IN-PERSON MADRID FOCUS ON PEDAGOGY. SECTION A

Abstract

Many students arrive with limited experience using even the most basic hand tools: rulers read incorrectly, setsquares feel unfamiliar, and drawing a simple 20 × 20 cm square becomes unexpectedly complex. Their reliance on phones as all-purpose devices shifts their attention away from tactile engagement, reducing the time they spend manipulating materials, experimenting by hand, or solving problems physically rather than digitally. This paper examines the first assignment of the foundation studio, in which students select an everyday object and analyze it as if they were its designer, through drawings and written reflections. Although simple in structure, the project reveals notable shifts in how today’s students understand design, tools, and creative inquiry. The objects students choose, headphones, cameras, gaming consoles, or decorative items, often reflect a narrow perception of what counts as “designed,” overlooking the practical objects that shape daily life. Many treat the exercise as a still life or product illustration, focusing on surface form rather than investigating function, ergonomics, or intention. By requiring students to measure, handle, and closely observe their chosen objects, the assignment reintroduces material and sensory awareness into the studio. Yet the most meaningful learning emerges during the discussions that follow. Through critique, students confront the limits of their assumptions, identify gaps in their understanding of tools and function, and begin to recognize how design decisions shape everyday experience. As the first project of the foundation studio, these shared conversations set the tone for the semester, establishing expectations for observation, questioning, and a growing competency with tools and methods.