University of Technology Sydney

86529 Design Studio: Scenographic Spaces

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2024 is available in the Archives.

UTS: Design, Architecture and Building: Architecture
Credit points: 12 cp
Result type: Grade and marks

Requisite(s): 86005 Design Studio: Inhabitations AND 86004 Design Studio: Foundations in Interior Architecture AND 86530 Design Studio: Knowledge Spaces
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses.
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.

Description

In this studio, students design a full theatre set (scenography) based on their contemporary interpretation of a set dramatic text. Students learn to translate the play's dramatic action into a contemporary setting for audience viewing. Throughout the session, students move through the typical iterative design process a professional scenographer undertakes to develop a concept, an aesthetic language and a final resolved scenography. Deliverables include: sketches, drawings, models, visual storyboards, digital media, and technical plans.

Students learn to design atmosphere and to design in time as well as perform historical and contemporary interior architecture detail research. Students learn the importance of the digital model and digital media as tools for experimentation, iteration and representation in the common history of architecture and theatre. Students gain a broad understanding of historical and current scenographic practice as well as a specific and detailed knowledge of the scenographic language and techniques currently employed by major players in the field. Finally, students experiment with and develop their individual and creative scenographic language in concept and representation.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:

1. Expand the complexity of design practice through a set of specific strategies
2. Extend iterative design processes
3. Explore multiple ideas of inhabitation
4. Intensify theoretical speculation through texts and lectures
5. Explore configurations between context, objects and bodies
6. Demonstrate competency in advanced and engaging communication methods
7. Present a resolved final design project

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)

This subject also contributes to the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes:

  • Ability to communicate ideas effectively, including oral, written, visual, analogue and digital presentations (2D and 3D) (C.2)
  • Ability to apply experimentation in thinking and practice as a means toward developing an individual design approach (I.1)
  • Ability to apply and utilise appropriate communication techniques, knowledge and understanding to enable practical applications in spatial design (P.1)
  • Ability to rigorously explore, apply and extend multiple representational techniques (P.2)
  • Ability to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of interior and spatial design precedent and to contextualise one's work within the extended discipline (R.3)
  • Ability to reflect on, challenge and interrogate theoretical speculation (R.4)

Contribution to the development of graduate attributes

The term CAPRI is used for the five Design, Architecture and Building faculty graduate attribute categories where:

C = communication and groupwork

A = attitudes and values

P = practical and professional

R = research and critique

I = innovation and creativity.

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs) are linked to these categories using codes (e.g. C-1, A-3, P-4, etc.).

Teaching and learning strategies

This 12 CR studio subject incorporates a range of teaching and learning strategies including: active, interactive and collaborative learning experiences through lectures, history & theory tutorials and design studio. This subject uses an inquiry-based learning strategy that involves students in researching and developing solutions to complex problems and scenarios.

The weekly in person lectures takes students through the history and development of theatre & performance design and the theatre and architectural scale model with an emphasis on where these practices link and overlap. The lectures are episodic instances in a larger continuous narrative. Students, therefore, are to review the previous week's lecture notes before each lecture. Students submit their lecture notes and reflections involving textual and visual research as appropriate as part of Assessment 3.

The weekly in person history & theory tutorials are student-led. In these, students present their findings from readings and practice research to guide the presentation and discussion. Emphasis is given to collaborative work activities, in line with the current practice in industry.Students present in groups and lead one of the History & Theory seminars based on a given practitioner and given theory readings. In additon, students research and present a practitioner and a theorist whose work is related. Students submit their group presentation as part of Assessment 3.

Design studio is an intense, fast-paced and highly interactive learning format. It includes: studio work; short presentations; videos; simulations; discussion of readings; case studies; and student group work. It is taught collaboratively by practising design professionals and UTS academics. Each week students undertake preparatory reading and research, as well as reflection on previous studio work, individual and collaborative group tasks. These activities will be complemented by participation in studio discussion. In each studio session, students are required to bring in iterative work in printouts, models, sketches and drawings, as advised by the studio leader. Students receive formative feedback and reflection from studio leaders (and guest critics as well as peers where applicable) only when presenting design iterations and at assessments.

Throughout the subject, students work iteratively towards the final individual design project through a variety of formats, both within and outside studio times. The assessment tasks include: sketches, plans and drawings, digital media , models and reflective writing. Final concept and model presentation will be in front of invited industry jurors from the field.

Content (topics)

This subject addresses the following issues and topics:

  • Iterative and generative design processes
  • Spatial design experimentation
  • Exploration of inhabitation and spatial organization
  • Theoretical rigor

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Concept Design

Intent:

Students develop a set design concept for their given dramatic text. Students use iterative modelling to explore form, materiality, texture, colour and narrative. Students present their individual design concepts verbally, in written form, and through representation in various analogue and digital formats.

Objective(s):

This task addresses the following subject learning objectives:

1, 3, 5 and 6

This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.):

P.1, P.2, R.3 and R.4

Type: Presentation
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: 20%
Criteria linkages:
Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs
Effective Visual Presentation Skills 25 6 P.1
Ability to Analyse and Synthesise complex ideas 25 1 R.4
Capacity to think divergently 25 5 R.3
Appropriate Level of Technical Skill 25 3 P.2
SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Assessment task 2: Design Development

Intent:

Students develop a full set design (scenography) in draft form for for their given play and site. Students articulate, present and submit the draft set design verbally, in written form, through analogue and 2D and 3D digital representation, initial plans, sketches and concept model.

Objective(s):

This task addresses the following subject learning objectives:

2, 4, 5 and 6

This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.):

C.2, I.1, P.2 and R.4

Type: Presentation
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: 20%
Criteria linkages:
Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs
Effective Visual Presentation Skills 25 2 C.2
Ability to Analyse and Synthesise complex ideas 25 4 R.4
Capacity to think divergently 25 5 I.1
Appropriate Level of Technical Skill 25 6 P.2
SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Assessment task 3: 3A: Final Design; 3B: Lecture Notes/Group Presentation

Intent:

a) Students present and submit the fully resolved set design (scenography) for their given play and site (40% weighting). b) Students submit their individual lecture notes and reflections as a single coherent pdfdocument involving textual and visual research as appropriate(10%) c) Students l submit their History & Theory group presentations as a single coherent document (10%).

Objective(s):

This task addresses the following subject learning objectives:

1, 4, 5 and 7

This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.):

C.2, I.1, P.2 and R.4

Type: Presentation
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: 60%
Criteria linkages:
Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs
Effective Visual Presentation Skills 20 7 C.2
Ability to Analyse and Synthesise complex ideas 40 4 R.4
Capacity to think divergently 20 5 I.1
Appropriate Level of Technical Skill 20 1 P.2
SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Minimum requirements

?The DAB attendance policy requires students to attend no less than 80% of formal teaching sessions (lectures and tutorials) for each class they are enrolled in to remain eligible for assessment.

  1. The Faculty of DAB expects students to attend 80% of all classes for all enrolled subjects. Achievement of the subject’s aims is difficult if classes are not attended. Where assessment tasks are to be presented personally in class attendance is mandatory.
  2. Pursuant to UTS rule 2.5.1 students who do not satisfy attendance requirements may be refused permission by the Responsible Academic Officer to be considered for assessment for this subject.
  3. The use of mobile phones or other electronic devices for private use during campus engagement is not permitted.
  4. 10% of each assessment will be attributed to preparation, participation, and overall contribution to each studio session.

It is imperative that students attend all on-campus engagements. Attendance means active participation and overall engagement. Records of attendance, participation and overall engagement will be kept. Readings, iterative design work including iterative model-making, lecture and guest lecture are an interconnected system where if one part suffers, the whole suffers as a result.

Required texts

.see UTS online: History & Theory Materials and Studio Materials