Critical Design in Context

Matt Malpass is a Senior Lecturer on MA Industrial Design and a Research Fellow in Critical Design at Central Saint Martin’s College of Arts and Design, University of the Arts London, UK.

• Chapter 1: Introducing critical designChallenging orthodoxyChallenging colloquialism: the problem with critical designWhat’s so critical about critical design practiceWhy study critical design?Researching critical design practice‘Critical’ in critical design practiceIndustrial design as a disciplineThe structure and approach to writingChapter 2: HistoryA forgotten history of critical design practiceAn emerging critical design practiceChallenging hegemonyAnti-designParticipatory designUnikat Design: adding nothing but the conceptRepresentative designDesign InteractionsCritical Design at the Royal College of ArtSynergies between precedents and contemporary examples of critical designChapter 3: Theories, methods and tacticsDesign as a medium for inquiryPost-optimal design and Para-functionalityRhetorical useDiscursive designThe aesthetics of use and meaningful presenceExploratory potentialDesign fictionSpeculation and propositionConstructing publicsAmbiguityChapter 4: Criticism, function and disciplineDesign ArtDesign art and societyFunction in critical design practiceThe paradox of critical design in commercial useModelling the fieldDesign at usersDirecting critique through design practiceChapter 5: PracticeAssociative designSpeculative designCritical designDesign practice as satireThe uses of narrativeRationality and ambiguityTowards a taxonomy of critical practices in designThe taxonomy as an analytical toolApplications of the taxonomyChapter 6: Critical design practice and its disciplinary contributionSummaryChallenging disciplinary orthodoxyAn extended role for industrial design: discipline, science and societyBibliography

Matt Malpass introduces the boundaries of an increasingly influential subject area. Providing interesting examples, and making reference to interviews with key practitioners, a refreshing perspective is developed. This book is destined to become the definitive text of its type, and will be much sought by design researchers and practitioners alike.