Overview

With the exception of nature, everything around us has been designed! We aim to equip students with the skills and knowledge to allow them to successfully complete a range of design and making projects within computer aided and traditional workshop environments. We also aim to develop students’ technical understanding of materials, techniques and the social and moral obligations of a designer. Through doing this, students will develop transferable life skills and skills to enter the world of work.

Core Technical Principles

  • New and Emerging Technologies - Use of 2D design
    Introduction to laser cutter
  • Mechanical Devices - Types of movement, levers, gears
  • Systems - Simple circuits, input, processes and outputs

Specialist Technical Principles

  • Timber- based Materials - Bird feeder making
    Categories of timber
    Sources and origins
  • Polymers - Mirror – strip heater
    Injection moulding
    Using and working with polymers

Designing and Making Principles

  • Environmental, Social, Economic Challenge - The "6 Rs"
  • The Work of Others - Memphis
  • Communication of Design Ideas - Key ring – isometric
    Bird feeder – isometric
    Bird Feeder – basic orthographic

Core Technical Principles

  • New and Emerging Technologies - Advanced 2D design
    Advanced use of laser cutter
    3D printing
  • Developments in New Materials - Modern and smart materials categories
  • Materials and their Working Properties - Metals and alloys categories

Specialist Technical Principles

  • Timber- based Materials - Container making
    Finishes
  • Polymers - Maze game – blister packaging
  • Scales of Production -

Designing and Making Principles

  • The Work of Others - Alessi
  • Communication of Design Ideas - 1&2 point perspective
    Cross sections
    Exploded Drawings

Core Technical Principles

  • New and Emerging Technologies - Autodesk inventor
    Industry, enterprise, sustainability, people, culture, systems
  • Energy Generation and Storage - Fossil fuels, nuclear power, renewable energy, storage
  • Developments in New Materials - Properties of modern, smart, composite and technical textiles
  • Systems Approach to Designing - MP3 circuit manufacture
    Inputs, processes, outputs

Specialist Technical Principles

  • Timber- based Materials - MP3 casing making

Designing and Making Principles

  • Design Strategies - MP3 designs avoiding fixation
  • Communication of Design Ideas - Desk tidy – isometric
    Desk tidy - exploded

Core Technical Principles

  • New and Emerging Technologies - Student operation of laser cutter
    Industry, enterprise, sustainability, people, culture, systems
  • Energy Generation and Storage - Fossil fuels, nuclear power, renewable energy, storage
  • Developments in New Materials - Properties of modern, smart, composite and technical textiles
  • Systems Approach to Designing - Inputs, processes, outputs
  • Mechanical Devices - Levers, linkages, rotary systems
  • Materials and their Working Properties - Material properties, paper and boards, textiles, properties and application of metals and alloys

Specialist Technical Principles

  • Timber- based Materials - Desk tidy base
    Selection of materials, stock forms, standard components, techniques and processes, forces and stresses, material management, tolerances

Designing and Making Principles

  • Environmental, Social, Economic Challenge - Deforestation, product miles, product disposal, sustainability, social and ecological issues
  • The Work of Others - Designers: Louis Tiffany, Marcel Breuer, Ettorre Sottsass, Philippe Starck
    Design groups: Dyson, Braun
  • Design Strategies - Collaboration, user cantered, iterative
  • Communication of Design Ideas - Desk tidy - orthographic

Core Technical Principles

  • New and Emerging Technologies - Industry, enterprise, sustainability, people, culture, systems
  • Energy Generation and Storage - Fossil fuels, nuclear power, renewable energy, storage
  • Developments in New Materials - Properties of modern, smart, composite and technical textiles
  • Systems Approach to Designing - Inputs, processes, outputs
  • Mechanical Devices - Levers, linkages, rotary systems
  • Materials and their Working Properties - Material properties, paper and boards, textiles, properties and application of metals and alloys

Specialist Technical Principles

  • Timber- based Materials - Non-Examined Assessment – Section E making, selection of materials, stock forms, standard components, techniques and processes, finishes, scales of production, forces and stresses, material management, tolerances

Designing and Making Principles

  • Environmental, Social, Economic Challenge - Deforestation, product miles, product disposal, the 6 ‘R’s, social and ecological issues
  • The Work of Others - Non-Examined Assessment – Section A, Designers: Louis Tiffany, Marcel Breuer, Ettorre Sottsass, Philippe Starck
    Design Groups: Braun, Dyson
  • Design Strategies - Non-Examined Assessment – Sections C&D
    Collaboration, user cantered, iterative, avoiding fixation
  • Communication of Design Ideas - Non-Examined Assessment – Sections C&D