EUROPEAN DESIGN NETWORK

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About Us

A paradigm shift is happening in design that is not rooted in any particular disciplines, sectors or industries. Design is becoming an engine of innovation and is disrupting existing modes of production and consumption. Design industry, research and education require a new way of thinking; one that embraces a culture of innovation. European Design Network has been co-founded by a consortium of 4 organisations led by Dr Tuba Kocaturk and Prof Richard Koeck from the University of Liverpool in UK, Prof Alfred Jacoby from the Hochschule Anhalt/DIA at the Bauhaus in Dessau/Germany, Dr Riccardo Balbo from the European Institute of Design (IED) in Turin/Italy and Marcel Vroom from MVADV Design in Rotterdam/Netherlands to initiate and spearhead a leading-edge debate on emerging models of trans-disciplinarity in a highly technology-mediated world.

MEET KEY DESIGN STAKEHOLDERS
AND PRACTITIONERS

HEAR ABOUT CROSS-SECTOR
DESIGN INNOVATION

BECOME PARTNER IN A EU-WIDE
NETWORK

VISIT OUR 2016 SYMPOSIUM IN
LONDON

CONTEXT

The creative industry sector is growing twice as fast as the UK economy with the subsector of design growing three times faster than any other and at EU level, design and innovation from design is considered a significant factor underpinning Europe’s knowledge economy. At the same time, design professions are facing a high degree of complexity and transformation. Increased competition in the industry, improvements in the global technology infrastructure, relentless pressure to lower costs are just a few of the forces leading a major shift in the field of design.

We see that the emphasis in design research and practice has shifted from “disciplinary expertise” towards “trans-disciplinary innovation”, which arguably requires a new definition of design, the designer, design practices and education.

As professionals and society we are facing the pertinent question of what role design (and designers) will play in shaping the future at a time when digital economy is disrupting ways of thinking, living, working and doing business; how will this change the processes, products, methods and business of design?

This event will bring together leading thinkers and practitioners from UK and European design sectors, such as automotive, industrial, fashion, architectural design, as well as design technology developers, policymakers at regional and national levels and representatives from business organisations across the design and innovation industries.

There is evidence to suggest that “transdisciplinarity” will have a large impact in the near future on INDUSTRY, RESEARCH, and EDUCATION due to its already evidenced potential to: 1) drive (cross-sector) innovation 2) increase competitiveness, employability, new job prospects and resilience and 3) introduce new markets and business models.

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IMPRESSIONS

Design innovation is shifting its emphasis from a problem solving approach (e.g. associated with a product and for a specific user) towards developing a response to the complexities of everyday life.

Prof Richard Koeck

University of Liverpool, CAVA

Dr Tuba Kocaturk

University of Liverpool, IDEA

As technological and societal innovations urge and direct designers to work transdisciplinary, the Design Network will bring together members of the creative industries to exchange knowledge and practices within a transnational discourse.