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    Critical Design Practices, 19.04.22-26.05.2022

    Code: MUO- E5019
    MyCourses Link: https://mycourses.aalto.fi/course/view.php?id=33137

    Zoom Link for online content:
    https://aalto.zoom.us/j/68340257454  Meeting ID: 683 4025 7454

    Telegram Group for the course: https://t.me/+Fx4fYYjyKjEyNDQ0

    Teaching Team

    Prof. Julia Lohmann, julia.lohmann@aalto.fi and TA Ena Naito ena.naito@aalto.fi

     

    Other contributors: Prof.Gillian Russell, Dr.Seona Candy, Emilia Tikka, Gero Grundmann, Tuomas Toivonen, Mikko Dufva, Irene Purasachit, Wen Xian

     

    Key Words

    Critical Design, Speculative Design, expanded field of design, System Thinking, Co-Speculative Design, Futures and Fiction, Values in design

     

    Course Introduction

    The course introduces critical approaches to design, addressing it as an evolving, political and activist field. It gives an introduction to different practices of critical design including speculative design, transition design, design activism and their theoretical and historical foundations. We will also discuss how to use our design agency in line with our values and incorporate system level reflections into our work.

     

    The course coaches you to apply research-oriented critical approaches to analyze and reflect upon your actions, mindsets, methods and outputs on your own field of design practice. The course guides you to understand the importance of curiosity on social, political, cultural and ecological issues and it provides skills to apply critical approaches as a springboard for design processes that address societal challenges.

     

    During the course you will experiment with using design as a vehicle for critical deliberation. You will explore your own design practice, motives, external connections and reflect on it through critical perspectives. You will create a short video on the theme of ‘metabolism’ that reflects on aspects that are of concern to you in your designerly practice or life. All kinds of forms and creative practice methods can and should be included in your exploration of the theme and can feature as the content of the filmed design outcome. Amongst others this might include: material explorations, prototypes, drawings, immersive experiences, performances, interviews, collaborations, mixed media, social gatherings, public displays and much more.

     

    Course Aims

    1. Reflect critically on your pathway as a designer and articulate what matters to you

    2. Learn about critical methods as a way of inquiry and reflection.

    3.Combine written words and narratives with materials, prototypes and visuals into a video

    4. Establish a peer to peer network with each other to help you throughout your further MA studies.

    Methodology / Course Delivery

    We are back on campus and almost all sessions will be live, here at Aalto University. We will also visit other places around Helsinki on some of the days and make the most of spring by walking together.

    Learning Outcomes

    On completion of the course, the students can:

    (1) Identify and exemplify critical design practices and examine their historical, theoretical and cultural context.

    (2) Analyse and articulate the key design methods employed.

    (3) Become aware and articulate own methods, own values and the frame they work in.

    (4) Challenge and expand the methods and frames of their own creative practice.

    Deliverables

    You will be required to submit the following items in this course:

    -Reflections on texts and lectures (both verbal in the reading circles and through written texts in the assignments)

    -Learning Diary documenting the process of your project and your reflections throughout the course (Deadline 03.06.2022)

    -A video (stop-motion, animation, filmed performance, all possible) as part of your creative output of this course. The video can be accompanied by other matter.

    Assessment

    Your will be assessed based on attendance, engagement, creative approach and completeness of fulfilled tasks. The weighting of the items is 30% Overall engagement throughout the course including participation and reflections on mycourses (0-5),

    20% Reading Circle contributions and writing exercises (0-5), 20% Learning Diary showing the process and research and development of the concept and development of your fiction through drawings, text, images etc. (0-5) and 30% Final Outcome and Presentation (0-5)

    COURSE OUTLINE 

    TUE 19.04.

    M202 Väre

    9.15 -9.45 Introduction to the course, course structure, outputs, brief, introduction to Ena Naito

    10:30-12.00 Workshop Course Theme, Briefing for 1st task (afternoon, 4 people per group)

    13:00-15:00 Short Group Project

    15.00-16.00 Presentation of results.

     

     

    BRING Please bring with you some materials for task 1, pens and paper, cameras, whatever you like to work with in a quick design task...

     

    WED. 21.04.

     

     

     

    READ If you have not read yet read: Speculative Design or Matt Malpass (depending on your group, please see Ena’s email or mycourses for details)

    THU
    21.04.

     

    M202 Väre

    09.15 -11.00 Introduction to critical design practices. Including 

    A/B, Transition Design, Speculative Design Methods

    Values exercise

    Mapping designerly positions

     

    Reading Circle 1 Theories and Methods

    RC1 11-13h

    RC2 14-16h

     

    Parallel session: Group discussion

    The other half of the group uses the two hours to brainstorm and discuss initial ideas related to the project such as: How to start? Making first sketches etc. Trying out methods and thinking the project into different contexts (Peer to Peer charade)

     

     

    Task: DL 26.04.

    WRITE a 250 word position statement about you as a designer. Who are you and what do you want to change in the world through your design? Please share this as an announcement on mycourses and leave comments for the statement of at least one other student by 26.04. to complete the task.

     

    RESEARCH Critical Design Examples for
    DL Reading Circle on 26th of April:

    Bring one example of a critical / speculative design project that you find engaging and inspiring or troubling for the RC on 26.04. Research and choose a work of critical or speculative design that interests you.

    Fill in the template on the mycourses page (Materials section), PRINT it out, and BRING it to the seminar on Tue 26th April.

    Become an ‘expert’ on the work you have

    chosen. In the seminar, you will have 5min to present the example to the group

     

    TUE 26.04.

    L102 Väre

    9.15-10.00 check in with all

    Reading Circle: Examples and Methods of Speculative/ Critical Design

    10-12h RC Group1

    13-15h RC Group 2

    Other half of the group: Discuss ideas and develop concepts further in small groups. Brainstorm, sketch, project work.

     

     

    THU 28.04.

    Morning: We meet at SITRA

    Itämerenkatu 11-13, 00180 Helsinki Ruoholahti

    Afternoon:

    L102 Väre

    28.04. Thursday:
    08.45-12.00 AM visit at SITRA foresight institute, workshop with Mikko Dufva, “How to craft speculative scenarios”

     

    13.00-16.30h L102 Väre

    Reading Cafe: Introduce your own readings around your topic of research. Max. 8 minutes each.

     

    READ: https://www.moma.org/magazine/articles/534

     

    REFLECT: What kind of objects could inspire you to write a speculative story that relates to your project?

    TUE
    03.05.

     

    Morning: M202 Väre

     

    Afternoon: Kultuurisauna

    Hakaniemenranta 17, 00530 Helsinki

     

    09.15-10.00 Checking in

    10.00-11.00 MA thesis presentation on agricultural metabolisms by CoID graduate Wen Xian

    11.00-12.00 Presentation of MA thesis project by Irene Purasachit

     

    13.00 Travel to Kultuurisauna

    2-4pm The metabolism of the sauna with Tuomas Toivola at Kultuurisauna

     

     

    MAKING: sketch your project: What kind of metabolisms are you investigating? Can you map them out? What do you need to research and visualise? In which medium will you articulate and enliven it? How will you turn it into a video? Spend some time sketching out your project.

     

    EXPERIMENTAL WRITING: Write a short fictional text (max 1 page) about an object you are intrigued by that relates to your project. Try writing in a different voice, experimental combinations of words and images or combinations of written words and objects. Please upload this experiment as an announcement on mycourses.

     

    REFLECT: Has the writing shifted your thoughts about the project?

    THU
    05.05.

     

    G202 Väre

    9.15. -10.15

    Gillian Russell: Critical Reflection

    in design

    10.30-12.00 Doctoral Candidate Emilia Tikka presents her speculative design methods

    13.00-16.00h Dr. Seona Candy, of Helsinki University: mapping systems, leverage points, creative practices and food systems.

     

     

    WRITE: a short reflection (max. 1 page) about one of the lectures we had so far. Did you have any new insights through it? Which lecture inspired you most so far and why?

     

    MAKE: Continue with crafting your fiction. Try to articulate the project in words, materials, visuals and think about how to make the metabolism in your project experienceable. How will you craft the narrative? What are the next steps in your project? Try to plan the remaining time in this course.

    TUE
    10.05.

     

    M202 Väre

    10.05. Tuesday:

    System Mapping, Fictional narratives and storyboards: A day of creative exercises around your topic with guests Seona Candy and Gero Grundmann

     

    Think of how you will convey your project in a video. Make a storyboard and try out the techniques you want to use, so that you can give an impression of how the final outcome might look in the tutorial sessions on Thursday.

    11.05. WED Online:

    16-18h Finnish time (UK 12-14h)

    Online Lecture: Critical Research Perspectives on Design for Government by the socialdesigninstitute@arts.ac.uk

     

    https://www.arts.ac.uk/whats-on/critical-research-perspectives-on-design-for-government BOOK YOUR PLACE HERE.

    THU 12.05.

    online

    Online only: 9.15-10.00 Check in with everyone.

    Then: Tutoring sessions with Emilia Tikka and Gero Grundmann in four groups.

    RC1 in the morning from 10-12,

    RC2 in the afternoon from 13-15h

     

    Possibility for additional trouble shooting tutorials with Julia from 10-11h and 16-17h (please inform me in the morning)

     

    Project feedback sessions online (zoom) with Emilia Tikka. Please bring sketches, video tests etc so that you can discuss your projects.

     

    In parallel: Creative Writing Session with Gero Grundmann.

     

     

    TUE
    17.05.

    M202 Väre

    9.15- 16.00 Final Feedback sessions, in small groups of 4-5 students per hour. Sign up for a slot on mycourses.

     

     

    WED 18.05.

    Sustainability Science Days 2021 – Register now!

    Sustainability Science Days conference, REGISTER VIA: https://lnkd.in/emmW96bA 

     

    Please add a reflection of one of the conference lectures or the online panel to your learning diary. How do the themes discussed relate to you as a designer? To your project? Which new insights did you gain?

    THU
    19.05.

    M202 Väre

    Sustainability Science Conference

     

     

    Second day of the sustainability science conference. I am giving a keynote speech  that might be interesting for those of you who are not yet familiar with my work.

    TUE 24.05, M202 Väre

    Final Presentation, all day.

     

     

    WED 25.05.

    Project feedback and material collection for the website.

     

     

    03.06.

    Final deadline to upload the Learning Diary.

     

     

     

     

    NOTES: