IDN2120 Designing for sustainability
Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture
IDN2120 Designing for sustainability is a level 2, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture, offered in 2025 in Semester 1 and Semester 2 at Caulfield. It has no prerequisites.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2025
- Semester 1, Semester 2
- Caulfield
- Assessment
- No exam
- 2 tasks
The 2027 handbook has no page for IDN2120. This is its 2025 entry, the latest one.
Reviews
No reviews yetNo reviews yet. Be the first to review IDN2120.
Requisites
Before IDN2120
Corequisites
Pass these before, or take them in the same semester.
Prohibitions
You can't enrol if you have passed any of these.
After IDN2120
No unit lists IDN2120 as a prerequisite in the 2025 handbook.
Overview
This unit introduces the foundational principles of sustainability theory and sustainable design practices, fostering the mindset shift designers need to create interventions that drive meaningful social innovation. You will learn through hands-on projects that address real environmental and societal issues - both local and global - using interdisciplinary methods and tools such as human-centred systems thinking, ethnographic research, systems mapping, case study analysis, and prototyping.
These projects will span various impact areas and align with the Sustainable Development Goals, leading to the design of outcomes such as artefacts, product-service-systems, experiences, and environments within broader systems. Throughout, you will refine your ability to address complex challenges, engage with stakeholders, and collaborate with peers to empower communities and promote equity and inclusion.
Offerings in 2025
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| First semester | Caulfield | On campus |
| Second semester | Caulfield | On campus |
Assessment
- Project 1Project40%
- Project 2Project60%
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
Identify, analyse, and interpret the key characteristics of sustainability;
- 2
Develop the ability to work effectively in interdisciplinary teams, leveraging diverse perspectives to enhance sustainable design solutions;
- 3
Apply empathetic design methodologies to create solutions that are deeply informed by the needs and contexts of the communities served;
- 4
Create and prototype innovative design solutions that drive meaningful social change and address real-world challenges;
- 5
Assess the social impact of design solutions, including how they influence communities and contribute to social equity and inclusion.
Workload and teaching
- Studio activities36 hours
- Teaching approachActive learning
12 hours per week including 3 contact hours plus 9 hours of independent study.
Where it fits
IDN2120 is part of 1 area of study in the 2025 handbook.
Contacts
- Unit Coordinators
- Associate Professor Selby Coxon
- Dr Giorgia Pisano
- Chief Examiners
- Associate Professor Selby Coxon
- Mr Ian Wong
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for IDN2120?
None, but you must take OHS1000 before or alongside it.
When is IDN2120 offered?
In 2025, IDN2120 runs in Semester 1 and Semester 2 at Caulfield.
Does IDN2120 have an exam?
No. IDN2120 has 2 assessment tasks and no exam.
Which majors and minors include IDN2120?
IDN2120 is part of Design.