The atelier system

The final-year students in BA (Hons) Design Communication are organised into six ateliers that fall under three research tracks which broadly cover topics of design in relation to futures and experiences, culture and identities, and media and technology.

Each of these six ateliers consists of projects that share similar interests or approaches and is led by a lecturer who researches and practices in that domain. Class activities such as critiques, workshops, guest lectures, field trips and more are catered to the different requirements of each atelier, supported by different labs that run throughout both semesters.

Advertising, Social Media & Experiences

Led by Joselyn Sim

Advertising social media and designed experiences uses the design thinking methodology to lead the atelier. It serves as a think tank to foster a design-driven culture and explore creating meaningful experiences online and offline. The Internet of Things is used to create new value systems, while concept mapping enables ideation and experimentation across various platforms for audience engagement. Research informs the atelier's three domains of practice, benefiting creative industries, businesses, and communities.

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Communities & Social Futures

Led by Yasser Bin Suratman

This atelier positions design in the centre of the human ecology. It aspires to provide opportunities for students to pursue topics in depth in design and design’s relationship with humans, their environment and the product of their environment.

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Cultures, Identities & Visual Language

Led by Nadine Ouellet

In this undergraduate design research atelier, we delve into the transformative power of design communication on culture, mindset, and habits. Our exploration revolves around the intricate interplay between culture, identity, and visual language. Recognising that visuals influence the formation and comprehension of personal and cultural identities, our investigations seek to illuminate the profound impact of design communication in shaping culture and fostering a deeper understanding of our world.

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Environments, Systems & Typography

Led by Vikas Bhatt Kailankaje

This atelier sits at the intersection of environments and visual systems. Whether one is drawing inspiration from an architectural detail or crafting letterforms, systems form the connective tissue across possible explorations in this atelier. Students are encouraged to think deeper about surfaces and structures that we take for granted in visual communication, whether we are concerned about efficacy, effectiveness or efficiency. The various explorations by students are shaped around eight concepts: drawing, information, ornament, perception, programme, system, theme and typography.

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Computation in Design

Led by Andreas Schlegel

Computation in design, as it is understood in the atelier, is informed by three areas of research and design: computing, sensing, and making. This atelier offers a broader perspective on technologies and how artefacts relate to people, machines, and spaces, as well as other entities, such as things, ecosystems, organisms, and other species. Adopting a practice-based approach, the atelier fosters an environment that encourages experimentation, exploration, process and research through design.

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Craft, making & Criticality

Led by Gideon Kong

Craft, Making, and Criticality is an atelier focused on exploratory and critical approaches to design. Not bound by subject matters or research areas, students in this atelier are connected by their interests towards examining, questioning, or expanding on knowledge and processes that govern design production or practice. With an emphasis on developing and articulating ideas reflexively through designing and making, we develop critical responses towards both problems and solutions in design.

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