Research project

Places and Traces

The Places and Traces Readership was active from 2009 until 2020, forming a key part of the Academy’s knowledge production and design research development during this period.

Places and Traces focussed on design research in the urban environment, looking closely at spatial, social, technological and sustainability issues. In particular, it explored the role of design in understanding and transforming public and collective spaces, including flows of people, information and materials.

The readership was spearheaded by dr David Hamers, reader of Place and Traces.

CHALLENGES, CONCEPTS, REPRESENTATIONS AND MATERIALISATIONS

The programme's design research explored current and future spatial, social, technological, and ecological design challenges. These included the development of innovative urban design concepts, methods and materialisations. It also examined new representations of spaces, places and connections – such as imaginaries, scenarios, stories, and maps – alongside individual and collective identities of people.

RELEVANT DISCIPLINES

Taking an interdisciplinary approach, research projects within the Readership were positioned at the crossroads of public space design. This could include and combine landscape design, architecture, spatial planning, transportation studies, human geography, urban sociology, ethnography, critical cartography, urban studies, cultural studies, media studies, and science and technology studies.

THINKING THROUGH MAKING

In-keeping with Design Academy Eindhoven’s overall conception of design research as a combination of both academia and skill-based design education, the programme’s central approach to learning was ‘thinking through making’.

Thinking is not only expressed through text, but also through everything that is made. Thinking through making therefore is a process in which both making and thinking alternate back and forth rapidly, all the time. This helps to reinforce intuitive and insightful design, inform new concepts through trial and error, and opens up an opportunity to express knowledge through what is made.

Through this process, the programme aimed to further develop the field of design research itself, through exploring alternative methods of learning, both within the Academy and outside of it.

PROJECTS

The Readership in Places and Traces focussed on design research in the urban environment, looking closely at spatial, social, technological and sustainability issues. In particular, it explores the role of design in understanding and transforming public and collective spaces, including flows of people, information and materials. Taking an interdisciplinary approach, research projects are positioned at the crossroads of public space design.

Running from 2009 until 2020, the Readership produced a wide range of outcomes around three key projects, which involved core staff from the Research department, as well as students and individuals from other institutions and organisations.

EDUCATION

In addition to conducting design research projects and developing the design research field in general, the Readership also contributed to the DAE’s overall educational programme. Using a cyclical approach, design students were taught to both use research skills to improve the design process (research for design) and use design skills in research projects (research through design).

PLACES AND TRACES PEOPLE

→ Dr. David Hamers
→ Dr. Paolo Patelli
→ Nienke Vording
→ Anne Vader
→ Ester van de Wiel
→ Bennie Meek
→ Lucas Zoutendijk