Design Dynamic Space Group

Point of Contact: Dr. Geoff Matthews

We share an interest in how space is shaped and animated by human activity. Special attention is given to social and cultural processes that generate design rationale, and to technologies that facilitate the conceptualization, modelling and realization of dynamic space, responsive structure, and mediating form.

At one extreme we engage in real-world casework, investigate contextual issues and deal as much with the shaping of infrastructure as with the fine grain of place making. At the other we engage in speculative and exploratory projects that investigate design futures and use designing as a form of social, cultural and architectural critique.

Projects range in scale from the urban and architectural, to interior and micro-environments. Communicative environments such as retail complexes, museums, heritage sites, theatre and event space, where diverse communities intersect and interact are of special interest.

We draw our energy from a lively exchange of ideas expressed in terms of programmatic investigation, exploratory design, critical discourse and the development of pedagogy.

Researchers include:

Head of Architecture, Prof. N. Temple’s research in historical aspects of architectural sites and redemptive spaces has been featured in a number of book chapters,articles in prestigious journals and in the forthcoming ‘Disclosing Horizons: Perspective and Redemptive Space, published by Routledge 2007. (Order from Amazon).

A. Graef, whose architectural design has been undertaken for clients such as the Zurich Opera House; the Municipality of Groningen, Netherlands and exhibited at ‘Global Cities’, Pontresina, Switzerland and Innbruck Architekurzentrum, Austria.

G. Matthews, whose research in interior public space has been subject of conference presentations at Napier and Delft Universities.

 

Postgraduate studies supported by the group:

• museum & exhibition design
• interior design
• architecture
  
  

Researchers:

Established researchers

Chris Hay
Interior Design and Architecture

Scott Gowans
Architecture, Architectural Pedagogy, Computer Aided Architectural Design

New Researchers

Pam Locker
Heritage Interpretation and Design, Design Pedagogy

Richard Wright
Architecture, Architectural Pedagogy, Computer Aided Architectural Design

Associates

Mike Oakenfull
Heritage Interpretation and Design

Karl Abeyasekera
Sustainable Exhibition Design

Research students

Rosi Lister (MPhil.)
Art of Survival: A critical analysis of environmental arts practice and its potential for radical social change

Technical support

Kenny Cromar
Workshop technician

Past projects:

ARC (the Hull Centre for Excellence in the Built Environment) – Chris Hay

Birmingham Back to Backs (exhibition and interpretation design) – Mike Oakenfull

‘Gowans + Wright design Studio ' Exhibition and catalogue (examples of work illustrating design theory and methodology), the David Azrieli Gallery Ottawa 4-30 October 2004 – Scott Gowans and Richard Wright.

Current projects:

‘Pencils and Pixels’ – Pam Locker

‘Research Methods for Designerly Enquiry’ – Geoff Matthews

‘Changing Heritage Interpretation: Birmingham Back to Backs and The National Trust’ – Geoff Matthews & Mike Oakenfull

‘Doing the Messages: Configurations, Strategies and the Pursuit of Distress’ – Retail environment analysis – Geoff Matthews

‘Guidelines for Designers of Small-Scale Interactive and Travelling Exhibits’ – Karl Abeyasekera & Geoff Matthews

‘Gowans-Wright Design Studio’ exhibition of practice work and book in preparation

Publications/exhibitions:

Sustainable Exhibit Design (PDF Download 466Kb)

Gowans, S. & Wright, R. (2005) ‘Architecture from the Space Between’, Future Ground conference proceedings (17-21 November 2004), Melbourne: Monash University.

Gowans, S. (2004) ‘Language, Syntax and Design Practice’ Joint International Conference of Architectural Research Centres Consortium and European Association for Architectural Education on Architectural Research (ARCC 2002) Montreal. ISBN: 2-930301-10-4

Gowans, S. (2002) ‘Appropriate Collectives: A Contemporary Structure for Collaborative Working’, 2nd Conference on Innovative Research in Management (9-11 May 2002)
, Stockholm: European Academy of Management.

Gowans, S. (2001) ‘The Poetic Narrative: Creative Constraint for Creative Cultures’, International Conference on Visualisation, Imaging and Image Processing (VIIP 2001).
Marbella: IASTED. ISBN 0-88986-309-1

Gowans, S. (2001) ‘The Poetic Narrative: A Framework for Creativity’, The Fourth European Design Conference: (April 2001), Universidade de Aveiro. ISBN 972-789-024-5.

Hay, C. (2004) ‘Humber Centre for Excellence in the Built Environment’ in Marchettini, N., Brebbia, C. A., Tiezzi, E. & Wadhwa, L. C. (eds.) The Sustainable City 3: Urban Regeneration and Assessment, Ecology and the Environment Transactions, vol. 72, Southampton (UK): WIT press.

Matthews, G. (1999) ‘Museums, art galleries and temporary exhibition spaces’ in Adler, D Metric Handbook: Planning and design data, Architectural Press, ch.31, pp.1-6.

Matthews, G. (2000) ‘Writing Design’ in Langenhuizen, A., van Ouwerkerk, M. & Rosemann, J. (eds.) Research by Design, conference proceedings Delft University, Vol. B. pp.216-21.

 

Last Updated: 14/03/2011