HEIDE EDUCATION - Design for Life: Grant and Mary Featherston - VCE Visual Communication Design Study Design Units 1-4

Sep 20, 2026

Educational resource produced by Heide Museum of Modern Art for VCE Visual Communication Design (2018–2022), aligned to Study Design Units 1–4. Connects learning to local furniture designers Grant and Mary Featherston, exploring historical and contemporary design across Environmental, Industrial, and Communication design, and professional industry practice. Illuminates design-process stages through targeted case studies: contour chair (industrial), National Gallery of Victoria interior fit-out (environmental), and Obo Chair advertisement (communication). Includes unit area outlines and task directions supporting teaching, student understanding, and reflective preparation for the VCE VCD examination.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages32

Reading Time1 h 21 min

AccessFree to download

Design for Life: Grant and Mary Featherston - VCE Visual Communication Design

Study Design Units 1-4

Unit 1

Area of Study 1

Area of Study 2

Area of Study 3

Unit 2

Area of Study 1

Area of Study 2

Area of Study 3

Unit 3

Area of Study 2

Unit 4

Area of Study 3

Design-process case studies

HEIDE EDUCATION DESIGN FOR LIFE: GRANT AND MARY FEATHERSTON 30 JUNE – 7 OCTOBER 2018 © 2018 Heide Museum of Modern Art. This material may be downloaded, copied, used and communicated free of charge for non-commercial educational purposes provided all acknowledgements are retained. HEIDE EDUCATION Design for Life: Grant and Mary Featherston Expo Sound Chair Mark 11, 1967, photographer unknown, Featherston Archive, National Gallery of Victoria Design in Practice VCE Visual Communication Design This Education Resource has been produced by Heide Museum of Modern Art. Reproduction is permitted for educational purposes only. No part of this education resource may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means. © Heide Museum of Modern Art 2018 Educational use only Page 1 of 31 HEIDE EDUCATION VCE Visual Communication Design The following content aims to support teaching and learning programs for VCE Visual Communication Design 2018-2022 . This resource is designed to support both students and teachers of VCE Visual Communication Design Study Design Units 1-4 . The resource addresses specific aspects of the Study Design, although teachers can easily adapt any aspect to different outcomes and key knowledge according to the needs and interests of students. The guide links content to the Melbourne-based furniture designers, Grant and Mary Featherston to support student’s understanding of; historical and contemporary local design, Environmental, Industrial and Communication design, and professional industry practice. The stages of the design process are illuminated through case studies specific to the three areas of design: 1. Industrial Design (Furniture) : Contour Chairs R152 and R160 (1951) 2. Environmental Design (Interior) : National Gallery of Victoria interior fit-out (1968) 3. Communication Design (Graphic) : Obo Chair advertisement (1975) Unit 1: Area of Study 1 – This area of study references the invention of the Contour Chair, Idea generation and the function of objects. An exploration of structures using manual and digital methods suitable for creating drawings is investigated. Area of Study 2 – Design elements and principles are addressed in tasks referencing the study of the Contour Chair, requiring students to observe, reflect and analyse. Area of Study 3 – Visual communication in context is addressed through tasks exploring global twentieth century historical and cultural practices in design and how these affected the Australian design landscape. Unit 2: Area of Study 1 – Technical drawing in context is explored in relation to three-dimensional, manual and digital techniques used to refine drawings. Area of Study 2 – Type and Imagery in context is addressed using techniques analysing the relationship between typography and imagery of an Obo Chair newspaper advertisement from 1975. Area of Study 3 – The design process is investigated with a design brief task aimed at advertising the Obo Chair to contemporary audiences. Key knowledge areas are examined in relation to the role of the brief in Outcome 3 . Unit 3: Area of Study 2 – This area of study considers methods, materials, constraints and limitations in relation to the design and interior fit-out of the National Gallery of Victoria in 1968 . Unit 4: Area of Study 3 – Evaluation is introduced through tasks and activities that offer models to support the presentation of a pitch. Content and tasks in this resource can be used to focus the VCE teaching and learning program and/or provide students with reflective practice in preparation for the VCE VCD examination. © Heide Museum of Modern Art 2018 Educational use only Page 2 of 31 HEIDE EDUCATION Design for Life: Grant and Mary Featherston Grant and Mary Featherston c. 1973, photographer unknown, Featherston Archive, National Gallery of Victoria How did I become a designer? The answer to that is: One never knows h

FAQs

What is the purpose of the Heide Education VCE Visual Communication Design resource?

It supports teaching and learning for VCE Visual Communication Design (2018–2022) by linking tasks to specific aspects of the study design and to the designers Grant and Mary Featherston.

Which case studies does the guide use to illustrate the design process?

It uses three main examples: Contour Chairs (industrial, 1951), the National Gallery of Victoria interior fit-out (environmental, 1968), and the Obo Chair advertisement (communication, 1975).

How does the resource help students prepare for assessment or the VCE VCD examination?

It provides content and tasks that can be used in VCE teaching programs and for reflective practice, including activities that support evaluation and presentation skills such as pitching.

Sep 20, 2026

Uploaded by Emma Mercer