Teaching Programs at RMIT

RMIT is committed to integrating sustainability in all teaching and learning programs. This is being coordinated through the Centre for Global Sustainability. For more information go to www.global.rmit.edu.au

The Centre for Design is not directly involved in teaching EcoDesign courses, but supports teaching programs by giving guest lectures, sessional teaching, providing industry links and projects for teaching, and managing the EcoDesign Award for Industrial Design students. Sustainability is also being integrated into teaching programs accross the Faculty of the Constructed Environment.

Furniture

Furniture @ RMIT is an exciting new project to explore environmental design principles in furniture design and manufacture. It involves collaboration between students in Furniture Design, Furniture Technology and Textile Design. The project is sponsored by Wharington International. Outcomes will include an exhibition at Furnitex (July 2003) and a CD.

Industrial Design

Sustainable design principles are taught to students at undergraduate level in Industrial Design. The EcoDesign Award sponsored by EcoRecycle Victoria recognises undergraduate student projects that most successful in addressing materials efficiency principles in the design process.

Post-graduate students can also explore sustainabiltiy issues through their design project.

Fashion

Students of fashion design are able to explore sustainabiltiy issues through a module on Sustainable Design. The theory and practice of sustainable design explores three main areas: economics, environment and ethics. In a market economy sustainability refers to economic development designed to meet present needs while also taking into account future costs, including costs to the environment and depletion of natural resources.

To the fashion conscious, sustainability and fashionability would seem to be a contradiction in terms. The module illustrates that when explored together they create dynamic and exciting solutions. Fashion designers are challenged to find innovative, tempting and modern ways of prolonging the life of a fashion product, reducing waste and considering the lifecycle of a fashion product. Sustainable design is a design rationale that demands transparency of approach and ethical, responsible design decision-making. Underpinned by modernist principles and adopting post-modern thinking this course focuses on the prospect of sustainable design as the future of the fashion industry.

The image above showsa piece by student Jane Mossman (photographer Sue Thomas).