B.

Arch BATCH 21: [2021-26] S 1&2 Semester

Course Plan
I. Background Information

Course Code: Course Title Document Code:

19AR12006

Theory of Design

Course Facilitator: Ar. Sawan Kumar Sharma

Level of Knowledge: FUNDAMENTAL sawan.arch@dcschool.net Mob: 9811992123

Type of Course & Number of Credits:

Semester: S 1&2 subject group II; credits-2

II. Preface:

● The course shall introduce the students to the basic theories of design as a cross
disciplinary phenomenon.

● The course shall engage the students with various important design philosophies, their
evolution and their major design directions.

● The course aims to supplement the broader understanding of design at the foundation
level.

Course
outcome
 CO 1 develop the vocabulary skills to effectively L1. learning
communicate design and its process.
 
CO 2 be able to critically review design and analyse them. L2.
Understanding

CO 3 be able to develop an understanding of the various L4.Analysing

design philosophies.

CO 4 be able to develop an understanding of the evolution L2.

of various design philosophies. Understanding

CO 5 be able to develop an understanding of the processes L2.

involved in design. Understanding

IV. Teaching Learning Methods

⮚ Lecture, presentation, documentaries.

⮚ Lecture notes, Group Discussion, Assignments

V. Criteria for Assessment

Sl. No. Component of Continual Evaluation Marks

1. Class Test 10(5 +5)

2. Assignments 30 (10+10+10)

3. Class Attendance -ECA 5+5

Total 50
Module 1: Elements of Design

Overview of Origin and evolution of Human settlements through introductory lecture

Module Contents: • Dot: Illusion of roundness; • Line: Types, Direction, Gesture, Contour,
Quality &Value. • Planes: Depth, Thickness, Boundary, Levels. • Shape/Volume/Mass: Positive
& Negative, Naturalism, Idealism, Abstraction, Distortion & Illusion. • Operations: Detached,
Within, Overlapping, Intersecting. • Texture: Tactile, Visual, Actual & Implied, Pattern,
Homogeneity. • Colour: Colour theory, Psychology, Characteristics, Schemes., Properties of
Colour, Symbolism and Psychology. • Value: Light & Dark, Variations: Movement, Pause,
Control, Focus. • Motion: Anticipated, Suggestive, Actual and Illusion. • Perception of spaces:
Elements of spatial definition, Depth, Density, Opening, Juxtaposition and interpenetration,
Spatial Characteristics of elemental shapes, Perspectives and projections

Module 2: Principles of Design

Unity: Gestalt Laws, Harmony, Variety, Factors of Coherence, Order in disorder, Gradation. •
Emphasis and Focal point: Axis, Datum, Hierarchy, Contrast, Complexity, Contradiction,
Presence and Absence, Regularity and irregularity. • Scale and proportion: The notion of scale,
Ergonomics • Anthropology and proxemics: Proxemics and Space bubbles, Commensurate and
Incommensurate proportions, Vitruvian man, The modular, Golden ratio and the Fibonacci
series. • Rhythm and Balance: Symmetry, Asymmetry, Interaction of design elements, Radial
and crystallographic balance. • Rhythm: Movement and Sensation, Shapes and Repetition,
Pattern and Sequence, Progressive Rhythm and Gradation.

Module 3: Evolution of Design Discipline

Built Environment, human condition and Social Relevance of Design Solutions: Abraham
Maslow and built environment - needs vs wants and deficiency vs growth; Irvin Altman and
behavioural concepts: Privacy, Territoriality, Crowding and Personal Space, understanding of
different contexts to ascertain perception of meanings. • Evolution of design discipline:
Definition of design- physical, conceptual, Design since 1700s • Design Process: Different maps
of design process: Analysis, Synthesis and Evaluation. • Design Thinking: Different Types and
styles of thinking, Design strategies, Tactics and Guiding principles, Design as communication.

Module 4: Nature as Primary Reference

Evolution of natural forms and Natural growth patterns: Golden spiral, Fractals. • Emergent
Designs: Self -similarity, Self-organisation, Indeterminacy • Nature-inspired design:
Biomimicry, Janine Benyus and ideas from Biology, Contributions of Michael Pawlyn. • Bio-
inspired Design: Material ecology, Explorations of Neri oxman. • Works of Ross Love grove,
Concept of Maximum with minimum: Works of Buckminster Fuller and Frei Otto.

VII (b) Reference Books (Ref)

No. Title & Edition Author/s Publisher

 Ref. 1 Form, space & order Ching, F.

Ref. 2 Cross, N. Cross, N.

Ref. 3 Elements of design Hannah, G.

Ref. 4 Design Basics Lauer, D

Ref. 5 Structures in nature as a strategy for design Pearce, J.

Ref. 6 A Theory of Human Motivation. Maslow, A

Note: The students may refer any books on elements of design and evolution for preparing
assignments.
XI. SESSION PLAN (one session is one hour)

ITEM TOPICS PLAN DATE IMPLEMENTED

DATE

Session Elements of Design

No:1
Dot: Illusion of roundness; • Line: Types, Direction, Gesture,
Contour, Quality &Value. • Planes: Depth, Thickness,
Boundary,Levels. • Shape/Volume/Mass: Positive & Negative,
Naturalism, Idealism, Abstraction, Distortion & Illusion.

Activities
before the
Session

Activities discussion/ analysis of elements / model making etc

during the
Session

Activities Assignment 1
after the
Session

ITEM TOPICS PLAN DATE IMPLEMENTED

DATE

Session Operations: Detached, Within, Overlapping, Intersecting. 17 March

No:2 Texture: Tactile, Visual, Actual & Implied, Pattern,
Homogeneity.

Activities
before the
Session

Activities discussion/ debate

during the
Session

Activities Assignment 2
after the
Session

ITEM TOPICS PLAN DATE IMPLEMENTED

DATE

Session Colour: Colour theory, Psychology, Characteristics, Schemes., 24 March

No:3 Properties of Colour, Symbolism andPsychology. • Value:
Light & Dark, Variations: Movement, Pause, Control,Focus.

Activities
before the
Session

Activities discussion/ debate

during the
Session

Activities Assignment 3
after the
Session

ITEM TOPICS PLAN DATE IMPLEMENTED

DATE

Session Motion: Anticipated, Suggestive, Actual andIllusion. • 31 March

No:4 Perception of spaces: Elements of spatial definition, Depth,
Density, Opening, Juxtaposition and interpenetration, Spatial
Characteristics of elemental shapes, Perspectives and
projections.

Activities
before the
Session

Activities discussion/ debate

during the
Session

Activities Assignment 4
after the
Session

ITEM TOPICS PLAN DATE IMPLEMENTED

DATE

Session Principles of Design April 7

No:5
Unity: Gestalt Laws, Harmony, Variety, Factors of Coherence,
Order in disorder,Gradation. • Emphasis and Focal point: Axis,
Datum, Hierarchy, Contrast, Complexity, Contradiction,
Presence and Absence, Regularity and irregularity.

Activities
before the
Session

Activities discussion/ debate

during the
Session

Activities Assignment 5
after the
Session

ITEM TOPICS PLAN DATE IMPLEMENTED

DATE

Session Scale and proportion: The notion of scale,Ergonomics • April 14

No:6 Anthropology and proxemics: Proxemics and Space bubbles,
Commensurate and Incommensurate proportions, Vitruvian
man, The modulor, Golden ratio and the Fibonacci series.

Activities
before the
Session

Activities discussion/ debate

during the
Session

Activities Assignment 6
after the
Session

ITEM TOPICS PLAN DATE IMPLEMENTED

DATE

Session Rhythm and Balance: Symmetry, Asymmetry, Interaction of April 21

No:7 design elements, Radial and crystallographic balance. •
Rhythm: Movement and Sensation, Shapes and Repetition,
Pattern and Sequence, Progressive Rhythm andGradation.

Activities
before the
Session

Activities discussion/ debate

during the
Session

Activities Assignment 7
after the
Session

ITEM TOPICS PLAN DATE IMPLEMENTED

DATE

Session Evolution of Design Discipline April 28

No:8
Built Environment, human condition and Social Relevance of
Design Solutions: Abraham Maslow and built environment -
needs vs wants and deficiency vs growth; Irvin Altman and
behavioural concepts: Privacy, Territoriality, Crowding and
 Personal Space, understanding of different contexts to
ascertain perception of meanings.

Activities
before the
Session

Activities discussion/ debate

during the
Session

Activities Assignment 8
after the
Session

ITEM TOPICS PLAN DATE IMPLEMENTED

DATE

Session Evolution of design discipline: Definition of design- physical, May 5

No:9 conceptual, Design since 1700s

Activities
before the
Session

Activities discussion/ debate

during the
Session

Activities Assignment 9
after the
Session

ITEM TOPICS PLAN DATE IMPLEMENTED

DATE

Session Design Process: Different maps of design process: Analysis, May 12

No:10 Synthesis andEvaluation. • Design Thinking: Different Types
and styles of thinking, Design strategies, Tactics and Guiding
principles, Design as communication.

Activities
before the
Session

Activities discussion/ debate

during the
Session

Activities Assignment 10
after the
 Session

ITEM TOPICS PLAN DATE IMPLEMENTED

DATE

Session No: Nature as Primary Reference May 19

11
Evolution of natural forms and Natural growth patterns:
Golden spiral,Fractals. • Emergent Designs: Self -similarity,
Self-organisation,Indeterminacy

Activities
before the
Session

Activities discussion/ debate

during the
Session

Activities Assignment 11
after the
Session

ITEM TOPICS PLAN DATE IMPLEMENTED

DATE

Session Nature-inspired design: Biomimicry, Janine Benyus and ideas May 26

No:12 from Biology, Contributions of MichaelPawlyn. • Bio-inspired
Design: Material ecology, Explorations of Nerioxman.

Works of Ross Love grove, Concept of Maximum with

minimum: Works of Buckminster fuller and Frei Otto

Activities
before the
Session

Activities discussion/ debate

during the
Session

Activities Assignment 4
after the
Session

IX. Instructions to Participants

 1. All forms of assignments are compulsory. Individual / Group assignments and topics for
presentation will be informed by Faculty members in advance either through Moodle /
group mail or directly in class.

2. In order to maintain uniformity, follow the diagrams given in the class for various
theoretical concepts.

3. Students are directed to compulsorily maintain a separate notebook for TOD. They are
expected to prepare brief notes on all topics with diagrams.

Students will be asked to provide course and teaching evaluations based on policies laid down by
the Institution. In addition, the faculty can take feedback from any student and the class
representation.