This course is an introduction to the methods, ideas and techniques involved in the design process which are relevant to the Design for Communities OT. It also serves as an introduction to studio-based work and ways of communicating and sharing ideas and learnings with others. Students will begin to observe how spaces and objects are used and how their form and structure influences how they are used. This will be done through a series of short immersions, which will involve observing people and spaces around campus; they will document and present their observations, and work towards finding insights. They will also begin to look at the choices that are involved in coming up with the design of an object — their implications for the people who use them, their sustainability and how easy it is for people to procure them. 

The course will also introduce some of the issues that come up in later courses — materials, structures and interactions.