Arc 211: Diversity and Design

Beth Tauke, Associate Professor
Department of Architecture, University at Buffalo,
State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA

Course Syllabus

There never were in the world two opinions alike, no more than two hairs or two grains; the most universal quality is diversity. -Michel de Montaigne

What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions; life is plurality, death is uniformity.
-Octavio Paz

Where there is no difference, there is only indifference.
-Louis Nizer

There can be no difference which doesn't make a difference - no difference in abstract truth which does not express itself in a difference of concrete fact, and of conduct consequent upon the fact, imposed on some body, somehow, somewhere, and some-when.
-William James

Design, as vision in action - the intersection of understanding and creation - is a universal human capability that can play a fundamental role in social evolution, in the process that transforms resources, energy, and information to make our world.
-Michael J. Shannon

Overview

The Diversity and Design course focuses on the relationship of design to the changing nature of our society, examining the rich diversity of cultural experiences and its attendant environmental issues. Specifically, the course concentrates on the ways in which our physical and media environments affect various populations in the US and, in turn, the ways these populations have affected our environments. It introduces students to eight issues of diversity: race, ethnicity, gender, class, age, physical ability/disability, mental ability/disability, and religion. Writings, films, products, graphics, electronic media, buildings and environments by and about diverse individuals and groups will be examined. In addition, through lectures, exercises, and projects, our diverse physical and media environments will be analyzed in terms of equitable use, flexibility in use, simple and intuitive use, perceptible information, tolerance for error, low physical effort, and size and space for approach and use.

Objectives

to raise awareness of the impact of design decisions on diverse populations

to raise awareness of the specific desires and needs of various populations

to build a vocabulary that demonstrates an understanding of diversity in relation to various design methods

to critically examine the operations and processes of current design education and practice

to analyze specific aspects of physical and visual environments keeping in mind the needs of diverse groups

to develop design processes and proposals for inclusive physical and visual environments

Course Number:ARC 211
Course Title: Diversity and Design
Course Type: Lecture
Term: Spring 2002
Eligibility: Open to all undergraduate students. No prerequisites.
Credit Hours: 3
Class Hours: Tuesday/Thursday 9:00 - 10:20 a.m.
Location: TBA
Web Address: TBA
Faculty: Beth Tauke
Conference Hours:If you have a question and/or comment that can be addressed via e-mail, please contact Professor Tauke at tauke@ap.buffalo.edu. All appointments must be scheduled at least 24 hours in advance by registering on the sign-up sheets via the course web site.

Required Reading Excerpts from:

The Design of Everyday Things - D. A. Norman

Design for the Real World - V. Papanek

American Voices: Webs of Diversity - E. Quintero and M. K. Rummel

The Hidden Prejudice: Mental Disability on Trial - M.L. Perlin

Aging and Diversity: An Active Learning Experience - S. B. Fried, C. M. Mehrota

Sexuality and Space - B. Colomina

Discrimination by Design: A Feminist Critique of the Man Made Environment - L. Weisman

Universal Design File: Designing for People of All Ages and Abilities - M.F. Story, J. Muller, R. Mace

Universal Design Handbook - W. Preiser and E. Ostroff (editors)

The course reader containing excerpts from these texts and additional journal articles is available at (TBA).

Evaluation

Grades are viewed as a means to communicate evaluation of your work and progress. Specific evaluation criteria will be provided with each assignment. After assignments are graded, you will receive an evaluation form that lists your performance in relation to the criteria. In addition, in consultation with faculty and other students, you will determine some (but not all) evaluation criteria for the final project/presentation assignment.

Assignments will be categorized as exercises, projects, or journal entries. Exercises will focus on increasing skills and knowledge in specific areas. Projects will apply these skills and knowledge to proposals that extend current thinking about the design of our products, visual and electronic media and environments in relation to diverse populations. Journal entries will be commentary, reflection, questions, and criticism in response to readings, films, lectures, a nd other classroom activities such as field trips, guest speakers and panel discussions. The final grade will be a compilation of exercise, project, journal, and attendance grades. These four activities will be assigned the following percentages of the total grade:

1. Exercises (5) 50%
2. Project/Presentation (1) 25%
3. Journal 10%
4. Attendance 15%

Grades should be interpreted as follows:

A = 4 Exceptional work. Exceeds criteria. Clear understanding of concepts and materials. Exhibits insights indicating that the experiences from one project/exercise to the next are cumulative and transferable. Constructively challenges and criticizes issues brought forth during the semester. Demonstrates enthusiasm and intensity for learning. Develops capability to be constructively self-critical. Assumes responsibility for intellectual development of self and encourages intellectual development of colleagues. This grade indicates clear capability to perform well at the next level.

B = 3 Above average work. Meets all criteria. Good understanding of concepts and materials. Reasonable carry-over from previous exercises. Constructively challenges issues brought forth during the semester. This grade indicates a reasonable prediction of competent performance at the next level.

C = 2 Average work. Meets minimum requirements. Indicates some difficulty in understanding concepts and materials or in transferring experience from one project to the next. Exhibits need for improvement in critical thinking skills. This grade indicates mediocre to poor performance at the next level.

D = 1 Below average work. Does not meet minimum requirements. Indicates serious difficulties in understanding concepts and materials, and/or in the transfer of information. Probable indication of poor attendance and lack of motivation.

F = 0 Late, incomplete, or work not submitted.

Deadlines

Deadlines for exercises/projects will be listed on the exercise/project written statements in addition to being announced in class. All exercises/projects will be due at 9:00 a.m. on the due date unless otherwise indicated.

Attendance

Mandatory. Attendance will be recorded. Students are responsible for information provided during class.

Work Expectations

An average of six hours of work time per week is expected for this course in addition to class time.

E-Mail Accounts

All students in this course will be required to establish a university e-mail account and will be required to access online course material.

Specific Needs

Students with specific needs that require attention should inform the instructor at the beginning of the semester. If you have a disability (physical, learning, or psychological) which may make it difficult for you to carry out the course work as outlined, and/or requires accommodations such as recruiting note takers, readers, or extended time on exams and assignments, please contact the Office of Disability Services, 25 Capen Hall, 645-2608. The office will provide you with information and review appropriate arrangements for reasonable accommodations.

Academic Integrity

Students are reminded of University Policy regarding Academic Integrity, as stated in the University at Buffalo Undergraduate Catalog 2000-2001:

"The University has a responsibility to promote academic honesty and integrity and to develop procedures to deal effectively with instances of academic dishonesty. Students are responsible for the honest completion and representation of their work, for the appropriate citation of sources, and for respect for others and academic endeavors. By placing their name on academic work, students certify originality of all work not otherwise identified by appropriate acknowledgments."

This policy includes, but is not limited to, the following:

Students should not cheat on exams.
Students should not submit previously completed work as original work.
Students should not submit work done for one class to fulfill the requirements of another course without the permission of the instructor.

Schedule

Week 1: Course Overview

Film: Edward Scissorshands
Readings: "The 'Other' in Edward Scissorhands," B. Tauke, Reel to Real: Race, Sex, and Class at the Movies," B. Hook
Journal Assignment

Week 2: Print Media

Electronic Media
Video Clips: The Oblongs, South Park, West Wing, Seinfeld
Readings: "Divided by a Common Language: Diversity and Deception in the World of Global Marketing," M. Goodyear; "The Web and the Death of Cultural Imperialism," R. Withey; "Diversity of Network Prime-Time Program Formats," C.A. Lin
Exercise 1 - Media Analysis

Week 3: Products

Guest Speaker: Industrial Designer - Professor Abir Mullick
Readings: "The Friendly Object," P. Pragnell; The Design of Everyday Things, D.A. Norman
Exercise 2 - Product Comparisons

Week 4: Buildings

Readings: "Choice in Housing: Promoting Diversity;" S. Ahrentzen; "Architecture Doesn't Look Much Like America," S. Olson; Design for the Real World, V. Papanek
Exercise 3 - Photographing the Built Environment

Week 5: Public Environments

Guest Speaker: Landscape Designer and Urban Planner - Professor Lynda Schneekloth
Readings: "The Frontier is Our Home," L. Schneekloth, "Searching for Diversity in the Urban Wilderness," B. Dougherty
Journal Assignment
Introduction of Project/Presentation
Course Evaluation 1

Week 6: Race

Guest Speaker: Director of Center for Urban Studies - Professor Henry Taylor
Reading: "Noticing a Difference," N.Q. Belcher; "Passing for White, Passing for Black," A. Piper; "Valuing Cultural Diversity: A Native American Perspective," J. Marchall
Journal Assignment

Week 7: Ethnicity

Readings: "(Un)designing Mythologies," M. Jarzombeck; American Voices: Webs of Diversity, E. Quintero, M.K. Rummel
Exercise 4 - Finding Ethnic Space

Week 8: Gender

Guest Speaker: Designer - Professor Beth Tauke
Readings: "Three Feminist Analyses of the Built Environment," B. Hanna ; "Gendered Space," A. Foreman; Sexuality and Space, B. Colomina, Discrimination by Design: A Feminist Critique of the Man Made Environment, L. Weisman
Journal Assignment

Week 9: Class/Economic Status

Readings: "The American Perception of Class and Status" Reeve Vanneman, Fred C. Pampel; "Race, Class, and Income Inequality" Erik Olin Wright
Journal As signment

Week 10: Age

Documentary Film: Unmade Beds
Readings: Aging and Diversity: An Active Learning Experience, S.B. Fried, C.M. Mehrota; American Voices: Webs of Diversity, E. Quintero, M.K. Rummel
Journal Assignment

Week 11: Physical Ability/Disability

Guest Speaker: Assistant Director of the IDEA Center - Mr. Steve Truesdale
Readings: Universal Design File: Designing for People of All Ages and Abilities, M. Story, J. Mueller, R. Mace, Universal Design Handbook, W. Preiser, E. Ostroff
Exercise 5 - In Place of the Other
Course Evaluation 2

Week 12: Mental Ability/Disability

Documentary Film: Testimony
Reading: The Hidden Prejudice: Mental Disability on Trial, M.L. Perlin
Journal Assignment

Week 13: Religion

Readings: "Houses of God: Region, Religion and Architecture in the United States" P. Williams; "America's Religious Architecture: Sacred Places for Every Community." M.J. Chiat; American Voices: Webs of Diversity, E. Quintero, M.K. Rummel

Week 14: Project Research and Consultation Sessions - Working Group and Faculty

Week 15: Project Presentations

Week 16: Project Presentations

Diversity and Design Panel Discussion and Course Wrap-up
Course Evaluation 3

Questionnaire
Name
ID #
Local Address
Local Phone #
Home Address
Home Phone #
Level: freshman sophomore junior senior (circle one)

Please respond to the following questions in the space provided below and on the back of this page.

1. Briefly describe yourself (background, interests, etc.)
2. What is your intended major?
3. Do you have special needs of which we should be aware?
4. What do you expect from this course?
5. What experiences have you had that prepare you for the study of the ways in which images, environments and products are designed?
6. Name one product, graphic, or environment that hindered your ability to do something.
7. What has been an important experience in your life?

WRITE RESPONSES BELOW.

For more information, contact Beth Tauke at tauke@ap.buffalo.edu.

Read the Forum on this subject

Citation: Tauke, Beth (2002). ARC 211: Diversity and Design ©. Retrieved (Enter Date), from Universal Design Education Online web site: http://www.udeducation.org/teach/course_outlines/courses_infused/tauke.asp