I am currently on research visit in London for two months. To be more precise, I am at the Interaction Design Studio at Goldsmiths in New Cross. One might think that I know the place, but I actually finished my BA Hons here but the research studio, that was initiated by Bill Gaver, arrived the same year as I graduated. Hence, it all seems pretty new to me. The studio, who’s work you can see here is currently involved in an energy and community research project, where one of their outcomes will be on display at the Nordes conference soon.
image: bits and bobs in the Goldsmiths studio
My plan for the visit has been as a kick-start for the thesis writing process. Goldsmiths seemed to be a good place to stay since Alex Wilkie who was also my respondant for my 1-year seminar agreed to give me some feedback in regards to my work. Even if plans never seems to be carried out as you plan them to (meaning I have not done haf the writing I thought I would), this far I have managed to hold a presentation for the studio and some of the PhD student focused upon my latest project, urbananimalsand & us. I have also met up with Kat Jungnickel who is hosting a ‘Transmissions and Entanglements’ seminar in London in the end of June. It sound like it will be a rather interesting event, see further updates on Ka’s website.I have furthermore been invited to listen and respond to the BA Design students final exam vivas. There was some really interesting projects, and if you do happen to be in London go and see their Undergraduate Exhibition ‘This is War’ from the 31st of May to the 3rd of June at the Old Truman Brewery, 91-95 Brick Lane, London E1 6QL. Or visit the baking website http://thisiswar.org.uk/
This Wednesday I went to see a Dunne & Raby exhibition at the design museum. They have created an exhibition based on future scenarios for a fictional UK or United micro Kingdom (which of course also has its on flag). The citizens are made up of different tribes that are all prescribed to a rather extreme, digitatrians, bioliberals, anarcho-evolutionists and commune-nuclearists. The show features models and manipulated photos where the 2 designers have reinterpreted things like the car and transport system. Unfourtunately the show does not really live up to its promise of using storytelling to make us question the world around us. The scenarios, or tribe behaviours, seems like they have been portrayed through other channels, like f.e film. Nontheless, you can explore each of the super-shires on the UMK website.
image: Dunne & Raby’s bio-cars
