This course is a historical survey of innovation in 20th and 21st century design, focusing on how human creativity has been harnessed to address complex problems and improve lives. It examines where innovation comes from and how it works, taking into consideration the varying contexts, creative processes, technological developments, and material transformations that are involved. This course is designed to introduce students to the essential elements that have shaped the innovative solutions of the past in order to better equip them to respond effectively to the creative challenges of the present.