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.