MASTER OF FURNITURE DESIGN

The purpose of the course is to develop students' knowledge and skills related to aspects of furniture production, from development and management of prototypes through to the final manufacturing process. The one year program is 30 weeks in duration with all courses held in English. The Master level course gives the students a great knowledge about Italian Furniture Design through a mixture of lectures, design studios, and history. The Furniture Design school courses also offer instruction in the computer softwares Rhinoceros, 3d Studio Max, and VRAY.Acceptance for Master courses depends on the student's prior level of experience. The program is designed working professionals or young graduates. Please read the Admissions page for requirements. Each one year Master course is 30 weeks in duration. Acceptance to the Master of Furniture Design requires in most cases a degree with interiors, architecture or industrial design. Please read the Admissions Page to determine if you qualify for the Furniture Design Master. Those who do not meet the Master requirements are welcome to enroll for our Academic level of Interior Design or our short summer course on furniture. All classes are instructed in English.
 

By the end of the courses, Furniture Design students will have acquired the training and the portfolio necessary to interview for positions in interior design firms, furniture design studios, or architecture studios. Florence Institute graduates can find entry positions as space planners, assistant designers, and production coordinators. After gaining professional experience, graduates may eventually go on to advanced positions such as leading designers or project managers. Others may establish their own design firms or take on challenging freelance assignments.

 

All of our faculty is very qualified with the highest credentials. The faculty members of our Interior design program are all registered architects or PHD level professors. The teachers come from both Italy and international backgrounds. Our staff has a respected reputation for dynamic teaching methods, motivating course material and interactive learning.

 

Field trips form an integral part of The Florence Institute's curriculum. The school is located in close proximity to some of Florence's most important museums and cultural sites. Students should budget an additional 150 Euro per semester of travel and ticket cost for field trips that are scheduled for classes in which they are enrolled . Visits to the Uffizi Gallery together with many other palazzi, churches and museums are visited each week. Some of the places typically visited by Master of Furniture students include Italy's largest furniture exhibition Salone Internazionale del Mobile in Milan and the ceramics exhibit Cersaie in Bologna. Italy is known worldwide for its furniture industry. One of the highlights for interior design students is a visit to one of Tuscany's premier furniture factories.

 

FIRST SEMESTER
 

IFD 501- Studio Design Course 1 -  8 Credits  

This studio course meets twice per week and is the core class to the master program. The purpose of the course is to develop students' knowledge by focusing on the Italian furniture design. The objectives are to encourage students to extend their viewpoint beyond simple solutions, to create deep inside sense of detail and materials and to build a desire of professionalism. Students will be exposed to modern day needs of Italy that encompass a broad variety of design circumstances. Considerable research will be involved as students will learn to recognize virtues of the Italian design process.
 

CD 180- 3D Computer Modeling- Rhinoceros - 3 Credits

The course is designed for those who are new to modeling with Rhinoceros software. The course focus is on the use of modeling tools for complex shapes. At the end of the course the participants will be able to produce professionally executed 3D models using Rhinoceros software.
 

INT 190- Furniture Design - 3 Credits

This design course meets once per week. The purpose of the course is to develop students' knowledge and skills related to aspects of furniture production, from development and management of prototypes through to the final manufacturing process. During the two part program, students study presentation of history, theories, works and current expressions of Italian and International furniture.
 

CD 160- 3D Computer Modeling- 3DStudio Max with Vray - 3 Credits

The course is designed for those who are new to rendering with Vray. The course focus is on the use of materials, lighting and cameras. At the end of the course the participants will be able to produce professionally executed 3D rendering using Autodesk 3ds Max with Vray.
 

HUM 150- Art History 1 -      3 CreditsThis two part course begins with the Florentine art dating from the end of the 1200's. This course covers the most key artists practicing in the region of Tuscany from the 1300's, until the early 1500's. The course covers historical, social and political events and analyzes their influence on the artistic production. Many class sessions are held on-site in the form of field trips to museums or churches to enhance the in-class lectures.
 

HUM 120- Italian Language 1A - 1 Credits The courses will focus mainly on spoken conversational Italian, with themes relating to common life, travel and business travel situations including greetings, days of the week, asking for directions, food, making plans, telling time, purchases and dealing with money and numbers.

 

SECOND SEMESTER
 

IFD 502- Studio Design 2 with Thesis  -  8 Credits

This course meets twice per week and will continue with the first semester's course structure. The end of the second semester is a focused on an independent project on a single topic, developed by the student working in conjunction with an advisor. During this studio course, students will try various formats for visualizing their thesis and will implement the design work necessary to realize their project. Emphasis will be placed on creative investigation and the development of original solutions that are conceptually strong and content filled. The final thesis will be comprised of the design project along with written documentation. Students must demonstrate independence in relation to their own design process and the ability to realize a complex furniture design solution.
 

HUM 250- History of Modern Italian Design– 3 Credits 

The course deals with both product and interior design and students are guided to discover the analogies of those two fields with art, architecture and fashion and to acquire a solid understanding of the term "design" in its broadest sense. The lectures aim to deeply analyze each Historical designer's figure within the larger context of the rich Italian visual culture of the last seven decades, as shown in movies, painting, architecture and photography.
 

HUM 151- Art History 2 -  3 CreditsThe second part of the course begins with the early 1500's and continues past the Mannerist movement of Michelangelo. Students are explained the major artistic developments of the centuries from the ideal classical form into the complex era of the Counter Reformation. Many class sessions are held on-site in the form of field trips to museums or churches to enhance the in-class lectures.
 

INT 191- Furniture Design 2   -  3 Credits The second semester is a more in depth exploration of the field of furniture design. This semester gives students more professional experience addressing quality control, process planning, costing and supervision skills.
 

CD 161- 3D Computer Modeling- 3DStudio Max & Vray - 3 Credits. The course is designed for those who are new to 3D modeling techniques. An in depth exploration of the software 3d Studio Max. Upon completion, the participants will be able to produce professionally executed 3D models using Autodesk 3ds Max. The course also includes a more comprehensive study of the Vray software.

 

HUM 121-Italian Language 1b     -    1 Credit The courses will continue to focus mainly on spoken conversational Italian. This more advanced level class will start to deal with general work and business discussions.* Program may be subject to change*