Sustainable Design and Management - Briefs and Deadlines

Brief 1: Presentation and Seminar

This brief is to create a presentation and to Led a seminar on a selected topic related to sustainable design and management.

1. Develop and apply an advanced understanding of sustainable principles and design laterally into ongoing design work.
2. Critically and objectively assess and evaluate design relative to its sustainable values
3. Demonstrate leadership and initiative in applying and promoting sustainable ideas and values
4. Conduct advanced research into the field of sustainable design

You need to agree with your instructor about the presented topic. If you have previous experience, it is preferable if you could relate the selected topic with your previous background. It is important that your presentation will include a practical implementation or real-life experience, and an evidence of your reflection & thinking on the subject.

The slides should be shared with the instructor before the class (by uploading  a submission link on Vision), and  you need to  initiate Blog title under the Blog Platform in your course Vision Platform.

Your Blog will enable you to share your ideas, take a constructive feedback from your colleagues and also to discover the interest of  your colleagues  in the subject you are going to present. You may need to ask your colleagues about their feedback after your seminar/presentation.

You will also to consider the following elements, when preparing your presentation:

1.What sustainability issue did the presentation relate to? (e.g. SDG’s)

2.Did it help you better understand that issue?

3.Did it identify some “real world” actions that could be implemented to deliver better sustainable outcomes?

4.Was the presentation clear and easy to understand?

Formative submission: ongoing during the class , und upon request class Summative submission:  class presentation, interaction with the class and Blog activities

Your second brief is a detailed investigation of an aspect of sustainable design and management which is currently perceived as an important global issue.

Select one or more of the UN Global Sustainable Development Goals, as the basis of your investigative project.

The investigative project can take the form of analyzing either:

A) The design (i.e. the resourcing and making process). This would likely mean researching into the design of ongoing or future specific products, architectural projects and environments or fashion/textiles brands focusing on the design stage.

How sustainable is or was the design process?

Were decisions made compatible with a sustainable ethos?

How does it relate to or respond to the UN Sustainable Goals?

End with recommendations and findings and possibly designed solutions or ideas

Example 1: The Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau bridge is currently in progress and is due to open soon. However: you may choose to question how sustainable the design of the bridge is. You might opt to create a report with annotated visuals that investigates the project and objectively evaluates how it may meet the SDG’s.

Example 2: Stella McCartney is working with Modern Meadow to develop fake leather for her brand, consider the four points above in relation to it potential.

B) Or the management (i.e. the ongoing use, maintenance, and disposal) of a product, building, place or system. This would likely be a report or case study that evaluates how a particular example of existing design or innovation is being managed. Such as its sustainable use or misuse, maintenance and upkeep, and then disposal

Evaluate and assess its sustainability during its usage and action (Rather than just design alone)

Reflect upon how ‘real life’ may have altered the usage and functionality of its intended design and purpose.  E.g. Has it been retro-fitted with sustainable upgrades or features?

End with written recommendations for how to improve the sustainability of its management

Example 3: A report into the management of building facades within an urban area. For example how sustainably is Edinburgh government updating and replacing building facades for social housing.

Example 4: The High Line in New York adaptively reused derelict and former train lines, with many other similar projects following suit, with mixed success. Since it has been built how sustainable is the design and its management?

1) Detailed description of, and introduction to, the chosen sustainable development goal, and the key agents behind it or associated with it

2) Key issues and challenges associated with the topic. How problematic is it, and how much of a global issue is it.

3) Key attempts made right now solve or alleviate the issues such as examples of best practice or design precedents or similar case studies

4) A creative, visually led, design response to the topic chosen OR a written analytical report into an existing

The choice of topic is open to each student but should be agreed with the course tutor. Students may work individually or in pairs, but should discuss pair working with the tutors in advance.