3D Design
A2 - PROJECT GUIDE – UNIT 1 (Component 1)
Welcome to A2! This is the year where you tackle your largest and most important project: Unit 1, Personal Investigation. This is a chance to focus on a topic you love, linked to your future career plans (university, apprenticeship, or employment). It’s also your chance to shine—it’s worth 60% of your total marks, so take it seriously.
Think of this project as your creative portfolio—the one you’ll proudly take to university or show to potential employers. You can build on your Mini Major project, but make sure that work is strong enough to sit alongside this new, more ambitious project. If your future plans aren’t related to 3D Design (e.g., studying Medicine), that’s fine—pick a theme you enjoy and can excel at to secure maximum marks.
Choosing a Theme
Need inspiration? Here are some popular topics and ideas to get you started:
Architecture
- Exoskeletal structures
- Organic forms
- "New art from old"
- Futurism and utopian cities
- Positive social design
- Green spaces in urban architecture
- Repeating patterns and layers (stratification)
- Eco-friendly buildings
Interior Architecture
- Colour and pattern
- Art Deco and modernism
- Minimalism
- Organic and exoskeletal forms
- Futurist interiors
- Positive, people-focused design
Product Design
- "Form follows function"
- Lighting design
- Personal electronic devices
- Ergonomics
- Furniture (classic or contemporary)
- Concept designs for video games or films
Character Design
- Monsters and mutants
- Puppets
- Robotics and mecha
- Utopian or post-apocalyptic worlds
Fashion and Craft Design
- Cyberpunk, steampunk, or frostpunk styles
- Fashion inspired by games
- Cosplay and armour
- Craft-based products or one-of-a-kind designs
Sculpture
- Organic forms and brutalism
- Exploring unusual materials
- Ceramics
- Modernism vs. postmodernism
- Reinventing existing art