Abstract

This paper discusses the fundamental pedagogical objectives and methodologies that were employed to expand the boundaries of applicability of interior design and to encourage multi-dimensional design strategies in which sustainable design principles are embedded explicitly into the design process. These methodologies were explored by inviting first year Masters of Interior Design students to produce a garment, second skin, which responds continuously to environmental stimuli. Interactive textiles, with their integrated technologies that respond to environmental stimuli have begun to flood the mainstream market. They protect and enhance our bodies more than ever. These new materials and garments have established a new interaction matrix between the human body and the immediate environment. The paradigm shift in the social as well as the private domain demands a redefinition of boundary conditions and individual roles in our society. While the human body remains at the center of all things, our perception of the world changes dramatically. Our place making, sense of space and sense of privacy is redefined and daily narratives are rewritten as the technology-reinforced second skin continuously enhances our understanding of the world around us. As science and technology continue to accelerate and to change our society, design has become the primary mediator in the implementation of these changes in our daily lives. The role of designer has changed from primary form generator to interpreter of the new, emerging reality which is informed by science and technology. As a consequence, designers have begun to assume a prominent role in society as the intermediaries of the need of contemporary culture for synthesis. The change in the pedagogical objectives of design disciplinary studies is inescapable and must respond to the evolving role of the designers. Project second skin explores this evolution and provides a platform for illustrating an integrated, interdisciplinary approach to design education.