SOURCE

This graduate-level studio elective course will focus on the term “source” and its multiple meanings as a line of inquiry throughout the semester. A “source of truth” is the singular point which defines a piece of information. “Source code” is the origin from which a website or program is created. “Source material” refers to collateral that forms the basis for output. The notion of a “source” plays a significant role in how we design and produce work. This course will trace the various meanings of the term through a lens of digital design—focusing on the history of the internet, practical usages of web technologies, and a critical dialogue with the tools used to define the digital space. While this course will serve as a technical primer for web design and development, we will also use the standards and definitions that underlie the internet as a springboard for interrogating how and why these tools and sources shape our output. Through readings, discussions, and projects, we will chart a new path for what a “source” can be.

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Participants