my whole course to ever cover content like this – it's really valuable to me and I strongly believe it would be invaluable as a core part of my course (landscape architecture)."

"The introduction of previously untouched and unheard of topics and perspectives was extremely eye opening for me. The consideration of the non–human experience and advancements in AI including their impact on design and subsequently on our changing roles as designers is something I wish existed as a mandatory subject for all Melbourne School of Design students."

"The content is remarkably well resourced (it's outstanding), and it seemed like no matter the student tangent their was knowledgeable and insightful guidance (both spontaneous and resourced)."

“I have learned so much from simply being exposed to seminar discussions and the suggested readings. So often in architecture it is about deliverables deliverables deliverables. Drawing drawing drawing. … I hold Stanislav in high regard, and hope that he continues teaching this seminar so that my fellow peers may have the opportunity to learn from his subject as I have.”