Interior Design Program
Northern Arizona University
School of Art
College of Arts and Letters
ID 399 – NAU INTERIOR DESIGN STUDENT TOUR
ARRANGED THROUGH: NAU CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION
Beijing, Xi’an, Shanghai, China
March 3 to 14, 2012
Lead Faculty: Carl E. Clark
Support Faculty: Sheryl McCaleb
SYLLABUS:
ID 388, INTERIOR DESIGN STUDENT TOUR TO CHINA
1 Credit Hour: 15 required contact hours
Maximum Number of Students: 15
Minimum Number of Students: 15
Grade: Pass / Fail
Educational Objectives:
Design is history driven. The past always returns to the future. It is important that interior design education
includes knowledge of architectural and design history and the best way to learn is through experience. Seeing,
appraising, appreciating, touching, feeling, remembering, and reminiscing are experiences that the interior
design student, art and art history students can’t always achieve in a classroom setting. Aesthetic judgments are
essential in the practice of interior design and art, and judgments are more successful when based upon
experiences.
Many basic elements of design are universal though the design of interiors and creations of works of art varies
by culture and socio-economic populations. Design patterns, colors, use of space, shapes, forms, placement of
furnishings, types of furnishings, natural and artificial lighting all create culturally unique environments. It is
imperative that historical and cultural opportunities are provided to students through local, national and
international travel due to globalization and the likelihood of their practicing interior design and creation of art
will be international. This one credit hour Interior Design Tour course is an exceptional method of achieving the
Interior Design program’s objectives and to support the School of Art.
Educational Outcomes:
Knowledge for students to succeed practicing Interior Design in a global market
Creating art that will be internationally successful
Understanding that interior design varies by economy and culture
Enable the student and future professional to make culturally accepted aesthetic design judgments
Communication and interaction with peoples of various cultures, customs, language, food, economics,
and religious beliefs
Historical classroom knowledge synthesized with first-hand experience
Awareness by students of possible future employment opportunities outside of the U.S.
Course Itinerary:
March 3 Morning departure from Phoenix to San Francisco on US Airways
Early afternoon departure from San Francisco to Beijing on Air China
Mach 4 Late afternoon arrival in Beijing
Group meeting at hotel
Dinner near Hotel
Early evening to regain jet lag
March 5 Breakfast at hotel
Visit to the Temple of Heaven
Visit Art District
Explore Wangfujing area
Dinner
Free evening after dinner
March 6 Breakfast at hotel
Tour at Tiananmen Square
Tour of Forbidden City
Lunch
Depart to Lama Temple
Houhai – explore Hutong’s architecture, shops and restaurants
Free evening / dinner on own
Return to hotel on own via Metro
March 7 Breakfast at hotel
Bus to Great Wall
Arrive at Great Wall Mutianyu
Late lunch at Great Wall (bring snacks for bus)
Tour Olympic Stadium area (aka Birdsnest)
Metro back to hotel on own
Dinner
March 8 Breakfast at hotel
Board bus for trip to airport departing from Beijing on Shanghai Airlines
Arrive in Xi’an
Late afternoon exploring Xi’an
Dinner
March 9 Breakfast at hotel
Explore area around hotel
Lunch
Visit to Xi’an Academy of Fine Arts (XAFA)
Tour of design program
Tour of campus
Explore Xi’an with Chinese students: Water show at Wild Goose Pagoda
Dinner on own
March 10 Breakfast at hotel
Bus and visit to Terra Cotta Warriors
Lunch
Great Mosque and Muslim Market
Dinner
March 11 Breakfast at hotel
Prepare for departure of Xi’an
Bus to airport for flight to Shanghai on Shanghai Airlines
Arrival in Shanghai and check-in at hotel
Visit Nanjing Road
Dinner
Visit to the Bund
March 12 Breakfast at hotel
Visit to the interior design of the Shanghai Four Seasons Hotel
Lunch
Visit to Shanghai New Development Area
Jingmao Tower
Shopping at Yu Garden
Dinner
Remaining evening on own
March 13 Breakfast at hotel
Visit to Shanghai Museum and Urban Planning Exhibition Center
Lunch
Free time on Nanjing Road and Renmin Park
Dinner
Free evening
March 14 Breakfast at hotel
Depart hotel for airport for flight to San Francisco on China Air
(may require a stop in Biejing)
Flight from San Francisco to Phoenix on U.S. Airways
(approximate arrival: 6:00 PM)
All guides and docents will be English speaking. Carl Clark and Sheryl McCaleb will teach and
comment while touring historical sites.
All travel arrangements, including air, hotel, transfers, some meals and daily tours are being handled
by:
NAU Centernational for International Education
Flagstaff Mountain Campus
Student Tour integrates the learning competencies of the following Interior Design and related
courses:
ID 240 – Interior Design Textiles
ID 246 – Architectural & Furniture History I
ID 247 – Architectural & Furniture History II
ID 361 – Interior Design I
ID 362 – Interior Design II
ID 461 – Interior Design III
ID 462 – Interior Design IV
ID 490C – Interior Design Capstone
ART 100 – Art Appreciation
ART 101 – Introduction to Studio Art
ARH 141 – Western Art to 1400
ARH 142 – Western Art since 1400
ARH 143 – Introduction to Arts of Asia
Assignments:
Diary 60 Points: Due on April , 2012
A site diary must be written during the tour. An outline format will be provided
for you to meet all diary requirements. You will complete your
initial comments and drawings while at the site. Later in the afternoon or
evening, you are to reflect on the architecture, interiors, geography, people,
rituals and culture that you experienced that day and to also reflect on life at the
time of the historical birth of the structure. You will also compare how the local
culture is different than modern American culture. Dress, mannerisms,
language, food, friendliness, and other differences are to be identified.
It is expected you will spend two to three hours each day documenting and
writing about your daily experiences.
The diary must include:
All sites visited
o List each site individually
Personal comments of each site
o Immediate impression
o Final impression
o What did you see and experience that you didn’t expect
Is it as grand as you imagined?
Construction method and materials
Color and textures
Etc.
o Several quick sketches of patterns, construction methods, materials, colors,
shapes, etc.
A short paragraph of your aesthetic and cultural experience at each visited site
Compare historical aesthetics to modern aesthetics
o Original use of structure and surrounding space
o Beauty
o Humanistic qualities
o Emotional experiences
o Etc.
Comment on experiences and observations as you explore on your own
Photograph Album 20 Points: Due on April 9, 2012
The photograph album is to support your diary writings and provide you with visuals for
future interior design projects
Album is to have a minimum of 200 photographs organized in a bound or ring binder or
on a CD.
Album will be submitted for a grade and then returned
Multiple photographs of each site will assist your diary documentation
Please get permission to photograph individuals. People of some cultures are not
comfortable being photographed
Creative Reflective Essay 20 Points: Due on April 9, 2012
Six-plus full pages essay discussing how your aesthetic experiences in Beijing, Xi’an, and
Shanghai has influenced your future interior design projects and the design and creation
of culturally and aesthetically pleasing environments.
Citations are not necessary unless you are quoting specific printed, visual, audio or
electronic materials
Times New Roman 11 font with all lines double-spaced
Grading: 60 points or more = Pass
59 points or less = Fail
Faculty Expectations:
Carl Clark and Sheryl McCaleb are responsible for your safety and well-being.
Attendance to all pre-departure meetings is required.
Students are required to attend and participate in entire itinerary.
Absence during trip will only be accepted due to illness.
Carl and Sheryl must be informed of any difficulties you are experiencing during trip.
Scheduled free time away from Carl or Sheryl must have a minimum of three per group.
Each group must inform either Carl or Sheryl of your evening plans and notify us upon your
return.
It is recommended that one member of your group has a cell phone with international service
for the purpose of contacting Carl if necessary.
Students must be respectful of local religious customs and culture.
You must respect all foreign laws. China is not very lenient with the overuse of alcohol and
the use of various street drugs. As a visitor you must respect all Chinese and local laws.
Dress is to be casual business attire. New clean jeans with no rips, tears, and/or discoloration
may be worn. Comfortable walking shoes are necessary.
Emergency contact for family and friends will be Carl Clark through his international
Blackberry.
Destination Information:
China is considered a very safe country. Tourists are advised be cautious of pickpockets.
Purses need to be attached to your body.
The U.S. federal government has no travel restrictions to China
Aside from common vaccines required in U.S., no special vaccinations are currently necessary
for travel to China
There will an ATMs in China. An ATM card fee or a credit card money exchange fee for all
transactions will be charged. China will not allow you to depart the country with any Chinese
money. All money must be exchanged into another country’s currency (U.S. Dollar).
Cell phones require international service and must have an “international chip”.
International phone calls, text messages, and e-mail will likely be an additional charge. It is
possible that calls can be charged as high as several dollars per minute.