Frugal Design (ERASMUS+ Blended Intensive Programme)

Frugal Design is a project-based course and focuses on physical prototyping as a shared foundation for collaborative design, emphasizing a frugal approach, i.e., achieving more with less. The course consists of two parts, an online introduction of the theme which includes the start of the teamwork and idea/sketch period, and one onsite at Chalmers, which focuses on the physical prototyping of ideas.

The workshops are centered around a single design object (a predefined everyday item) but explore various materials, like textile, wood, metal etc. Prototyping activities will take place in designated labs and workshops within the Chalmers Fuse area.

The course highlights the design process, encouraging the iterative development and exploration of ideas through sequential physical prototyping. Frugal design principles serves as an inspiration for the design as well as a perspective in the discussions of choices, evaluation of prototypes and possible ways forward. Participating in this course offers inspiration and an opportunity to learn and experience methods of ideation and design development within cross-cultural teams.    

The course is run by a teaching team and the practical on-site activities are situated in the workshops in the Fuse-area. The project task is solved in mixed students groups. The project team will have one university examiner, one or a pole of university supervisors.

With the work in multidisciplinary teams the students practice their ability to collaborate and manage a project and ideation process. Through the project work the students also develop both their practical skills (modelling/prototyping) and the integration of ideation, prototyping, design considerations and decisions into a continuous process.

Previous knowledge in design processes, craft- or other forms of making would be useful but are not required.

90 ECTS required to have completed prior to taking the course.

The course runs from June 8th to August 28th and is structured as follows:

June 8th – July 3rd: Team formation, online lectures, assignments and start of the design process with supervision (approx. 2,5 weeks full studies distributed over 4 weeks)

During July and August: The teams organize their own project work (approx. 0,5 week full studies during the summer)

August 17th-28th: Prototyping on site at Fuse, Chalmers, ending with project presentation and followed up by documentation and submission (2 weeks full studies). Including social activities.

The two-level mutual trust-based quality assurance scheme has been adopted:

• at the university level: Chalmers University of Technology has applied its internal quality assurance procedures and structures to the proposal of Frugal Design it submitted to ENHANCE and to its implementation - the related learning activities,
• at the Alliance level: the body composed of Education Officers has made decisions regarding the inclusion of Frugal Design proposed by Chalmers University of Technology to the Innovative Learning Campus part of the joint ENHANCE educational offer, based on the compliance with the formal requirements and ENHANCE goals.

See section under structure

Assignments, final presentation and final submission

Apply through the link: BIP in Frugal Design

Home page will be updated before the course starts

Online and in-presence at Chalmers university of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden