Ben Bridgens presented “Skin deep: perceptions of human and material ageing and opportunities for design” as a five minute ‘provocation’ at the European Academy of Design 2019 conference in Dundee.
‘Skin Deep’ presented at EAD2019, Dundee
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Monthly Archives: April 2019
Ageing (dis)gracefully: enabling designers to understand material change
The ENDURE project forms the basis of a recent publication in the Journal of Cleaner Production:
Lilley, D., Bridgens, B., Davies, A. & Holstov, A. Ageing (dis)gracefully: enabling designers to understand material change (2019) Journal of Cleaner Production, 220, 417-430.
Link to article on publisher’s website: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.01.304
Abstract:
From the moment of purchase, pristine objects are subjected to an array of stimuli including wear, impact, heat, light, water and air which alter their tactile and aesthetic properties. Material change is often regarded as ‘damage’ or ‘degradation’ and contributes to premature obsolescence but has potential to be used as a tool to engender emotional engagement with an object and extend product lifetimes. However, materials resources for designers rarely provide information about how materials will change in use. In this paper we draw on a combination of literature and user studies to elucidate the complex web of factors which contribute to changes in material surfaces, which we present in a ‘framework for understanding material change’. We go on to explore the role that changes to product material surfaces, and the design of objects to change in particular ways with use, could have on the transition to circular modes of consumption. A range of resources which aim to increase designers’ understanding of material change are presented, and the challenges of creating, utilising and developing these resources are discussed.
Mixed reality video prototype
The ENDURE team are delighted to debut a short video demonstrating our vision for the future of materials specification in which material change is a fundamental part of the selection process. Filmed and edited by Andre Brito, the video demonstrates the potential of ‘mixed reality’ enhancements to our prototype app (https://egkz1o.axshare.com password: endure) which allow architects and designers to manipulate the aesthetics and tactility of material surfaces to harness the potential of material change.
We would love to hear your comments.