Course Description

Complex interior planning utilizing problem-solving skills through program research and analysis, concept development, and professional design documentation through digital visualization. Projects align with student design competitions and professional collaborations.

 

COURSE LEARNING OBJECTIVES

International historic survey of interiors from ancient times to the 1800s, including concepts of
interior development, furnishings, decorative components, architectural structure, design theories,
social context, and relevance to current design practices.

 

Course Learning Objectives

1. Relate historical and regional activity with innovation in architecture, industrial design, and interior design.

2. Analyze architectural and interior design methods as they develop through time periods.

3. Develop a deeper understanding of the development of architectural and interior design.

 

Course Learning Outcomes

1. Produce a written description of the development of a furniture type as it relates to the cultural and geographical influences.

2. Identify architectural elements in existing structure that have evolved from historical models; and

3. Demonstrate general knowledge of the material through periodic quizzes.

 

Course Assignments

Assignment 1:

Design Development: From Ancient Cultures Through 1800 First Draft​.

The First Draft should include examples from Section C. Antiquity, Section D Middle Ages, Section E Renaissance

• First Draft pdf 1

• First Draft pdf 2

 

You are encouraged to include information from topics not covered in course material like Egypt and Section A Cultural Precedents. Keep in mind that an "A" exceeds the requirements.

 

The Works Cited must have a minimum of 4 sources outside the course materials.

At least 1 source must be from the Mickel Library. There are resources for you to review in the library, checkout or reference online.

 

GENERIC WEB SEARCHES WILL ONLY BE ACCEPTED IF APPROVED BY THE INSTRUCTOR.

Here are some other good sources:

​

The Textbook

Metropolitan Museum of ArtLinks to an external site.

Victoria and Albert MuseumLinks to an external site.

​

Goals and Objectives

Furniture is a significant part of interior design. Furniture exists throughout all cultures and all centuries. The goal of this assignment is to help you better understand the development of ONE of the fundamental furniture types. The objective of this paper is to give you practice writing a more scholarly thesis required in DES382.

 

Content

Select one furniture type of your choice. Here are some suggestions:

• Chair

• Table

• Bed

• Storage

• Couch/Sofa/Settee

• Desk

 

For this one furniture type, write an 800–1000-word paper. (For the final)

For the Final Draft Select one piece from each module additional (C, D, E, F, G, H, B). 

 

Please Discuss:

1. When and where was this item first used?

2. What social and or cultural influences went into the development of this furniture type?

3. How did the form (shape) change? (Example: Rectilinear to Curved)

4. How did the materials change? (Example: Oak to Mahogany)

5. How did the method of construction change? (Example: Board Construction to Dovetails)

6. How did the makers change? (Example: Simple crafts people to a team of highly skilled artisans)

7. How did the type of decoration change? (Example: Painted, Gilded, Carved)

8. How did the use change? (Example: Chest: Middle Ages, a simple object designed to be portable. Chest: Louis XIV: A Chest evolves into a permanent commode that is used for storage but also to communicate status and craftsmanship.

9. How did the meaning change? (Example: Simple work stool to the seat of power)

10. Are western styles similar or different to those in non-western cultures?

Do not research beyond 1800.

 

Requirements

1. Follow The Discussion Progression Given Above. Be logical and organized!

2. Varying from this basic format may cause you to overlook a significant part of the discussion. Use Microsoft Word. You should have access to this software at Converse. Do not use Google Docs or one of the Apple apps.

3. Fonts and Format. 12 point, Arial, Double-Spaced, Single-Sided

4. Length. Significantly shorter or longer than 800-1000 words will result in a grade penalty. Remember, Word will give you an accurate word count.

5. MLA Formatting. The primary use for MLA formatting is the way you present your in-text citations and your Works Cited listing. You can set this up in Word or find examples online. If you need more help, please reach out the Writing Center.

6. Appropriate Sources. Minimum 4 sources outside course lectures. Wikipedia is not an appropriate source!

   • Textbook

   • Museum Websites

   • Library Books

   • Scholarly Journals

7. Reference The Material You Are Using!

   • Whenever you give information that is not common knowledge – you must cite your source. Failure to do this is plagiarism! And we all know that is a criminal offense in scholarly research.

   • Most writers use parenthetical references where the author’s last name and the page number is listed at the end of the sentence in parentheses. Example: (Hergenrather, pg. 2). This is usually the simplest way. You can use footnotes or endnotes. However, this is more difficult, and you must follow the formatting rules carefully – especially when making revisions to the paper.

   • The sources in your Works Cited list are those that you used in your research, and you referenced, or cited – hence the term Works Cited list – in the body of the paper. Make sure you refer to all of them in your writing. Also, your Works Cited list must be in alphabetical order and MLA Format.

8. It is not necessary to include pictures in your paper, but if you do, you must observe the following requirements.

   • Pictures must be numbered and captioned.

   • You need to cite where you obtain images – Wikipedia is acceptable here because it is a good source of pictures you may use without getting expressed approval from the author. You need to say you got it from the appropriate Wikipedia site.

   • If it is your photo, say that it was taken by you and is in your private collection.

   • When writing your paper, you must refer to these pictures – this is why you number them, as it makes them easier to reference. You may put them immediately after they are discussed the first time or at the very end of the paper. Either way, with numbers, the reader can find them when you review them in the body of the text. Without this connection, the images do nothing constructive for your paper; they take up page space and bandwidth when uploaded.

9. Language Part 1: Vocabulary and Cliches. Watch your language when writing. No, I do not mean to swear (although that is a given), but keep the writing “scholarly.” I do not want to see words such as “amazing” or “brilliant” in any of the research papers! These are overused words generally used by people with limited vocabulary skills. Microsoft Word has a thesaurus feature – if you use the word “amazing,” look it up in the thesaurus for alternatives. Otherwise, I will ask you to change it. Also, do not use clichés, such as “I think he has some neat (or out of the box, or killer) ideas for chair designs.” “Neat,” “out of the box,” and “killer” are clichés in this sentence. Instead, you could say, “I think he has some daring (or revolutionary, or profound) ideas for chair designs.’ Please do not say "I love this".

10. Language Part 2. Use your own words.

11. Do Not Use Contractions. Again, this is a standard scholarly writing technique.

12. Quotes. No more than 2-3, and they must include citations. The purpose of a quote in this paper is to support your thesis. Example: When using a direct quote, you are saying that not only you have this opinion, but Dr. Stan Wiseguy, who is an expert on Louis XIV furniture, also has this point of view – you are trying to drive home just how important this idea is. Most of your paper should be your writing – based on the material you found in your research and with the appropriate citations.

13. Grammar. If it has been a while since you have taken an English grammar class, go to the Writing Centre for assistance. They will help you understand when to write out a number or use the numerical value for terms such as 45, 19, or 5. They will help you with punctuation like when to use a semi-colon, a colon, or a comma. The Writing Centre can also help with avoiding dangling participles, mixed tenses (try to avoid the passive voice), run-on sentences, and incorrect capitalization. All of this is important to your work.

14. Designer’s Names. When talking about a designer, introduce them by their full name. Then, it is acceptable to refer to them by their surname, but never by their given (first) name (Example: Bob). After all, you aren’t friends; you’re not on a “first-name basis” with these people. Using their surname is more professional.

 

Assignment II: Design Development: From Ancient Cultures Through 1800 

Final Draft

In the Assignment Example Folder:

• Final Draft pdf 1

• Final Draft pdf 2

 

The Final Draft should include the examples from Section C. Antiquity, Section D Middle Ages, Section E Renaissance and Section F Baroque and Section B Oriental and Section G Rococo and Section H Early Neoclassical.

​

You are encouraged to include information from topics not covered in course material like Egypt and Section A Cultural Precedents. Keep in mind that an "A" exceeds the requirements.

​

The Works Cited must have a minimum of 4 sources outside the course materials.

​

At least 1 source must be from the Mickel Library. There are resources for you to review in the library, checkout or reference online.

GENERIC WEB SEARCHES WILL ONLY BE ACCEPTED IF APPROVED BY THE INSTRUCTOR.

​

Here are some other good sources:

The Textbook

Metropolitan Museum of Art Link to an external site.

Victoria and Albert Museum Link to an external site.

 

Goals and Objectives

Furniture is a significant part of interior design. Furniture exists throughout all cultures and all centuries. The goal of this assignment is to help you better understand the development of ONE of the fundamental furniture types. The objective of this paper is to give you practice writing a more scholarly thesis required in DES382.

​

Content

Select one furniture type of your choice. 

Here are some suggestions:

• Chair

• Table

• Bed

• Storage

• Couch/Sofa/Settee

• Desk

For this one furniture type, write an 800-1000 word paper. Select one piece from each module (C, D, E, F, G, H, B). Please discuss:

1. When and where was this item first used?

2. What social and or cultural influences went into the development of this furniture type?

3. How did the form (shape) change? (Example: Rectilinear to Curved)

4. How did the materials change? (Example: Oak to Mahogany)

5. How did the method of construction change? (Example: Board Construction to Dovetails)

6. How did the makers change? (Example: Simple crafts people to a team of highly skilled artisans)

7. How did the type of decoration change? (Example: Painted, Gilded, Carved)

8. How did the use change? (Example: Chest: Middle Ages, a simple object designed to be portable. Chest: Louis XIV: A Chest evolves into a permanent commode that is used for storage but also to communicate status and craftsmanship.

9. How did the meaning change? (Example: Simple work stool to the seat of power)

10. Are western styles similar or different to those in non-western cultures?

11. Do not research beyond 1800.

​

Requirements

1. Follow The Discussion Progression Given Above. Be logical and organized! Varying from this basic format may cause you to overlook a significant part of the discussion.

2. Use Microsoft Word. You should have access to this software at Converse. Do not use Google Docs or one of the Apple apps.

3. Fonts and Format. 12 point, Arial, Double-Spaced, Single-Sided

4. Length. Significantly shorter or longer than 800-1000 words will result in a grade penalty. Remember, Word will give you an accurate word count.

5. MLA Formatting. The primary use for MLA formatting is the way you present your in-text citations and your Works Cited listing. You can set this up in Word or find examples online. If you need more help, please reach out the Writing Center.

6. Appropriate Sources. Minimum 4 sources outside course lectures. Wikipedia is not an appropriate source!

   • Textbook

   • Museum Websites

   • Library Books

   • Scholarly Journals

7. Reference The Material You Are Using!

   • Whenever you give information that is not common knowledge – you must cite your source. Failure to do this is plagiarism! And we all know that is a criminal offense in scholarly research.

   • Most writers use parenthetical references where the author’s last name and the page number is listed at the end of the sentence in parentheses. Example: (Hergenrather, pg. 2). This is usually the simplest way. You can use footnotes or endnotes. However, this is more difficult, and you must follow the formatting rules carefully – especially when making revisions to the paper.

   • The sources in your Works Cited list are those that you used in your research, and you referenced, or cited – hence the term Works Cited list – in the body of the paper. Make sure you refer to all of them in your writing. Also, your Works Cited list must be in alphabetical order and MLA Format.

8. It is not necessary to include pictures in your paper, but if you do, you must observe the following requirements.

   • Pictures must be numbered and captioned.

   • You need to cite where you obtain images – Wikipedia is acceptable here because it is a good source of pictures you may use without getting expressed approval from the author. You need to say you got it from the appropriate Wikipedia site.

   • If it is your photo, say that it was taken by you and is in your private collection.

   • When writing your paper, you must refer to these pictures – this is why you number them, as it makes them easier to reference. You may put them immediately after they are discussed the first time or at the very end of the paper. Either way, with numbers, the reader can find them when you review them in the body of the text. Without this connection, the images do nothing constructive for your paper; they take up page space and bandwidth when uploaded.

9. Language Part 1: Vocabulary and Cliches. Watch your language when writing. No, I do not mean to swear (although that is a given), but keep the writing “scholarly.” I do not want to see words such as “amazing” or “brilliant” in any of the research papers! These are overused words generally used by people with limited vocabulary skills. Microsoft Word has a thesaurus feature – if you use the word “amazing,” look it up in the thesaurus for alternatives. Otherwise, I will ask you to change it. Also, do not use clichés, such as “I think he has some neat (or out of the box, or killer) ideas for chair designs.” “Neat,” “out of the box,” and “killer” are clichés in this sentence. Instead, you could say, “I think he has some daring (or revolutionary, or profound) ideas for chair designs”. Please do not say "I love this".

10. Language Part 2. Use your own words.

11. Do Not Use Contractions. Again, this is a standard scholarly writing technique.

12. Quotes. No more than 2-3, and they must include citations. The purpose of a quote in this paper is to support your thesis. Example: When using a direct quote, you are saying that not only you have this opinion, but Dr. Stan Wiseguy, who is an expert on Louis XIV furniture, also has this point of view – you are trying to drive home just how important this idea is. Most of your paper should be your writing – based on the material you found in your research and with the appropriate citations.

13. Grammar. If it has been a while since you have taken an English grammar class, go to the Writing Centre for assistance. They will help you understand when to write out a number or use the numerical value for terms such as 45, 19, or 5. They will help you with punctuation like when to use a semi-colon, a colon, or a comma. The Writing Centre can also help with avoiding dangling participles, mixed tenses (try to avoid the passive voice), run-on sentences, and incorrect capitalization. All of this is important to your work.

14. Designer’s Names. When talking about a designer, introduce them by their full name. Then, it is acceptable to refer to them by their surname, but never by their given (first) name (Example: Bob). After all, you aren’t friends; you’re not on a “first-name basis” with these people. Using their surname is more professional.

 

Assignment III: Finding Ancient Design Elements in Today's World

In the Assignment Example Folder:

• Ancient Design Elements pdf 5

• Ancient Design Elements pdf 6

 

Objective

The objective of this exercise is to discover how designers incorporate historical precedent into later structures, interiors, and decorative design. Explore the area around the Greenville/Spartanburg, on-campus, or wherever you might be and look at the existing architectural forms. Selections must be from this semester and not previous excursions.

​

Please remember…. this assignment relates to BUILDINGS – not benches, clock towers, or sculpture. It is required you find these on real buildings – inside or out – and they must be buildings you see and photograph. NOTE: While many of you will go out together to collect the images, please make sure your pictures are significantly different from each other! It is acceptable to use the same feature, but don’t stand beside your friend and take the picture as they are taking their shot. The two photos will appear very similar – and I will question if you have used the same image. Include yourself in some of the pictures!

​

Photograph 10 design features (select from the list below).

​

Prepare a PowerPoint converted to a PDF containing the following information. Please view this assignment as you would any other design assignment. Carefully compose each page with image(s) and text. Here is an example for you:

Example Ancient Design Elements in the Modern World.pptx

 

The Photograph with the location. 

1. Identify the Characteristic

2. Briefly discuss the history of this characteristic. 

3. Works Cited

​​

Only one element per slide. 

Suitable elements would include:

1. Conical Roof

2. Post and Lintel Construction

3. Cornice

4. Entablature

5. Mansard Roof

6. Pier

7. Columns (identify the type)

8. Doric

9. Ionic

10. Corinthian

11. Other - describe.

12. Pilaster

13. Entablature

14. Round Arch

15. Pointed Arch

16. Arcade

17. Barrel vault

18. Groin vault

19. Rotunda

20. Dome

21. Pendentive

22. Buttress

23. Flying buttress

24. Cantilever

25. Corbel vault

26. Pediment

27. Triangular Pediment

28. Split Pediment

29. Loggia

30. Dentil Molding

31. Keystone

32. Oriel Window

33. Bay Window

34. Modillion

35. Portico

36. You may find others!

 

Quizzes

In the Assignment Example Folder:

• Quiz01.pdf

 

Section C: Antiquity Quiz

Section D: Middle Ages Quiz

Section E: Renaissance Quiz

Section E and F: Baroque and American Colonial

Section G Quiz: Rococo

Section H Quiz: Early Neoclassical

Section B Quiz: East Asia

​