Design as a practice of knowledge

Sociology of culture course at IED Florence
2018-ongoing

Design is a very wide and multifaceted field of practice. With the goal of developing a personal awareness of the social and relational issues related to the design process and outcomes, students will be asked to investigate the relation between where we are and what we do, focusing on how cultural items affect our relation with and understanding of space. 

Investigating different approaches adopted by practitioners in history and nowadays, the course will explore and define a set of tools and techniques to analyse and deal with social issues and phenomena. 

Public space is chosen as the main domain of study, being one of the most interesting scenarios of human life. The study of the public and collective dimension and its development is assumed as one of the biggest challenges of our future.

Short bibliography

CARERI F., Walkscapes. Walking as an aesthetic practice, Culicidae Architectural Press, 2017
GEHL J., SVARRE B., How to study public life, Island Press, 2013
GEHL J., Life between buildings. Using public space, Island Press, 1971
CUPERS K. : Use Matters: an alternative history of architecture, Routledge, 2013 
HYDE R.: Future practice. Conversations from the edge of architecture. Routledge, 2013
HYDE R.: Architects after architecture. Routledge, 2020
JACOBS J.: The death and life of great american cities, Random House, 1961
LYNCH K.: The image of the city. The MIT Press, 1960.
BEKA I., LEMOINE.: The emotional power of space, Bêka & Partners, France, 2023

AA 2024/25
Theory Sessions

Design as a practice of knowledge
An end has a start
Public space
WALKS – An aesthetic practice
MAPS – An history of cartography
MEET THE EXPERT – The Sociolab experience
PROXIMITY – Closeness as a value
EMOTIONS – The emotional layer of design
ENGAGEMENT – The power of a project’s actions and reactions

Design as a practice of knowledge