Histories of the Social in Design



June 1, 2015

History doesn’t often make it onto the agenda in social design research. I was reminded of this in an ‘asset mapping’ exercise at the AHRC ProtoPublics Workshop, where participants were asked to write their ‘assets’ on post-it notes and arrange on tables under the themes of civic participation, mobilities, health and well-being and public space. The tables quickly became a chaotic and busy site where thoughts and ideas needed to be edited to allow some structure to take shape. In response, the workshop convenors asked participants to remove the least important ‘assets’ from the table. History was the main casualty.

'Knowledge of design history' and 'Design History' were both removed from the 'asset map' by partipants at the AHRC ProtoPublics workshop
‘Knowledge of design history’ and ‘Design History’ were both removed from the ‘asset map’ by participants at the AHRC ProtoPublics workshop

For me, this was a striking indication of the low perception of the value of history as an asset in social design-oriented research.

It was with great interest therefore that I attended a symposium last week organised by the Victor Papanek Foundation at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna entitled ‘Émigré Design Culture: Histories of the Social in Design’.

PapanekSymposium15_270115-HeaderFinal_690x345px_jpg_690x345_crop_q95

The symposium was one outcome of the Austrian Science Fund research project ‘Émigré Cultural Networks and the Founding of Social Design’, led by Professor Alison Clarke at the University of Applied Arts. It examined the significance of Austrian and Central European émigré and exile architects and designers in promoting a progressive culture of debate in the USA around the needs of society and strategies for social inclusion. As such, it took an interesting and much-needed critical perspective on the ‘culture of the social’ in design, which was shaped by the experience of designers moving between worlds; geographically, ideologically and creatively.

One of the most interesting points to emerge in the final roundtable discussion was the tension between notions of progressive and normative design culture. Some of the most socially orientated work, including by Victor Papanek himself, evolved through a process of appropriation rather than innovation. Many of the papers also brought to life the politics of collaboration and cross-disciplinarity that seemed to infuse and empower architects and designers working in America at this time. These are mantras that continue to hold strong in social design work today, although it seems that the rich and complex histories that underpin this are only beginning to receive scholarly attention.

Dr Leah Armstrong, University of Brighton / Victoria and Albert Museum

0 comments so far, view or add yours

Add a comment

Please read our privacy policy to understand what we do with your data.

MEMBERSHIP

Join today and enjoy unlimited free entry to all V&A exhibitions, Members-only previews and more

Find out more

SHOP

Find inspiration in our incredible range of exclusive gifts, jewellery, books, fashion, prints & posters and much more...

Find out more