Preparing undergraduate design students for complexity :  a case study of the Johannesburg Art Gallery Project

This paper argues that preparing undergraduate design students for working with complexity, by requiring them to undertake discipline- neutral, indeterminate problems, is altogether manageable, appropriate and additionally, highly impactful on the student’s own practice and conceptualization of design. Key theories that will be introduced include Neil Johnson’s definition of complexity (2003), Richard Buchannan’s description of complexity in design and the corresponding restrictions assumptive design solutions place on innovation (1992), and Barry Wylant’s (2008) characteristations of innovative design practice. In order to exemplify the applicability of the theoretical framework this paper reflects on a complex design project that students from the University of Johannesburg’s Department of Multimedia undertook from June- September 2012. The design project sought to resolve many of the issues the Johannesburg Art Gallery, a municipal art gallery in downtown Johannesburg is faced with, as it strives to remain relevant to the city and people of Johannesburg. Issues include: communication approaches; building degradation; accessibility; operational concerns; social relevancy; politics; and economic sustainability