Light Design In Russian Universities: What and How to Teach?

Abstract

Light design as a prominent and self-sufficient branch of design has appeared and developed abroad and is a rather new part of Russian design practice. Along with solving practical problems, it is time to think on the aspects of training of light design specialists in Russian design universities. Engineering and technical, and partially artistic aspects in light design education, have international nature to a great extent, but the new specialty has been acquiring its own distinctions in Russia, which are mainly related to aesthetical problems of the profession and specific understanding of the cultural and historical context. These national distinctions have first appeared in practice and theoretical studies and then they began being translated into the educational sphere, turning into authorial education programmes and techniques and predetermining selection of design problems and their implementation methods. Light design implies training of interdisciplinary specialists, which requires a comprehensive approach to development of the educational process including innovative-technological as well as humanitarian sections, forming an unconventional model of the educational process. The Environment Design sub-department of Moscow State Stroganov Academy of Design and Applied Arts, the oldest Russian art and industry school, has gained a rich experience in artistic design in the field of light design, which comprises all leading professional trends. The methods of conventional artistic design, computer modelling, and animation skills as well as the knowledge included in the new discipline “The Basics of Light Design” have allowed developing of term and graduation projects having consideration for specific practical requirements and aiming at their future implementation.