Course Description
This is a two-part course that is taught across the span of a year. Part I introduces students to the concept of searching for and isolating problems in their physical world, by presenting a product, process or service in the form of a research proposal. It helps refine the presented proposals by inculcating an understanding of relevant practice-based research approaches and methods and helps develop a research paradigm in the context of inter- and trans disciplinary curiosities. In Part II, students are tasked with the rigorous process of transforming their research ideas into a final, creative manifestation of their work, including, but not limited to design artifacts, scholarly research articles, a short/feature-length film, or dynamic/interactive visuals.
CPE 101
January 18, 2021 by
Everything Canvas, Panopto & Zoom
January 14, 2021 by
Course Description
Design Research is the foundation on which many facets of contemporary design practice (both professional and academic) currently stand. Some examples include UX & interaction design, service design, systemic design, and speculative design, among others. This course serves as an introduction to the vast and evolving field of design research, and covers the various types of design research, its relationship with the practice of design, its contextual importance, and the various methods and techniques used to conduct such research and synthesize the resulting findings. This is a practice-based studio course which offers students the opportunity to learn about the various methods of design research, and to understand how to discern between the numerous methodologies to analyze a given problem, situation or theme.
Design Research is the foundation on which many facets of contemporary design practice (both professional and academic) currently stand. Some examples include UX & interaction design, service design, systemic design, and speculative design, among others. This course serves as an introduction to the vast and evolving field of design research, and covers the various types of design research, its relationship with the practice of design, its contextual importance, and the various methods and techniques used to conduct such research and synthesize the resulting findings. This is a practice-based studio course which offers students the opportunity to learn about the various methods of design research, and to understand how to discern between the numerous methodologies to analyze a given problem, situation or theme.
Designing Sustainable Artifacts
January 14, 2021 by
Course Description
No matter which discipline we belong to, we are often designing products (both tangible and digital) and services around those products. These products often aid in creating values for the future, hence it is imperative to consider social, cultural and environmental sustainability when designing artefacts. This course covers the process of designing a tangible product, from the lens of sustainability, and combines the theoretical understanding of design and sustainability with the practical skills of product design. It looks at the global history of product design, as well as contextual history for specific products like pottery in Mohenjodaro, and other contemporary products and crafts designed across the sub-continent and Pakistan. Students get the opportunity to apply the process of designing a sustainable product from scratch, and spend time enhancing specific skills like sketching and ideating, prototyping, choosing the right materials etc.
No matter which discipline we belong to, we are often designing products (both tangible and digital) and services around those products. These products often aid in creating values for the future, hence it is imperative to consider social, cultural and environmental sustainability when designing artefacts. This course covers the process of designing a tangible product, from the lens of sustainability, and combines the theoretical understanding of design and sustainability with the practical skills of product design. It looks at the global history of product design, as well as contextual history for specific products like pottery in Mohenjodaro, and other contemporary products and crafts designed across the sub-continent and Pakistan. Students get the opportunity to apply the process of designing a sustainable product from scratch, and spend time enhancing specific skills like sketching and ideating, prototyping, choosing the right materials etc.
Conceptual Drawing
December 31, 2020 by
Course Description
This course approaches drawing as an expanded field of experimental and investigative practice. It explores questions about the purpose of drawing beyond a mere representation of the visible world, and about developing drawing practices that allow us to see the unseen, represent movement, time and sound and that explore problems, ask questions, and make interventions. It pushes the boundaries of traditional drawing, and explores it as a process, with poetics and polemics. Through experimental and gestural drawing exercises, students acquaint themselves with the nature of drawing media on a deeper level. The course covers the Conceptual Art movement and the changing role of drawing, with the emergence of new visualization technologies. Drawing practices from various art movements and traditions are explored to provide a more expansive idea of what drawing practice looks like.
This course approaches drawing as an expanded field of experimental and investigative practice. It explores questions about the purpose of drawing beyond a mere representation of the visible world, and about developing drawing practices that allow us to see the unseen, represent movement, time and sound and that explore problems, ask questions, and make interventions. It pushes the boundaries of traditional drawing, and explores it as a process, with poetics and polemics. Through experimental and gestural drawing exercises, students acquaint themselves with the nature of drawing media on a deeper level. The course covers the Conceptual Art movement and the changing role of drawing, with the emergence of new visualization technologies. Drawing practices from various art movements and traditions are explored to provide a more expansive idea of what drawing practice looks like.
Design Thinking for Sustainability
December 31, 2020 by
Course Description
This course provides an introduction to the principles of design thinking and allows an opportunity to deploy these principles to solve a sustainability challenge. Design thinking offers a systematic approach to unleash the innovative and creative forces of individuals in a collaborative space, and applies methodologies of design to solve challenges to the environment and society, while simultaneously providing a more engaged and practical learning opportunity. The course involves a human-centered design process through which students work on a community project throughout the semester. Students spend a significant amount of time observing, listening, analyzing, discussing, reflecting and engaging with their classmates as they design, develop and implement meaningful and innovative projects on sustainability.
This course provides an introduction to the principles of design thinking and allows an opportunity to deploy these principles to solve a sustainability challenge. Design thinking offers a systematic approach to unleash the innovative and creative forces of individuals in a collaborative space, and applies methodologies of design to solve challenges to the environment and society, while simultaneously providing a more engaged and practical learning opportunity. The course involves a human-centered design process through which students work on a community project throughout the semester. Students spend a significant amount of time observing, listening, analyzing, discussing, reflecting and engaging with their classmates as they design, develop and implement meaningful and innovative projects on sustainability.
Parks & Recreation
December 31, 2020 by
Course Description
What comprises a public space? Why are they particularly important in the urban context? What are Karachi’s public spaces? How are they being encroached upon, and by whom? How, and, should they be (re)claimed? This course looks at the history and theory of public spaces, while investigating issues of provision, access, quality and sustainability of public spaces in present-day Karachi. Each week of readings and discussion are alternated with a week of field visits to public spaces throughout the semester, with the aim to understanding their dynamics and on-ground realities.
What comprises a public space? Why are they particularly important in the urban context? What are Karachi’s public spaces? How are they being encroached upon, and by whom? How, and, should they be (re)claimed? This course looks at the history and theory of public spaces, while investigating issues of provision, access, quality and sustainability of public spaces in present-day Karachi. Each week of readings and discussion are alternated with a week of field visits to public spaces throughout the semester, with the aim to understanding their dynamics and on-ground realities.
Introduction to Sustainability
December 31, 2020 by
Course Description
This course is designed to introduce essential concepts of sustainability, which is of vital importance, as it seeks to uncover the principles of the long-term survival and welfare of all the inhabitants of our planet. The course is useful both as an introductory class on sustainability and as a useful supplement to specialist courses that review the sustainability dimensions of their areas of study. Students are exposed to concepts of sustainability, sustainable development, and the biogeochemical cycle, as well as the role of the major controls on the Earth’s climate, using concepts like global energy balance, albedo, greenhouse effect and feedback loops. The course identifies human influences on the environment and threats to biodiversity, and explores the causes and effects of anthropogenic climate change.
This course is designed to introduce essential concepts of sustainability, which is of vital importance, as it seeks to uncover the principles of the long-term survival and welfare of all the inhabitants of our planet. The course is useful both as an introductory class on sustainability and as a useful supplement to specialist courses that review the sustainability dimensions of their areas of study. Students are exposed to concepts of sustainability, sustainable development, and the biogeochemical cycle, as well as the role of the major controls on the Earth’s climate, using concepts like global energy balance, albedo, greenhouse effect and feedback loops. The course identifies human influences on the environment and threats to biodiversity, and explores the causes and effects of anthropogenic climate change.
Illustration: Visualizing the Everyday City
December 31, 2020 by
Course Description
Illustrations show, communicate, tell, exemplify, reveal, demonstrate, anticipate, conceal, persuade, and, on occasion, even lie. This studio course consists of a series of discussions, guided exercises and thematically linked group critiques that allow students to touch upon the illustrative skills required for the Everyday City – form, scale, perspective, texture, emotion and intention in a spatial context. Both the early illustrations in cave paintings and the photojournalism and animations of today offer far more than an objective representation of a stable reality. This course inculcates visual, observational, and communicative skill sets and teaches students to translate conceptual thinking using illustrations as a tool to put forward visual and communication solutions. It also cultivates their vision, authorial voice, creative problem-solving abilities, and curiosity while translating ideas into forms.
Illustrations show, communicate, tell, exemplify, reveal, demonstrate, anticipate, conceal, persuade, and, on occasion, even lie. This studio course consists of a series of discussions, guided exercises and thematically linked group critiques that allow students to touch upon the illustrative skills required for the Everyday City – form, scale, perspective, texture, emotion and intention in a spatial context. Both the early illustrations in cave paintings and the photojournalism and animations of today offer far more than an objective representation of a stable reality. This course inculcates visual, observational, and communicative skill sets and teaches students to translate conceptual thinking using illustrations as a tool to put forward visual and communication solutions. It also cultivates their vision, authorial voice, creative problem-solving abilities, and curiosity while translating ideas into forms.
Food! Food Security, Urban Farming & Appropriate Technology
December 31, 2020 by
Course Description
This course aims to make the connection between the politics of environmental conservation; food security; the market and the social determinants of health through a hands on practice based pedagogical approach. This course is taught in a workshop format and includes field visits; designing appropriate technology solutions; composting; making organic pesticides; and sustaining demo plots for urban farming. It aims to inculcate an understanding of the impact of climate change, particularly in rural areas, and explores innovative policies, practices and organizations that promote sustainable livelihoods and environments.
This course aims to make the connection between the politics of environmental conservation; food security; the market and the social determinants of health through a hands on practice based pedagogical approach. This course is taught in a workshop format and includes field visits; designing appropriate technology solutions; composting; making organic pesticides; and sustaining demo plots for urban farming. It aims to inculcate an understanding of the impact of climate change, particularly in rural areas, and explores innovative policies, practices and organizations that promote sustainable livelihoods and environments.
Housing in Karachi
December 31, 2020 by
Course Description
Urbanization presents several obstacles in the overall distribution of people, resources and consumption of land. This is particularly relevant in Karachi, where, as a horizontally sprawling city, it is more challenging to handle the rapidly increasing population as well as the negative externalities associated with it. It is fundamental to critically discuss and sensitively identify effective housing strategies and solutions beneficial to Karachi’s context. This course looks at different housing schemes within Karachi and zooms into squatter settlements, slums, etc. Students look at housing projects all over the world, and explore various methods of making self-sufficient and sustainable neighborhoods, and the students get to implement their learnings by identifying a low income neighbourhood and providing a development proposal.
Urbanization presents several obstacles in the overall distribution of people, resources and consumption of land. This is particularly relevant in Karachi, where, as a horizontally sprawling city, it is more challenging to handle the rapidly increasing population as well as the negative externalities associated with it. It is fundamental to critically discuss and sensitively identify effective housing strategies and solutions beneficial to Karachi’s context. This course looks at different housing schemes within Karachi and zooms into squatter settlements, slums, etc. Students look at housing projects all over the world, and explore various methods of making self-sufficient and sustainable neighborhoods, and the students get to implement their learnings by identifying a low income neighbourhood and providing a development proposal.
