Design Research Group

The Design Research group encourages and supports both new and established researchers who are exploring the theories, histories and practices of a diverse range of design activities. It encourages collaboration and consists of academics, researchers and practitioners drawn from spatial, environmental, graphic, fashion, media, two and three-dimensional art and design disciplines. Key themes and interests are environments, type, narrative, digital, objects and the language of design.

Researchers in this centre are engaged in exploring all of the diverse range of the practices, theories, histories, and languages of design. The aims of the centre are to examine the role of design, in its diversity of forms, and to recognize, evaluate and profile its significance. The objectives of the centre are to disseminate designs past, present and future, through the production of a range of works and through many mediums. Our researchers are engaged in the production of objects, books, exhibitions, papers, and many other research initiatives and projects. The centre encourages interaction between subject areas, academic and practice-led projects, and institutional collaboration. It is an intersection between researchers and practitioners, academics and teachers, and a hub for positive exchange and creative production.

Members

• Dr Annie Shaw
  Research Group Leader
  —
  
• Mark Beecroft
  Senior Lecturer,
  Dept of Design
  —
  
• Sharon Blakey
  Senior Lecturer,
  Dept of Design
  —
  
• Dr Richard Brook
  Reader in Architecture
  —
  
• Fabrizio Cocchiarella
  Senior Lecturer,
  Dept of Design
  —
  
• Kate Egan
  Programme Leader BA (Hons) Textiles in Practice
  —
  
• Professor
  Martyn Evans
  Professor of Design
  Head of Manchester School of Art Research Centre
  —
  
• Ian Fisher
  Senior Lecturer,
  MSA
  —
  
• Michael Gorman
  Senior Learning and Teaching Fellow
  —
  
• David Grimshaw
  Programme Leader MA/MSc/MFA Product Design & MA/MSc/MFA Craft
  —
  
• Jonathan Hitchen
  Senior Lecturer,
  Dept of Design
  —
  
• Alan Jones
  Senior Lecturer,
  Dept of Media
  —
  
• Graham Jones
  Senior Lecturer,
  Dept of Design
  —
  
• John Lee
  Senior Lecturer,
  MSA
  —
  
• Mark Manning
  Senior Lecturer,
  Dept of Design
  —
  
• Joe McCullagh
  Head of Design and Associate Dean
  —
  
• Ian McCullough
  Programme Leader BA (Hons) Illustration with Animation
  —
  
• Shelley McNulty
  International Lead for Design and Pathway Leader MA Interior Design
  —
  
• Dr CJ O'Neill
  Senior Lecturer, BA (Hons) Three Dimensional Design
  Course Leader BA (Hons) Product Design and Craft
  —
  
• Sue Platt
  Senior Lecturer,
  Dept of Design
  —
  
• Simone Ridyard
  Programme Leader, BA (Hons) Interior Design
  —
  
• Sally Stone
  Reader in Architecture
  —
  
• John Martin Walsh
  Senior Lecturer,
  Dept of Design
  —
  
• Liz Wheeldon-Wyatt
  Programme Leader, Graphic Design
  —
  

Exhibitions & Publications

Exhibitions

Walsh, J., 2019. The Secret History of Magazine Design: Cover Version, Science and Industry Museum, Manchester, 11/10/2019.

Sanderson, L., 2019. UnDoing Buildings, Castlefield Gallery, Manchester, 22/3/2019 - 26/5/2019.

Grimshaw, D., 2018. Crafting the Digital : an investigation into material and process led digital making, Craft Study Centre, University for the Creative Arts, Farnham, 13/11/2018 - 15/12/2018.

Beecroft, M., 2018. Demonstration Street at ID Tech Ex show, Estrel Congress Center, Berlin, 11/4/2018.

Beecroft, M., 2018. DIGITAL FANCIES: Bioresponsive E-Textiles and 3D Printing in Fashion, Digits 2 Widgets, Camden, London, 15/6/2018.

Brook, R., 2018. Drawing the Modern: The work of Gordon Hodkinson and post-war architectural education in Manchester, Special Collections Gallery, Manchester Metropolitan University, 10/9/2018 - 5/4/2019.

Hitchen, J., Dolan, J., Hill, R., 2018. In So Many Words: Roget's Thesaurus and the Power of Language, The Portico Library, 3/4/2018.

Jones, G., 2018. Murmur : This research has just started this year. I am including it here to show my research activity however please see the updated Strelnikov project as main output., Ongoing, 6/2018.

Sanderson, L., Stone, SH., Lee, SJ., 2017. Bakewell : Some Ideas, Bakewell Town Hall, 16/6/2017.

Beecroft, M., 2017. BBC Digital Cities- Digital Fashion event, Harvey Nichols Manchester, 15/11/2017.

Beecroft, M., 2017. Intersections: collaborations in Textile Design Research, Loughborough University London, 13/9/2017.

Jonathan, H., 2017. Made In Translation, The Portico Library, 26/4/2017.

Beecroft, M., 2017. Serendipity Studio ( part of Clerkenwell Design Week), The Goldsmith Centre London, 23/5/2017.

Jones, GA., Platt, SE., 2017. Strelnikov's Glasses and Other Stories, HOME Manchester, 1/9/2017.

Beecroft, M., 2017. TCT show, NEC Birmingham, 25/9/2017.

Sanderson, L., Lee, SJ., Stone, SH., 2017. The Way We Live Now, Bakewell Town Hall, 24/2/2017.

Artefacts

McCullough, I., 2019. 'The Great Belzoni', Portico Library.

Shaw, A., 2019. '[ICOSOHEDRON]', Jodrell Bank World Heritage Site, Cheshire UK.

Grimshaw, D., 2018. 'Digital Generation of CNC Router Surface Patterns'.

Egan, K., Dawes, B., 2018. 'The Jack Plug Universe', The Sage concourse Gateshead.

Egan, K., Dawes, B., 2017. ''Carefully Descending Everywhere'', PWC Frontier Data Lab, London.

McCullagh, JF., 2017. 'Made in Translation', Portico Library, Manchester.

Jones, GA., 2017. 'Piano Wire', Manchester.

Jones, GA., 2017. 'Society of the Spectacles', Manchester.

Books

Stone, SH., 2019. 'UnDoing Buildings: Adaptive Reuse and Cultural Memory', Routledge.

Hitchen, J., Rhead, E., Hale, J., 2018. 'Adventures in the Land of Modernism', The Modernist Society.

Brook, R., 2018. 'Cwmbran (From the Archives)', The Modernist Society, Manchester.

Brook, R., 2018. 'Hulme (From the Archives)', The Modernist Society.

Brook, R., 2018. 'Hyde Park (From the Archives)', The Modernist Society.

Adkins, LB., Duffy, N., Buchler, P., Cass, DN., Hitchen, J., 2018. 'Notes for a Performance Final Draft: 29 November 2017', Wild Pansy Press - Leeds University.

Brook, R., 2018. 'Peterlee (From the Archives)', The Modernist Society.

Brooker, G., Stone, SH., 2018. 'Re-readings 2: Interior Architecture and the Design Principles of Remodelling Existing Buildings', RIBA Enterprises, https://www.ribabookshops.com/item/rereadings-2-interior-architecture-and-the-design-principles-of-remodelling-existing-buildings/83520/.

Brook, R., 2018. 'Runcorn (From the Archives)', The Modernist Society.

Brook, R., 2018. 'Skelmersdale (From the Archives)', The Modernist Society.

Hitchen, J., Rhead, E., Hale, J., 2018. 'The Modernist Magazine : Issue 26 : Health', The Modernist Society, Manchester.

Hitchen, J., Rhead, E., Hale, J., 2018. 'The Modernist Magazine : Issue 27 : High', The Modernist Society, Manchester.

Hitchen, J., Rhead, E., Hale, J., 2018. 'The Modernist Magazine : Issue 28 : Holiday', The Modernist Society, Manchester.

Hitchen, JM., Thorp, J., Marshall, E., 2017. 'Decades', The Modernist Society.

Hitchen, J., Kettle, A., Penny, D., Moss, J., 2017. 'Made In Translation.', MMU and The Portico Library, Manchester.

Brook, R., 2017. 'Manchester Modern', The Modernist Society.

Hitchen, J., Rhead, E., Hale, J., 2017. 'The Modernist Magazine : Issue 22 : Games', The Modernist Society, Manchester.

Hitchen, J., Rhead, E., Hale, J., 2017. 'The Modernist Magazine : Issue 23 : Gigantic', The Modernist Society, Manchester.

Hitchen, J., Rhead, E., Hale, J., 2017. 'The Modernist Magazine : Issue 24 : Gone', The Modernist Society, Manchester.

Hitchen, J., Rhead, E., Hale, J., 2017. 'The Modernist Magazine : Issue 25 : Habitat', The Modernist Society, Manchester.

Book Chapters

Brook, R., 2018. 'Belgrade'. In Rhead, E., Hale, J. (eds.) Adventures in the Land of Modernism, pp. 78-90, The Modernist Society.

Cocchiarella, F., Vargas, V., Titterington, S., Haley, D., 2018. 'Research Informed Sustainable Development Through Art and Design Pedagogic Practices'. In Leal Filho, W. (eds.) World Sustainability Series, pp. 207-221, Springer International Publishing.

Stone, S., 2017. 'Conservation: A Future Orientated Movement Focussing on the Past.'. In Conservation/Consumption: Preserving the Tangible and Intangible Values. European Association for Architectural Education 2019, European Association for Architectural Education (EAAE).

Stone, SH., 2017. 'The Dance of Dead Things'. In Fiorani, D., Kealy, L., Stefano, M. (eds.) Conservation/Adaptation: Keeping Alive The Spirit Of The Place Adaptive Reuse Of Heritage with Symbolic Value, pp. 305-314, European Association for Architectural Education (EAAE).

Reports

Stone, SH., Sanderson, L., Lee, SJ., 2017. 'Reclaiming the Road: Public Realm Improvement Proposals for Bollington in Cheshire'.

Internet Publications

Beecroft, M., 2019. 'Case Study: Digital Interlooping', https://am-uk.org/case-studies/.

McNulty, S., Littlefield, D., 2017. 'IE:Studio - Edges', https://interioreducators.co.uk/edges.

Journal Articles

Beecroft, M., 2019. 'Digital Interlooping: 3D printing of weft-knitted textile-based tubular structures using selective laser sintering of nylon powder.', International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology and Education, 12 (2), pp. 218-224.

Mullagh, L., Walker, S., Evans, M., 2019. 'Living Design. The future of sustainable maker enterprises: a case study in Cumbria', The Design Journal, 22 (sup1), pp. 849-862.

Walker, S., Evans, M., Mullagh, L., 2019. 'Traditional Maker Practices and Sustainable Futures. The implications of expertise', The Design Journal, 22 (sup1), pp. 835-848.

Brook, R., 2018. 'Roger Booth, Lancashire County Architect, 1962-83.', The Journal of the Twentieth Century Society (C20), 13, pp. 130-145.

Bromwich, K., Ridyard, S., 2018. 'Sketch in the City: the artist capturing urban clutter in pictures', The Guardian and The Observer News Review.

Brook, R., 2018. 'The National Computing Centre - White Heat, False Logic', Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians.

Grimshaw, D., 2017. 'Crafting the Digital: Developing expression and materiality within digital design and manufacture', The Design Journal, 20 (sup1), pp. S3735-S3748.

Blakey, S., Mitchell, L., 2017. 'Unfolding: A multisensorial dialogue in 'material time'', Studies in Material Thinking, 17.

Twigger Holroyd, A., Cassidy, T., Evans, M., Walker, S., 2017. 'Wrestling with Tradition: Revitalizing the Orkney Chair and Other Culturally Significant Crafts', Design and Culture, 9 (3), pp. 283-299.

Non-Peer Reviewed Articles

Brook, R., 2018. 'Parts of a whole. Peter Womersley - the elements and unity of the Nuffield Transplantation Surgery Unit.', The Modernist, 26, pp. 42-47.

Conference Papers

Brook, R., 2019. 'Building Knowledge, building buildings: Cold War Computing Clusters in the North-West', The Place of Industry: SMG Research Conference, Science and Industry Museum, Manchester, 4/11/2019 - 5/11/2019.

Brook, R., 2019. 'Scammonden: Landscape Co-production in the Motorway Age', The Landscape and Architecture of Post-War British Infrastructure, Manchester School of Art, 15/2/2019 - 15/2/2019.

McCullough, I., 2019. 'The Sketch Book as a Wall'.

Plevoets, B., Berger, M., Stone, S., 2018. 'An Interior Approach to Education and Adaptive Reuse', International Conference on Contemporary Positions in Interior Design Theory. BAU International, Berlin, Germany, 17/5/2018 - 18/5/2018.

Na, J., Evans, M., Zitkus, E., Whicher, A., Walters, A., 2018. 'Design in Action: Understanding the Drivers and Barriers to Strategic Use of Design for Innovation', Next Wave: The 21st DMI Academic Design Management Conference, London, 1/8/2018 - 2/8/2018, pp. 127-140.

McNulty, SA., 2018. 'Dr Pink's House: Décor Determination in the South Manchester suburbs', The Constructed Environment, Detroit, USA, 24/5/2018 - 25/5/2018.

McNulty, SA., 2018. 'Happy Homes: Placing people and their 'Stuff' as the focus of the Interior Design and Architectural process', AMPS - Architecture, Media, Policy, Society, Bristol, UK, 25/1/2018 - 26/1/2018.

Brook, R., 2018. 'Infrastructure as object and producer', SHU Space & Place conference - Investigating Infrastructure, Sheffield Hallam University, 13/6/2018 - 13/6/2018.

Cocchiarella, F., Drinkwater, K., Dagnall, N., 2018. 'Para-design: The role of design practice in interpreting paranormal phenomena', 9/7/2018 - 10/7/2018, in FRIHSC.

Mullagh, L., Walker, S., Evans, M., 2018. 'Touch of Genius: Traditional craft, its relationship to place, culture and nature, and design praxis', Cumulus Wuxi 2018: Diffused Transitions, Design Opportunities, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China, 31/10/2018 - 3/11/2018.

ZitKus, E., Na, JH., Evans, M., Walters, A., Whicher, A., Cooper, R., 2018. 'Understanding How Design Action Plans Support the Strategic Use of Design', Design Research Society Conference 2018, Limerick, 25/6/2018 - 28/6/2018, 2, pp. 780-791.

Grimshaw, DV., 2017. '"Learning from Music" - Opportunities for creative craft knowledge to translate the idealised perfection of the virtual, into the expressive materiality of reality.', Canadian Craft Biennial - Can Craft? Craft Can!, 14/9/2017 - 17/9/2017.

Gorman, M., Owen, C., Wade, S., 2017. '(v) "Research/Education/Praxis: What are the key issues today in pedagogic research in Art and Design?" M. Gorman, C. Jones & S. Wade. ELIA International Teachers' Academy, University of the Arts London (2017)', ELIA International Teachers' Academy, University of the Arts, London, 5/7/2017 - 7/7/2017.

Grimshaw, DV., Boydell, S., 2017. 'Object Lessons: what is the value of engaging with the physical object within design research and education, evaluated through the application of the "Material & Process Innovation Collection", at Manchester Metropolitan University Special Collections.', International Association of Societies of Design Research, University of Cincinnati, 31/10/2017 - 3/11/2017.

Brook, R., 2017. 'Regionality: agency and authorship in architecture. The story of the National Computing Centre - White Heat, False Logic.', SAHGB Annual Symposium 2017 Beyond 'By': Towards an inclusive architectural history, London School of Economics, 3/6/2017 - 3/6/2017.

Stone, SH., 2017. 'The Task of the Translator', Creative Cities, Porto, Portugal, 24/1/2017 - 27/1/2017.

Presentations

Stone, S., 2019. 'Gate 81: Saving Preston Bus station', Harris Museum, Art Gallery and Library, Preston.

Stone, S., 2019. 'ReReadings', Rhode Island School of Design. USA.

Brook, R., 2019. 'The Mancunian Way: techno-cultures of the post war', Bartlett, University College London.

Brook, R., 2019. 'The Materiality of Entropy', Social Surfaces 0161 Symposium, Manchester.

Brook, R., Tan, K., Benjamin, E., 2018. 'Immersive Experiences: The Life of Buildings', College Court, Leicester.

Beecroft, M., Bloomfield, M., 2018. 'Re-defining textiles with 3D Printing', The Studio, Birmingham.

Shaw, A., 2018. 'SEAMLESS SPACES FROM THEN TO NOW', University of Southampton, Winchester School of Art.

Brook, R., 2017. 'Drawing the Modern: A viewing of the student work of Gordon Hodkinson', MMU Special Collections.

O'Neill, C. J., 2017. 'The Reader', Ceramic Values Congress, British Ceramics Biennial at Spode, Stoke-On-Trent, 5-6 Oct 2017.

Ridyard, SM., 2017. 'Urban Sketching: Drawing the City a presentation', 70 Oxford Road, Manchester.

Brook, R., Dunn, N., 2017. 'Warp & Weft: Infrastructural Architecture and Volumetric Urbanism', The Chimney House, Kelham Island, Sheffield.

Posters

Beecroft, M., 2018. 'Digital Interlooping: 3D printing of weft-knitted textile based tubular structures using selective laser sintering of nylon powder.', ID Tech Ex Berlin.

Other Outputs

Brook, R., 2019. 'The Modernist: Infrastructure. 30'.

Hitchen, J., 2018. 'Designer-in-residence at The Modernist Society'.

Hitchen, J., Meech, S., 2018. 'Tricotype 1.0'.

Stone, SH., Sanderson, LM., Lee, SJ., 2017. 'The Way We Live Now : Symposium'.