Home Economics

Design Technologies - Food and Fibre

MRS MANDI-JOY MEISE, HEAD OF SUBJECT HOME ECONOMICS AND DESIGN TECHNOLOGIES

The wealth of nations and the well-being of individuals now depend on having artists in the room. In a world enriched by abundance but disrupted by automation and outstanding white-collar work, everyone, regardless of profession, must cultivate an artistic sensibility. We may not all be Dali or Degas. But we must all be DESIGNERS.

Daniel H. Pink

It is easy to disregard Design but that would be to neglect what Design is and why it matters. John Heskett, a scholar of the subject, explains it well, 'Design, stripped to its essence, can be defined as the human nature to shape and make our environment in ways without precedent in nature, to serve our needs and give meaning to our lives.' Within any space we inhabit are objects that have been designed – from the clothes we wear to the chairs we sit on. All these objects are important aspects of our life, they enhance and add value to everyday tasks, and all thanks to someone who imagined and initiated their ideas. Design is in the aesthetics we appreciate and the functionality of significant features of a product that make our lives that much easier; it is the extension of creative minds. As the world cries out for change, Design will become the key element in shifting the world we presently know.

‘I think designers are the alchemist of the future.’

Richard Koshalek

Designers are holistic thinkers and collaborators, and here at Fairholme, within the Design Technology Food and Fibre Department, we aim to build an awareness within the students of what Design is and how it can affect their lives, regardless of what discipline or career they follow. Students appreciated that Design and the thinking skills applied enhanced their ability to solve problems, respect the opinions of others and stay connected to the ever-evolving world around them.

‘Good design is a renaissance attitude that combines technology, cognitive science, human need, and beauty to produce something that the world didn’t know it was missing.’

Paola Antonelli

Within the Design classroom, students were encouraged to create solutions – and appreciate that the simplest solution is in essence a design solution. The solving of one problem, in turn, changes the world and the reality for people wherever the situation is happening. From Year 7 Design all the way through to Year 12 Fashion, students developed their designthinking skills and creative adaptation thought processes. Designing with specific consideration for the human and environmental costs of the choices they make, students were further encouraged at various levels to appreciate Design as a form of Art; as a regeneration of ideas. They were encouraged to look at the world around them and think how they could make it better, to visualise, brainstorm and then implement. In Year 12 Fashion, students took Design a step further - it became an artistic self-expression of their individualism in a sustainable world. This year the Year 12 cohort continued their journey in seeking excellence.

HIGHLIGHTS

Years 11 and 12 Fashion Collections – Fairholme Spring Parade Pattern Development Photoshop for Fashion Design Fashion Watch Magazine Article Individually You

Years 8 – 10 Design Technologies Food and Fibre Individual sustainable design challenges and products developed Food Technology

Year 7 Design Design challenges around the fundamentals of Design Production of aesthetic cushion and functional apron

Academic Results

40 Year 12HA 60% VHA 40%