Tangible to Intangible

This paper is focused on curriculum development through a series of design investigations in a second year interior design studio. The studio investigations consist of three related projects: a women’s shelter, a personal shelter, and transformable furniture. The theoretical and practical design issues addressed in these projects were informed by a case study of a unique built project in Toronto – Strachan House: Special Needs Housing – that the author participated in as part of the design team for Levitt Goodman Architects. The structure and implementation of these projects in a design studio setting demonstrate the fusion of specific curriculum goals and expectations with student needs and learning objectives as well as current design issues with diverse research topics. Specifically, these design investigations emphasize an individual programmatic response by each student to the generic design criteria presented within each project to encourage a less prescriptive and a more collaborative studio atmosphere.