Design Research Hub

The Design Research Hub is focused on the production and dissemination of high quality research in design at Manchester School of Art.

The Design Research Hub encourages and supports both leading and and new researchers who are exploring the theories and practices of a diverse range of design and craft based activities. It consists of, and encourages collaboration between academics, researchers and practitioners drawn from a breadth of disciplinary specialisms including ceramics, glass, textiles, graphic design, illustration, interior and product design. Key themes and interests are—

Community, Culture & Heritage, including social and cultural engagement with diverse cultures and their heritage, in particular with marginalised and displaced groups.

Design for Mental Health and Wellbeing, including the application of design to support people living with mental health, dementia and disability as well as addressing stigma, to improve social engagement, agency and quality of life.

Design driven innovation and speculative design, including working with businesses to facilitate design-led innovation leading to improved social and economic benefit.

Making and Materiality, including technical, material or process innovation to enable the creative and practical development of novel solutions in both analogue and digital areas.

Underpinning these four themes, there are two further trans-disciplinary areas—

Sustainable Design, in acknowledgement of all design interventions having an effect on our natural environment, resource limitations and climate change, which therefore need to be considered in all undertakings

Design Education and the development of its teaching practices are essential to grow tomorrows cohort of ethical and responsible designers able to follow a publicly engaged, collaborative, interdisciplinary and challenge-led approach.

Researchers in this group 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.

Recent Projects

Members

• Professor
  Kristina Niedderer
  Research Hub Leader
  —
  
• Louise Adkins
  Senior Lecturer
  —
  
• Kirsteen Aubrey
  Education Lead: Design Department
  —
  
• Mark Beecroft
  Senior Lecturer,
  Dept of Design
  —
  
• Jo Berry
  Senior Lecturer,
  Dept of Design
  —
  
• Lucy Biggs
  Senior Lecturer,
  Dept of Design
  —
  
• Fabrizio Cocchiarella
  Senior Lecturer,
  Dept of Design
  —
  
• Professor
  Stephen Dixon
  Professor of Contemporary Crafts
  —
  
• Kate Egan
  Programme Leader BA (Hons) Textiles in Practice
  —
  
• Professor
  Martyn Evans
  Director of Manchester School of Art
  —
  
• Lucy Gannon
  Senior Lecturer,
  Dept of Design
  —
  
• Adam Griffiths
  Lecturer,
  Dept of Design
  —
  
• David Grimshaw
  Programme Leader MA/MSc/MFA Product Design & MA/MSc/MFA Craft
  —
  
• Dr W John Hewitt
  Senior Lecturer,
  Dept of Design
  —
  
• Jonathan Hitchen
  Senior Lecturer,
  Dept of Design
  —
  
• Dr Nigel Hurlstone
  Senior Lecturer,
  Dept of Design
  —
  
• Graham Jones
  Senior Lecturer,
  Dept of Design
  —
  
• Rachel Kelly
  Pathway Leader MA/MFA Fashion and Textile Routes
  —
  
• Professor
  Alice Kettle
  Professor of Textile Arts
  —
  
• Geoffrey Mann
  Senior Lecturer,
  Dept of Design
  —
  
• Shelley McNulty
  Acting Head of Design
  —
  
• Lesley Mitchison
  Senior Lecturer,
  Dept of Design
  —
  
• Sally Morfill
  Senior Lecturer,
  Dept of Design
  —
  
• Eleanor Mulhearn
  Senior Lecturer,
  Dept of Design
  —
  
• Dr Jea Hoo Na
  Lecturer,
  Dept of Design
  —
  
• Dr CJ O'Neill
  Senior Lecturer,
  Dept of Design
  —
  
• Laura Orton
  Graduate Research Assistant (Design)
  —
  
• Dr Clive Parkinson
  Director, Arts for Health
  —
  
• Sue Platt
  Senior Lecturer,
  Dept of Design
  —
  
• Lesley Raven
  Programme Leader BA (Hons) Fashion Art Direction
  —
  
• Dr Lynn Setterington
  Senior Lecturer,
  Dept of Design
  —
  
• Dr Annie Shaw
  Director of Studies and Research Lead, Department of Design
  —
  
• Jon Spruce
  Programme Leader
  BA (Hons) Product Design and Craft, BA (Hons) Product Design
  —
  
• Steve Threlfall
  Senior Lecturer,
  Dept of Design
  —
  
• Dr Isabelle Tournier
  Research Fellow,
  Dept of Design
  —
  
• Lucy Vann
  Lecturer,
  Dept of Design
  —
  
• John Martin Walsh
  Senior Lecturer,
  Dept of Design
  —
  
• Ian Whadcock
  Senior Lecturer, BA(Hons) Illustration with Animation and MA/MFA Illustration
  —
  

Exhibitions & Publications

Exhibitions

Kettle, AM., 2021. Slipware, Crafts Study Centre, Farnham.

Biggs, LE., 2020. Creative Landscapes, Brewery Arts Centre.

Biggs, LE., 2020. Letterspace, Manchester City Centre.

Biggs, LE., 2020. Made in Translation, The Portico Library.

Biggs, 2020. Made in Translation, Portico Library, Manchester.

Cocchiarella, F., Shaw, A., 2020. Radical Response Milan, Ventura Projects, Dezeen Virtual Design Festival 2020, 15/4/2020 - 30/6/2020.

Superslowway, 2019. British Textile Biennal, Gawthorpe Hall, Padiham, Lancs, 3/10/2019 - 3/11/2019.

Hewitt, J., 2019. Cultural Icons,, Potteries Museum and Art Gallery, Stoke-on-Trent (part of the British Ceramics Biennale), 14/9/2019 - 17/11/2019.

Morfill, S., Giles, S., 2019. Found Gestures (Chicago), Hyde Park Art Center, Chicago, 14/4/2019 - 11/5/2019.

Morfill, S., Giles, S., 2019. Found Gestures (London), Five Years, London.

McCullagh, J., Shaw, A., Cocchiarella, F., 2019. Radical Response exhibition in partnership with the International Association of Design Research (IASDR) Conference, Manchester School of Art, 2/9/2019 - 5/9/2020.

Whadcock, I., Gannon, L., Hitchen, J., 2019. Radical Response exhibition in partnership with the International Association of Design Research (IASDR) Conference, Manchester School of Art, 2/9/2019 - 5/9/2020.

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

Aubrey, K., 2019. Undisciplinarity, Teaching and Learning in Action, 1/2019.

Artefacts

Whadcock, IJ., 2021. 'Imaginary Worlds.', Oriel Davies Gallery Newtown Powys Wales..

Mann, G., 2021. 'Poise'.

Mann, G., 2021. 'The Leith Pattern'.

Mann, G., 2021. 'The Second Line'.

Kelly, R., 2020. 'CORDILLERA: A Weave Learning Tool Kit', https://indd.adobe.com/view/f28cce7e-ab22-49fe-a457-1b109e7b2906.

Ian, S., Prof Richard, VN., Aubrey, K., 2020. 'Sensing the coast: exploring permanence, physicality and perspective', Atelier d'arts Film Fest (European Film Festival for Fine Crafts) and Real to Reel, the UK Film Festival of Crafts,.

O'Neill, C-J., 2019. 'Clay Networks: connecting to others through making, mapping and combination', Stoke-On-Trent and Cardiff.

Morfill, S., Giles, S., 2019. 'Found Gestures', Hyde Park Art Centre, Chicago, US, and Five Years, London, UK.

Kettle, A., 2019. 'Stitch A Tree, Karachi', Alliance Francaise de Karachi, Pakistan.

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

Books

Evans, M., Shaw, A., Na, JN., 2020. 'Design revolutions: IASDR 2019 Conference Proceedings. Volume 1: Change, Voices, Open', Manchester Metropolitan University.

Evans, M., Shaw, A., Na, J., 2020. 'Design revolutions: IASDR 2019 Conference Proceedings. Volume 2: Living, Making, Value', Manchester Metropolitan University.

Evans, M., Shaw, A., Na, J., 2020. 'Design revolutions: IASDR 2019 Conference Proceedings. Volume 3: People', Manchester Metropolitan University.

Evans, M., Shaw, A., Na, J., 2020. 'Design revolutions: IASDR 2019 Conference Proceedings. Volume 4: Learning, Technology, Thinking', Manchester Metropolitan University.

Parkinson, C., 2019. 'The Manchester Declaration', Arts for Health at Manchester Metropolitan University.

Book Chapters

Morfill, SE., 2020. 'Artistic Research in Performance through Collaboration'. In Blain, M., Minors, HJ. (eds.) Artistic Research in Performance through Collaboration, Springer International Publishing.

Niedderer, K., Tournier, I., Coleston-Shields, DM., Craven,, M., Gosling, J., Garde, J., Salter, B., Bosse, M., Griffioen, I., 2020. 'Designing with and for People with Dementia: Developing a Mindful Interdisciplinary Co-Design Methodology'. In Muratovski, G., Vogel, C. (eds.) Re:Research. Volume 4: Design and Living Well, pp. 147-168, Intellect.

Ravetz, A., Kettle, A., Felcey, H., 2020. 'In the Bee Hive: Valuing Craft in the Creative Industries'. In Blain, M., Minors, HJ. (eds.) Artistic Research in Performance through Collaboration, Palgrave.

Niedderer, K., Harrison, D., Gosling, J., Craven, MP., Blackler, A., Losada, R., Cid, T., 2020. 'Working with Experts with Experience: Charting Co-production and Co-design in the Development of HCI-Based Design.'. In Brankaert, R., Kenning, G. (eds.) HCI and Design in the Context of Dementia, pp. 303-320, Springer.

Reports

Kelly, R., Kettle, A., Stephens, M., 2019. 'Creating sustainable textile futures for women: Digitizing Cordillera weaving tradition (CSTFW) project Evaluation Report March 2019', Manchester Metropolitan University.

Kelly, R., Stephens, M., 2019. 'The Digitization of Cordillera Weaving: Designing a New Oral Tradition. Anthropological Analysis, Mathematical Symmetry and Technical Characterization of Cordillera Textiles'.

Internet Publications

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

Journal Articles

Townsend, K., Niedderer, K., 2021. 'Craft as a meeting place', Craft Research, 12 (1), pp. 3-8.

Zhang, W., Walker, S., Evans, M., Bennett, J., 2021. 'Inheritors of the Yellow River: The relationship of heritage making practices to cultural self-confidence in China', International Journal of Anthropology and Ethnology, 5 (1).

Spruce, J., 2021. 'Reflections on a Project-based Approach to Work-related Learning in Spatial Design', The International Journal of Design Education, 15 (1), pp. 101-117.

Townsend, K., Niedderer, K., 2020. 'Crafting health, well-being and happiness', Craft Research, 11 (1), pp. 3-8.

Niedderer, K., Townsend, K., 2020. 'Crafting progress through research education and digital innovation', Craft Research, 11 (2), pp. 171-176.

Niedderer, K., 2020. 'Explorative Materiality and Knowledge. The Role of Creative Exploration and Artefacts in Design Research', FormAkademisk - forskningstidsskrift for design og designdidaktikk, 6 (2).

Tournier, I., 2020. 'Learning and adaptation in older adults: An overview of main methods and theories', Learning, Culture and Social Interaction, pp. 100466-100466.

Fleck, R., Cecchinato, ME., Cox, AL., Harrison, D., Marshall, P., Na, JH., Skatova, A., 2020. 'Life-swap: how discussions around personal data can motivate desire for change', Personal and Ubiquitous Computing, 24 (5), pp. 669-681.

Chudasri, D., Walker, S., Evans, M., 2020. 'Potential areas for design and its implementation to enable the future viability of weaving practices in Northern Thailand', International Journal of Design, 14 (1), pp. 95-111.

Kettle, A., 2020. 'Publication Review', Craft Research, 11 (1), pp. 143-147.

Thome, J., Deloyer, J., Coogan, AN., Bailey-Rodriguez, D., da Cruz e Silva, OAB., Faltraco, F., Grima, C., Gudjonsson, SO., Hanon, C., Hollý, M., Joosten, J., Karlsson, I., Kelemen, G., Korman, M., Krysta, K., Lichterman, B., Loganovsky, K., Marazziti, D., 2020. 'The impact of the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental-health services in Europe', The World Journal of Biological Psychiatry, pp. 1-15.

Spruce, J., Evans, M., 2020. 'Transforming Learning Through User-Centered Design Research Methods', American Journal of Art and Design, 5 (2), pp. 50-50.

Spruce, J., Kiernan, L., Douglas, M., Ryan, A., 2020. 'Where Does Design Thinking Leave Design? Snapshots of a conversation with the design community', Iterations: Design Research & Practice Review, 8.

Karana, E., Nimkulrat, N., Giaccardi, E., Niedderer, K., Fan, J-N., 2019. 'Alive. Active. Adaptive: Experiential Knowledge and Emerging Materials', International Journal of Design, 13 (2), pp. 1-5.

Niedderer, K., Townsend, K., 2019. 'Celebrating craft', Craft Research, 10 (1), pp. 3-15.

Dixon, S., 2019. 'Ceramics, narrative and commemoration', Craft Research, 10 (1), pp. 121-131.

Kelly, R., 2019. 'Creating paradise through a palimpsest of hybrid textile education-based research', Textile: the journal of cloth and culture.

Walker, S., Mullagh, L., Evans, M., Wang, Y., 2019. 'Design ecologies: Sustaining ethno-cultural significance of products through urban ecologies of creative practice', International Journal of Anthropology and Ethnology, 3 (1), pp. 1-33.

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.

Ludden, GDS., van Rompay, TJL., Niedderer, K., Tournier, I., 2019. 'Environmental design for dementia care - towards more meaningful experiences through design.', Maturitas, 128, pp. 10-16.

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.

Mullagh, L., Walker, S., Evans, M., 2019. 'Located Making: Design for Sustainability in Small Maker Enterprises (Fabricación in situ: diseño para la sustentabilidad en pequeñas empresas fabricantes)', RChD: creación y pensamiento, 4 (7), pp. 1-14.

Walker, S., Evans, M., Mullagh, L., 2019. 'Meaningful practices: The contemporary relevance of traditional making for sustainable material futures', Craft Research, 10 (2), pp. 183-210.

Niedderer, K., Townsend, K., 2019. 'Sustaining craft's heritage: Place, people and practice', Craft Research, 10 (2), pp. 177-182.

Kettle, A., 2019. 'Textile and Place', TEXTILE, 17 (4), pp. 332-339.

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.

Kelly, R., Fruebing, S., 2019. 'Whose futures need crafting? A collaborative evaluation of the British Council/Crafts Council Crafting Futures 5k grant scheme.', Art, Design and Communication in Higher Education.

Non-Peer Reviewed Articles

Kettle, A., 2019. 'Anni Albers', The Journal of Modern Craft, 12 (1), pp. 67-71.

Whadcock, I., 2019. 'Beneficial Shock: No Man's land', Beneficial Shock Magazine, 1 (4), 4.

Conference Papers

Murphy, E., Evans, M., 2021. 'The Times They Are a-Changin': Future perspectives on design industry business models', European Academy of Design Conference Proceedings 2015, Paris Descartes University, France, 22/4/2021 - 24/4/2015, in 11th EAD Conference Proceedings: The Value of Design Research.

Nimkulrat, N., Niedderer, K., Evans, M., 2020. 'Editorial', in EKSIG 2013: Knowing Inside Out - Experiential Knowledge, Expertise and Connoisseurship - International Conference 2013 of the Design Research Society Special Interest Group on Experiential Knowledge, Conference Proceedings, pp. 3-10.

Roberts, E., Spruce, J., 2019. ''In-Progress Reporting: Development of China's Creative Economy Through Participatory Design Research in Post-Industrial Regeneration'', International Association of Societies of Design Research Conference 2019 (IASDR 2019), Manchester, UK, 2/9/2019 - 5/9/2019, in https://iasdr2019.org.

Spruce, J., Kiernan, L., Douglas, M., 2019. 'Design Thinking 2.0: examining perceptions & current practices in Design Thinking towards the development of an innovation framework', IASDR 2019, Manchester, UK, 2/9/2019 - 5/9/2019, in https://iasdr2019.org.

Niedderer, K., Woelfel, C., Ludden, G., Cain, R., 2019. 'Editorial: Designing with and for people with Dementia: Wellbeing, Empowerment and Happiness', Proceedings: International MinD Conference 2019, Dresden, University, 19/9/2019 - 20/9/2019.

Morfill, S., Cavic, A., Michailidis, T., 2019. 'I am not listening: the poem object as hybrid publication', 9th International Digital Storytelling Conference 2020, Loughborough University.

Drinkwater, KEN., Cocchiarella, F., 2019. 'In Search of the Anomalous: Relationships between the design of interior space, darkness', The Thrill of the Dark, BIRMINGHAM, 25/4/2019 - 27/4/2019, in https://thethrillofthedark.com/2019/04/27/latest-version-of-programme-and-abstracts-now-available/.

Cocchiarella, F., Drinkwater, K., 2019. 'Para-design: Engaging the Anomalous, a design research workshop to investigate paranormal phenomena through a series of location based studies.', IASDR 2019, Manchester Metropolitan University, 2/9/2019 - 5/9/2019, in https://iasdr2019.org/research-papers?category=&keywords=cocchiarella.

Gosling, J., Craven, M., Dening, T., Coleston-Shields, D., Aberturas, A., Martin, S., Muñoz, M., Ruiz, GB., Bueno, Y., Almeida, R., Català, A., Díaz,, M., Karahanoglu, A., Ludden, GDS., Smith, T., Niedderer, K., Lüneburg, L-M., Tournier, I., Abrilahij, A., 2019. 'The AIR model (Activities, Internal world, Relationships): a pragmatic framework for evaluating co-design', Proceedings: Designing with and for people with Dementia: Wellbeing, Empowerment and Happiness. International MinD Conference 2019, Dresden, Germany, 19/9/2019 - 20/9/2019, in Designing with and for people with Dementia: Wellbeing, Empowerment and Happiness, 13, pp. 27-39.

Raven, L., 2019. 'The complexities of collaboration through a lens of reflective practice.', Living Research: The Urgency of the Arts., Royal College of Art. London,Uk., 15/3/2019 - 15/3/2019.

Kelly, R., 2019. 'The digitisation of Cordillera Weaving: Designing a new oral tradition.', Design Research for Change (DR4C) 2019 Symposium, Design Museum, London, 11/12/2019 - 12/12/2019, pp. 185-207.

Kelly, R., Stephens, M., 2019. 'The Digitization of Cordillera Weaving: Designing a New Oral Tradition', IASDR 2019, Manchester Metropolitan University, 2/9/2019 - 5/9/2019.

Kelly, R., 2019. 'The Voices of the Cordillera- Digitising an Oral Tradition.', Design for Change Symposium, Design Museum, London, 11/12/2019 - 12/12/2019.

Lim, J., Almeida, R., Holthoff-Detto, V., Ludden, G., Niedderer, K., MinD consortium, 2019. 'What is needed to obtain informed consent and monitor capacity for a successful study involving People with Mild Dementia? Our experience in a multi-centre study', Proceedings: Designing with and for people with Dementia: Wellbeing, Empowerment and Happiness. International MinD Conference 2019, Dresden, Germany, 19/9/2019 - 20/9/2019, in Designing with and for people with Dementia: Wellbeing, Empowerment and Happiness, 13, pp. 139-149.

Posters

Beecroft, M., 2019. 'Digital interlooping: 3D printing of weft-knitted textile-based tubular structures using selective laser sintering of nylon powder', ID Tech Ex Berlin.

Other Outputs

Kelly, R., Stephens, M., 2021. 'A Weave Learning Toolkit_Updated May 2021'.

Stewart, S., 2021. 'Urban Workbench - citizen-driven placemaking'.

Hewitt, WJ., 2019. 'Ancestral Stories'.

Morfill, S., Giles, S., Moskalewicz, M., Dickinson, B., 2019. 'Found Gestures: Susan Giles & Sally Morfill'.

Kettle, A., 2019. 'Horizontal Crossings'.

Parkinson, C., 2019. 'The Manchester Declaration'.