This course introduces the principles of materials and manufacturing methods. Since fast changes occur in material and manufacturing technologies, this course should move beyond memorizing the technical specs of the methods. Therefore, I’ve reframed the course in a more open and research-based way to encourage students to explore the relationship between manufacturing methods, material behavior, and product form.
On this account, I prepared method cards by consulting various sources and distributed them to the students as a basis for their own archives. The students are expected to expand and modify this archive by applying their own thinking and learning habits. They should create their own material and manufacturing method database by taking notes on cards with keywords during class and enrich their archive with product examples and visuals on social media platforms like Pinterest.
The students present a research path they use in their archives, as well as internet and AI prompts, as a supportive document for their homework. Assignments are designed to encourage students to analyze products part by part, either by disassembling an electrical appliance or revisiting their studio projects, and define the material and manufacturing method for each part. The research path is compulsory for all homework submissions; therefore, the students need to analyze their research process, which is supposed to be helpful in developing their research methods.
