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The Ural school of design occupies a prominent
place in design education in Russia. Its specific features are
determined primarily by its geographic position in the centre of a major
industrial zone of Russia and by its qualified staff.
The Chair of Industrial Design (formerly Chair of
Industrial Art) was initiated in 1968 by the first rector of the Academy
Professor N.S.Alferov. The true founder of the Chair was Professor
Yu.A.Vladimirsky, Honorary Architect of the Russian Federation, who
headed the Chair but also selected staff for it from among the
specialists of the Ural Branch of the VNIITE institute, Ural
Polytechnic, and design practitioners. Currently the Chair is headed by
Associate Professor Ye.P.Postnikova. The staff of the Chair consists of
16 people.
In the 1990s the Chair introduced a three-stage
training system whilst preserving the range of course work themes. Years
1 and 2 = fundamentals of composition and design; year 3 = design of
toys, environmental approach in the design of equipment for home; year 4
= design of household tools and machines. In years 5 and 6 students are
trained within studio settings in such programmes as the design of
commodity goods, vehicles, and computer design. In line with
socioeconomic changes which are taking place in Russia and the emergence
of a market for designer services the Chair is doing its best to adapt
the teaching methodologies to meet client needs.
Considerable organisational and methodological
support in the training of students of design is provided by members of
the Union of Designers of Russia , many of which are graduates of the
Chair. In recent years the State Examination Board was chaired by
Yu.V.Nazarov, President of the Union of Designers of Russia.
The Chair of Industrial Design is a basis for further
specialisation in design. Thus, new design specialty chairs have been
opened such as interior and graphic design, fashion design, art and
composition, decorative art.
That the Chair is providing high quality education is
confirmed by the fact that at international and national competitions
entries by students of the Chair are awarded prizes (Grand Prix of the
union of Designers of the Russian Federation, a prize at the national
competition of graduate diploma projects, etc.).
Over 30 years of existence the Chair has published
over a thousand designers, who work in every area of design as well as
in interior and graphic design. Graduates of the Chair work in different
countries, including USA, Germany, England, France, Israel. |
