In this hybrid Furniture/Industrial Design history course we will explore the larger themes of design since the industrial revolution in the mid-19th century. Themes will include the continual search for utopia and social reforms, the economic and psychological implications of man vs. machine production, material exploration for functional and aesthetic potential, human inspiration in the natural world and our impact on the environment, and counterculture movements of the 1970s and 1980s that disrupted post-war norms among other themes.Course deliverables will be in the form of short written papers, longer research projects, designed slide presentations and 2D posters, all of which will help students develop their knowledge and perspectives on the history and theory of modern design. Though this class fulfills the Media History requirement for both Furniture and Industrial Design students, it is open to all students who are interested in learning about the historical and theoretical foundations of designed objects.