COMMUNICATION, VISUAL AND INTERIOR DESIGN

With a view to the future insertion of the students in architectural, art or design studies, the course aims to introduce them to the methodologies and contents of design disciplines. In particular, it aims to promote design thinking and communication abilities through words, images and drawings.

• knowledge of the historical and theoretical foundations of design
• knowledge of the important sociological, semiotic and anthropological aspects of visual communication
• know how to present critical and planning analysis orally
• know how to present written critical and planning analysis
• know how to apply the research methods and results in the project to the various areas of the project itself
• develop a good independent judgment, both in the critical evaluation of their work and in the ability to use the appropriate interpretive tools with respect to the contexts where they are going to apply their own design practice and / or to continue their studies, assessing also the social and ethical aspects
• communicate at a professional level and argue the reasons for their choices and justify them from a theoretical point of view

The course only requires basic knowledge.

This is an introductory course to visual design, with a special focus on the relationships between design, art and architecture. Therefore, the first part of the course will be historical, dealing with the Renaissance’ times, when the concept of “disegno” as the basis of all arts and a related culture of reproducibility were born.
Then we will see how an effective visual communication works, through fundaments of psychology of perception and of visual semiotics. We will also look at writing and typography as forms of visual communication enforcing the contents of verbal communication.
Considering the multicultural composition of the class, the monographic part of the course will be focused on the attempts to construct universal visual vocabularies. We will thus see how visual communication has been often considered as a way to overcome linguistic barriers – from the Isotype visual statistics to the signage systems used during international competitions; from international advertising campaigns to global brands’ communication. The final part of the semester will be then dedicated to the analysis of brand communication and its branches: logos, products, shops, advertisements and space in the social media.

The exam will consist in a written set of questions, that will assess the comprehension and the acquisition of the contents required by the course, and in a written short dissertation, whose contents will be agreed upon with the teacher. The topic of the short dissertation will deal with the visual identity of a commercial or cultural company, with a special attention to one or two aspects of communication (advertising campaign; company magazine; social profile; poster; logo; selling or working space). In the short dissertation, one has to demonstrate to master the contents of the course.
The final assessment will depend:
- 30%: on the attention and active participation to the course, also consisting in reading and exposing small texts.
- 30%: on the evaluation of the short dissertation.
- 40%: on the final exam, consisting in a written set of questions.

For every topic, the course will be structured traditionally, through frontal lectures. Nevertheless, every student will be assigned an article and essay to read and explain to the rest of the class in the modality of flipped classroom.

English

written and oral