Proseminar in MEDIUMS: On Making Culture, Technology, and Art

In this proseminar, we will take a critical look at the current and emerging landscape of design technologies and technologically driven design. We will examine new and emerging tools, technologies, and methods that help us augment ourselves and our environments, and learn to think critically about their significance in current cultural contexts. Situated in contemporary spatial, environmental, and social problems – students will have opportunities to explore and debate and take a position on the spectrum of technology as a tool and a mediator and technology as an intimate human and social interlocutor.

The readings and topics of discussion will cover topics in Simulation and Representation, Interaction and Cognition, Digital Craft and Creativity, Intelligence and Biases.  In addition to the readings and the theoretical framework of the class, the students will have opportunities to create and experiment with new technologies and situate them in the topics of the class discussions. As such, the proseminar will introduce students to a solid theoretical framework and the necessary approaches to frame and create projects, and serve as a foundation for the different trajectories within the Domain of Mediums.

Prerequisites: Enrollment in the MDes MEDIUMS program.

The first class meeting will be on Wednesday, September 1st. The rest of the semester, classes will meet during the official scheduled time.