ABSTRACT
This chapter explores a beginning via creativity in harnessing the real; design pedagogy and assignments that foster a critical questioning inspired by phenomenology and speculative realism. The gray concrete frame was momentarily stained a light purple from the violet light and atmosphere amidst dark block shadows from our remnant-of-volcanic-core mountains and tracery from trees. Selected projects are retained for the Spring Open House event where potential students are able to see what students in the beginning design program are capable of. While a beginning design situation may entail relationships at the scale of what is appropriate as thing, ultimately the scalar nature of design suggests materiality, assemblage, and structures/buildings within situations that are environmental. The position of speculative realism proposes that an embodied process-based learning for designers, such as produced this saffron sky, is a form of speculative realism and an incredibly rich point of entry for beginning design.
