Transfiguring Disciplinary Boundaries

Transfiguring Disciplinary Boundaries

“...a blurring of traditional design domains.” [Sanders, 2006]

“...a new capacity for collaboration has encouraged new types of design practice.” [Hight and Perry, 2006].

“Encouraged by the rise of telecommunication technologies, new interconnections and configurations of knowledge have materialized and presented new opportunities for creative practice.” [Gibbons et al, 1994].

Changes in Design Practice

• Professional (Discipline Blurring)• Economical (Employment and Financial Shifts)• Technological (Developments in Information and Computing

Technologies)

The problems of society are increasingly complex and interdependent.

They are not isolated to particular sectors or disciplines.

They are emergent phenomena with non-linear uncertainties.

“Designers no longer fit neatly into categories such as product, furniture and graphics; rather they are a mixture of artists, engineers, designers, entrepreneurs and anthropologists.” [West, 2007]

Designer Disciplines Objectives Outputs

Loop.ph TechnologyDecorative design

Beginning a digital arts and crafts movement.

Linking technology to natureEnvironmentally

responsive textiles.Electronic wallpaper.

TroikaArt

Graphic designProduct design

Socio-political interventions.Subverting existing devices.

Tool for armchair activists.

SMS guerrilla projector.

Moritz Waldemeyer

MechatronicsDesign

Exploiting technology to transform designed objects

and spaces.Robotic dress.

Computer controlled chandelier.

Simon Heijdens ArtDesign

Eradicating divisions between art and design.

Moving wallpaper.Ceramic tableware.

GreyworldSpatial design

MusicTheatre design

Create works that articulate public spaces.

Interactive railings.Kinetic sculpture.

DanielEatock

Graphic designArt

Furniture designDocumentation of everyday objects presented in a non-

standard way. Graphics.Furniture.

Art.

Helmut SmitsSculpture

Furniture designSpatial design

Link things together to make strong, simple images.

FurniturePublic artLighting

Atelier van Lieshout

ArtDesign

ArchitectureThe emphasis is on the work being produced by a creative

team.SculptureFurniture

Mobile home units

Designer Disciplines Objectives Outputs

Loop.ph TechnologyDecorative design

Beginning a digital arts and crafts movement.

Linking technology to natureEnvironmentally

responsive textiles.Electronic wallpaper.

Designer Disciplines Objectives Outputs

TroikaArt

Graphic designProduct design

Socio-political interventions.Subverting existing devices.

Tool for armchair activists.

SMS guerrilla projector.The Cloud, T5.

Designer Disciplines Objectives Outputs

Atelier van Lieshout

ArtDesign Architecture

The emphasis is on the work being produced by a creative

team.SculptureFurniture

Mobile home units

Designer Disciplines Type Objectives Outputs

Jonathan Ive

Industrial Design

Disciplinary Designer

Aesthetics, functionality and the craft of manufacture.

Attention to detail.

iMac, iPod and the IPhone.

Designer Disciplines Type Objectives Outputs

Philippe Starck

Transport, Interior, Product, Furniture

Multi-disciplinary

Designer

Longevity, morality and honesty as

integral to the design process

(Fiell, 2006).

Juicy Salif, lemon squeezer. Louis Ghost

chair. Café Costesin.

Designer Disciplines Type Objectives Outputs

Elio Cacavale

Product DesignBiotechnology

Cross-disciplinary

Designer

Critically explore social and ethical aspects of hybrid grounds such as

advances in biotechnology.

Utility pets project (smoke eater, toy

communicator)The future family’s project (Dummy

tummy).

Designer Disciplines Type Objectives Outputs

Moritz Waldemeyer

DesignMechatronics

Inter-disciplinary

Designer

Exploiting technology to transform

designed objects and spaces.

Pong and roulette tables.Robotic dress.

Designer Disciplines Type Objectives Outputs

Greyworld SculptureArchitecture

ProductMusic

Trans-disciplinary

Designer

Create works that articulate public

spaces.

The Source. Interactive railings. Kinetic sculpture. Public Art Interventions.

There are significant transformations within the design industry. Projects now integrate various disciplinary influences, skills, knowledge, and new designer hybrids.

‘Multi-disciplinary design’, ‘cross-disciplinary design’, ‘interdisciplinary design’ and ‘trans-disciplinary design’ each have their own distinct characteristics.

Are Definitions of Design Relevant today?

In practice, disciplines are constructs that we can choose to adhere to or not.

In academia, discipline boundaries are important for research/teaching.

What are the implications for design practice, education and research?

What methods will foster ‘better’ approaches to design?

How can we improve the activities of designing objects and ‘cultures’?

Thank You.Any Questions?