Studio Gener(ai)tive v1: Igniting cultural diversity through digital making

Studio Gener(ai)tive v1 explores emerging Generative AI tools, future storytelling, and cultural artefacts. In this twelve-week studio, we design through three phases: investigating cultural artefacts, speculating future scenarios, and creating visual stories and provotypes.

In Phase 1 Research, the studio introduces the concept of cultural artefacts and analysis. In this three weeks, students learn:

• desktop research to collect data on artefact design, and
• Generative AI tools to visualise cultural artefacts.

In Phase 2 Speculate, the studio introduces future design concepts to guide students in speculating their cultural futures. In this three weeks, students learn future design techniques such as Signals, Harman’s Fan and Scenario building. They also learn how to use Generative AI to:

• develop their future scenario, and
• visualise future environments based on their ideated scenarios.

In Phase 3 Design, the studio guides students to produce:

• visualisations to storytelling their designed future,
• digital graphics to communicate the desired design atmosphere, and
• provotypes to immerse audiences with glimpses of their future environment and artefact.

The studio concludes with a design showcase for students to storytell their designed futures.

• keywords: Generative AI; design futures; design cultures
• with: Thom Luke
• year: August 2023 – November 2023

Subject details

This subject facilitates learning and practising design, focusing on developing technical, creative, and communication skills. Students enhance their innovative approaches and use of technology in design, understanding spatial, material, and economic aspects, and exploring new material and digital fabrication methods.

• for: RMIT University, Master of Design, Innovation and Technology
• subject: Technology Studio