Design Research Centre
Kingston University's Design Research Centre provides a transdisciplinary intellectual and creative environment for researchers engaging with the cultural, environmental and presentational contexts of design practice in its widest sense. Research in this diverse area is developed through five interrelated design thematics which inform and support our postgraduate courses in design, the creative industries, and the built environment.
Design Innovation focuses upon the presentational contexts of contemporary design practice in which design products and activities are formulated, disseminated and displayed. Individual and collaborative research projects bring an experimental or laboratory-like quality to the design process which situates the activities of the designer within the broader context of commerce, industry, cultural institutions and the general public. Research benefits from the longstanding participation of several leading figures from the professional design arena, including the design, manufacture and production of fashion, interiors, and product and furniture.
Curating the Contemporary researchers focus on new initiatives and perspectives on curating, including the interface between design, craft and fine art. Research activities include regular themed conferences with leading international museum curators, a visiting professor programme, and collaborative projects with Kingston's on-site Stanley Picker Gallery.
Design for Environments is an interdisciplinary focus for researchers engaged in the theory and practice of design for diverse environments. This includes design for well-being, health, and micro-environments as well as more spatial, aesthetic and critical enquiry into building typologies and cultural analysis of urban and leisure environments. Funded research projects range from the study of interior design schemes in hospitals, hospices and prisons, to systems of display in public transport networks and museums.
Design for Screen research focuses on interdisciplinary practice-based enquiry into screen-based media. Presentation and context is central to their critical investigation of the screen arts and industry, and researchers engage with documentary and experimental film-making, multimedia-based projects, mainstream film design, and animation.
Sustainability focuses on multidisciplinary research into issues of sustainability across innovative product and packaging design, recycling, and materials innovation. Research resources include the Recycling by Design Research Unit, the Inspirerecycle web resource and the Creative Resource recycled materials' library, funded by the AHRC. Research outcomes range from product design and installations to consultancy reports and web-based resources. See Sustainable Design Research Centre website
Innoversity is our centre for design and innovation across the
Faculties of Art, Design & Architecture and Business. Innoversity is focussed on the ability of the multi-disciplinary process of 'design-thinking' to act as a common language to bring together groups of academic staff, researchers and postgraduate students, as well as to facilitate and foster innovation in a business context. The centre enables collaboration to take place between design (human values), business (viability) and technology (feasibility).
Visit the Innoversity webpage
ProjectAfricaKingston aims to create opportunities for interaction between Britain and Africa and support the knowledge exchange between Africa, Kingston University and the wider community.
Visit the ProjectAfricaKingston website
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