Environmental Design at OCAD is a broad based studio program where interiors, architecture, landscape, and urban design approaches synthesize to develop creative and responsive spatial design where human interaction and the utilization of man-made environments is focal. With an emphasis on expressiveness, and habitability, students develop the design of environments that shape and qualify our experience and interaction with space, and as such it integrates interior and architectural design, film and theatre, exhibition and landscape to create emotive and poetic aspects of space, structure, form and texture.
The program integrates courses in design theory, colour, interior and architectural materials, technology and construction, drawing and graphic presentation techniques, and professional practice. Expansion studios provide the opportunity to deepen skills in specific design disciplines, and to select courses in a number of related disciplines. Core design studios develop a design methodology of research, analysis, design and presentation, with a strong emphasis on conceptual development. The senior studio culminates in a focused body of thesis work within an area of the student’s choice.
Our students explore a range of projects from the uses and applications of recycled materials, the re-visioning of architectural environments to the critical analysis and design of urban space and relationships. Their vision incorporates present and future evolving ideas, sustainable responsibilities, ethics, technologies and changing cultural values as an expression of their own personality, creativity, craft and culture.
Graduates of the Environmental Design program are recognized by the Association of Registered Interior Designers of Ontario and find career placement in interior design studios, environmental, architecture, or landscape firms and product design companies. Many continue to graduate studies in architecture, environmental sciences, urban planning, sustainability studies or specific Interdisciplinary studies at other institutions.
We encourage our students to utilize their design education to create new opportunities and to become the creative designers of our future.
Please refer to the Design Programs: Introduction.
Please refer to the Faculty of Design's Degree/Diploma Requirements for information regarding degree and diploma requirements for Design program students.
All Faculty of Design programs are developed as semester groupings of related courses. In order to be best prepared to meet course expectations, students are normally required to complete all core courses in one semester before carrying on to courses in the next semester.
Students must achieve a minimum grade of 60% in their core studio course each semester (tagged with “†”) to advance to the following semester’s core studio.
A minimum overall average of 65% must be achieved at the end of fourth-year in all designated courses (tagged with “∆”) of the student’s major/program.
Note: All courses tagged with “*” are included in the laptop program.
| COURSE CODE | COURSE NAME | CREDIT |
| 200 LEVEL: FALL SEMESTER | ||
| VISC 2B01 | History of Modern Design (LST) | 0.5 |
| GDES 2B03 | Think Tank 1: Awareness (SEM) | 0.5 |
| ENVR 2B12 | Research Studio/Social Space * | 0.5 |
| ENVR 2A03 | Concept Drawing | 0.25 |
| ENVR 2K01 |
Exploration Studio/Personal Space *†∆ (includes laptop workshop) |
0.75 |
| Choose one: | ||
| Exploration Studio/Personal Space Lab/Metal | ||
| or | Exploration Studio/Personal Space Lab/Wood | |
| 200 LEVEL: WINTER SEMESTER | ||
| VISC 2B38 | Design Methodologies: Theories and Concepts (LST) | 0.5 |
| See Liberal Studies offerings | Choose one Liberal Studies course | 0.5 |
| ENVR 2B15 | Research Studio/Colour & Form * | 0.5 |
| ENVR 2A04 | Building Technology & Structure 1 (SEM) * | 0.25 |
| ENVR 2K02 |
Exploration Studio/Social Space *†∆ (includes laptop workshop) |
0.75 |
| Choose one not taken in fall: | ||
| Exploration Studio/Social Space Lab/Metal | ||
| or | Exploration Studio/Social Space Lab/Wood | |
| 300 LEVEL: FALL SEMESTER | ||
| See Liberal Studies offerings | Choose one Liberal Studies Course | 0.5 |
| ENVR 3B17 | Myths, Beliefs and Imagery * | 0.5 |
| ENVR 3K02 | Core Project Studio/Residential *†∆ (includes digital workshop) |
0.75 |
| ENVR 3A01 | Presentation Drawing and Rendering * | 0.25 |
| Choose one expansion studio: | ||
| (Students interested in pursuing a career specifically in Interior Design should choose the dedicated Interior Design expansion studios.) | ||
| GDES 3B38 | Ambient Experience Design | |
| GDES 3B10 | Art of Presentation | |
| GDES 3B18 | Biomimetics 1: Points of Departure | |
| MAAD 3B23 | Ceramics Materials | |
| GDES 3B13 | Compelling User Experience 1 | |
| GDES 3B36 | Domestic Ceramics: Exploring the Useful Object | |
| GDES 3B40 | Exploration, Insight and Foresight in Design (SEM) | |
| GDES 3B46 | Explorations in Architectural Glass | |
| GDES 3B15 |
Furniture Design 1 (taken with Furniture Design 1 Lab/Wood) |
|
| GDES 3B47 | Habitat Housing Studio | |
| GDES 3B14 | Interior Design Studio: Office* | |
| GDES 3B24 | Interior Design Studio* | |
| MAAD 2B15 | Intro to Ceramics | |
| GDES 3B57 | Living Environment Design Studio 1 | |
| GDES 3B41 | Play Behaviour and Game Design 1 | |
| GDES 3B12 | Socially Responsible Design Practices | |
| INTR 3B01 | Virtual Communities | |
| or | relevant course in Faculty of Art or Design (subject to approval - contact Design Office) |
0.5 |
| 300 LEVEL: WINTER SEMESTER | ||
| VISC 3B27/ SOSC 3B27 |
Human Factors for Designers (LST) | 0.5 |
| ENVR 3B07 | Thesis I: Preparation & Research (SEM) * | 0.5 |
| ENVR 3K01 | Core Project Studio/Retail & Hospitality Design *†∆ (includes digital workshop) |
0.75 |
| ENVR 3A03 | Building Technology & Structure 2 (SEM)* | 0.25 |
| Choose one expansion studio: | ||
| (Students interested in pursuing a career specifically in Interior Design should choose the dedicated Interior Design expansion studios.) | ||
| GDES 3B38 | Ambient Experience Design | |
| GDES 3B10 | Art of Presentation | |
| GDES 3B18 | Biomimetics 1: Points of Departure | |
| GDES 3B28 | Biomimetics 2: Application | |
| GDES 3B36 | Domestic Ceramics: Exploring the Useful Object | |
| GDES 3B15 | Furniture Design 1 (taken with Furniture Design 1 Lab/Wood) |
|
| GDES 3B25 | Furniture Design 2 (taken with Furniture Design 2 Lab/Wood) |
|
| GDES 3B24 | Interior Design Studio* | |
| GDES 3B43 | Jewellery Design: Architectural Hardware | |
| GDES 3B58 | Living Environment Design Studio 2 | |
| GDES 3B54 | Think Tank 2: Consideration (SEM) | |
| GDES 3B56 | Universal Design | |
| GDES 3B59 | Urban Landscape Ecology (SEM) | |
| or |
relevant course in Faculty of Art or Design (subject to approval - contact Design Office) |
0.5 |
| 400 LEVEL: FALL SEMESTER | ||
| Choose one VISC course: | ||
| VISC 4B19 | Contemporary Studies in Architecture and Design (LST) | |
| or VISC 4B15 | Urban Life: Art, Design and the City (LST) |
0.5 |
| ENVR 4C01 | Thesis II: Project Development *†∆ (includes digital workshop) |
1.0 |
| ENVR 4B09 | Building Technology & Structure 3 (SEM) * | 0.5 |
| Choose one expansion studio: | ||
| (Students interested in pursuing a career specifically in Interior Design should choose the dedicated Interior Design expansion studios.) | ||
| GDES 3B38 | Ambient Experience Design | |
| GDES 3B10 | Art of Presentation | |
| GDES 3B18 | Biomimetics 1: Points of Departure | |
| MAAD 3B23 | Ceramic Materials | |
| GDES 3B13 | Compelling User Experience 1 | |
| GDES 3B36 | Domestic Ceramics: Exploring the Useful Object |
|
| GDES 3B40 | Exploration, Insight and Foresight in Design (SEM) | |
| GDES 3B46 | Explorations in Architectural Glass | |
| GDES 3B15 | Furniture Design 1 (taken with Furniture Design 1 Lab/Wood) |
|
| GDES 3B47 | Habitat Housing Studio | |
| GDES 3B14 | Interior Design Studio: Office* | |
| GDES 3B24 | Interior Design Studio* | |
| GDES 4B03 | Internship | |
| MAAD 2B15 | Intro to Ceramics |
|
| GDES 3B57 | Living Environment Design Studio 1 | |
| GDES 3B41 | Play Behaviour and Game Design 1 | |
| GDES 3B12 | Socially Responsible Design Practices | |
| GDES 4B08 | Think Tank 3: Action (SEM) | |
| INTR 3B01 | Virtual Communities | |
| or |
relevant course in Faculty of Art or Design (subject to approval - contact Design Office) |
0.5 |
| 400 LEVEL: WINTER SEMESTER | ||
| See Liberal Studies offerings | Choose one Liberal Studies course | 0.5 |
| ENVR 4C02 | Thesis III: Project Development *†∆ (includes digital workshop) |
1.0 |
| ENVR 4A03 | Professional Practice (SEM) * | 0.25 |
| ENVR 4A02 | Lighting & Materials (SEM) | 0.25 |
| Choose one expansion studio: | ||
| (Students interested in pursuing a career specifically in Interior Design should choose the dedicated Interior Design expansion studios.) | ||
| GDES 3B38 | Ambient Experience Design | |
| GDES 4B05 | Architecture Design Studio 1 | |
| GDES 3B10 | Art of Presentation | |
| GDES 3B18 | Biomimetics 1: Points of Departure | |
| GDES 3B28 | Biomimetics 2: Application | |
| GDES 3B36 | Domestic Ceramics: Exploring the Useful Object | |
| GDES 3B15 | Furniture Design 1 (taken with Furniture Design 1 Lab/Wood) |
|
| GDES 3B25 | Furniture Design 2 (taken with Furniture Design 2 Lab/Wood) |
|
| GDES 3B24 | Interior Design Studio* | |
| GDES 3B43 | Jewellery Design: Architectural Hardware | |
| GDES 3B58 | Living Environment Design Studio 2 | |
| GDES 3B54 | Think Tank 2: Consideration (SEM) | |
| GDES 3B56 | Universal Design | |
| GDES 3B59 | Urban Landscape Ecology (SEM) | |
| or |
relevant course in Faculty of Art or Design (subject to approval - contact Design Office) |
0.5 |
| Recommended Liberal Studies Courses (subject to being offered): | ||
| VISC 3B32 | History of Furniture (LST) | |
| VISC 3B36 | Interior Architecture and the Decorative Arts (LST) (not offered 07/08) |
|
| Also see Liberal Studies Special Topics Courses for 2008/09 | ||
Last Modified:1/24/2012 12:57:04 PM