Master of Furniture Design

Program Overview

MASTER OF FURNITURE DESIGN

Overview

The Master of Furniture Design program at the Florence Institute of Design International is a one-year course designed for working professionals or young graduates. The program is 30 weeks in duration, with all classes instructed in English. The course aims to develop students' knowledge and skills related to aspects of furniture production, from development and management of prototypes through to the final manufacturing process.

Objectives

By the end of the course, students will have acquired the training and portfolio necessary to interview for positions in interior design firms, furniture design studios, or architecture studios. Graduates can find entry positions as space planners, assistant designers, and production coordinators. After gaining professional experience, graduates may eventually go on to advanced positions such as leading designers or project managers.

Teaching

The faculty members of the Interior design program are all registered architects or PhD-level professors. The teachers come from both Italy and international backgrounds. The staff has a respected reputation for dynamic teaching methods, motivating course material, and interactive learning.

Field Trips

Field trips form an integral part of the curriculum. Students should budget an additional 150 Euro per semester for travel and ticket costs for field trips. Visits to the Uffizi Gallery, palazzi, churches, and museums are scheduled for classes. Some of the places typically visited by Master of Furniture students include Italy's largest furniture exhibition, Salone Internazionale del Mobile in Milan, and the ceramics exhibit, Cersaie in Bologna.

Furniture Design Summer Courses

The short summer course is designed to develop students' understanding and conceptual skills of all aspects of furniture design from design to production to the development of prototypes. The 4-week program includes:

• Duration: 4 weeks
• Levels: Basic or Advanced

First Semester

• IFD 501- Studio Design Course 1: This studio course meets twice per week and is the core class to the master program. The purpose of the course is to develop students' knowledge by focusing on Italian furniture design.
• CD 180- 3D Computer Modeling- Rhinoceros: The course is designed for those who are new to modeling with Rhinoceros software. The course focus is on the use of modeling tools for complex shapes.
• INT 190- Furniture Design: This design course meets once per week. The purpose of the course is to develop students' knowledge and skills related to aspects of furniture production.
• CD 160- 3D Computer Rendering: The course is designed for those who are new to rendering. The course focus is on the use of materials, lighting, and cameras.
• HUM 150- Art History 1: This two-part course begins with the Florentine art dating from the end of the 1200's. The course covers historical, social, and political events and analyzes their influence on artistic production.
• HUM 120- Italian Language 1A: The courses will focus mainly on spoken conversational Italian, with themes relating to common life, travel, and business travel situations.

Second Semester

• IFD 502- Studio Design 2 with Thesis: This course meets twice per week and will continue with the first semester's course structure. The end of the second semester is focused on an independent project on a single topic, developed by the student working in conjunction with an advisor.
• HUM 250- History of Modern Italian Design: The course deals with both product and interior design and students are guided to discover the analogies of those two fields with art, architecture, and fashion.
• HUM 151- Art History 2: The second part of the course begins with the early 1500's and continues past the Mannerist movement of Michelangelo.
• INT 191- Furniture Design 2: The second semester is a more in-depth exploration of the field of furniture design. This semester gives students more professional experience addressing quality control, process planning, costing, and supervision skills.
• CD 165- 3D Printing: This course will complete the knowledge and skills required that will enable students to follow a line of production from concept; 3D modeling, 3D visualization/projection and render, through the management of prototyping and the use of 3D printers.
• HUM 121- Italian Language 1b: The courses will continue to focus mainly on spoken conversational Italian. This more advanced level class will start to deal with general work and business discussions.

Program may be subject to change

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

• Focus: Develops knowledge and skills in furniture design, prototyping, and production.
• Duration: One year (30 weeks)
• Level: Master
• Language: English
• Structure: Mix of lectures, design studios, and history.
• Objectives:
• Train students to interview for positions in design firms or studios.
• Equip graduates with skills for entry-level positions like space planners, assistant designers, and production coordinators.
• Prepare graduates for advanced positions like leading designers, project managers, or freelance work.
• Acceptance:
• Requires previous experience in interior, architecture, or industrial design.
• Alternatives: Academic level Interior Design or short summer course on furniture.

Outline:

• Furniture Design (3 credits): Study history, theories, and current expressions of Italian and international furniture.
• Art History 1 (3 credits): Covers Florentine art from the late 1200s to early 1500s, including historical, social, and political influences.
• Italian Language 1A (1 credit): Focuses on conversational Italian for greetings, travel, business, and everyday life.
• Second Semester:
• History of Modern Italian Design (3 credits): Explore product and interior design, and their connections to art, architecture, and fashion.
• Art History 2 (3 credits): Covers artistic developments from the 1500s through the Counter Reformation.
• Furniture Design 2 (3 credits): Gain professional experience in quality control, process planning, costing, and supervision.

Teaching:

• Faculty: Highly qualified with credentials in architecture or PhD level.
• Teaching methods: Dynamic, motivating, and interactive learning.
• Field trips: Integral part of the curriculum, including visits to museums, churches, the Salone Internazionale del Mobile furniture exhibition, and a Tuscan furniture factory.

Careers:

• Potential positions: Space planners, assistant designers, production coordinators, leading designers, project managers, freelance designers.
• Possible paths: Establish own design firms, take on freelance assignments.

Other:

• The program content may be subject to change.