SmartSurfaces teaches effective problem generation and problem solving approaches that incorporate multiple disciplinary perspectives in a team setting, subject to the pressure of deadlines and subsequent peer critique.

SmartSurfaces progresses in two phases:

Phase 1 – Skill Building
Here, participants learn how to effectively define a design problem and a set of constraints that facilitate the subsequent design process. During this time, they learn structured brainstorming approaches and other tools for rapid idea generation and evaluation.

Phase 2 – Final Project
Here, participants focus on the production of a fully-realized design project as an application of the knowledge gained in Phase 1, relying on multidisciplinary, collaborative team efforts to carry out the assignments and projects.

Throughout the course, learning involves collaborative problem solving through a combination of modeling and experimentation. By necessity, all participants negotiate and manage differences in values and goals ingrained in the culture of each discipline and domain of knowledge.

Course Objectives
Each team will be required to design, build, program and test an "X-SmartSurface" – where “X” is a changing modifier. In previous versions of SmartSurfaces, "X" = Heliotropic and Biomimetic. All participants have to consider and negotiate what makes a surface smart, and defend the reason(s) for it being brought into existence.

In Fall 2011 we will work with Power House Productions (PHP) - an incorporated nonprofit whose mission is to develop and implement neighborhood stabilization strategies in a Detroit neighborhood near Hamtramck. We will focus on making Power House SmartSurfaces that address the needs of the neighborhood (e.g. lighting, energy harvesting, water filtration and storage, emotionally-durable security, etc.)

Resources
The course is a collaborative endeavor led by three faculty members who advise and contribute to all team projects. Additionally, teams will make use of visiting lecturers, specialists, site visits and relevant stakeholder organizations. There are weekly assignments, specifying due dates, required documentation and deliverables. The course projects operate as a form of embodied knowledge that can allow communication across, between and beyond disciplines.

The course meets in Design Lab 1 (DL1) in the Duderstadt Center – a highly versatile space and collection of resources that greatly facilitate the collaborative process. Over the course of the semester participants need to access other University facilities and spaces as required, including computer-aided design, rapid prototyping, circuit building, and other facilities. Throughout the term, DL1 serves as the primary location for demonstrations, discussions, presentations and critiques.