Royal College of Arts Design Products

ROYAL COLLEGE OF ART DESIGN PRODUCTS
Department Philosophy

Furniture design, industrial design, product design, 3D design, critical design – are all part of a broader definition that is Design Products. Furniture, cameras, fly swats, telephones, clothes pegs, test tubes, cradles, cigarette lighters, fire extinguishers, knives, spoons, teapots and computers are all products of design; the fruit of some sort of a design process (be it methodical, research-led, scientific, inspirational, accidental or whatever). We will by no means attempt to narrow down or isolate a definition, for if we were to attempt to do so by saying that to design is to impose one’s will on materials (extract, mould, form, assemble) what would this definition include? Or rather, is anything excluded?

We do not embrace any one design ideology or favour a specific style, nor do we train towards any one of the design trades. Our aim is to create a design culture engaged equally in ongoing debate on all aspects of design (for example social, ecological or technological) and in project work accompanied by tutorials, expert advice and critical appraisal. We seek to generate a culture that thrives on new ideas, new ways of doing things and new areas of exploration, one that encourages experimentation, risk-taking (failure included) and the breeding of new affinity groups. We also aim to provide the wide-open field on which a variety of focused design activities take place, where postgraduate students can navigate by themselves and arrive at a confident definition of their own position.

Work-in-progress Show
5 – 14 December

Enquiries
+44 (0)20 7590 4322
design@rca.ac.uk