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PRODUCT DESIGN FOR SUSTAINABILITY: DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW GRADUATE COURSE IN INDUSTRIAL DESIGN

Journal Name:

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DOI: 
10.4305
Author NameUniversity of Author
Abstract (2. Language): 
The course entitled ‘Product Design for Sustainability’ was opened in the Department of Industrial Design at the Middle East Technical University for graduate level students in the spring semester of 2011. Throughout the course, the nature of sustainability is examined so as to allow students to develop an understanding of its applicability to the area of product design and development. A useful base knowledge of the subject is established through an initial literature review of selected papers related to product design for sustainability and design critique of mass-produced products, and the application of that critique to design explorations for lighting products. The course offers a unique perspective by examining the nature of objects and their relationship to sustainability within a design-centred approach. An important component of the course is the conceptual notions of sustainable products, for which the students prepare their design concepts for class presentation. They present a summary of the ‘sustainable design considerations’ that they deem significant from the literature review, such as localisation; increased product lifespans; and engaging, enabling and evolving design in relation to product value, longevity and meaning. The students re-contextualise objects with a consideration of the ramifications of the design concepts through sketches, mock-ups and working models, and present their reflections on, and insights into, the design process. A potential product category for the design explorations and critiques of the students is lighting. The students present an assessment of their proposed designs based on product design for sustainability, including their key conclusions and findings. This paper presents the design outcomes and insights into development that have resulted from offering this graduate course.
Abstract (Original Language): 
“Sürdürülebilirlik için Ürün Tasarımı” dersi, Endüstri Ürünleri Tasarımı Bölümü 2011 yılı bahar döneminde, lisansüstü düzeyindeki öğrenciler için geliştirilip açılmıştır. Dersin temel amacı, ürün tasarımı ve geliştirme sürecinde, öğrencilere sürdürülebilirlik kavramının ekolojik, etik ve ekonomik boyutlarını birlikte ele alan bir yaklaşım kazandırmaktır. Bu lisansüstü ders, tasarım ve sistem odaklı güncel ve çeşitli sürdürülebilirlik yaklaşımlarının incelenmesini içerir. Ders kapsamında öğrenciler sürdürülebilirlik anlayışının, ürün tasarımı ve geliştirme alanındaki uygulanabilirlik niteliğini araştırırlar. Sürdürülebilirlik ve ürün tasarımıyla ilgili seçilen yayınların irdelenmesi, seri üretim ölçeğinde üretilen ürünlerin sürdürülebilirlik ve tasarım açısından değerlendirilmesi ve bu aşamaları temel alan çıkarımlarla, aydınlatma ürünlerinin yeniden düşünülmesi ve tasarlanması, dersin üç temel aşamasını oluşturur. Ders kapsamında tasarım odaklı bir yaklaşımla, ürünlerin temel özelliklerinin sürdürülebilirlikle ilişkisinin incelenmesi ve ürünlerin yeniden ele alınması, öğrencilere farklı bir bakış açısı sunar. Dersin önemli bir bileşeni, sürdürülebilir tasarım çözümlerinin geliştirilmesi ve süreç ve sonuçların eleştirel bir yaklaşımla paylaşılmasıdır. Öğrenciler, literatür araştırmalarını temel alan yerel değerler ve ürün yaşam döngüsünü ürün anlam ve değeriyle ilişkilendiren sürdürülebilir tasarım ölçütlerini derleyip sunarlar. Çizim ve model yapımı gibi tasarım tekniklerinden yararlanarak, aydınlatma ürün kategorisinde tasarım çözümleri geliştirirler. Öğrenciler, tasarım süreçlerini ve çözümlerini, derledikleri sürdürülebilirlik ölçütleri açısından değerlendirerek tasarım merkezli bir yaklaşımla sunarlar. Bu makale lisansüstü düzeyinde geliştirilmekte olan dersin süreç ve sonuçlarını sürdürülebilir tasarım eğitimi açısından değerlendirir.
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