MAS 960 Special Topics: Spatial Information Design
0-12-0 (H), TR 10:30-12pm, E15-135 (Cube Conference Room)

This project-based course will examine information design in the built environment. Topics will include digital facades, navigation and wayfinding systems, interactive installations, public, private and semi-private information displays and typographic systems. We will discuss the current state of information design and explore design that is aware of context and responsive, that simultaneously encompasses multiple displays and people, and that uses new technology to create fluid experiences with information. We will meet twice weekly and students will participate in a series of design exercises using the unfinished Fumihiko Maki-designed Media Lab extension as our subject environment.

Instructor

David Small (small at MEDIA)

TAs

Richard The (rthe at MEDIA)
Jeffrey Warren (warren at MEDIA)
Agnes Chang (achang at MEDIA)

Office Hours

by appointment

Blog

You are expected to contribute actively to the class blog. You should submit your assignments by creating a new post for each and tagging it appropriately. In addition, you should share your experiences, findings, and thoughts on the topics and assignments each week as you work. Discussions are encouraged.

Assignments

For most weeks of this course you will be given a reading assignment on Tuesday that will complement that week's topic. Thursday assignments will generally be to propose an intervention that addresses that particular week's topic, while using E14 as our subject. The highlight of this class will be an E14 performance piece during sponsor week.

E14 Performance

As a class, we will have the opportunity to create and showcase a
large performative piece on the facade of E14 on April 16th, 2009, as part of the Media Lab's Spring 2009 Sponsor Week. Special funds will be available to support this project.

Final Project

The final project should be viewed as a double-week assignment, where you will have the opportunity to take assignment(s) from the semester further in depth, and you will be expected to construct prototype(s) to illustrate your ideas.

Grading

Each week, the instructor will give feedback to each student on their assignment and participation that week, via the blog. The final grade for the course will be based 30% on your work for the E14 Performance, and 70% on the sum of each of your weekly grades.