Key messages for DVC achievement standard - AS91629
AS91629 (3.32): Resolve a spatial design through graphics practice
Key messages for teachers
Graphics practice for spatial design is about expressing visual literacy. It is about the design of inside and outside spaces such as but not limited to: architecture, interior design, and landscape design.
Curriculum
At level 8:
- Students develop an understanding about how to integrate spatial design knowledge by understanding the wider environmental conditions and human factors related to a spatial design context. They identify opportunities and constraints presented by the environment/location and justify design decisions against these. Students use spatial design knowledge to develop, refine ideas in an iterative, logical and organised way to evolve design ideas and communicate a resolved design solution. They use appropriate visual communication techniques.
Indicators
Students can:
- Apply graphics practice to produce a portfolio of design work that shows the exploration, refinement, and communication of design ideas in a spatial design solution.
- Explore the opportunities and constraints. Explore the context fully: such as the light, sun paths, topography, position to north, wind patterns, urban factors, access, how people will interact with the building inside and outdoors, investigate existing features (trees, proximity of neighbours, stylistic features, and so on) views, shadows from trees, neighbours property. Consider the wider context – legal, ethical, cultural, historical, economic, sustainability, technological factors).
- Use photographs, notes, sketches, brainstorming or any other technique to demonstrate their design thinking concerning the context.
- Refine ideas: thumbnails, explorative sketches, thinking sketches, technical details, which all work towards to developing a design outcome. (These are clearly evidenced in their portfolios in either 2D or 3D and are informed by research.)
- Relate their designs to human dimensions/factors.
- Use visual communication techniques to explore and present their design ideas such as freehand sketches, sketch models, drawings, models, photographs, digital media, display boards and installations, refined rendering techniques. (Bubble spatial diagrams, floor plans, elevations (measured), perspective views, proportion of spaces, position of doors, windows, flow of areas, orientation of layout.
- Add annotations to their visuals to explain design thinking, crucial decision-making throughout their design development, considering both aesthetic and functional considerations, opportunities and constraints. Think about how they can improve ideas, how they can integrate knowledge they have gained from research, showing they have consider the wider environment, how people will interact with the space.
- Use spatial design knowledge (researched throughout) to develop and refine design ideas in an iterative, logical and organised way. This knowledge could come from research throughout the design process on others' practice, users needs, possible construction methods and the materials available. Use knowledge to inform design thinking, which will be visually communicated/annotated throughout.
- Show how their designs have evolved into an effective resolved design solution, justifying them against the identified opportunities and constraints.
Teacher guidance
To support students to develop the skills and knowledge at level 8, teachers could:
- Provide a student brief with a design context that will engage students’ interests. Design context can be personal to the student, an aspect of family life, a communal space like a school library or sailing club, retail spaces that relate to student hobbies/interests, gardens, urban spaces, buildings for a specific purpose – interior and/or exterior etc.) The context refers to the environment in which the spatial design is going to be situated.
- Provide exemplars of existing spatial designs, discuss the visual communication techniques, the materials used and so on. Collect examples of display – promotional materials.
- Allow students to work with a client and develop their own spatial design brief. (This would allow students to have evidence for 3.1: Undertake brief development to address an issue within a determined context.)
- Allow this AS to build upon the evidence required for 3.30: Initiate design ideas through exploration, by selecting the most promising design ideas or combination of ideas.
- Consider and discuss with students how they will show evidence/document their exploration/divergent thinking and refinement process (convergent thinking).
- Allow students the time to develop visual communication techniques. Teach freehand sketching techniques, model making, taking photographs, using digital media, use of display boards and installations to develop students ability and confidence in using them in their own work.
- Teach students how to justify their design thinking, especially the crucial decision-making, through visual communication techniques and annotating. Provide students with sentence starters/appropriate vocabulary to do this.
- Work with students individually to discuss how they are going to refine their design ideas.
- Allow opportunities for students to critique their own and each other’s work by developing a culture of trust in seeking and listening to advice from others.
Key messages from the standard
- Explanatory note 3 - Spatial design is the design of inside and outside spaces, and may include: architectural, interior design and landscape architecture.
- Explanatory note 4 - Spatial design knowledge includes elements of design approaches, technical knowledge, and visual communication techniques relevant to the specific spatial design context. These may include:
- design tools used for the development of spatial design ideas (for example, market research, mock-ups, critiques, and design sketching)
- technical knowledge of materials, construction, cladding, sustainability, and environmental considerations (for example, sun, wind, topography, views)
- spatial design visual communication techniques and approaches (for example, architectural drawings and rendering, models, and animation).
- Explanatory note 5 - Graphics practice involves expressing a visual literacy through the developing of design ideas by applying design and visual communication techniques and knowledge, leading to the communication of an outcome in response to a brief.
Key messages from the clarifications document
Assessment resource TKI
Students will require:
- access to architectural books and access to appropriate websites
- access to computer with CAD and design software (Solidworks, Archicad, Vectorworks, Adobe Photoshop and so on) - animations can be used as supporting evidence
- design context that refers to the environment in which the spatial design is to be situated. An exploration of the design context includes consideration of the milieu and the environment’s link to various factors, including but not limited to legal, ethical, cultural, historical, economic, and technological factors
- the refinement process by which we evolve design ideas to improve the aesthetic and/or functional qualities of the spatial design. This is informed by such things as research, analysis, making design judgements, reflection, and critique.
Curriculum links
Resources
Books
- Architecture Models: Publisher - Page One
- Presenting Architecture, Essential Techniques: Rikuo Nishimori, Pub - Page One
- University publications: Auckland Architectural School – Modos (final year work); Massey – Exposure
- University brochure – contact individual University
Last updated September 10, 2024
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