design workshops

Designers are concerned with the socially, culturally, and spatially situated application of technologies to meet specific human needs. Successful design depends upon deep understanding of needs and their contexts, practical knowledge of the means available to respond, and strategies for creatively relating the two. It combines resourceful problem solving with ongoing critical reflection.

From an economic perspective, design of products, systems, and environments is the means of immediate realization, in particular contexts, of the potential value of technological innovations. Institutions of design research and teaching, and innovative design practices, are, therefore, crucial components of creative economies.

design without boundries I 4.596

Instructors: William J. Mitchell & Federico Casalegno, Units: 12, Level: H, Prerequisites: First meeting: Monday September 11

Since the professionalization of design fields in the nineteenth century, design practices, research projects, and educational programs have generally been framed by established professional categories- architectural design, urban design, landscape design, structural design, mechanical design, graphic design, interaction design, software design, and so on. But interesting and important design problems don’t necessarily come packaged in these ways, and the opportunities created by emerging technologies certainly don’t respect traditional design boundaries and competences.

Design Without Boundaries will therefore explore opportunities, strategies, and intellectual foundations for radically cross-disciplinary design in the coming decades. It will be structured as a series of weekly discussions with visitors from widely varied fields. Students will be expected to participate actively in the discussions, to keep up with the weekly readings, and to produce a final project that critically explores some aspect of the topic.

design without boundries II 4.596