Designing Design Research
The RCA Society again gave its support to the “More is More” series of symposia, organised by Alec Robertson, recently held at the Dana Centre, London. Members may recall a number of design complexity events organised by Alec - two were previously held at the College (2005 / 2006) and one at East London University (2007).
Connect and Comment
This year the Society made an active intervention into the activities of the ‘Design Research Clusters’ with two of our members, John Kaine and Diana Brown, presenting a ‘conversation’ between the practitioner and the theorist.
Discussion around theory and practice is always a challenge to be relished - as each discipline tries to outwit the other. So let’s have an open discussion on this website about issues concerning art and design practice. Post your observations and thoughts to the Society...
"MORE is MORE 2"
4D Product Design for The Everyday
Venue: DANA CENTRE, (Science Museum, London)
Date: Tuesday 6th May 2008.
"Is complexity science with arts & design about give us 'polite robotic traffic lights', an 'angry robot toaster', or delightfully choreographed buildings"?
New creative industries may well appear in the 21st Century that we have yet to conceive of. It is important to explore 'Avant Garde' ideas for these.
MORE is MORE 2 - an afternoon Symposium was followed by a Networking Soiree prior to an Evening DIALOGUE in the Dana Centre of the Science Museum to explore, through Serendipity Syndicates, emergent directions in design research concerning the 4D arts. Particular focus was given to the dynamics of articulated responsive objects. Only recently have the disciplines of design, performance arts, and complexity science come together to explore the design of new 'objects'. There is increasing recognition that designers involved in robot design as well as dealing with complexity issues and the performance arts, can offer insights for innovative design of 'everyday' products and systems.
Several '4D objects' were available to stimulate emergence of ideas on future possibilities for design practice and research. An expressive robot face from Merlin Robots, Shadow Robots articulated hand robot, Snake Robot from EO2, The HaRT Animatron (junior) from IOCT DMU, Autonomous Helicopter Robots IOCT DMU, Video screenings of Spider Crab.EO2
This Event aimed to contribute to 'Embracing Complexity in Design II' Research Cluster, part of the UK AHRC and EPSRC Research Initiative 'Designing for the 21st Century', with the intention of making connections between design theory, and practice. Designers, artists, complexity scientists, engineers and design managers attended. Participants had the opportunity to explore some 'dynamic objects' and reflect upon our relationship to them for 'real world' application as both 'delightful' and 'useful' products, systems and services. The Event was a success, with interesting sessions particularly the 'interactive' Research Reflection part, followed by the Soiree and evening DANA Dialogue, enabled some productive 'serendipity'. However, two parallel sessions might have enabled more of this in the afternoon - but a dilemma avoided on the day!
Although the event took place in early May you can still contribute to the proceedings by completing another 'Serendipity Sheet' with any points of view you could not make on the day, or on reflection you would like to make - even if you were not able to attend all the event.
Email to: alec.robertson@4d-dynamics.net
Programme
1.30pm: Keynote speech
Dynamics of Complexity by Professor Jeffrey Johnson (Professor of Complexity Science and Design, Open University, ECiD Cluster Leader)
SERENDIPITY SYNDICATES
S1 TALK: Complexity and Emergence in Robotics Systems Design by Professor George Rzevski (Founder and Chief Scientist, Magenta Corporation. www.rzevski.net)
S2 Conversation: Kinetic Art, Animatronics and Product Design
RCA Society: Diana Brown (Animatronics and design) with John Kaine (Art-Robots)
S3: Researching Complexity, Dynamic Form and the Design Process.
S4: Choreography and Design in Interactive Environments. An Interdisciplinary Facilitator provides input for and helps make connections between some theory and practice.
4.30pm: REFLECTIVE SESSION
New Directions for Design Research.
Session Chair: Professor Tom Inns (Leader. Designing for the 21st Century Project)
5.15: Thanks to Serendipity Syndicate Participants
5.30: Networking Soiree.
Buffet PRIVATE VIEW of STREETWISE ROBOTS
Keynote speech: Frank Peters, (CEO of the Chartered Society of Designers)
6.45: Thanks to Afternoon Participants not booked into DANA DIALOGUE
7.00: The Public “Meet the Experts”
DANA DIALOGUE: STREETWISE ROBOTS
Introduced by Noel Sharkey. (Professor of Artificial Intelligence & Robotics, University of Sheffield)
8.00: DIALOGUE Question & Answer Session