WOII Compulsory: Summary
Overall, the WOII module introduced me to a comprehensive overview on theories that establish structure to creative practices, as well as how they respond to and are viewed in certain contexts.
Phenomenology allowed me to see how individualised lived experiences shape how people view design differently. Similarly, the Poststructuralism theory also emphasises that the viewer interprets works of design based on their unique contexts as meaning is unstable. Postmodernism showed me how objective truths and traditional ideas could be challenged or rejected. Semiotics taught me how images and objects can signify meanings beyond their literal form.
Aesthetics taught me the importance of designing for the whole experience rather than just visually. Cultural Materialism taught me how material factors shape cultural practices, which in turn shapes how design is created and viewed in different cultural contexts. Lastly, Art Ecosystems and Learning how to analyse a work of design allowed me to put into practice the theories I learnt and study more thoroughly real cases of design work (Refer to Fig. 1-2).
After completing the WOII module, I was able to better analyse and recognise the different factors and contexts that shape design. Thus, I found that design does not exist in a bubble, but rather reflects the different cultural contexts that inspire it (Drazin 176) (Refer to Fig. 3).
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References:
Drazin, Adam. Design anthropology in context: an introduction to design materiality and collaborative thinking. Routledge, 2021.
Sydney Opera House. “Jørn Utzon AC.” www.sydneyoperahouse.com/our-story/jorn-utzon. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
The Museum of Modern Art. “Massimo Vignelli.” www.moma.org/artists/6155-massimo-vignelli. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.












