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Design for Next 12th EAD Conference Sapienza University of Rome 12-14 April 2017 Copyright © 2016. The copyright of each paper in this conference proceedings is the property of the author(s). Permission is granted to reproduce copies of these works for purposes relevant to the above conference, provided that the author(s), source and copyright notice are included on each copy. For other uses please contact the author(s). Designing towards the unknown: engaging with material and aesthetic uncertainty Danielle Wilde a,b , Jenny Underwood b a SDU Design, University of Southern Denmark, Kolding b Fashion and Textiles, RMIT University, Melbourne *Corresponding author e-mail: [email protected] Abstract: New materials with new capabilities demand new ways of approaching design. The Poetic Kinaesthetic Interface project engages with this problematic directly. It uses unfolding processes informed by participatory, speculative and critical design, in emergent actions, to design towards unknown outcomes, using unknown materials. The impossibility and uncertainty of the task is proving as useful as it is disruptive. At its most potent, it is destabilising expectations, aesthetics and processes: keeping us, our collaborators and varied participants in a state of unknowing, opening up the research potential to far-ranging possibilities. We unpack the motivations driving the project. We present our mixed-method, which entangles textile crafts, design interactions and materiality to shape an embodied enquiry. Our outcomes are procedural and methodological. The project brings together diverse human, non-human, known and unknown materials to discover where the emergent assemblages might lead us. In doing so, we re- invigorate and re-envision the design process. Keywords: craft, materiality, embodied interaction, aesthetics, design process 1. Introduction “Alchemy is the old science of struggling with materials, and not quite understanding what is happening” (Elkins 2000: 19). The Poetic Kinaesthetic Interface project (PKI), investigates what we might learn, as designers, if we hold our focus tightly on a struggle with as-yet-unknown materials. Can we engage productively with the unknown potential of as-yet-unknown materials by crafting embodied interactions using materials that are familiar? Might interweaving: embodied engagement with materiality; and emergent interim forms that we expose to different publics; bring us to metaphorical cloths of gold that suggest new ways forward? Might alchemical acts of “combining or redirecting the flow of these materials in anticipation of what might emerge” (Ingold, 2010: 9) hold a key to designing towards the unknown?

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Page 1: Designing Towards the Unknown - Danielle Wilde€¦ · Designing towards the unknown: engaging with material and aesthetic uncertainty 3 would be like if yet-to-be-concretised technologies

DesignforNext

12thEADConferenceSapienzaUniversityofRome

12-14April2017

Copyright©2016.Thecopyrightofeachpaperinthisconferenceproceedingsisthepropertyoftheauthor(s).Permissionisgrantedtoreproducecopiesoftheseworksforpurposesrelevanttotheaboveconference,providedthattheauthor(s),sourceandcopyrightnoticeareincludedoneachcopy.Forotherusespleasecontacttheauthor(s).

Designingtowardstheunknown:engagingwithmaterialandaestheticuncertainty

DanielleWildea,b,JennyUnderwoodbaSDUDesign,UniversityofSouthernDenmark,KoldingbFashionandTextiles,RMITUniversity,Melbourne*Correspondingauthore-mail:[email protected]

Abstract:Newmaterialswith new capabilities demand newways of approachingdesign. The Poetic Kinaesthetic Interface project engages with this problematicdirectly. It uses unfolding processes informed by participatory, speculative andcritical design, in emergent actions, to design towards unknown outcomes, usingunknown materials. The impossibility and uncertainty of the task is proving asuseful as it is disruptive. At its most potent, it is destabilising expectations,aestheticsandprocesses:keepingus,ourcollaboratorsandvariedparticipantsinastateofunknowing,openingup the researchpotential to far-rangingpossibilities.We unpack the motivations driving the project. We present our mixed-method,which entangles textile crafts, design interactions and materiality to shape anembodiedenquiry.Ouroutcomesareproceduralandmethodological.Theprojectbrings together diverse human, non-human, known and unknown materials todiscover where the emergent assemblages might lead us. In doing so, we re-invigorateandre-envisionthedesignprocess.

Keywords: craft, materiality, embodied interaction, aesthetics, designprocess

1.Introduction

“Alchemyistheoldscienceofstrugglingwithmaterials,andnotquiteunderstandingwhatishappening”(Elkins2000:19).

ThePoeticKinaestheticInterfaceproject(PKI),investigateswhatwemightlearn,asdesigners,ifweholdourfocustightlyonastrugglewithas-yet-unknownmaterials.Canweengageproductivelywiththeunknownpotentialofas-yet-unknownmaterialsbycraftingembodiedinteractionsusingmaterialsthatarefamiliar?Mightinterweaving:embodiedengagementwithmateriality;andemergentinterimformsthatweexposetodifferentpublics;bringustometaphoricalclothsofgoldthatsuggestnewwaysforward?Mightalchemicalactsof“combiningorredirectingtheflowofthesematerialsinanticipationofwhatmightemerge”(Ingold,2010:9)holdakeytodesigningtowardstheunknown?

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Inthisseaofquestions,wearenotlookingforanswers,perse.FollowingHaraway(2000),wearetryingtostaywiththetrouble.Howdodesignersdesigninsuchunstabletimes?Howdowedesigninthefaceofuncertainty?Howdowestaywiththistrouble,longenoughtofindnewwaysofresponding?

PKIisanongoingseriesofmovestowardsnewproceduresandmethodsfordesigninginthefaceofmaterialandaestheticuncertainty.Theprojecthashadfalsestartsandmissteps,andatmomentshasleaptlikeagazelle–withcrystalclearintentionsandpathwaysforward.Yetevenatsuchmoments,wedisruptourprocesstoreturnourselvestoastateofunknowingsothatwecanbecarefultoreallyfollowwhereouras-yet-unknownmaterialsmightwanttolead.Ingold(2010),assuresusthat“whatpeopledowithmaterials(…)istofollowthem,weavingtheirownlinesofbecomingintothetextureofmaterialflows”.InPKIweaskwhatmighthappenifweenablethematerialstouseus–thedesignersandourcollaborators–toweavetheirownlinesofbecoming?

Ouraimthusistoenablethematerialstoguideusmorepowerfullythantheydoinourcraftpractices.AsRosneretal.(2013)explain,howacraftspersonplayswiththeirmaterialsleadsthemtowardsfindingwhatitistheywanttomake.Inourcase,treatingtheconcepts,materialsandtechniquesatplayinthePKIprojectasmaterialelementsofourcraftpracticesisleadingustounderstandwhatitisthematerialsmightwantustodo.Sometimesitseemswelistenwell.Sometimeswemightlistenmorecarefully.Ineithercase,wehopetodiscoverifmaterialdesirescanassistustodesignintoanunknown.Materialthings,likepeople,areprocesses–theirrealagencyliespreciselyinthefactthat“theycannotalwaysbecapturedandcontained”(Pollard2004:60inIngold2010:8).Thisconceptisonlymorevalidinthesetimesofradicalmaterial–andeverything–flux.FollowingIngold’slead,wearethereforefollowingthematerials.

WedescribehereourmotivationsandthetheoreticalunderpinningsofthePKIproject,thenhowtheprojecthasunfoldedtodate.OurprocessesareinformedequallybyResearchthroughDesign,NewMaterialismandFeministTechnoscience.Theyareatonceemergent,participatoryandperformative.Theycombinetextilecraftswithinteractiondesigntoshapeparticipatory,embodied,speculativeengagementswithmateriality:bringingtogetherdiversehuman,non-human,knownandunknownmaterials–combiningandreconfiguringthem,redirectingtheirflow–todiscoverwheretheemergentassemblagesmightleadus.Aswewilldiscuss,thisentangledmethodologyisre-invigorating,asitre-envisionsthedesignprocess.

2.PKI:Motivations2.1ConceptualdriversPKIaimstochallengeandenrichtheconstrainednormofbody-typicaltoincludehypermobility,physicaldisability,andtheevolvingabilitiesofthematureorageingbody.Theprojectinterweaves:embodiedengagement,choreography,motioncapture,structuredtextileresearch,materialandspatialexplorations,garmentandobjectconstructionandpublicengagementinanemergentco-designprocess.Theaimistounderstand:

A. howtogivepeoplethefeelingofbeinginsomeoneelse’sbody,someonewithperhapsverydifferentabilitiesandconstraints

B. howdesignersmighteffectivelyprototypeadvancedmaterialinteractions,wherethecharacteristicsofthematerialsinquestionmightnotyetbeconcretised

C. howdesignersandscientistsmighteffectivelycross-fertiliseresearch-in-processwithpublicopinionsaroundthesocial,ethical,personal,politicalandculturalimplicationsofwhatlife

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wouldbelikeifyet-to-be-concretisedtechnologieswerereadilyavailable,andpartofpeople’slives

Theobjectivesarefourfold,to:

1. developnewformsofembodiedandwearableinteractionsthatchallengeparticipants’notionsaroundtermssuchas:ability,disability,bodytypicalandnormativeornormal.

2. expandthewaysthatwe,asdesignresearchers,engagewithtechnologicalpotential.3. investigatehowdesignactionsmightaffordproductivecross-fertilisationofsocial

imaginariesandconcernswithscientificdevelopment,and4. ascertainwhether,orhow,doingsomightproductivelyinfluenceperceivedsocialrelevance

ofresearch.

Theseaimsandobjectivesareexploredinparallelin,withandthroughaparticipatory,embodiedResearchthroughDesign(RtD)processthatcraftsourinquiryintograspable,wearableandotherwiseem-body-able1form(c.f.Section3).Interimoutcomesaretestedinparticipatoryactionsthatrelyonem-body-ingdesign–situatingideation,engagement,interactionandevaluationin,with,andthroughtheexperientialhumanbody–toaccessembodiedparticipants’extra-discursivecapacities.Thisapproachanchorsdialogueinthepersonal,social,politicalandenvironmental,andenablesconversationstotakeplacethatotherwisemighteludearticulation.

2.2TheoreticaldriversWedescribeourmethodascraftingRtD,informedbyparticipatory,speculativeandcriticaldesign,NewMaterialismandFeministTechnoscience.Theresearchisthusinformedbytheoriesofpractice,andphilosophiesrelatingtoScienceandTechnologyStudies(STS),whichdestabiliseandtherebymovethethinking-andresearch-in-practiceforward.

Weuseanappliedaction-reflectionapproachtoRtD(Jonas,2007:189-192),wheretheemphasisisontheresearchobjectiveofcreatingdesignknowledge,notaprojectsolution.WehaveaScandinavian-inspiredapproachtoparticipation:collaboratingwithpeoplewhomighteventuallybeservedbyas-yet-unimagineddesigns,asco-creatorsintheprocess(Sanders,2008,pp.13-15).Theresultingresearch-in-practiceisconstructivistinitsunfolding.Materials,making,collaboratorandparticipantfeedbackaredrawnoninahermeneuticcyclebasedoncreativityandself-reflection:informationandfindingsareusedtomoveforward,butalsorevisitpreviousconsiderations(c.f.Mäkelä,2006).WhatemergesisaspeculativeandindeterminateprogressionreminiscentofwhatTimIngold(2006)termswayfindingincomparisontonavigation:feelingone’swayratherthanusingamap.Thiswayofworkingaffordsacontinualfeedbackmechanismthatisopen,flexibleandresponsive.Itenablesus,likecraftspeople,tocalibratethemotionsofouractionsindirectresponsetotheactionsjustperformed,andtherebyadvancetowardswheretheresearch,designenquiry,andparticipantreactionsleadateachmoment.

Theresultingdesignactionsconstituteanemerginghybridofnarrativesthatinformandareinformedbytheresearchconcerns.Theyuseembodied,post-disciplinaryanddisruptivestrategies(Wildeetal.,2015)toengagevariedsocialandtechnoscientificimaginaries.Thinking-through-making,-movingand-doingarekey.Asisusingthesociallyfamiliarcontextofcrafts(Adamson,2010)toengageparticipantstobringdifficulttoarticulateconceptstothescaleofthebody.Bringing

1Em-body-ableartefactscanbeengagedwiththroughthebody–nomattertheirformorscale.Theymaybemicroormacro,self-containedorsystemic,orotherwisematerially,physicallyorconceptuallychallengingintermsofwhathumanstypicallygrasporwear.

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attentiontothebodyindiversewayssupportsdiversepublicstofindlanguageforcomplextopics.Itenlivensimaginariesandinvitescreative(re)positioningofeveryday,intimateexperiencesintoposthumanassemblages:wherethehumanperspectiveisbutoneamongmany(Braidotti,2006,p.41).InSociologyandtheNewMaterialismtheconceptofa‘research-assemblage’thatcomprisesresearcher,respondents,data,methodsandcontextsisproposed,asawayto

“assess,critiqueandpotentiallyengineerresearchmethodsandmethodologiesthatshifttherelationshipbetweenresearcher,researchedandaudience.”(Fox&Alldred,2016:11)

Suchanapproachacknowledgesthatacapacityfor‘agency’extendsbeyondhumanactorstothenon-humanandinanimate(Braidotti,2013;DeLanda,2006;Latour,2005),andopensresearchassemblagestonewformsofreading.If“[m]atterisnottobeevaluatedbyitsessence,butbyitscapacitiestoaffect”(Bennet,2010:3),takingaNewMaterialistapproachcanassistustoradicallydestabilisehowwemightotherwisereadparticipantactionsinaco-designcontext.Insteadoffocusingonthereactionsofhumanparticipants,wecanfocusonalloftheforces(oraffects)operatingatthelevelofactionsorevents(Fox&Alldred,2016:27),includingthoseinwhichourhumancollaboratorsmayplayarelativelyminorrole.

“[Thereare]nostructures,nosystemsandnomechanismsatworkinnewmaterialistontology;insteadthereareevents;anendlesscascadeofeventscomprisingthematerialeffectsofbothnatureandculturethattogetherproducetheworld”(vanderTuinandDolphijn,2010:7)

Thiswayofthinkingopensthewaytoresponsivelycraftthedifferent–humanandnon-human–elementsinourresearchprocess.AsHirdandRoberts(2011:115)stress,the:

“...vitalityandurgencyofthequestionsraisedbyattemptstoaddressthemultiplewaysinwhichnonhumanactors(betheyrats,aliens,syringes,robots,plastinatesorvirtualdeer)affectwhoweareandhowwe(might)live”.

Bytakingsuch‘things’seriously,theyhave

“cometorecognizemorefullyhowthese[things]cometobeconstitutedandthoughtinandthroughparticularworldsinwhich‘wehumans’arebutonenominatedsetofplayers”.(ibid.)

AccordingtoLindström&Ståhl(2014),suchanapproach:

“meansnotonlytoopenupthebody,butalsotoopenuptechnologyasmaterialsthatarerelatedinsomewhatstabilizedways,butwhichcanberearranged.”

Bypaying“attentiontothediscursiveandmaterial,inonemove,throughrecognizingrelationalityandco-constitutionofagency”theyarguethat“Feministtechnoscience(..)helpstheresearchertogobeyondonlyconsideringtheconcernsoftheuser.”(ibid.)

InPKIwearespeculatingpossibleaestheticsfornewmaterialtechnologiesthatmighthelpustothinkindifferentways.Feministtechnoscienceandnewmaterialistontologiesassistustothinkinnewwaysthroughourdesignresearchpractices.Theythusprovidepotentlensesthroughwhichtoengagewithourunknowns.

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3.PKI:CraftingDesignInteractions3.1WeavingawayforwardFromatheoreticalaswellaspracticalperspective,PKIisextremelydynamic.Itleansontextilecraftsandinteractiondesigntosupportdynamicrelationsbetween:emergingmaterials,em-body-mentinsocialimaginaries,anddisabilityaesthetics.Themakingleansheavilyontextilecrafts,interaction,participatoryandspeculativedesign,usingthesocialfamiliarityofcraftstoenableustoreachabroadaudience.Partnerscomefromscientificanddesignbackgrounds,aswellasperformanceanddisability.Participantscomefromdiversepublicsconstitutedatculturalandcommunityevents,specialistforaandpop-uphappenings(c.f.Wildeetal.,2014&2015).

PKI,todate,consistsoftwophases:

PhaseIbeganwithmotioncaptureexperimentswithfouralternately-abledcreativeprofessionals,andculminatedinopen,participatoryactionswithdiversepublics;

PhaseIIinvolvesclosercollaborationwithmaterialsscientistsandengineers,andfurtheropenexperiments.

Thedesignactionsareusedtoprobeparticipantrelationshipstodivergentbodiesandtechnologies.Theyareshapedasframeworks-for-thinking,anduseinterimoutcomes,ratherthanconceptuallycompletedartefactstoexposeourthinkingtopublicscrutinyasitevolves,ratherthanwaitinguntilconceptsareneatlyformed.Thisapproachenablesustocarefullycraftspeculativeinterventionsusingfamiliarmaterials,toproposeyet-to-be-imaginedmaterialsandtechnologiesforas-yet-unknownapplications.Theprobesareconceptuallyambiguous,andservetopromptpeopletoimagineandexpressnovelideas.

Tostructuretheseactionswedrawonthemetaphoricallanguageofweaving,positingeachparticipatoryeventasaloom.Inourlooms,thewarpisthedynamicconstellationoftheevolvingprobes,andtheweftisthepublic’sengagementandresponsestotheseprobes,asguidedbythevariedweavers:usresearchersandourvariedhumanandnon-humancollaborators.Thisconstructisprovingextremelyuseful.Theinteractionbetweenthewarpelementsandourdynamicweftisenablingdifferentformationsandpatternstoemerge,whichwepositasmetaphoricalcloths:thealchemicalclothsofgold,alludedtointheintroduction.Thesecloths,whenhandledindifferentways,privilegedifferentperspectives:theyconceptuallyandtheoreticallyembodydifferentrelationshipsbetweentheresearchideas,probesandparticipantresponses.Theythusservetoguideourthinking,movingforward.Wenowdescribetwoloomsinconcreteterms.

3.2TwoloomsOurphase1LoomwaspresentedatTheNationalGalleryofVictoriainAustralia(LeAmon,2014).Inthisloomwelimitedexplorationstowhatwecall:no-tech:usingnocontemporary,neworemergentdigitalorbiologicaltechnologies.2Threeseriesofprobesweredevelopedforthisloom:

(1) GreenKnits(Fig.1,top):graspablestructuresthatemergeddirectlyfromresearchintobiotensegrity–theinterplayofcompressionandtensioninthehumanbody(Schleip,etal.2012).Theseprobesserveasamaterialguideformoving,aswellasunderstandinghowtomove,linkingthecognitivewiththekinaestheticandproprioceptiveinunexpectedways

2Foranextendeddiscussionofno-tech,low-techandemerging-oryet-to-be-imagined-techpleasesee(Wilde,etal.,2015)

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Figure1.Loom1probe-sets(1–3):GreenKnits(top),BlueCushions(centre),Sleeves(bottom).

(2) BlueCushions(Fig.1,centre):feltedwoollumpsthatserveassweetdeformitiesortemporaryscarsthatcanbeputonandtakenoffatwill.Theseprobesplacepressureondifferentmusclegroupsandnervepathwaystochangeperceptionofmovement.

(3) Sleeves(Fig.1,bottom):curiouspartial-garmentsthataltermovementpathwaysthroughtheimpositiononthewearer’sbodyofahiddenorconstantlyshiftingmaze.Togetherthesethreeseriesofprobesconstitutedourfirstwarp.(see:Wilde,etal.,2014)

OursecondloomwassetupinDenmark,duringtheDesignResearchSocietyExperientialKnowledgeSpecialInterestGroupannualconference(EKSIG2015)atDesignSchoolKolding.Wehadathree-weekresearchresidencyattheDesignSchoolbeforesettingupourloom,duringwhichweundertookarangeofexperimentswithmaterialandembodiedinteractions.Wefocusedonbothno-

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andknown-tech,toinvestigatewhatmightemergeifwedidwhatwealreadyknew.UnlikethePhase1loom,whichwasopentoabroadrangeofparticipants,thisloomwasdesignedfirstandforemostforthetextileanddesignresearcherswhowouldbeattendingtheconference.Theseconferenceparticipantswouldknowalotabouttheprojectbeforetheyengagedwithit,havingseenapresentationofthework.Thisknowledgeimpactedourdecision-makingprocess.Weatoncewantedtoexperimentwithextremeopen-ness,andleveragethebackgroundknowledgeandfindingsfromLoom1.Thethreeprobe-setsthatresulted(Fig.2–4)are:

(1) Embodiedpaperprototypes(Fig.2):dynamicformsdevelopedthroughanembodiedprototypingprocess3.Eachformopensandclosesinvariousways,dependingonhowtheyareplacedonthebodyandhowthewearermoves.Thepurposeofthisprobe-setistoinvestigate(a)howparticipantsmightengagewithformsthatcanbeplacedanywhereonthebody,and(b)whetherdoingsomightimpactapersons’understandingofthebodyinmovement,andinwhatway.

Figure2.Loom2probe-set(1):EmbodiedPaperPrototypes

3Thisprobe-setwasdevelopedbyMaryKaridaandEricaVannucci,studentsfromTheUniversityofSouthernDenmark

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(2) Creatures+Straps(Fig.3):diverseknittedelements.TheCreaturesareinspiredbytransparentmarineanimalsthat–likealiencreatures–canhugthebodyindifferentways,andindoingsodynamicallyaltertheirform.Theseshapechangecapabilitieswereinformedbytheembodiedpaperprototypingexperiments,thepossibilitiesandconstraintsaffordedbymachine-knitting3Dstructures,andourPhase1findings(Wilde,etal.,2014).TheStrapsareinspiredbykinbaku-bi–aformofJapanesebondagethatfocusesontheaestheticsoftying,knottingandconstrainingthebody[Midori,2001],againinformedbyourfindingsfromPhase1.Thisprobe-setrepresentsaseriesofaestheticleaps,andisconceptuallyfarmoresophisticatedthantheotherprobe-setsinthisloom.

Figure3.Loom2probe-set(2):Creatures+Straps

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(3) Sensors+Sounds(Fig.4):hand-madetextilestretchsensorspatchedintoacomputerrunningtheMaxsoundprogrammingenvironment4.Thesesensorswereaestheticallymatchedtotheseacreatures,astheywereoriginallyintendedtoformpartofthesameprobe-set.Wekeptthemseparatefortworeasons.First,wewantedparticipantstodetermineinwhatwaysthedifferentprobe-setsmightbepaired,withoutbeingguidedbyourprompting.Second,byseparatingsonicfeedbackfromthevisualandphysicalfeedbackprovidedinprobe-sets(1)and(2),wehopedtoobservehowparticipantbehaviourmightdifferinresponsetothedifferentsensorialtrigger.Thesonicinteractionsofthisprobe-setweredevelopedbystudentsfromTheUniversityofSouthernDenmarkandDesignSchool,Kolding.

Figure4.Loom2probe-set(3):Sensors+Sounds

ComparedtoLoom1,Loom2wasfarmoreopenintermsofhowtheprobe-setsmightbepairedwiththebody.Theprobe-setswerealsounevenintermsoftheirconceptualsophistication.Incontrast,theprobe-setsforLoom1satalongaclearlyidentifiablespectrum,andwereequallymatchedintermsofmateriallanguage(Author,2014).

Onanalysis,theopen-ness,andmismatchinLoom2wastooextremetogainusefulinsightsfromtheinteractionsbetweenwarp,weftandloom.Theresultingmetaphoricalclothsseemeddull,uninspiring–attimestooopentobeabletounderstand,atothertimestootightlywound.ItseemedtheLoom2probe-sets–aswarp–leftparticipantswithoutenoughstructure.Therewasnothingforthemtoholdontowhenconsideringhowto‘play’theirpotential.Incontrast,thespecificityoftheLoom1probe-setsenabledparticipantstopositionthemselvespowerfullyinrelationtotheirstrange

4Thisprobe-setwasdevelopedbyMirzelAvdic,FerranAltarribeBertranandKeyuYu,studentsfromTheUniversityofSouthernDenmarkandDesignSchoolKolding(onexchangefromTongjiUniversity,China).

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familiarity.Thecoherencyoftheprobe-setsinLoom1–intermsofhoweachshouldbeused–alsoassistedparticipantstocommittoengaging.

Regardlessofwhatfeltlikeaset-back,theconstructoftheloomwashelpful.Itslowedourthinkingdownandprovidedspaceforgreaterreflection,asourreflectionsneededtobecoherentwithourmetaphoricalconstruct,aswellasourresearchconcerns.Overthecourseofthetwolooms,wegleanedthefollowinginsightsintothebenefitsandlimitationsofthisapproach:

• Craft’ssoft logicprovidesaframeworkthatbothsupportsandsuggestsalternativewaysofworking that are open and flexible, yet robust. The confidence this robustness engenderssupportsrisktakinginusresearchersand,webelieve,theparticipantsinourdesignactions.

• The social and performative nature of craft acts as a rich site for inviting and opening upexchangesofideas(Ravetz,2013).

• Exposing an audience to relatively unformed research, and researchers to audienceresponsesatearlystagesoftheworkiseffective(ifnotalwayssatisfying).

• Thelevelofcommitmentaparticipantbringstotheirparticipationwithexperimentalprobe-sets,iscoupledtobothconceptualresolutionandeaseofuse.

• Warpingaloomwithconceptuallyandmateriallyunevenprobescanchallengeparticipants’ability to engage with the unresolved nature of the work, whereas series of prototypes,developed to a similar level of conceptual or material sophistication, better affordstriangulation,andthereforestructureandengagement.

Whileitremainsuncleartowhatresolutionourartefactsultimatelyneedtobedevelopedforustoarriveatsomekindofmaterialandaestheticcertainty.Orifindeed,certaintyisevenrequired.Whatisclearisthatconstantlydestabilisingourbeliefsandhabitsasdesigner–researchersthroughtheuseofourloommetaphorisprovingasfruitfulasitischallenging.Keepingourselvesinastateofunknowingaffordsgreatersensitivitytowheretogonext.

4.ReflectionsThepurposeofthispaperisnottoreflectontheresultsofourloom,perse,buttoreflectontheusefulnessofanentangledmethodologythatconverges:theoriesonpractice;practice;theoriesonthinking;andthinking.BringingnewmaterialistandfeministtechnoscienceontologiesintoacraftedRtDprocessisenablingustoforegroundnon-humanalongsidehumanagency,whichishelpingdisruptassumptionswemightmakeintermsofunderstandingourdata.

Theprojectcombinestextilecraftswithinteractiondesigntoshapeparticipatory,embodied,speculativeengagementswithmateriality:bringingtogetherdiversehuman,non-human,knownandunknownmaterials–combiningandreconfiguringthem,redirectingtheirflow–todiscoverwheretheemergentassemblagesmightleadus.Wearethuscraftingpractice-based,practice-ledandpractice-oriented,criticaldesignresearch;withanexpandedviewofcraft,asafundamentallysocialwayofworkingwithpeoplethroughthemediumandintelligenceofmateriality(Adams,2014:20).

Withthisentangledapproach,weareliterallyweavingourwayforward:fromaloomasstructuralsupportforresearchpracticeandengagement,towardsaflattenedhierarchyinformedbyfeministtechnoscience.Theweaversincludeallofthedifferentplayers:humanandnon-human.Thenon-humanmaterialsareweavingtheirwayforwardtonewbecomings.Thehumanparticipantsareweavingclothsofemergentunderstandings:ofdiversebodies,newmaterialsandapproachestoembodiedlivingandengagement.We,designresearchers,areweavingnewunderstandingsofnewaestheticsinrelationtonewmaterials,aswellasnewphilosophicalunderstandingsofhowtoreadourresearchactions.Theweavingthusengagesusinfuture-making:weavingmaterialcultureand

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imagination.“[M]akingasweavingemphasizesthemutualrelationshipbetweenmakerandmaterial”(Goett,2016:127),which“continuallyandendlesslycom[es]intobeingaroundusasweweave”(Ingold,2000:64).Ourloom,thusisfreeingusfromrelyingontestedmethodsthatmaynotbeappropriatetoyet-to-be-concretisedmaterials.

Thereisstrongprecedenceoftextilebasedcraftmetaphorsastoolsforthinking:devicesforelaboratingnewmeaning,andcommunicatingprocessesthatmaybecomplexandnon-reductiveinform.Researchersarere-thinkingart,aestheticsandknowledgeproductionthroughmetaphorssuchas“spinningtoelaboratenewmeanings”(Jefferiesetal.,2016:4)and“patchworkingwaysofknowing”(Lindström&Ståhl,2016):bothtoknowandtomaketheworldinonemove.Butdoessuchanapproachofferanewfoundation?AjunAppaduri(2014:9)positsdesignasapracticethatcontinuouslyreimaginesitsownconditionsofpossibility,drawingfocustotheforcesofmaterialityinrelationtodesign.Hewrites:

“materialitycanbeviewedasadesigncontext,anddesigncanbetreatedasaformofvibration(inthesenseofJaneBennett’sideaof“vibrantmatter”)thatdisturbsandcreativelyanimatesthematerialworldandaddsnewformsofmovementtoalreadymovinganddynamicmaterials.”(ibid:9-10)

Byholdingstronglytodesignas“immanent:neverfinished,alwaysinprogress”(Yelavich&Adams,2014:15),weareengagingwiththeseideasasaprocessofbecoming.ReturningtoPollard,inIngold:materialthings,likepeople,areprocesses–theirrealagencyliespreciselyinthefactthat“theycannotalwaysbecapturedandcontained”(2004:60,in2010:8).Wearethustryingtostaywiththetroublethatnewmaterialsbring,inthehopethatbydoingso,whiledestabilisingourpracticesandtherebyourexpectations,wemightbeabletobringthealchemicalgoldofanewaestheticintobeing.Byintertwiningvariedandvaryingperspectivesonourconcernsthus,ourresearchisenabledtounfoldasanemergent—openandresponsive—activitythatmayattimesdivergedynamicallyfromintendedplanning.Ittherebyallowsustoexaminehowtocraftaresponsetothemanyquestionsdrivingourinquiry.

5.ConclusionsPKIisalive,volatileprocess,understoodinthesenseofDewey’s‘experience’(2005).Ratherthanfittingclearlyintorecognisabledomains,theprobesanddesignactionsofPKI,theinterimoutcomesandmetaphoricalresearchcloths,definetheirowndomain.Together,theyenableus:designresearchers,humanandnon-humancollaborators,tobreakwithlimitationsandpre-conceivednotionsaroundwhatmaterialsmightwishtobecome.Ourentangledapproachgivesrisetounexpectedresponsestocomplexproblems,deepenedunderstandingoftheproblemsasaresult,propositionsforongoingactions,andare-evaluationofdiverseperspectivesonresearchrigorthatmightbeheldbydisciplinessuchasmaterialsscienceorparticipatoryspeculation.

Ourintention,movingforward,remainstodesigntowardsunknownoutcomes,usingunknownmaterials.Inparticular,wewillfocusmorekeenlyonourmetaphoricalresearchcloths.Weanticipatethattheimpossibilityanduncertaintyofthistaskwillcontinuedestabilisingexpectations,aestheticsandprocesses;keepingusdesignresearchers,ourhumanandnon-humancollaborators,inastateofunknowingthatwillopenuptheresearchpotentialtofar-rangingpossibilities.Byapplyinganalyticalframeworksfromnewmaterialismandfeministtechnosciencetoourinterimoutcomes,aswellasourunderstandingoftheunfoldingprocesses,webelieveourfindingswillcontinuetore-invigorateandre-envisionthedesignprocess,andtherebykeepit,andus,inaconstantprocessofbecoming.

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AbouttheAuthors:

DanielleWildeisAssociateProfessor,EmbodiedDesignattheUniversityofSouthernDenmark,KoldingandAdjunctProfessor,FashionandTextilesResearch,RMITUniversity,Melbourne.Sheinvestigateshowembodiedwaysofknowing,participationandcraftmightshapetheemergingaestheticsoffuturewearables.

JennyUnderwoodisSeniorLecturerinTextileDesignfortheSchoolofFashionandTextiles,RMITUniversity,Australia.Herresearchispractice-basedexploringsurfaceandform,3dshapeknittingandparametricdesigntocreatenewmaterialstructuresandsensoryexperiences.

Acknowledgements:Wegratefullyacknowledge:ArtsVictoria,BesenFamilyFoundation,SidneyMyerFoundation,ourPhaseIchoreographer/movers,SimoneLeAmon;everyoneattheNationalGalleryofVictoria;RichardLehner,AnneLouiseBang,everyoneatDesignSchoolKolding,JonasLeonasandourPhaseIIstudentcollaborators:MaryKarida,EricaVanucci,MirzelAvdic,FerranAltarribaBertranandKeyuYu.