This course serves as an introduction for Interior Design students to the properties of hard and soft materials and the ecological impact of material choices. Materials are considered as the matter for their phenomenological effects and their cultural, historical and contemporary applications in interior design. Fundamentals of material assemblies, transitions and construction practices, will be discussed. Projects will include making prototypes, to demonstrate students' understanding of material properties while they explore new assembly methods in detail. As a seminar, students will work individually and in teams, on assignments that include site visits, research, and design.