Vacant PhD scholarship "Complex Modelling"

Though it is not specifically related to textiles, I thought I would just mention this great opportunity for PhD studentship as it might interest some of our architects and digital crafting friends. The PhD will take place at CITA, Centre for IT & Architecture, The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, School of Architecture from the 1rst of April 2012. The Scholarship is for 3 years and fully funded. The position is placed within the framing research topic Complex Modelling.

A bit more content is provided below with introduction to the context of research but for full details about the application please visit this link.

Over the last 30 years, we have witnessed a large-scale digitisation of archictectural practice. Contemporary architecture is almost exclusively produced using digital tools, and the computer has become a key tool in the way architecture is thought of, designed and produced. Today, digital tools have an impact on architecture on the most simple level to the most complex one. If on the one hand, the computer is a simple drawing tool that we use to represent our surroundings, its is on the other hand also the medium through which we seek solutions to complex contemporary issues that our society faces. It is through these digital tools and their potential to compute large amounts of data with a high degree of complexity that we as a knowledge society seek to find solutions to the urbanisation of mega-cities, globalisation and sustainability.

This shift has placed new demands on our represenation forms. The new information models that are able to actively calculate the economic, environmental and spatial effects of a proposal, have transformed architectural representation into a dynamic and flexible medium that is able to interface directly with outside knowledge fields. However, information models also have there own inherent problems. They become larger because they contain data from the many practices that constitute the construction industry, they become longer because they are expanded to include several of the building phases and they become deeper because the specific volumes of information, which the models must be able to handle, are growing.

This results in a dramatic increase in complexity, and leads us to question the fundamental ways in which information models are organised. If we as architects and engineers must work with large datasets and must be able to simulate and analyse these in ways that make sense, it is necessary that we consider how these models may be presented.

Today, information models are reproduced in accordance with architecture’s traditional development in three dimensions. As an automation of plans and section views, the 3D model serves as a continuation of the traditional architectural drawing hall. This PhD project will explore how other forms of information organisation may help to create intelligent tools for architectural design, analysis and realisation. To manage these digital models concretely and optimally, it is essential to have a critical understanding of how parametric and generative computer models may be developed and monitored.

Applications are to be handed in no later than Wednesday 1 February 2012 at 12.00 noon.

The Role of Material Evidence in Architectural Research: Drawings, Models, Experiments

The Role of Material Evidence in Architectural Research: Drawings, Models, Experiments, by Anne Beim and Mette Ramsgaard Thomsen is one of the recent publications of the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, School of Architecture, Design and Conservation discussing what is regarded as valid evidence in arhcitectural research and how to evaluate these materials.

The publication gathers the results of the debates initiated during the seminar of the same name organized at the school in November 2010. It gathers texts and interviews from guest researchers as for instance Jonathan Hill discussing Design Research as a 500 hundred years tradition or Yeoryia Manolopoulou talking about Enaction Drawing. The book is also an introduction to on-going PhD projects at the school which range 'from tectonic inquiries into material qualities and properties to computational crafting and model making, to the creation and testing of theoretical models for simulation or articulation of tectonic principles in ordered pictograms'. A modest but rich contribution to the debate of practice-based research methodology.

With contributions by

Researchers

Jonathan Hill, Yeoryia Manolopoulou, Peter Bertram, Billie Faircloth, Karin Søndergaard, Merete Madsen, Mikkel Kragh

PhD Students

Anne-Mette Manelius, Aurélie Mossé, Peter Andreas Sattrup, Ofri Earon, Nanet Krogsbæk Mathiasen, Jacob Riiber Nielsen, Søren Nielsen, Johannes Rauff Greisen, Jan Schipull Kauschen, Cecilie Bendixen, Tore Banke

Precise writing

Here I would like to share two references that will benefit PhD students in their writting-up period, especially useful for non-native speakers

Williams, Joseph M. 1988. Style: Ten Lessons in Clarity and Grace. Scott, Foresman, & Co.

William Strunk, Jr., 1918, The Elements of Style

These are good tools to help you structuring your writing more accuretaly. Beyond reminding you about generic rules, they provide very useful vocabulary lists/examples.

New materials within a design professional and sustainable frame of reference.

Call for PHD fellowship

Kolding School of Design invites applications for a PhD Fellowship starting 1 February, 2012 or as soon as possible after that date. The fellowship has a three year duration and is in the field:

New materials within a design professional and sustainable frame of reference.

The position will be affiliated with the future doctoral school under the auspices of the Architect and Design Schools with place of employment at Kolding School of Design, Department of Product Design.

The project will contribute to building knowledge of new materials in a broad design sense within a sustainable frame of reference. The Department of Product Design comprises three specialist domains, Fashion, Textile, and Industrial Design, and sustainability represents one of the school’s strategic target areas.

New knowledge in this field intends to strengthen creativity and innovation in terms of education and practice, contribute to renewed self-understanding, and support design solutions to the many future challenges of product design.

The application should investigate the significance of new materials on design practice. The investigation should relate to relevant, existing, international research environments that work with material knowledge at the most advanced professional level. Moreover, in terms of methodology, the project should connect to action research and/or practice-oriented research traditions such as e.g. research-through-design. Furthermore, the application should explicate how the contribution will support the development of the three specialist domains of the department, including how it will strengthen the future development of design practice and create renewed professional self-understanding.  

The Application:
There is no application form. The application must be in writing in Danish, Norwegian, Swedish or English and allow for the appointment committee to be able to assess the applicant’s qualifications and potential for completing the project.

The Application must include:

• Project description stating the subject and the thesis and delimiting the theory and methodology expected to be applied.

• A preliminary timetable which includes any expected stays with other research institutions, organisations, or companies.

The project description must be a relatively detailed design presentation of the PhD project, while the timetable must be a brief outline of the expected course of study on a quarterly basis. The application, including notes, may not exceed 14,400 characters corresponding to approx six A4 pages.

Attachments must include:

• Copy of master’s degree diploma or corresponding diploma

• Curriculum Vitae and list of any scientific or other publications which the applicant wishes to present in support of his or her application

• Any recommendations

Where possible and relevant, attached should also be:

• Information concerning project specific teaching requirements

• Information concerning special requirements regarding equipment and facilities – including requirements due to any disabilities.

• Information concerning specific requests regarding main supervisor and project supervisor as well as any secondary supervisors.

Submission and Deadline:
Application marked ”New materials within a design professional and sustainable frame of reference” must be forwarded in 4 copies to Designskolen Kolding, Aagade 10, 6000 Kolding att. Research Secretary Lise Yde no later than 15 December, 2011 at 12 PM. An electronic version (PDF file) of the application must also be uploaded via the following link:

http://golf.hr-manager.net/ApplicationInit.aspx?ProjectId=65707&DepartmentId=7546&SkipAdvertisement=true

We encourage everyone regardless of their personal background to submit their application. 

FURTHER DETAILS HERE

For more information regarding the contents of the PhD Fellowship, please contact Head of Department Mathilde Aggebo, telephone +45 76 30 11 00 or mobile +45 21 42 77 04 (ma@dskd.dk).

Digital Crafting Consequences: Symposium

Today digital technologies inform all levels of building practice. As a link between representation, design, analysis and production, digital technologies are both practical tools by which to optimise existing practice as well as speculative media by which to explore its future. By facilitating exchange and feedback between the different knowledge fields of design, engineering and crafts, digital technology holds the potential to effect new answers to the complex challenges of contemporary building practice.

The second Digital Crafting symposium will discuss the future perspectives for a new integrated digital practice. Inviting practitioners from the fields of architecture, engineering and theory to share their experiences and present recent work, the symposium aims to unfold new visions for thinking the links between design, analysis and fabrication. With a focus on interdisciplinary collaboration, bottom up thinking and complex modeling we ask how the shared digital platform can create new material strategies for design.

Digital Crafting is hosted by CITA Centre for IT and Architecture, Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, School of Architecture, Design and Conservation.

Date:                     25. Nov 2011 - 10.30h - 17.30h

Venue:                 Royal Academy of Fine Arts, School of Architecture, Design and Conservation Google maps

Auditorium - Rhytmisk Musikkonservatorium

Leo Mathisens Vej 1, Holmen, Copenhagen

Program:

10:15                     Registration and coffee

10:45                     Welcome and introduction Martin Tamke

11.00h Session 1:  Consequences for making

chair: Phil Ayres (CITA)

Antoine Picon - Harvard Graduate School of Design / Cambridge

Fabio Gramazio – ETH / Gramazio Kohler architects / Zuerich

14.00h  Session 2:  Consequences for material practice

chair: Christoph Schindler (schindlersalmeron)

Jan Knippers – TU Stuttgart / Knippers Helbig Engineers / Stuttgart - New York

Marta Malé-Alemany – IAAC Barcelona / AA London

16.00h Session 3:  Consequences for design practice

chair: Mette Ramsgard Thomsen (CITA)

Tobias Nolte - Gehry Technologies / Paris

Reinhard Kropf – Helen Hard Architects / Stavanger / Norway

17.30 Closing remarks and and of Symposium

The DigitalCrafting symposium addresses practitioners, researchers and students from the fields of architecture, engineering and construction. The symposium is open to the public and free of charge. Due to demand and to support organisation we ask you email your participation: martin.tamke@karch.dk

Sustainable Design - Between Ethics and Aesthetics

Research Seminar November 11^th 2011 from 10 am to 4pm

Venue: KUC, Aagade 27, 6000Kolding, Denmark

Full program: http://www.designskolenkolding.dk/index.php?id=3863

The SEADS project explores the interplay between ethical and aesthetic values in sustainable design with the aim of promoting sustainable production and consumption. Furthermore, it seeks to strengthen and refine the public and professional debate about design and sustainability.

The seminar will present working papers as well as three keynotes from internationally recognized speakers:

Dr Martina Keitsch is specialized in philosophy, environmental ethics and aesthetics.

Dr Ann Thorpe author of The Designer’s Atlas of Sustainability.

Professor Bente Halkier, sociologist and political scientist author of Consumption challenged. Food in medialised everyday lives.

Registration to Annette Grønbæk ag@dskd.dk, no later than November 4^th

Fee including coffee and lunch 150 kr. transfer to bank account reg.: 0216 - konto: 4069032842, please mark the installment seminar 6113.600.5004

Students are welcome without food there is no fee, but you have to register, since we have limited seats.

For more details and the full program see attached file. 

The seminar is organised by members of the SEADS project  – Sustainability, Ethics, Aesthetics, Design and Strategy. SEADS is part of a new Centre for Design, Culture and Management set up in collaboration between Kolding School of Design and University of Southern Denmark .

Textile Research in Process

TRIP: An international symposium exploring the role and relevance of traditional ‘hand skills’ in contemporary textiles, and the value and status of craft process.

Wednesday 16th and Thursday 17th November 2011 School of the Arts - Loughborough University

Technology such as digital embroidery, print and jacquard, laser and rapid prototyping are valuable assets in textile manufacturing but can be limiting and may restrict or exclude creative spontaneity in the design process, development, and production. This may lead to a more superficial approach to the origination of the designs and artefacts, inhibiting conceptual content and promoting mechanical and uniform characteristics where irregularity and subtle variety are less evident in the final textile outcomes. In contrast to this, in relation to traditional processes, human inconsistencies and even error could be promoted as positive qualities, leading to innovation through experimentation and may also embed a desirable degree of character into the textiles. The unexpected can contribute a visual and conceptual depth that is exciting and potentially unique. Within this context the hand-made has acquired a new value and respect in recent years.

Through a series of illustrated presentations and panel discussions by leading artists, designers, researchers and technologists, the symposium will seek to explore and define the role of hand skills and the value of process in contemporary textiles.

Bookings for the Symposium are now being taken..

Keynote Speakers:

Bradley Quinn
Margo Selby
Emma Henderson (Matthew Williamson)

More info on Loughbourough University website

Design Internship Opportunity with Loop

Sonumbra, 2009, by Loop.ph

We are looking for motivated design interns to join our team on an exciting new commission.

We have been commissioned by Kensington Palace to create a public lighting installation to be installed in early january.

The commission is based on our studio's Archilace technique - creating architectural scale lace work based on the palaces historic lace collection.

We are looking for people with a textile background and good experience with hand crafting and fibre work. Following training you will be working as a team on fabricating a large architectural scale piece of electronic lace.

We are looking for 3 people to work with us 2-3 days a week starting from 1st November until mid January.

This is a paid internship and based in our London studio in Stoke Newington N16.

If you would like to apply please send us an email outlining your experience and interest in working on the commission.

Please let me know if you have any questions at Loop@Loop.pH

Writing a thesis

As some of us are entering the writting-up phase of our PhD, I would like to share with you some references about how to write a thesis. This is far from being an easy task and a bit of help is very welcome, though, one can easily be lost in the plethora of such literature, especially as no so many references deals with the specificity of writing a practice-based PhD.

I have lately discover How to write a better thesis by David Evans and Paul Gruba, and I have found it immensely valuable at this stage of the research as it is a very synthetic book focusing on the structuring of the thesis, providing very clearly and efficient guidelines and basic tips about using word appropriately for such a task. Not especially dedicated to practice-based and design-led PhD, one of the co-author is an architect, which make it very accessible.

How to write a thesis by Rowena Murray will also be a good friend, particularly useful in respect to writting schedule and how to engage with writting at different stages of the research.

As a starter, I would warmly recommand Visualizing Research: a guide to the research process in art and design by Caroline Gray. The book is not especially dedicated to the writing process but rather deals with different ways to handle a practice-based PhD, from the very first stages up to completion. It is an excellent introduction to the implications of PhD research. Comments are more than welcome to continue the discussion.

Yard Gallery Architectures Day's

Copenhagen's Gallery Yard is presenting a selection of interesting works by young architects reflecting on how public spaces can be transformed into vibrant, participative and even environmental oasis in the city. Come and discover this exciting work byCity Sleeps (US), Filipa Valente (PT) Jacob Riiber (DK) Byen Sover (DK) and Anders Christiansen (DK) - who is also curator of the show. The opening is friday the 30th of september at 17h.

More info

YARD gallery
Refshalevej 163 A, st. th
DK – 1432 Copenhagen K

Exciting London Design Festival Workshops

A flavour of Something Lab's workshop, more workshops on Puff & Flock's blog

London-based textile lab Puff & Flock, has concocted a series of exciting workshops for this years London Design Festival. Hold at the fantastic Farmiloe building in Clerkenwel- this years' Designers Block venue- from 22nd to 25th of September, the workshops will be led by cutting-edge designers including Jennifer Ballie, the Something Lab or the recent formed Postextiles collective. Discover the whole programme and further details on Puff & Flock's blog.

At this occasion the Puff Up shop, a souvenir shop offering gorgeous goods, mostly limited editions, will be back. It will be located in the outside courtyard in the large inflatable cube courtesy of Inflate.

If you have the chance to be in London, I would not miss these exciting events!

Ambience Conference 28-30 November 2011

The University of Borås is hosting a very promising conference and exhibition next fall, gathering researchers, artists, designers and architects who challenge the boundaries between art, design and technology. With a foundation in artistic practice the conference will be organized as a meeting place where art, design, architect and technology communities can come together to discuss and share ideas on the interfaces between art and technology development; a place where art, design, architecture and technology can meet and interact, to inform each other, and to bring new ideas back to their own community.

The full programme is about to come but I can already let you know that Jane Scott and I will respectively present a paper. All the details for the conference are available on the conference's website. Looking forward to seeing you there.

Art and Design Index to Thesis

If you are looking for thesis examples in the field of practice-based and design-led research, then this link will be of interest. It is far from being exhaustive but it gives a partial overview of works in this area.

'ADIT (Art and Design Index to Theses) has been set up with funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council to provide a searchable resource of research degrees in Fine Art and Design. It aims to enable research students and their supervisors to build their understanding of the contribution that their research will make to their particular field of study.

When science talks about design

Today, DTU's Chemical Engineering Department is celebrating the still unusal collaboration between scientists and designers with an article dedicated to my last responsive installation called Reef, fruit of a collaboration with electro-active polymers' specialist Guggi Kofod and interaction designer David Gauthier. Discover this nice feature entitled 'Shaping reality with electro-active polymers' in their 2010 annual report.

Proposals for Paperweight – Issue Three: “Texture”

Drawing together writers, researchers, academics, enthusiasts, designers, artists and curators, each issue of Paperweight takes a timely theme related to visual and material culture, and uses it as a starting point, or an end point, or something in-between, to explore the territory from differing vantage points.

Due for publication in Autumn 2011, the third issue of Paperweight: A Newspaper of Visual and Material Culture is themed around Texture. The newspaper's editors are keen to hear proposals for contributions from designers and design historians who work with and around texture - from the smooth and the shiny, to the rough and the hairy; from fibre and fabric, to the waxed and the lacquered; and everything else.

Proposals should be submitted to Rebecca Onion (ronion.paperweight@polygraphia.co.uk) for material culture subjects or

Matt Lodder (mlodder.paperweight@polygraphia.co.uk) for visual culture topics.

Deadline for Proposals: 15 July 2011

Deadline for Submissions: 15 September 2011

For further information please see: www.polygraphia.co.uk/paperweight

Actuated Matter Workshop / Zurich / July 25-29

The Actuated Matter workshop explores the application of smart materials and their ability to transform space into responsive, adaptive environments. We will develop a speculative model for membrane structures that exhibit properties of sensitivity, resilience, and decay. By physically engaging with the behaviours of active materials, we experiment with the threshold between the electronic and mechanic, the analog and the digital. The workshop follows a do-it-yourself approach and will result in the development of sonic, luminous and moving modules that will populate and activate the environment. This workshop is part of a recent research initiative called “Emotive Environments” and emerges from a collaboration between ZHDK's Institute for Computer Music and Sound Technology (http://www.icst.net>), the Interaction Design Institute (http://iad.zhdk.ch>), ETH's Chair for Computer Aided Architectural Design (http://www.caad.arch.ethz.ch>) and London based Loop.pH Design Research Studio (http://loop.ph/).

Participants will work in small groups, each be led by someone with experience in the particular field of research.

The workshop will be complemented by a final presentation and unveiling event, where you are also invited to come see the results, if you cannot attend the workshop.

The workshop is free of charge.
Application forms and more information can be found at: http://blogs.iad.zhdk.ch/emotiveenvironments/actuated-matter/

APPLICATION CLOSES JULY 13

SPECIAL EFFECTS: TECHNOLOGY AND THE INTERIOR EXPERIENCE

INTERIORS: DESIGN, ARCHITECTURE, CULTURE - Berg Publishers

Call for Articles - Special Issue (Vol. 3 Issue 1 - 2012)

SPECIAL EFFECTS: TECHNOLOGY AND THE INTERIOR EXPERIENCE

The editors Anne Massey (Kingston University) and John Turpin(Washington State University) invite contributions to the journal's 2012 special issue SPECIAL EFFECTS: Technology and the Interior Experience. This issue will examine the impact of technology on the development of the interior and the accompanying human experience. As the 21st century unfolds, technological additions, integrations and interventions have become more pervasive altering our interface with the built environment and greatly impacting our perception of the world around us: requiring us to face reality on the one hand, and yet allowing us to slip into immersive fantasies on the other. The divisions between outside and inside have become more porous, with virtual worlds and lived experience colliding and coalescing. Gadgets for the home; technology and sustainable living; shopping and atmosphere; projecting digital place and the development of gendered technologies are all areas that are open for analysis from an interior studies perspective.

The editors welcome submissions of articles addressing the topic of the interior and technology broadly defined. Submissions reflecting the latest research on the interior from historians, practitioners and theorists are particularly welcomed. Principal articles of 5,000 to 7,000 words, including notes and references, with 4-8 illustrations are invited, and should be sent as an attachment to interiors@bergpublishers.com by 31st July 2010.

Further details of the Journal, including Notes for Contributors, are available at www.bergjournals.com/interiors

If you have any queries about the Journal or about submitting an article, please contact: interiors@bergpublishers.com

Future Everything

Future Everything: Handmade's Digital |DIY | Craft Fair

Come down to Victoria Baths on Saturday 14th May to join crafters, hackers and makers from all over the country, as they showcase their work and ask you to get involved!

Jen Ballie will be presenting the Shared Scarf Project and invite you to participate in an interactive alternative fashion experience by enabling you to rip and mix past and present fashion trends to make them your own.

A collective collection will be co-designed live from london and streamed to the stand... lots of digital tools will be on hand to enable new design concepts. All very interactive and experimental... alternatively please check www.thesharedscarfproject.com and watch the next collection evolve - online contributions welcome.

If your in Manchester please come and say hello!

The Shared Scarf Project @ DESIGNERS|MAKERS

This Saturday the Shared Scarf Project will be running some DIY fashion workshops in collaboration with DESIGNERS|MAKERS Market Place. This interactive market stall will enable participants to rip and mix past and present fashion trends to make and style their own bespoke scarf.

A selection of vintage scarves and The Shared Scarf Project's first "Collective Collection" will also be on sale within the market stall.

Please come along and say hello. Workshops will be running from 11-5pm

Location:

SPACE

129-131 Mare Street

Hackney

London

UK

E8 3RH

For further info visit www.designersmakers.com

MAKING FUTURES

Final Call for abstracts. The closing date for receipt of abstracts is 1st May 2011.

Making Futures will be held on Thursday 15th and Friday 16th September 2011 at Dartington Hall on the inspiring Dartington Estate, Devon, UK.

Making Futures invites submissions from craft practitioners, curators, historians, theorists, campaigners, activists, and representatives from public and private agencies with an interest in the relationship between the contemporary crafts and sustainability issues.

CONFERENCE AIMS:
Making Futures is about agency, change and the search for new grounds and understandings of how the contemporary crafts are practiced in relation to developing global environmental and
sustainability agendas.

The conference explores the idea that these emerging agendas interrupt and restage the possibilities of craft in fundamental ways that are important to makers, their audiences, and to society more generally; that they present opportunities to redefine and reconstitute the crafts as less marginalised, more centrally productive forces in society, through new formulations and/or re-articulations of practices, identities, positions and markets.

All details about the call available here http://makingfutures.plymouthart.ac.uk

Co-Design Workshop 2/6: Collaborative Consumption

The Scarf Project: Think | Make | Style | Share

This interactive workshop offers an opportunity to engage in an alternative fashion experience by enabling participants to think and make for themselves. A co-design toolkit will be used to facilitate action and enable the generation of a bespoke printed scarf for each participant. The workshop will end with a style session and photo shoot.

Are you a designer? A fashion / textiles student or graduate? Or are you a consumer / fashion enthusiast? Come along and get involved in a new and exciting fashion experience which will enable you to produce a scarf unique to your own style and personality.

This workshop is free and all materials will be provided. To participate send an email to : textiles2.0@gmail.com

Reef exhibited at 1:1 research by design

Reef is the design of a self-actuated ceiling questioning how adaptive minimum energy structures can contribute re-establishing home in a synergic relationship with nature. Composed by an archipelago of electro-active modules, Reef constantly re-designs its own landscape as its modules change shape according to the exterior. Like a sail, they open and close gradually following the pulse of the wind, materializing the invisible flow of energy that connects the inside with the outside. Like corals, Reef is calcifying over time as the supporting technology is becoming obsolete, transferring its actuation back to the inhabitant as natural airflow is invited to come in.

Reef is currently displayed as a part of the 1:1 research by design, an exhibition by Institute 4 at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, School of Architecture, Copenhagen until the 10th of April 2011. All the details about the exhibition here.

Design: Aurélie Mossé
Collaborators: Guggi Kofod, David Gauthier
Photography: Mathilde Fuzeau

With the precious help of Kristine Agergaard Jensen, Anca Gabriela Bejenariu, Lucie Benech, Aude Béranger, Liv Elbirk, Vibber Hermansen, Bori Kovacs, Jessica Meek, Paul Nicholas, Matteo Oliverio, Brady Peters, Martin Tamke.

Smart Geometry

Smart geometry is a key event in the field of architecture. 'To the new generations of designers, engineers and architects, mathematics and algorithms are becoming as natural as pen and pencil. Smartgeometry promotes the emergence of this new paradigm in which digital designers and craftsmen, are able to intelligently exploit the combination of digital and physical media taking projects from design right through to production.'

This year the event is hosted by CITA in Copenhagen from 28th of March until 2dn of April. The event is organized around a series of workshops and conferences time, including the following speakers:

Ben van Berkel UN Studio

Usman Haque Haque Design + Research Studio

Billie Faircloth KieranTimberlake Director of Research

Craig Schwitter + Gijs Libourel Buro Happold + Adaptive Building Initiative

Lisa Amini IBM Smarter City Lab, Dublin

Mette Ramsgaard Thomsen Head of Center for Information Technology and Architecture (CITA)

Find out more about the exciting programme on smart geometry.

Fay McCaul - Knitted Light

On 15th February 2011 Fay McCaul presented her design work at the University of Leeds , School of Design. A Leeds graduate, Fay recently graduated from the RCA with MA Textiles.

Her work is two- fold, both a high-tech and low-tech approach to knitting light.

Inspired by Llott Llov, (knitted lights) Sarah Taylor (embedded light in woven textiles), Kwangho Lee (cable structures), Kennedy and Violich (Give Back Curtain)

Materials include photoluminescent materials, electroluminescent wire and uv fibre optics.

Check out her website: www.faymccaul.com

Smart Textiles Design Competition for Students

Textiles are leading the pack, this become more and more present. Check out this opportunity to win 6,500 EUR for Innovative Design with Smart Textiles

'A new ambitious project puts Denmark on the world map of smart textiles. The opening of the project is marked by an international prize competition for students with a prize of 6,500 EUR. Students from all over Europe are invited to take part, and the winner is found on 12 May 2011, when TEKO, VIA University College in Herning is host for a summit for international experts and companies working with smart textiles.'

Click here to read the press release!

Contact information:

Ms. Hanne Troels Jensen, Director, Knowledge Center for Smart textiles, Tel.: +45 87 55 05 47

E-mail: htj@viauc.dk

Future Fashion Textiles Competition

+ + + + + + TFRC’s Future Fashion Textiles Competition, 2011 + + + + + +

with VF Corporation, USA

Textile Futures Research Centre is to host a design competition with VF Corporation.

VF Corporation is a US based, $7 billion apparel conglomerate and parent company to over 25 global apparel brands, including The North Face, Vans, Lee, Wrangler, Eastpak, Jansport, and Nautica, as well as several others. They will hold an Innovation Summit to in September 2011 for the executive teams of each of VF's brands, where there will be an opportunity for University of the Arts London students to present cutting-edge design research and concepts.

The Textile Futures Research Centre (TFRC) is one of the UAL’s six research centres, and is renowned for its innovative and ground breaking work in the fields of practice-based textiles design research, which explores digital, science and sustainable textiles. This TFRC / VF competition is open to all students and recent graduates (2 yrs) from Central St Martins, London College of Fashion and Chelsea College of Art and Design, including: BA and MA Textiles at CSM and CCW; MA Fashion, CSM, and MA Digital Fashion, LCF; and TFRC & UAL Research Students

Themes

The competition covers five future textiles themes, which will be explored by eminent researchers in the various fields. The launch event will be on Monday 21^st February 2011 (2 – 6pm, Lecture Theatre 272 High Holborn):

Theme 1 ‘Simplicity Regained’ – Dr Emma Neuberg, Slow Textiles and Fashion Design

Theme 2 ‘Trust Rebalanced’ – Adam Thorpe, Design Against Crime (DAC)

Theme 3 ‘Networked Lives’ – Di Mainstone, Peformance, Technology and Fashion

Theme 4 ‘Responsible Living’ - Alexandra Deschamps-Sonsino, Interaction Design

Theme 5 ‘Health & Wellness’ – Suzanne Lee, Biocouture

Prizes

· 10 x TFRC Making and Mentoring Awards (£250 cash and 2 feedback sessions with a mentor)

· Top prize of £1500, work included in the VF Corp USA Summit exhibition, & trip to the summit, September 2011

Timescale

Launch Event: Monday 21^st February 2011;

Deadline for Proposals: March 2011

Mentoring Awards announcement: April 2011

First Mentoring Session: May 2011, Innovation Centre, Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design

For Further Info Visit http://tfrcconnections.blogspot.com/

Call for participation / electro-active polymers

Do you want to find out more about smart materials? Aurélie proposes you an immersion in the world of electro-active polymers: plastics changing shape with electricity. As a part of her PhD exploring the boundaries between textiles and architecture, she is looking for benevolent(s) to assist her for the making of a responsive installation. The installation will consist in a ceiling surface made out of electro-active modules, changing shape according to wind intensity and direction. It will be displayed within the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, School of Architecture, Copenhagen this coming month of March. Exhibition opens on the 11th of March and will be on until end of April.

Beyond the joys of team work, this is a great opportunity to discover the research environment CITA (Centre for IT & Architecture) as well as to get hands on and learn how to build electro-active modules. You will also get an insight on digital crafting methods, including laser-cutting and screen-printing techniques.

She would be happy to have help during these two key phases:

• 21rst of February – 6th of March: making of electro-active polymers
• 7th - 10th of March: setting up of the installation

If you are interested, please get in touch directly with Aurélie asp:

aurelie.mosse@karch.dk

+45 50 36 62 38

Call for Participation

*Call for Participation*

AN EXCITING OPPORTUNITY

Calling all current fashion or textile design students/graduates interested in collaboration: you are hereby invited to participate in a practice-led research project exploring co-design.

Design has transitioned from an era of designing ‘for’ people towards the current era of designing ‘with’ people. Brown (2010) predicts that in the future, design will become a social experience and no longer practiced in isolation.

The term Generation Y is used to define a demographic (born between 1977 and 1997) who have grown up surrounded by digital media. Tapscott (2008) argues that this group are a force of social transformation:

- As consumers they want to be prosumers co-innovating products and services

- They use digital media to edit, create and distribute their own content

- They collaborate by constructing their own social networks

- They innovate by becoming active participants within the design process.

Economic changes bound up with globalisation are increasing pressures for people to re-think current models of design and production. The fashion industry is exploring new models to enable Gen Y to participate through exploratory marketing campaigns and streaming fashion week live online. There is huge potential for digital media and design to collaborate to construct new ways of working, but a re-think of the relationship between the designer and the consumer is required: both to consider how new technology can be used to enable the exchange of skills and knowledge, and to bring us into the future with consideration to the users needs and wants.

The selected participants will be invited to a design meeting where the project will be pitched and they will play an active role in defining the overall brief. You will leave with a goodie bag of design tools, tips and tricks to get started on your design research and development.

The following week we will meet again and get to work collectively designing a collection of fashion fabrics and accessories.

This is an exciting opportunity for you to participate in a live research project and play an active role in defining new design approaches, an excellent CV opportunity.

Participant Criteria

- A current fashion or textile design student or graduate

- An Interest and familiarity with digital media tools for example, blogging, twitter, Flickr and Facebook.

- Available for two weeks to participant from Monday 7th - 18th February 2011. There will be x2 real time meetings and the rest will be online.

How to Participate

Send a few short sentences describing YOU as a designer.

Send an email to: textiles2.0@gmail.com

Include: Your name, contact information, University of study, and a blog link if you have one.

Visit - http://thetextilesampler.blogspot.com/ for updates and further information. This is the first in a series of new projects so if your unavailable and would like to be considered for up and coming events just send a quick email.

Looking forward to hearing from you!